CAMBRIDGE, MASS. (WHDH) – A Harvard freshman has developed an app that identifies ticks with a single picture.
Antonia Kolb created “Detick It,” which not only identifies the type of tick, but also where its usually located and the risks it can cary.
Kolb says she hopes the app will help prevent Lyme disease and tickborne illnesses.
“By using images and training, this neural network, it would figure out, ‘oh, this is a black-legged tick, or this is a Lone Star tick,’” said Kolb. “For something that just started as just this passion project thing, I didn’t think it would actually have any effect on people’s lives.”
For her work, Kolb received the prestigious “Princess Diana Award.” In part, she received a royal letter from Prince William.
Kolb says the app is about 90% accurate.
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
