Identify Skin Conditions with Google Lens
Google Lens, a vision-based tool housed in the Google application for mobile phones, has announced a groundbreaking new feature: the ability to search for skin conditions. Google Lens allows users to search what they see via their smartphones, by comparing an uploaded or captured image to other images throughout the internet and ranking the results based on their similarities to the user’s image. This provides the user with context about what they are looking at and even provides recommendations and additional information about a specific object.
This new feature enables users to take a picture of their skin, such as a rash or discoloration, and matches it with the most relevant results, providing insight into the condition. As explained by Lou Wang, Senior Director of Product Management for Google Search, “Describing an odd mole or rash on your skin can be hard to do with words alone. Fortunately, there’s a new way Lens can help, with the ability to search skin conditions that are visually similar to what you see on your skin. Just take a picture or upload a photo through Lens, and you’ll find visual matches to inform your search”.
The potential of this technology is enormous, particularly in the vast field of dermatology, which has long been recognized as an area where image-based search tools can add significant value. This new technology in Google Lens holds the promise of democratizing an entire subsector of knowledge for the general population through easy-to-use applications. Moreover, these tools can significantly enhance clinician workflows; for instance, if a physician encounters a rash or rare condition that they have never seen before, these apps may be able to aid in the diagnostic process.
Google has revolutionized the modern concept of search and how information is consumed. Now, Google Lens is leveraging this same technology for image-based search across a variety of use cases, redefining the power of search once again.
