A Low-Cost Method of Ciliary Beat Frequency Measurement Using iPhone and MATLAB: Rabbit Study

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Otolaryngology Research
• Respiratory Physiology

Background:

• Accurate measurement of ciliary beat frequency (CBF) is crucial for understanding mucociliary clearance.
• Existing methods for CBF measurement can be expensive and time-consuming.
• Consumer-grade technology offers potential for more accessible research tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a method for determining ciliary beat frequency (CBF) utilizing a standard cellphone camera and MATLAB software.
• To assess the accuracy and efficacy of this novel, low-cost approach compared to traditional techniques.

Main Methods:

• Ex vivo rabbit tracheal samples were analyzed under phase-contrast microscopy.
• Cilia movement was recorded using an iPhone 6 at 240 frames per second (fps).
• MATLAB was employed for video analysis, including Fourier analysis at various frame rates (240, 120, 60, 30 fps) and manual verification.

Main Results:

• Ciliary beat frequency (CBF) was significantly higher at 37°C (9.08 ± 0.49 Hz) compared to 23°C (5.03 ± 0.4 Hz).
• Formalin-fixed samples showed no measurable ciliary activity.
• No statistically significant differences in CBF measurements were found across tested frame rates (240, 120, 60, 30 fps) or compared to manual counting at 23°C.

Conclusions:

• The developed cellphone-based method provides accurate ciliary beat frequency (CBF) measurements, comparable to visual inspection.
• All tested acquisition frame rates proved effective.
• This technique presents a rapid, inexpensive, and viable alternative to conventional CBF measurement protocols.