Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory have developed a program that detects slight differences between digital images that signal early stages of disease.

The program aligns images, to within a fraction of a pixel, from hand-held or otherwise imprecise cameras. The alignment compensates for differences in camera angle, height, zoom or other distractions that previously confounded comparisons. There are also a variety of law enforcement and security uses, such as comparing tire prints or fingerprints.

DOE/Idaho National E & E Laboratory press release