Method for reading test strips

A method for identifying color intensities of red lines on a white test strip, comprising the steps of

• (A) attaching said white test strip to a card that is larger and darker than said white test strip,
• (B) scanning said card with said attached white test strip,
• (C) creating a digital image of said card, wherein each pixel in said digital image has a Red value, a Green value, and a Blue value,
• (D) using said digital image to calculate a color intensity for each red line on said white test strip,
• wherein said step (D) is performed using a method comprising
• (a) identifying a first red line, and identifying a first rectangle corresponding to said first red line, wherein said first rectangle
• (i) is approximately or exactly centered on said test strip in a horizontal direction,
• (ii) is smaller than said test strip in the horizontal direction,
• (iii) extends above and below said first red line in a vertical direction,
• (b) identifying a second red line, and identifying a second rectangle corresponding to said second red line, wherein said second rectangle
• (i) is approximately or exactly centered on said test strip in the horizontal direction,
• (ii) is smaller than said test strip in the horizontal direction,
• (iii) extends above and below said second red line in the vertical direction,
• (c) optionally, repeating said step (b) for each additional red line to identify an additional rectangle corresponding to said additional red line,
• (d) performing a color inversion calculation, and
• (e) after performing said steps (a), (b), and (c), and (d), calculating a sum of the Green values of all the pixels within each rectangle, to produce a first sum of Green values corresponding to said first rectangle, a second sum of Green values corresponding to said second rectangle, and, optionally, an additional sum of Green values corresponding to each additional rectangle,
• wherein said first sum of Green values corresponding to said first rectangle is said color intensity of said first red line,
• wherein said second sum of Green values corresponding to said second rectangle is said color intensity of said second red line,
• and wherein said additional sum of Green values corresponding to each said additional rectangle is said color intensity of said additional red line to which said additional rectangle corresponds.