The world is steadily building its faith in Artificial Intelligence (AI) when it comes to identifying and battling diseases. A recent development from Mumbai is further adding to this belief. A professor and his students have devised an AI-based tool claimed to conduct Covid-19 testing using voice-based diagnosis. This innovative tool couldn’t come at a better time, as it’s currently being trialed by a university in Rome, Italy.
A Revolutionary Tool for Covid-19 Diagnosis
This tool has undergone preliminary testing on 300 individuals, with an accuracy rate of 98% in detecting Covid-19 patients. The tool, based on a smartphone app, uses the patient’s voice for diagnosis. When a person speaks into the microphone of the app, it analyses various aspects of their voice including frequency and noise distortion.
The tool breaks down the voice into over 6,300 parameters, some of which are unique to each individual. While our ears may not distinguish these minute differences in voice, the AI-driven app can. It’s particularly tuned to identify changes in the voice that could be signs of affected internal organs, such as the lungs or the heart – key targets of the coronavirus.
Looking Beyond Diagnosis: The Benefits of the Voice-based Tool
The potential impact of this AI-based tool extends beyond just diagnosing Covid-19. It could play a critical role in performing the first level of screening, where individuals who test positive can proceed to lab tests. This not only reduces the demand on medical infrastructure but also helps identify virus hotspots early on.
The reach of this tool is another significant benefit – it allows for testing even in India’s most secluded regions. All that’s needed is a smartphone, reducing the risk of exposure for both patients and medical personnel. In addition to being efficient, the voice-based diagnosis is cost-free and eliminates waiting time for patients.
Understanding Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) involves machines performing tasks that traditionally require human intelligence. It encompasses a range of technologies including machine learning, pattern recognition, big data, neural networks, and self algorithms.
AI involves feeding data into a machine, which then responds based on varied situations. The objective is to create self-learning patterns, enabling the machine to answer never-before-answered questions, much like a human would. AI technology is adept at analyzing data, thereby improving the efficiency of systems ranging from power management in cars and mobile devices to weather predictions and video/image analysis. A prime example of AI application would be self-driving cars.
In the fight against Covid-19, AI technologies like the voice-based diagnosis tool are proving to be game-changers, aiding efforts to curb the spread of the virus effectively.