New Delhi: Google has filed a innovative artificial intelligence system that can potentially detect early signs of disease by analyzing audio signals, according to a recent Bloomberg report. This technology, part of the Acoustic representations of health The project (HeAR) could revolutionize healthcare accessibility in underserved regions.
The AI model, trained on 300 million audio samples including coughs, snot and breathing patterns, aims to identify diseases such as tuberculosis (TB) through subtle acoustic cues. Google has partnered with Salcit Technologies, a Respiratory health care in India Artificial intelligence startup, to integrate this technology into smartphones, making it accessible to High-risk populations in areas with limited health resources.
Tuberculosis, which kills nearly 4,500 people a day according to the World Health Organization, is a prime target of this technology. In India alone, tuberculosis claims around a quarter of a million lives a year, underscoring the urgent need for early detection methods.
Bloomberg reports that the HeAR artificial intelligence model was trained on 100 million cough sounds, allowing it to detect tuberculosis based on minute differences in coughing patterns. This smartphone-based tool could significantly improve Improve detection capabilities in remote areas, potentially saving countless lives through early intervention.
Salcit Technologies is leveraging Google’s artificial intelligence model to improve its own machine learning systemSwaasa, which has already received approval from India’s medical device regulator, allows users to upload a 10-second cough Sample for disease detectionwith a 94 percent accuracy rate.
While the technology is promising, challenges remain, including gaining acceptance into clinical practice, ensuring clean audio samplesand address user familiarity with technology in rural areas.
Google is also exploring other applications of this bioacoustic AI, including early detection of breast cancer using ultrasound at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan.
