U.S. and Australian scientists are working to develop a mobile phone application that would help diagnose certain respiratory conditions based on a user's cough, Discovery News reports.
The research group STAR Analytical Services is leading the effort to create a program that would allow users to cough into their phone for a symptom evaluation.
The application would compare the cough with a pre-recorded database of coughs from people with various respiratory diseases. The database would contain cough recordings from people of different ages, genders, weights and other variables (Bland, Discovery News, 11/8).
Using the database, the application would evaluate whether a cough sounded dry, wet or indicative of mucus in the lungs. The program then could provide information about whether the cough likely was caused by a bacterial or viral infection.
Officials say the program could be particularly useful in developing countries that have a high prevalence of pneumonia.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is providing financial support for the research (Chivers, Daily Telegraph, 11/9).