EPFL researchers have developed an artificial
intelligence-based system that can listen to your cough and indicate whether
you have COVID-19.
With the new Coughvid app, developed by five researchers at
EPFL's Embedded Systems Laboratory (ESL), you can record your cough on a smartphone and
find out whether you might have COVID-19. So how can a smartphone app detect
the new coronavirus?
"According to the World Health Organization, 67.7% of people who have the
virus present with a dry
cough—producing no mucus—as opposed to the wet cough typical of a cold or
allergy," says David Atienza, a professor at EPFL's School of Engineering
who is also the head of ESL and a member of the Coughvid development team. The
app is still being developed and will be released in the next few weeks.
Free and anonymous
Once the app is available, users will simply need to install
it and record their cough—the results will appear immediately. "We wanted
to develop a reliable, easy-to-use system that could be deployed for
large-scale testing," says Atienza. "It's an alternative to
conventional tests." In addition to being easy to use, the app has the
advantage of being non-invasive, free and anonymous. "The app has a 70%
accuracy rate," he adds. "That said, people who think they may have
the disease should still go see their doctor. Coughvid is not a substitute for
a medical exam."
Using artificial intelligence to help patients
Coughvid uses artificial
intelligence to distinguish between different types of coughs based on
their sound. "The idea is not new. Doctors already listen to their
patients' coughs to diagnose whooping cough, asthma and pneumonia," says
Atienza.
Right now his team is collecting as much data as possible to
train the app to distinguish between the coughs of people with COVID-19,
healthy people, and people with other kinds of respiratory ailments.
"We'll release the app once we've accumulated enough data. It could take a
few more weeks," says Atienza. In the meantime, COVID-19 patients who
would like to contribute to the development work can record their cough
at https://coughvid.epfl.ch/ or
on the Coughvid mobile
app.
