Artificial intelligence (AI) has already been used in various ways to aid with medical diagnoses. Now, it has a new function: AI can detect type 2 diabetes by just listening to a few seconds' worth of talking.
AI Can Detect Type 2 Diabetes
The study on this novel capacity was conducted by scientists from Klick Labs. These scientists were behind the development and sales of this novel AI technology.
Jaycee Kaufman, a research scientist from Klick Labs, explains that current detection methods are resource-intensive, requiring a lot of cost, travel, and time. Kaufman explains that voice technology could potentially take away these barriers fully.
As part of the study, the team asked 267 participants, which included some with and without type 2 diabetes, to record a certain phrase six times a day in their phone application for a two-week period. There were 18,465 recordings in total.
These recordings were then processed for the extraction of 14 characteristics from the participants' voices. These included intensity and pitch, among other characteristics.
A set of recordings was then used for training the AI on a person's voice. Certain factors were taken into consideration, including age, sex, BMI, and the presence or absence of type 2 diabetes. The remaining samples of the recordings were used for testing the things the AI learned.
With factors like age and sex taken into consideration, the AI model was able to detect type 2 diabetes with an accuracy level of 86% for men and 89% for women.
The key signals for type 2 diabetes detection were different for both men and women. Among men, amplitude variation and intensity were the most crucial. For women, pitch variations were key.
The study acknowledges limitations that bigger groups with richer populations need to be tested for further validation. Nevertheless, the initial findings are positive.
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes occurs due to bodily issues with the regulation and use of sugar or glucose. In the long run, it results in elevated sugar levels circulating within the blood. High levels of blood sugar can result in nervous, circulatory, and immune system disorders.
There are two main issues when it comes to type 2 diabetes. For one, levels of insulin, which is the hormone responsible for sugar movement regulation in the cells, produced in the pancreas are not sufficient. Aside from that, the cells' response to insulin also ends up poor. Cells end up taking in less sugar.
Diagnosis of type 2 diabetes is currently done by blood extraction. This blood sample is then sent for an analysis.
Though there is 1 in 11 adults all over the globe who has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, the researchers think that several people are unaware that they actually have the condition. By reducing this number, treatments may also be implemented earlier and costs for diabetes management can also be reduced.
Check out more news and information on Artificial Intelligence in Science Times.
