Say 'ahhh': Computer programme diagnoses diseases by analysing the colour of your TONGUE READ MORE: The medical problems you can see by looking into the mouth By Rebecca Whittaker For Mailonline Published: 11:01, 13 August 2024 | Updated: 11:08, 13 August 2024 e-mail 1 View comments A computer algorithm could give you a diagnosis on the spot for diabetes , cancer or tell you if you're at risk of a stroke just by taking a picture of your tongue. The programme, developed by Iraqi and Australian researchers, has achieved a 98 per cent accuracy in predicting different diseases by analysing the colour of the human tongue. The proposed imaging system, which replicates traditional Chinese medicine, can diagnose diabetes, stroke, anaemia, asthma, liver and gallbladder conditions, COVID-19 , and a range of vascular and gastrointestinal issues.
Engineering researchers from Middle Technical University (MTU) and the University of South Australia (UniSA) used 5,260 images to train machine learning algorithms to detect tongue colour in a series of experiments. Scientists predict smartphones will one day be used to diagnose disease in this way. A camera which was placed 20 centimetres from a patient, captured their tongue colour and the imaging system predicted their health condition in real time Examining the tongue for signs of disease is seen in a 2000-year-old practice widely used in traditional Chinese medicine, explains senior author Professor Ali Al-Naji A new paper published in Tech.