This month, a team of scientists from Middle Technical University (Iraq) and the University of South Australia invented a novel AI algorithm detecting a wide list of diseases, such as diabetes, stroke, anemia, asthma, vascular and gastrointestinal issues, etc, by a tongue's color.
As the leading research author said, this medical methodology is 2000 years old. It emerged in traditional Chinese medicine, where ancient physicians examined the human tongue (color, shape, and thickness) for signs of disease.
How does it work?
As with some of the oldest medical traditions, this technique isn't completely meaningless. Researchers mentioned a list of tongue 'colorization' depending on the health condition:
- Diabetes – yellow tongue
- Cancer – purple tongue with a thick, greasy coating
- Anemia - white tongue
- Vascular diseases or asthma – indigo or violet-colored tongue
- etc.
The research team collected about 5,200 images from real medical cases to 'teach' the algorithm to recognize these factors visually.
What's next?
The current prototype of the system includes the AI algorithm itself and a web camera (it should be placed 20 centimeters in front of the patient). In the future, the research team hopes to create a special smartphone web with the same functions so users will receive some kind of in-pocket doctor who can advise them to visit a clinic or particular specialist if they find a problem with the tongue color.
