Your Cell Phone Could Diagnose What’s Behind That Cough

Many of us use our smart phones (or is that super smart phones, or app phones?) as devices to do a lot of things right out of our pocket. But how about using it to diagnose what ails you? Scientists from America and Australia are teaming up on development on an app that once you cough into your phone, will tell you what may be behind that cough, whether it be a cold, flu, or other respiratory problem. The company behind the research is STAR Analytical Services. (opens PDF.)

At the moment the software is run on a computer but they are hoping to make this work on smart phones. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have ponied up funds for the development.

Had this existed when I was a child I could see my mother sticking a phone in my and my siblings’ faces each and every time we coughed.

Via the Telegraph UK