Think twice before taking fake sick leave, AI can now detect cold from person's voice

With technology overpowering mankind, people are already worried about artificial intelligence taking their jobs. Now, one more invention has come to light that may not be hugely appreciated by people who used cold as an excuse to take time off of work. 

New research shows that AI can detect a person's cold from the tone of their voice, preventing people from opting for fake sick leaves. 

Researchers from the Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology in Surat analysed the voice patterns of 630 people. Out of these people, 111 people genuinely had a cold. 

As per The Economist, this study used voice patterns observed in human speech, which may be described as harmonics that drop in loudness as their frequency increases. A person who is infected may exhibit an uneven pattern of harmonics. 

Read: Diabetes: Manage high blood sugar level by consuming these things empty stomach in morning

Researchers used machine-learning algorithms to analyse the amplification differences of distinct individuals and identify those who had a cold, based on the same phenomenon.

As per The Economist, the test volunteers were asked to count from 1 to 40 before reporting what they did over the weekend. They were then instructed to recite The North Wind and the Sun, an Aesop's story. The accuracy of the study in detecting cold was 70 per cent.

Researchers stated that the aim of the research was to determine if a person has a cold or not without having to go to the doctor. Reports state that this study may interest companies.