Cough, talk, breathe: Help IISc’s diagnostic tool to identify COVID-19

By Aratrika Dey

A team of researchers from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) is working on a tool to diagnose people. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has allowed them to collect data  for possible deployment in the future. The eight-member team headed by Dr Sriram Ganapathy have named this sound-based initiative Project Coswara. Whether you are healthy or a victim of COVID-19, you can upload your voice recording here and be part of their research. The big idea is to understand if you are infected by the coronavirus by just hearing the way you cough, talk and breathe. As the project is in data collection stage, every individual’s participation will help in this novel initiative.  

India’s time to shine

Much like how we have Artificial Intelligence models installed in our phones which scan our facial features for certain functions, the same logic is behind the science in Coswara. The diagnostic tool will record and attempt to identify the symptoms of COVID-19 in an individual’s breathing patterns, cough sounds and speech. The model in the tool would be able to trace behavioural patterns from thousands of subjects. This will equip the tool to accurately identify patterns typical of the virus. 

The final prototype for the project is completed and the project is in its data collection stage. The researchers are collecting sounds from both healthy subjects and COVID-19 victims. They have started collecting samples from the MS Hinduja Hospital and are now reaching out to hospitals in Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai.    

User-friendly and free

Unlike the prevailing RT-PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) tests that cost between Rs 800 and Rs 1600 at private facilities and free at BBMP’s primary health centres, Coswara is a free webpage application that is widely accessible to all. It will act as a preliminary test which will pre-diagnose a patient’s health status, and monitor the spread of the virus. Besides, it will reduce the rush at testing centres. 

Glimmer of hope 

“This sounds like a brilliant idea and it might just work! Being in the medical field for so long, we can understand the difference between a healthy and a coughing COVID-19-affected patient,” says Dr Suranjana Dey. “To think that these scientists have pinpointed this factor and are trying to work it to the best of their abilities is commendable!” News about Coswara even spread fast on social media and netizens took to their handles to share their enthusiasm and congratulate the people behind the project.   

As the vaccine is still some months away, prevention is the best protection. Therefore, wash your hands, sanitize, and wear a mask! And if you want to submit your voice recording to help the researchers of Coswara, head to their webpage. If you have some more niggling questions about this technique, you can visit their FAQs section. The tool will be used only after it’s validated by competent authorities. While it has the potential of becoming the first line of diagnosis just like the antigen testing that is beig conducted today, Coswara will not replace RT-PCR testing but merely supplement it.