Voice analysis ‘to diagnose stress’

SOLDIERS suffering post traumatic stress disorder could be diagnosed by analysing their voices via a smartphone.

The AI (artificial intelligence) technique distinguished between those with and without the condition with 89 per cent accuracy, according to research published in the journal Depression and Anxiety.

It identifies traits such as less clear speech and a lifeless sound to flag up PTSD. It also analyses the way words are uttered – including frequency, rhythm and tone.

Until now PTSD could only be diagnosed through self-reported symptoms.

Study leader Adam Brown, of New York University School of Medicine, said: ‘Speech is an attractive candidate for use in an automated diagnostic system... because it can be measured cheaply, remotely, and non-intrusively.’