Bill Gates Says There Could Be a Way to Predict Alzheimer's Using a Voice App That Listens for 'Warning Signs'

Microsoft Corp. founder Bill Gates wrote in a recent blog post that a need exists for a "reliable, affordable, and easy-to-use" method for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease early, reports Business Insider . His post coincides with the rollout of a new program from the Diagnostics Accelerator program at the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation, which aims to ramp up technologies that could provide new tools for Alzheimer's detection. Gates said influential people's investments in this program could lead to apps for predicting Alzheimer's risk based on vocal "warning signs." The Framingham Heart Study is looking into such a tool, having analyzed three generations of residents in a Massachusetts town. Gates suggested studying the compiled audio files of people with dementia could offer insight into their unique vocal patterns. However, the kind of voice app he envisions would not entirely address the problem, since an effective cure or treatment for Alzheimer's following diagnosis is currently nonexistent.