Russian Students Build AI Tool for Early Parkinson’s Detection

A new voice-based app developed by students in Novosibirsk may help detect Parkinson’s disease early and track recovery after neurosurgery.

Students at the Novosibirsk State University of Electrical Engineering have built a mobile application that analyzes patients’ voices to detect early signs of Parkinson’s disease. Beyond diagnosis, the app is designed for post-operative monitoring and ongoing treatment support.

The Federal Neurosurgery Center in Russia is already using the tool in a clinical setting, but the application also works outside hospitals. Patients can undergo screening at home, with data automatically stored in their digital medical records. Doctors can remotely track symptoms and adjust care plans accordingly.

The developers plan to expand the app’s functionality to identify vocal biomarkers associated with other neurological conditions. The need is urgent: Parkinson’s disease, caused by abnormal protein accumulation in parts of the brain, currently affects over 50 million people worldwide. According to WHO forecasts, that number could triple to 150 million.

In the United States alone, Parkinson’s is diagnosed every nine minutes. Against that backdrop, the Novosibirsk team’s voice-driven AI technology represents a critical step forward in global neurocare.