Ideas worth spreading

A test for Parkinson's with a phone call

1,396,522 views | Max Little • TEDGlobal 2012

Parkinson's disease affects 6.3 million people worldwide, causing weakness and tremors, but there's no objective way to detect it early on. Yet. Applied mathematician and TED Fellow Max Little is testing a simple, cheap tool that in trials is able to detect Parkinson's with 99 percent accuracy -- in a 30-second phone call.

Parkinson's disease affects 6.3 million people worldwide, causing weakness and tremors, but there's no objective way to detect it early on. Yet. Applied mathematician and TED Fellow Max Little is testing a simple, cheap tool that in trials is able to detect Parkinson's with 99 percent accuracy -- in a 30-second phone call.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Sign up to participate in a future Parkinson's Voice Initiative trial, by filling out his 2012 survey.

About the speaker

Max Little

Applied mathematician

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Max Little is a mathematician whose research includes a breakthrough technique to monitor – and potentially screen for – Parkinson's disease through simple voice recordings.

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This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Sign up to participate in a future Parkinson's Voice Initiative trial, by filling out his 2012 survey.