Could a computer diagnose Alzheimer's disease and dementia?

It takes a lot of time — and money — to diagnose Alzheimer's disease. After running lengthy in-person neuropsychological exams, clinicians must transcribe, review and analyze every response in detail. Now, U.S. National Science Foundation-supported researchers at Boston University have developed a new tool that could automate the process and eventually allow it to move online. Their machine learning-powered computational model can detect cognitive impairment from audio recordings of neuropsychological tests — no in-person appointment needed.