iTongue

ITongue is a tongue image analysis mobile App for obtaining health status and advices based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which is one of the most effective alternative medicines in the world. In TCM, the features of tongue, including shape, color, coating, and pattern, are used as a basis for diagnosis of disease and assessment of health status. Recent studies have confirmed some relationships between tongue features and diseases such as cancers and AIDS. ITongue automatically analyzes the tongue image to annotate person’s health status and provide advices through (1) image segmentation of the photo to isolate the tongue image, (2) feature retrieval of the tongue image, (3) a machine-learning model to use the retrieved features for medical annotations of health status, and (4) suggestion of food and lifestyle changes based on an expert system. In addition, a user can take a questionnaire to obtain further health assessment and recommendation. A user can also submit his or her tongue image for manual assessment by TCM professional with a minimal fee. Although the App is not intended for professional diagnosis, it can provide warning, especially in physical and mental weaknesses, and the users can follow up with hospital visits or lifestyle changes.