In collaboration with the pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, the Oldenburg project group Hearing, Speech and Audio Technology at the Fraunhofer IDMT has developed a system that will enable different types of cough to be analysed over the phone in future. The aim is to provide those suffering from a cold cough with more detailed information about the two types of cough, as it is often difficult for laypeople to distinguish between them.

Recognising different types of cough over the phone - is that possible? The Oldenburg experts for hearing research have managed to do just that. A specially set up telephone service now provides cough patients with an initial guide to better categorise their cough. They can find out whether they are suffering from a "dry" or a "phlegmy" cough. Or whether their cough cannot be clearly categorised.

The free telephone number 0800/000 71 78 was activated at the beginning of November 2010. Since then, around 16,000 callers have used the number to have their cough analysed. The service is expected to run until the end of March.

How does it work? A computer running the recognition software is connected to the telephone network. If someone calls the service number, they have to cough into the receiver several times from a distance of 30 centimetres. "The software analyses the cough on the basis of features that are specific to the different types of cough. These features are automatically determined from the acoustic signal," explains Dr Jens E. Appell, deputy head of the Fraunhofer project group in Oldenburg.

However, this analysis cannot replace the individual assessment of experts. Every caller is therefore advised to consult a doctor or pharmacist in order to be able to reliably categorise their cough and have it treated correctly.