Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Web
  3. News

Who needs a doctor? Go see Google’s Knowledge Graph instead

Lulu Chang
By

google knowledge graph now diagnoses 900 diseases screen shot 2015 09 03 at 7 25 36 pm
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Who needs a doctor when you have Google? Thanks to an update to Google’s Knowledge Graph, everyone’s favorite know-it-all search engine can now give you detailed information on more than 900 different illnesses, exciting hypochondriacs everywhere. In a blog post published on Thursday, Google announced a host of updates and improvements to one of their most popular features, including “hundreds more health conditions,” “visual design improvements and some more specific triggering so it’s quicker and easier to get the info you need,” and “a ‘Download PDF’ link so you can easily print this information for a doctor’s visit,” which has been a top request from doctors.

Prompted by the recent outbreak of Legionnaire’s disease in New York City, Google found that its search bars were suddenly inundated by concerned individuals checking for symptoms and looking for more information on the disease. As ever, the tech giant responded to the people’s whims, and “quickly updated [its] health conditions feature (first launched last February) to provide information on Legionnaires’ right up front, from a simple search.”

Recommended Videos

Thanks to a collaboration with the Mayo Clinic and a skilled team of health professionals, Google has seriously upped the ante on medical information. Whereas before, only 400 or so diseases and their conditions were readily available on Knowledge Graph, this number has more than doubled, and information is now easier to find and digest than ever. Moreover, Google is “making sure to include neglected tropical diseases, a set of infections that affect over 1.5 billion people including 500 million children in poorer regions.” And while today, much of the information is available only in English, the next step is to translate this valuable data into a number of languages to make it more accessible to a global population.

Of course, you shouldn’t forego the doctor altogether in favor of Google’s diagnoses, but this certainly provides users with important and timely information that may ultimately help in the healthcare process. So Google away, friends, and learn just what symptoms to be concerned about as the season begins to change.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Lulu Chang
Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
Google execs say we need a plan to stop A.I. algorithms from amplifying racism
Facial Recognition

Two Google executives said Friday that bias in artificial intelligence is hurting already marginalized communities in America, and that more needs to be done to ensure that this does not happen. X. Eyeé, outreach lead for responsible innovation at Google, and Angela Williams, policy manager at Google, spoke at (Not IRL) Pride Summit, an event organized by Lesbians Who Tech & Allies, the world’s largest technology-focused LGBTQ organization for women, non-binary and trans people around the world.

In separate talks, they addressed the ways in which machine learning technology can be used to harm the black community and other communities in America -- and more widely around the world.

Read more
The next Google Home needs more than just better audio quality to be successful
next google home needs more than just better audio

The original Google Home smart speaker was released in 2016. Other models have come along in that time, like the Home Mini and the Home Hub, and the hardware saw a rebranding over the last two years with the Nest name, but the Google home hasn’t seen an upgrade. Given all that, the Google Home seems a bit outdated, which is why several questions arose when the device became unavailable from the Google Store a few weeks ago. More than anything else, people asked: Is an upgrade on the way?
A successor on the horizon
According to reports, Google plans to launch a new Nest-branded smart speaker with the code name “Prince.” Just like the Google Home Mini became the Nest Mini, it is highly likely that the Google Home will become the Nest Home. And honestly, it’s about time. As noted, the original Google Home is long overdue for an updated model, but what those upgrades might entail is not yet clear.

Rumors from 9to5Google's source say the new Nest device is slated to be a rival to the Sonos One, a smart speaker with an emphasis on audio quality, although Google already has a smart speaker that focuses on audio quality with the Home Max.

Read more
Google starts showing virtual doctor options in Search and Maps
Google Logo

As part of efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus, some medical facilities are currently discouraging visits in person. But pandemic or no pandemic, many ailments won't simply disappear and so sometimes we need to get help.

In such a scenario, Google wants to assist. The web giant recently announced it will begin highlighting health facilities that offer consultations over a video connection, enabling you to avoid a potentially busy waiting room thereby reducing person-to-person contact.

Read more