Millions of user around the world uses Google search engine to search online health information. Google.org, the company’s philanthropic unit, has developed the web tool which will be predicting the flu trends using flu related searches made on its search engine. The new service analyses the searches as they come in to search engine and will show where the flu is spreading.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention, C.D.C., does report the similar flu trends in United States. But the C.D.C reports are slower, as they relay on data from thousands of health care providers. Google flu trends can detect outbreak of flu a 7 to 10 days before the C.D.C report.
Currently Service only covers United States. Google is hoping to extend the worldwide and can also track number of other diseases.
Clearly, Google is showing very clever way of using the available query data generated by users worldwide.
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Flexi Bear said on Friday, November 14, 2008, 10:26
Actually, this technology can be used for variety of purposes. Diseases could be major sector, but crime can be controlled, if not prevented. Google can use this innovation for good cause!
smartxel said on Monday, November 17, 2008, 20:14
You are absolutely right; Google must use these trends for good cause. But most people will think that will be privacy issue. But check out more Google trends @ http://www.google.com/trends