⚠️ PhonaLab Does NOT Provide Medical Advice
PhonaLab provides acoustic measurements for educational and clinical documentation purposes only. It is NOT a medical device and does NOT diagnose voice disorders or provide medical advice.
All clinical decisions must be made by licensed healthcare professionals. Results should be interpreted in conjunction with comprehensive clinical evaluation, patient history, and perceptual assessment.
Data Privacy and Clinical Use
PhonaLab is designed with privacy-by-design principles to minimize the handling of protected health information (PHI):
- Audio recordings are NOT stored after analysis completes
- Analysis results are NOT retained on our servers
- Patient identifiers are NOT collected or stored
- You download your reports; we don't keep copies
Healthcare professionals remain responsible for:
- Obtaining appropriate patient consent before uploading recordings
- Ensuring their use of PhonaLab complies with HIPAA and applicable regulations
- Maintaining confidentiality of downloaded reports containing PHI
- Using secure devices and networks when accessing the service
What PhonaLab IS
- An acoustic measurement tool providing objective voice data
- A clinical workflow and documentation aid for licensed professionals
- An educational resource about voice science and acoustic analysis
- A research-validated tool based on peer-reviewed protocols
- A tool that provides descriptive statistics, not diagnoses
What PhonaLab is NOT
- A medical device or diagnostic tool
- A substitute for clinical judgment by licensed professionals
- A source of medical advice or treatment recommendations
- A replacement for comprehensive voice evaluation including perceptual assessment
- HIPAA compliant or acting as a Business Associate
How to Interpret Results
Acoustic Measurements
All measurements provided by PhonaLab (F0, jitter, shimmer, HNR, CPP, AVQI, ABI, etc.) are descriptive statistics, not diagnoses. Values that fall outside normative ranges may warrant further clinical evaluation but do NOT alone indicate the presence or absence of voice disorders.
AI-Generated Interpretations
When PhonaLab provides AI-generated text interpretations, these are designed to:
- Contextualize acoustic data for documentation purposes
- Describe measurements objectively in plain language
- Compare values to published normative ranges (statistical, not diagnostic)
- Support clinical workflow, NOT replace clinical judgment
AI interpretations do NOT constitute clinical recommendations, diagnoses, or medical advice. They are educational aids to help professionals understand acoustic data.
Clinical Context is Essential
Acoustic analysis is only ONE component of comprehensive voice evaluation. Clinical interpretation should ALWAYS consider:
- Individual patient context and medical history
- Perceptual voice assessment (CAPE-V, GRBAS, etc.)
- Laryngoscopic examination when indicated
- Patient-reported symptoms and functional impact
- Response to treatment over time
For Healthcare Professionals
PhonaLab is designed to support the workflow of licensed speech-language pathologists, ENT physicians, laryngologists, and other voice specialists. It is intended to complement, not replace, professional clinical assessment.
Your Professional Responsibility:
- You remain solely responsible for all clinical decisions
- You must use your professional judgment to interpret results
- You must ensure compliance with licensing and regulatory requirements
- You must obtain appropriate patient consent
- You must maintain appropriate professional liability coverage
PhonaLab provides data and measurements. Clinical judgment remains entirely with the licensed professional.
For General Public and Students
If you are not a licensed healthcare professional:
- PhonaLab can be used for educational purposes to learn about voice science
- You may analyze your own voice out of curiosity or for self-education
- However, you should NOT use PhonaLab results to self-diagnose or make decisions about medical treatment
If you have concerns about your voice health, please consult with:
- A licensed speech-language pathologist (SLP)
- An ear, nose, and throat (ENT) physician / otolaryngologist
- A laryngologist (ENT subspecialist in voice disorders)
- Your primary care physician for referral
Accuracy and Limitations
While PhonaLab's algorithms are validated against established reference implementations (particularly Praat) and based on peer-reviewed research:
- Results may vary based on recording quality, equipment, and environmental factors
- No automated system is 100% accurate in all circumstances
- Measurements are approximations based on signal processing algorithms
- Edge cases, unusual voice qualities, or poor recordings may produce unreliable results
Professional judgment should always guide interpretation of acoustic data.
Not for Emergencies
PhonaLab is not intended for emergency situations. If you are experiencing sudden voice loss, difficulty breathing, severe pain, or other urgent symptoms, seek immediate medical attention. Do not rely on PhonaLab for emergency assessment.
Questions or Concerns?
For questions about this disclaimer or appropriate use of PhonaLab:
Email: phonalab@gmail.com
Developer: Dr. Jorge C. Lucero, University of Brasília
Last updated: January 16, 2026
Effective date: January 16, 2026