Pain is deeply personal, yet universally expressed through speech. But what if speech isn’t just a way we describe pain, but also a tool to measure and even modulate it?  

At Redenlab, we’re pioneering innovative ways to decode acute pain using speech markers. Working with University of Melbourne, our latest study published in PAIN Reports uncovers how speech patterns can serve as a novel, non-invasive window into pain perception, offering a breakthrough for objective assessment.  

The study involved healthy participants exposed to experimentally induced pain, with researchers capturing and analysing their speech using Redenlab’s software. Subtle changes in vocal features such as pitch, intensity and timing were found to correlate with pain intensity. Unlike traditional methods that rely on subjective self-reports, this approach identifies objective, measurable vocal signatures.  

Remarkably, we also found that producing speech, particularly complex monologues, can actively reduce pain perception. This suggests a possible dual role for speech: not only as a reflection of pain, but also as a mechanism for regulating it.  

Pain assessment has long faced limitations due to its subjective nature. By translating speech patterns into quantifiable data, we’re paving the way for more precise, equitable and scalable pain management tools. This research marks another step in our mission to harness speech technologies for better healthcare outcomes. 

The full study, “What Can Speech Tell Us About Pain?”, is now available in PAIN Reports.