Methodology & Limitations

Transparency Report: The Zero-Cloud Biometric Engine

1. The Science Fraud Engine & Zero-Cloud Biometrics

The core of VeraTongue's architecture is its unwavering commitment to Data Sovereignty. Unlike traditional applications that upload raw biometric images to remote servers for processing, VeraTongue utilizes an edge-based NPU (Neural Processing Unit) approach.

When you initialize a scan, your device's camera stream is fed directly into a local <canvas> context. The Science Fraud Engine performs real-time hardware attestation to ensure the feed originates from a physical camera (preventing virtual camera deepfake injections).

Zero-Cloud Guarantee: No image data, video frame, or raw biometric PII (Personally Identifiable Information) ever leaves your device. The image processing happens entirely within your browser's local execution environment.
      

2. The 3-Layer Semantic Shield

Once the local NPU extracts the topographical data from your tongue (mapping variables like Heat, Moisture, Stagnation, Vitality, Coating Density, and Structural Integrity), these metrics are mathematically translated into a semantic vector.

If you choose to engage the LLM Oracle for deeper insights, the Semantic Shield ensures that only abstract, cryptographically hashed descriptors (e.g., "Archetype: Fire, Axis: Heat +85") are transmitted to our sovereign LLM infrastructure. The server remains mathematically blind to your physical appearance.

3. The Zunge Corpus Methodology

VeraTongue's diagnostic heuristic is built upon the Zunge Corpus, a strictly curated knowledge base of 86 classical Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) tongue observation charts.

Our algorithm maps your 6-axis biometric signature against this corpus to identify your primary constitutional archetype (Fire, Water, Earth, Metal, or Wood). The process uses a deterministic, transparent rule engine rather than a black-box neural network, ensuring that every archetype assignment can be logically traced back to classical TCM principles.

4. Strict Limitations & Disclaimers

Transparency requires absolute clarity about what VeraTongue is—and what it is not.

Not a Medical Device: VeraTongue is an application designed strictly for wellness self-discovery, spiritual grounding, and lifestyle reflection. It does not provide medical diagnoses, treat illnesses, or replace professional healthcare.
      

Algorithmic Bounds: The analysis is a heuristic mapping based on visual topography, limited by the quality of the device's camera and ambient lighting. While our Zone-Based Adaptive White Balance mitigates lighting issues, it is not clinical-grade.
No Professional Advice: The archetypal insights (e.g., "consume cooling foods") are generalized wellness suggestions derived from classical observation traditions. Always consult a licensed medical professional or certified TCM practitioner for health concerns.
Compliance: VeraTongue operates in accordance with the EU AI Act's transparency requirements for non-medical AI systems, ensuring user awareness that they are interacting with an AI interpretation engine.