Researchers at the University of Madison, Wisconsin, are using a $3 million federal grant to study the use of artificial intelligence to support mental health.
Funding for the two-year research project comes from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the university said in a statement. Scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Healthy Minds are developing a system to provide personalized mental health support using smartphones and other mobile devices.
The study’s co-author, Christy Wilson-Mendenhall, said the scientists had “discovered ways to deliver supportive wellness habits on mobile phones that are sensitive to people’s emotions and easy to work on in the moment.” I want to,” he said.
In the early stages of the project, researchers will conduct “experience sampling” of human participants through the app, combining prompts to gauge their emotional state with geolocation and other activity data.
According to the university, the process will support the creation of machine learning tools and algorithms that will be used on new platforms under development.
Richard Davidson is the founder of Center for Healthy Minds and professor of psychology and psychiatry at the University of California, Madison. He said the information collected at this stage could provide “useful information for tailoring the delivery of specific microsupports” to promote mental health.
“There are rich streams of data that can be obtained from mobile phones through low-effort activities that individuals are accustomed to doing on mobile phones, such as making short videos, and completely passively with their consent.” Davidson said in a release.
Later in this effort, the researchers will conduct controlled trials to test these “microsupports” triggered by machine learning tools, eventually setting up a platform that can be accessed through web, mobile and wearable technology. want to raise.
Learn more about the research here: https://www.wisbusiness.com/2023/university-of-wisconsin-madison-artificial-intelligence-and-well-being/
– By Alex Mo
