- Supported by cutting-edge augmented reality, supported to provide real-time mental health support to people across the UK, including those with severe depression and anxiety.
- Supported by a £3.6 million share, 17 projects can handle people in every corner of the UK, reduce NHS costs, reduce resource pressure with real-time support, and turbocharge changes plans
- Smart glasses technology developed by Crosssense in London ai It can help those suffering from severe depression navigate daily challenges
Smart glasses to help you complete daily tasks by struggling with severe depression ai The filter app that creates therapy to debilitate anxiety is one of the cutting edge technology projects supported to provide real-time mental health support throughout the UK.
With people receiving mental health support from the NHS in England alone increasing by 40% since before the pandemic, Innovate UK is supporting 17 businesses across the UK, taking low-cost innovation to the next level to improve the most needy lives, including remote and underserved areas.
Development includes lightweight smart glasses to use ai It can affect memory loss by recognizing household items and providing advice on connected apps to deal with the shocks of depression, anxiety, psychosis and more.
The technology led by Crosssense helps reconstruct negative thoughts and provides step-by-step instructions for performing daily tasks, such as keeping vulnerable users safe from harm with prompts such as advice to boil hob boiling water. Complex mental health conditions are not an unnecessary barrier to a fulfilling and independent life, as it adapts to the wearer's needs over time and helps prevent cognitive decline, including dementia.
The technology will be built and tried out for 18 months starting next year – following £3.6 million support from Augmented Reality in the Innovate UK Mindset (XR) Digital Mental Health Program. This investment is part of the government's commitment to protecting record funds for research and development, as outlined in the Fall 2024 budget, and recognizes that it is essential to harness the excellence of science and innovation. aipromotes economic growth and supports the NHS.
The Minister of Science, Balance Lord said:
These projects are illustrious examples of how innovation changes people's quality of life by helping people with serious mental health take on daily tasks they find impossible.
From smart glasses that help debilitated people with depression navigate the day to games that help children build social skills, we are supporting teams across the UK, unlocking opportunities, supporting the NHS, and building cutting-edge technologies that will expand the economy.
Barones Mellon, Minister of Mental Health, said:
Technology is transforming healthcare and putting patients at the heart of this revolution.
New tools such as smart glasses ai Filter apps show how to support innovation to reach people with mental health conditions, especially in communities that are often left behind.
By adopting new technologies, we are improving our lives to the NHS and reducing pressure on the NHS as part of our plan for change.
These solutions aim to deal with more people with complex needs, including people from remote or underserved communities, through scalable, immersive care. It also offers additional benefits in terms of resource pressures that involve reduced costs and real-time support. Improved results through a personalized and engaging treatment experience.
Other jobs
We partner with the University of England to develop an expanded reality board game co-created by students, psychologists and teachers, and play life well to help children return to a learning environment where they can flourish. As a group-based game that can be played remotely or face-to-face, it helps children build communication and social skills by visiting four different “worlds” to make and maintain friends, solving problems, solving emotions, reducing anxiety, increasing confidence and reducing anxiety as the game continues.
In Northern Ireland, the project led by the Life Process programme is developing customizable virtual coaches for individuals struggling with substance abuse in an interactive environment that mimics real-life therapy sessions. In West Yorkshire, we connect augmented reality with nature and nature, and connect physical activity to support adults.
The world's first app is combined ai In augmented reality to help young people create therapeutic visual content. The work with a photograph-based therapy, collaborating with the University of Surrey, will allow young people to edit familiar photos. ar Filter tools, remove pain-causing elements, add calming features and text overlays. These personalized images can be used as virtual backgrounds during remote therapy sessions or as part of a visual diary to help therapist understand how patients feel about challenging environments like wards.
The funded projects are XR Technology including creatives, VRAugmented Reality, Mixed Reality, Tactile Feelings – Techniques that stimulate the sense of touch and movement – , Immersive software and audio. These groundbreaking technologies are available personally through medical devices available through the NHS after clinical diagnosis, or through regulatory channels that ensure safety and proper use.
The project hopes to address a wide range of clinically recognized conditions that affect education, employment and quality of life, including addiction recovery. ADHDautism, anxiety, depression, occupational stress, PTSD more.
The government recently launched a 10-year health plan. It sets out an ambitious plan to boost mental health support nationwide. We transform our services nationwide with an additional £688 million, hire more mental health workers, provide more talk therapy, and provide better access to support through the NHS app.
“We're excited to be able to help you get started,” said Dr. Cynthia Brock, Innovate UK's Healthy Living Superintendent.
Through this latest mindset investment, we are promoting strong collaboration between the UK's immersive technology sector and mental health providers, surpassing general health tools towards innovative treatments for people with general health conditions.
These research and development projects are designed to ameliorate the disorders, disability and distress experienced by individuals at any stage across the UK.
By supporting these innovations, Innovate UK is unlocking its solutions with the power to drive business growth and maximize both social and economic impacts.
Notes for the editor
- Over 3.7 million people received support from England's NHS Mental Health Services between 2023 and 2024, up almost 40% since before the pandemic.
- We are recruiting an additional 8,500 mental health workers by the end of this council to ease pressure on busy mental health services. Of these workers, 6,700 have been recruiting since July 2024. So we've been half-baked towards this goal.
