Following a decade of high growth, ranging from step monitoring to heart rate to sleep and mood technologies, the wellness technology sector is now seeing an emerging wave of technologies that incorporate artificial intelligence (AI).<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Underlying the growth of wellness technology is the belief that wellness is, according to Dr. Bill Hettler, co-founder of the National Wellness Institute, a \u201cconscious, self-directed and evolving process of achieving full potential.\u201d[1] This view of wellness is aligned with the modern do-it-yourself culture, which has given rise to many now familiar devices, including wearables such as the Fitbit and Apple Watch that can use data analytics to predict an individual\u2019s risk of diabetes. [2] Cognitive wellness is also receiving increasing attention, in light of historical data that has shown suicide as the leading cause of death in the U.S. and antidepressants as the third most common prescription drug taken by Americans.[3] A whole new host of technologies has moved to address these growing concerns, including relative newcomer AI startup, Mindstrong Health (\u201cMindstrong\u201d or the \u201cCompany\u201d).<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Mindstrong\u2019s technology tracks users\u2019 behaviors and interactions on their smartphones as a means toward early detection of depression and other mental health conditions. \u00a0\u00a0Through a process called \u201cdigital phenotyping,\u201d the app monitors types, taps, swipes, and scrolls, which it then analyzes using machine learning to find correlations to mental health.\u00a0 For instance, the app diagnoses memory problems by tracking the speed of typing, the number of errors made, the frequency of character deletion, usage of punctuation, and the speed of swapping to other apps.\u00a0 The results are shared with the patients and their respective medical providers.\u00a0 Currently, the application can only be accessed by users through referral by a healthcare provider, who would be monitoring their patients for indicators of mental conditions.\u00a0 For Mindstrong, AI has served as a powerful tool in its product development to map aggregated, continuous user data into identified patterns of behavior.[4] \u00a0Furthermore, studies done by the company to date have shown that the app is in some instances able to predict how a person will feel a week into the future based on neurocognitive markers.[5]<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Mindstrong\u2019s management team is focused on building up a robust data set in order to further support its methods of applying AI in product development.\u00a0 The company has five years of clinical study data to confirm its technology, and in March started to run tests with patients and their doctors.\u00a0 The company is first focused on working with seriously ill individuals who are at risk for relapses into depression, schizophrenia, and substance abuse.[6] In order to fuel further growth, specifically with the goal of covering more conditions and developing its predictive capabilities, the company is continuously running further tests and focusing on publishing peer-reviewed research. To date, the company has only tested its app in controlled clinical settings and trials.[5]\u00a0 Additionally the company is focused on signing on customers, including approximately 15 counties in California who have committed to spending ~$60 million in the next four years to implement Mindstrong and other applications into their healthcare systems.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Looking forward, there are a number of ways that management can continue to incorporate AI into Mindstrong\u2019s product development.\u00a0 The company may consider using more than one modality (e.g., using voice as well as gestures) to expand its data set and more accurately provide diagnoses.\u00a0 Additionally, the company may consider expanding from pure diagnosis to more preventative treatment measures.\u00a0 For instance, Mindstrong could offer other AI-based technologies such as a \u201cvirtual therapist\u201d that is able to process and analyze emotional cues derived from facial expressions and tone of voice.\u00a0 Finally, as the company continues to expand and grow, management should enforce privacy to address concerns stemming from collecting massive quantities of continuous data that point toward specific mental health diagnoses.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
As we consider the implications of AI in wellness and in the case of Mindstrong, one question that comes to mind is whether the use of AI in this specific implementation will be effective as a preventative measure for treatment of mental health conditions.\u00a0 Which aspects of the treatment of mental conditions can be aided by AI, and which aspects cannot?\u00a0 Is the usage of AI In this manner able to create true behavioral change (on the part of the doctors, patients, and other parties)?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
(713 words)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Sources: <\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n [1] Nationalwellness.org. (2018).\u00a0The Six Dimensions of Wellness – National Wellness Institute<\/em>. [online] Available at: https:\/\/www.nationalwellness.org\/page\/six_dimensions [Accessed 13 Nov. 2018].<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [2] Hobbs, A. (2018).\u00a0Fitbit and Apple Watch can help predict diabetes, says report | Internet of Business<\/em>. [online] Internet of Business. Available at: https:\/\/internetofbusiness.com\/deepheart-fitbit-apple-watch-predict-diabetes-risk\/ [Accessed 13 Nov. 2018].<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [3] Medium. (2018).\u00a0The Emerging Artificial Intelligence Wellness Landscape: Opportunities and Areas of Ethical Debate<\/em>. [online] Available at: https:\/\/medium.com\/@lkcyber\/the-emerging-artificial-intelligence-wellness-landscape-802caf9638de [Accessed 13 Nov. 2018].<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [4] CNet.com. (2018).\u00a0Mindstrong Health app offers early detection for depression based on smartphone interactions<\/em>. [online] Available at: https:\/\/download.cnet.com\/blog\/download-blog\/mindstrong-health-app-offers-early-detection-for-depression-based-on-smartphone-interactions\/ [Accessed 13 Nov. 2018].<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [5] STAT. (2018).\u00a0Mindstrong’s mood-predicting app is shadowed by questions over evidence – STAT<\/em>. [online] Available at: https:\/\/www.statnews.com\/2018\/10\/04\/mindstrong-questions-over-evidence\/ [Accessed 13 Nov. 2018].<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [6] Metz, R. (2018).\u00a0The smartphone app that can tell you\u2019re depressed before you know it yourself<\/em>. [online] MIT Technology Review. Available at: https:\/\/www.technologyreview.com\/s\/612266\/the-smartphone-app-that-can-tell-youre-depressed-before-you-know-it-yourself\/ [Accessed 13 Nov. 2018].<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Mindstrong is using AI and "digital phenotyping" toward diagnosing mental health conditions<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11983,"featured_media":36894,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","categories":[1869,1016],"class_list":["post-36778","hck-submission","type-hck-submission","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ai","category-wellness","hck-taxonomy-organization-mindstrong-health","hck-taxonomy-industry-health","hck-taxonomy-country-united-states"],"connected_submission_link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/assignment\/rc-tom-challenge-2018\/","yoast_head":"\n