Apple reportedly researching ways for iPhone to monitor common mental health conditions...

[Cal Jeffrey]

In context: Apple has invested a lot into how it can use its technology for medical purposes. It already has a native sleep tracker for iOS that works in conjunction with sensors on the Apple Watch. It also partnered with AliveCor to manufacture a watch band that allows the watch to capture medical-grade EKGs, which the FDA approved a few years ago.

Apple now believes that the iPhone can help diagnose mental conditions including depression, anxiety, and cognitive decline. Researchers at Apple are studying how analyzing data such as sleep patterns, mobility, and typing rhythms could detect early signs of mental dysfunction before conditions worsen.

Wall Street Journal sources close to the research say that the iPhone could potentially pinpoint targetted conditions reliably using a combination of sensor data and machine learning algorithms. The Apple Watch already has a good reputation for detecting irregular heart rhythms, and it is not unreasonable to think that conditions that have tell-tale signs could be picked up on by another device that people have with them all the time.

Other possible metrics that the researchers are considering include facial expressions, heart rate, and respiration rate. All data would be collected and analyzed on the device with nothing sent to Apple servers.

Apple has partnered with the University of California, Los Angles, in a project codenamed "Seabreeze" to study conditions that include depression, stress, and anxiety. A pilot study started in 2020 with 150 volunteers will expand to 3,000 participants sometime this year.

To look into cognitive impairment, researchers have teamed up with pharmaceutical company Biogen. That two-year study is codenamed "Pi." The Biogen research reportedly began on Monday after receiving FDA approval over the summer. It hopes to capture the early warning signs of Alzheimer's Syndrome. It aims to have 20,000 participants, with half being high-risk subjects.

The research is still in the very early stages, so it will likely be quite some time before anything official is announced. Apple, UCLA, and Biogen all declined to comment on the matter.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/91358-apple-reportedly-researching-ways-iphone-monitor-common-mental.html

 

[Plutoisaplanet]

A different take on this: "Apple Announces All-In-One System To Get, Diagnose Depression" (source)

 

[sac39507]

From the future: Apple iphone research back in 2021 finds that depression is caused by too much time on the iphone

 

[QuantumPhysics]

All they need to do is watch the amount of time you spend on Facebook, IG and pornhub (specific category tabs) and they can easily quantify your mental illness.

Your search history tells your entire story.

 

[captaincranky]

All they need to do is watch the amount of time you spend on Facebook, IG and pornhub (specific category tabs) and they can easily quantify your mental illness.

Your search history tells your entire story.

Judging by the women being photographed out of the Ukraine, I can see why the Soviets want it back. (Sorry, I meant, "Russians").

Am I sane, or in a crisis? I better check with Apple. Oh, wait I don't own anything by Apple. Never mind.

 

[Austinturner]

Apple puts your mental health state on an ios api, Facebook than works out that anxious and depressed people are better customers so recommends you content that makes it worse and then amazon uses the api to work out depressed people compulsively shop and target them, then apple starts advertising you a new phone to make you “less depressed”.

Welcome to 2022.

 

[Uncle Al]

It would be nice if they would just finish ONE of these projects. Years ago their watch was going to work with the I-phone to monitor your A1C, which every diabetic out there was waiting for. Then that scuz-bucket CEO shows up wearing one ¨testing it¨ out .... but still nothing on the market. They cant do simple blood testing, how are they going to work on mental issues. Sounds like they need to give themselves a brain transplant and stuff the old one in the old anal canal ..... for safe keeping, of course.

 

[Austinturner]

It would be nice if they would just finish ONE of these projects. Years ago their watch was going to work with the I-phone to monitor your A1C, which every diabetic out there was waiting for. Then that scuz-bucket CEO shows up wearing one ¨testing it¨ out .... but still nothing on the market. They cant do simple blood testing, how are they going to work on mental issues. Sounds like they need to give themselves a brain transplant and stuff the old one in the old anal canal ..... for safe keeping, of course.

Maybe the Thanos ceo going to court for fraud has scared companies claiming miraculous medical innovations, I sure hope it has.

 

[Watzupken]

I feel this sort of technology is a hit and miss thing, and its more likely going to cause more anxiety due to false positive results. I can't help but feel Apple is trying too hard to stand out from the crowded mobile phone market by trying to take their device towards some save your life device future. While I've read news of Apple Watch saving the lives, I am pretty positive that I've saw less than 5 of such news. For the number of Apple Watch they sell each year, the number is negligible.

 

[ypsylon]

So it'll basically beep all the time when I try to comprehend bottomless stupidity of photo management on iOS/iPadOS/MacOS + Finder on Mac. I'm depressed 100% of times.

 

[0dium]

Apple puts your mental health state on an ios api, Facebook than works out that anxious and depressed people are better customers so recommends you content that makes it worse and then amazon uses the api to work out depressed people compulsively shop and target them, then apple starts advertising you a new phone to make you “less depressed”.

Welcome to 2022.

Nah, it's the other way around. The best customer is a happy customer. When I'm depressed, a bottle of whiskey is the only thing I want to buy

 

[Austinturner]

Nah, it's the other way around. The best customer is a happy customer. When I'm depressed, a bottle of whiskey is the only thing I want to buy

Introducing our new offering: Amazon Liquor! Are you feeling down? Down a couple of these! Customers also frequently purchased together…

 

[captaincranky]

IMO, this is nothing more than a publicity stunt. Some clown at Cupertino is reading headlines about mental problems in the media, they can pretend they care, as a way to sell more phones. After all, "you won't be able to get this tech from Samsung".

The reality is, the Apple corporation is as big, or bigger, a publicity wh*re than Elon Musk, and that's going well beyond the extra mile to grab headlines.

 

[Biostud]

Because commercialization of mental health is surely the way to go. For each generation of smart wear that is put on the market, the less I want it.

 

[Austinturner]

IMO, this is nothing more than a publicity stunt. Some clown at Cupertino is reading headlines about mental problems in the media, they can pretend they care, as a way to sell more phones. After all, "you won't be able to get this tech from Samsung".

The reality is, the Apple corporation is as big, or bigger, a publicity wh*re than Elon Musk, and that's going well beyond the extra mile to grab headlines.

Its plausible, but I think its more likely that these tech companies have truly deluded themselves to believe that because they made a trillion dollar company selling phones they can “change the world” any way they want and that is actually a lot like the thanos fraud, fake it til you make it, anything is possible for a tech team that just works hard enough and believes in themselves enough.

 

[Tams80]

It would be nice if they would just finish ONE of these projects. Years ago their watch was going to work with the I-phone to monitor your A1C, which every diabetic out there was waiting for. Then that scuz-bucket CEO shows up wearing one ¨testing it¨ out .... but still nothing on the market. They cant do simple blood testing, how are they going to work on mental issues. Sounds like they need to give themselves a brain transplant and stuff the old one in the old anal canal ..... for safe keeping, of course.

I wish some diabetics would just give up on this. There has been no news of non-intrusive blood sugar monitoring technology, so where exactly were Apple going to get it from? As rich as they are, developing such technology would invariable require working with those outside Apple and regulators.

And yes, Apple were over ambitious teasing that that was their aim, suggesting they could do it. At least companies like Nintendo (who showed that they were working on heart rate/blood pressure/blood oxygen) are a bit more open about technology not being ready and don't offer suggestions of being able to offer the Moon.

 

[wiyosaya]

From the company that claims it respects the privacy of its users - We've implemented the Thought Police from 1984 - because we respect your privacy.

 

[wiyosaya]

A different take on this: "Apple Announces All-In-One System To Get, Diagnose Depression" (source)

I wonder what medical and FDA regulators will have to say about crApple playing "Doctor"? I really cannot believe that they got FDA approval for this.

 

[terzaerian]

I wonder what medical and FDA regulators will have to say about crApple playing "Doctor"? I really cannot believe that they got FDA approval for this.

It's almost as if FDA approvals are for sale to the highest bidder now. Interesting!

 

[McKocoa]

A few months ago I was considering switching to iOS from Google solely based on Apple's privacy marketing and 'perceived' privacy standards compared to Google. No chance anymore.

 

[0dium]

Introducing our new offering: Amazon Liquor! Are you feeling down? Down a couple of these! Customers also frequently purchased together…

Nah, I would just go to my local store. It would take me 2 minutes to get my whiskey

 

[Austinturner]

Nah, I would just go to my local store. It would take me 2 minutes to get my whiskey

You’re a tough customer to manipulate, I need to get you to install an app that makes you afraid to go outside…Twitter!

 

[Danny101]

Beware of having 'bad days'. They might think bad of you.

 

[0dium]

You’re a tough customer to manipulate, I need to get you to install an app that makes you afraid to go outside…Twitter!

I don't need twatter. I don't even use social media platforms, I don't pay attention to ads, they just annoy me sometimes. I'm pretty useless for advertisers