SmartCoping
Mobile solution for stress reduction
Background
This SmartCoping project funded by the CTI is developing a mobile solution (based on smartphones and sensors) for stress reduction that will allow early recognition of stress situations and stressors and thus aid stress prevention. This is a very effective instrument especially for high-risk populations such as abstaining alcoholics, our test population. As stress is also an important risk factor with chronic conditions ranging from back pain, tinnitus, obesity, sleep disorders, depression and burn-out syndrome to heart attacks, the potential users of the solution developed will encompass millions of persons who suffer from stress or are at risk due to stress. The smartphone application to be developed will capture vital parameters such as heart rate variability and skin conductivity and gather contextual information such as location and temperature as well as activity information (movement and communication data). The data will be evaluated and correlated/linked in order to identify typical patterns in stress situations. The correlation/linking is achieved by means of a biologically inspired neural network developed by industry partner ai-one inc. Based on the patterns discerned to correlate with high stress, the programme will generate warning signals of oncoming stress.
Research question
Can vital parameters like heart rate variability and skin conductivity as well as contextual information (location and temperature data) and activity information (movement and communication data) be captured, evaluated and correlated/linked? Will these applications find acceptance on the part of patients?
