Apple is reportedly working on iPhone features that may help detect depression, cognitive decline

Apple is developing iPhone features that might detect and diagnose conditions such as depression, anxiety, and cognitive decline among its users, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The project, codenamed by Apple as “Seabreeze,” is being worked on by the California giant in collaboration with the University of California (UCLA) and pharmaceutical company Biogen.

It aims to detect an iPhone user’s mental health condition using an algorithm, which will identify signals found in their biometric data, including sleep patterns, mobility, and the way you type on your device.

The process could also involve the analysis of the user’s facial expression, as well as heart and respiration rates. According to the research done by the Journal, all the data will be analyzed solely on the device, with not one sent to the company’s servers.

Currently, Apple and its partners are conducting different studies to support the development of the features. In August 2020, Apple and UCLA announced a three-year study that would analyze stress, anxiety, and depression among Apple Watch and iPhone users. The pilot phase began in the same year, with 150 volunteers participating in the study.

The data gathered were compared to the information these volunteers supplied in a separate questionnaire, as well as the hormone cortisol found in participants’ hair follicles. UCLA will run the second phase among 3,000 participants this year.

Meanwhile, Apple and Biogen are implementing research on cognitive function, which could help in diagnosing mild cognitive impairment that, in turn, could develop into Alzheimer’s. Based on the plan Bigen reported last January, they are aiming to track around 20,000 participants, around half of whom have high risk of cognitive impairment.

If successful, the features will prompt users to seek care, which could be important as early detection can prevent any further complications.

It’s likely that Apple won’t be adding these mental health monitoring features to the iPhone soon, as the project is still in its initial stages. There’s also a chance that it might not come to fruition at all, so it’s best to take the news with a pinch of salt.

Read next: Apple Watch Series 7 sports a brand-new look, more durable display

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Source: Speed Magazine PH