It’s not wrong to say that the cell phone has reached a level of extreme importance for anyone nowadays.
However, among so many options and features, one that has been drawing attention is the therapeutic cell phone.
Want to better understand what’s happening? Then be sure to check out this article, as we reveal everything below.
Did you know that your information is collected every day?
Both your phone’s microphone and the websites you access store valuable information. However, some groups of researchers are going a step further regarding people’s interaction with their smartphones.
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The good news is that the research aims to prevent or diagnose psychological disorders in advance. In any case, the app does not intend to replace professional care.
On the other hand, it wants to make consultations easier and help with the treatment of people around the world.
How does the therapeutic cell phone work?
It is worth noting that the app is still under study and has some young people and teenagers as volunteers. Currently, the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) has 150 volunteers participating in the research.
The person responsible for the project is Christian Kieling, professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at UFRGS.
The volunteers are monitored through their smartphones, but first they all answer a questionnaire.
This way, both their written and audio conversations as well as emojis are collected for study. In addition, every 15 seconds the app captures the sound of the environment where the volunteer is.
However, there is an agreement that prevents researchers from listening to the conversations.
In addition, the app also works with geolocation, so it is possible to know which places the volunteer frequents. Another point analyzed is the device’s activity and rest, and in some cases even response time.
The more details, the better for making a more accurate diagnosis.
Can this really help people with depression?
Another research group brings together the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), the Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro (UFTM), and George Mason University (USA).
They began developing an app after a student died by suicide in 2021. Thus, the robot’s goal is to identify depressive profiles through expressions and keywords.
And although the students are making positive progress with the project, there are still some points that need to be improved. One of them is the robot’s interpretation of irony, for example.
However, the researchers are studying the possibility of carrying out even deeper and more precise analyses.
Thus, the information would also include physiological signals, such as sleep patterns and even heartbeats. All of this with the goal of having more details to help people in the treatment process.
In addition, a tool like this would help society in the early stages of depression.
The studies continue and science moves forward
Although it seems like a new and completely current topic, back in 2012, 10 years ago, scientists at Northwestern University were already studying it.
At the time, the team developed an app that “feels” its user. In other words, the app ‘feels’ its user by reading the information around them.
The goal was to identify people with a depressive profile and help them stay positive. The app was also a way to bring a kind of therapy to people who never had access to it or are not interested.
The focus of the study was depression, but the app also identified other mood disorders.
It is worth noting that, in the case of Brazilian research, the volunteers still have the help of a therapist. But some researchers have already said that it was possible to see improvement in the condition of some volunteers.
This serves as encouragement for the development of the project.
Therapeutic cell phones and the importance of this research
As mentioned earlier, cell phones have never been so present in people’s lives as they are today. In addition, the smartphone is no longer just an item for communication or taking photos.
Thus, many people who already use their cell phone for work, as a tool, etc., would have at their disposal an app that would help them take care of their health.
Although it may seem like an invasive idea, people who use this app can identify disorders in time. After all, unlike some diseases that a doctor can locate in the body in minutes, a psychological disorder can take decades.
For some people, that may be enough time for the case to worsen.
Therefore, this research is very important, especially after we reached high suicide rates in Brazil. In this way, the role of researchers is important in the fight for life.
In addition, through the use of cell phones, this app can help thousands of people who have never been to a therapist.
Finally, what did you think of the idea? For some it may be an invasion of privacy, but to what extent?
In any case, the research is advancing, and the students become more optimistic with each step. On the other hand, this is a great tool to have in your pocket every day.
