Apple is working on depression detection for iPhones: report

It has been widely reported that Apple is working on the development of a number of advanced health tools, ranging from blood sugar monitoring To fertility based on body temperature. Now, a new report claims Apple is also working with the University of California, Los Angeles and drug company Biogen to see if its gadgets can detect depression, anxiety, and cognitive decline.

Citing anonymous Apple sources, the the Wall Street newspaper says data from the iPhone’s sensors could potentially be used to detect patterns associated with mental health issues and cognitive impairment. These are two separate research projects. Apple’s partnership with UCLA would be codenamed “Seabreeze” and focuses on depression and anxiety. Meanwhile, its partnership with Biogen is dubbed “Pi” and focuses on mild cognitive decline, according to the WSJ.

There are few notable takeaways from the WSJ report. For starters, the UCLA project would have involves data from iPhone cameras, keyboards and audio sensors. It also takes into account Apple Watch data related to movement, vital signs and sleep. This includes everything from facial expressions, speech patterns, walking pace and frequency, typing speed, content, and a variety of other health metrics. The data is then compared to the results of a questionnaire about a user’s emotions and even the levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, in the hair of research participants. The reported The Biogen partnership is also studying the data in the same way and is supposed to follow a 2019 feasibility study that showed 31 adults with dementia used their Apple devices differently than a group of older adults without disabilities.

Something else to note: so far, Apple’s health sensing features have mostly focused on its Apple Watch, as it has the sensors to track vital signs such as heart rate, heart rate variability, and oxygen levels in the body. blood. Most memorable still, he introduced FDA-approved atrial fibrillation detection with Series 4 in 2018. If the WSJ report is correct, tBoth of these studies, however, now use sensor and health data collected through the iPhone.

It would be A credible development considering that in iOS 15, Apple added a new feature called Walking Steadiness to its Health app. The feature uses iPhone sensors to detect if a person is at risk of a serious fall within a 12-month period.

However, while people are more likely to share step count and exercise minutes, the data collected from iPhone cameras and mental health status is extremely sensitive. Mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety, are accompanied by severe stigma, prejudice and discrimination it can discourage people from seeking help — and that’s even if people have access to such resources to begin with. Apple has always emphasized that the data in its Health app is private, and the WSJ report notes that Apple expects the associated algorithms to work locally on Apple devices without sending data to Apple’s servers. However, you just need to look as far as Apple. recent controversy with its proposed child pornography detection feature to note that consumers are still reluctant to give up their privacy, even if it is for a “noble” cause.

More importantly, this research is still in its infancy and may never see the light of day. The adjacent medical or medical characteristics force technology companies to overcome many regulatory hurdles. Of course, Apple’s ECG feature may have sprung from a research partnership with Stanford University, but it also forced Apple to get FDA clearance for Series 4. The monitoring feature of Apple’s blood sugar would have been ongoing. since at least 2017 and a no sign of onset anytime soon.

Basically, while you might think of “detecting depression” as a potential diagnostic feature, it probably wouldn’t. So far, ready-to-wear companies have gone so far as to say, “Hey, your health data says you may be at risk for this condition. You may want to see a health care professional. Most responsible health technologies will never claim to actually diagnose a disease, lest it incur the wrath of regulatory bodies or the responsibilities associated with misdiagnosis.

As to why would anyone even want something like detection for depression or cognitive decline? Much of this is early detection. Signs for both depression and cognitive decline can be easily missed, but can lead to more serious conditions. Access to specialists may also be limited for many people, but almost everyone today has a smartphone. Generally, the goal of these types of health technology features is wider accessibility.

This news is hardly surprising. Apple has clearly invested a lot in health research, as have other big companies, including Fitbit, Google and Samsung. At this point, however, it helps if we all have a healthy dose of skepticism about what these potential health characteristics can do and the massive hurdles that need to be overcome before they can ever reach the public.