Apple iPhones soon to detect depression and cognitive decline

The Apple Watch has earlier proved its abilities when it detected a heart attack and warned the users before-hand. Their lives were saved. And now the Cupertino based giant is working on new features for its iPhones that could be able to detect anxiety, autism, cognitive decline that could develop to Alzheimer’s or even depression. Predictively, the cognitive decline and depression could be detected with the help of the external data that is collected by the sensors on the Apple devices including iPhones and Watches.

It could collect information of the user’s sleep patterns typing behavior, physical activity and more. The company is working closely with the researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles who are studying on depression, anxiety and stress. Apple is also joining hands with pharma giant Biogen Inc. which is studying on cognitive decline. There is also a third collaboration with the Duke University that will use the camera of the iPhone to observe the physical behavior of young children and will help to detect autism.

Apple did not respond for a comment on the development as the projects are reportedly on a very amateur stage. Moreover, it is also not clear if the study will ever turn in to a product and launched for the public. But things have got another side as well as an effort by Apple to detect any kind of mental health would raise issues of privacy for some of the users. Moreover, Apple has already faced the brunt from the privacy advocates. So to deal with the privacy issues, the algorithms will be working with the users locally instead of sending the data to the company.

Biogen is the company that is collaborating with Apple for detecting signs of cognitive decline and is the company behind the controversial Alzheimer’s drug of $56,000 a year and was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in the month of June, 2021.

Photo Credits: Wall street journal