Kai Koerber, a survivor of the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, has developed an AI-powered smartphone app called Joy: AI Wellness Platform to help people manage their emotions and practice mindfulness. The app uses voice-emotion recognition to provide personalized mindfulness activities based on how the user is feeling. It offers short, bite-sized prompts and tools that can be done quickly and anywhere. The app aims to dispel the notion that mindfulness is a solo activity confined to sitting in a room breathing. Users simply speak into the app, and the AI recognizes their emotional state and suggests appropriate activities.
Although the app is a work in progress, Koerber and his team hope that as more people use it, the AI algorithm will become more accurate at recognizing emotions. The app has a variety of activities for different emotional states, such as exercises to practice mindful consumption, making effective apologies, and tracking moments of joy. The app is available on the iPhone for a monthly subscription fee, with a discount offered for an annual subscription.
Koerber’s experience with post-traumatic stress disorder following the shooting motivated him to create the app. He wanted to provide a tool for others who may be struggling with emotions related to trauma. Despite the proliferation of wellness apps in the market, it is not always clear if they are effective. Colin Walsh, a professor of biomedical informatics, emphasized the importance of user feedback to ensure the AI accurately represents an individual’s emotional state.
The app’s development has been slower and more deliberate than typical tech entrepreneurs. Koerber’s focus is on building quality products that serve social good. He hopes that by using technology to bridge gaps in mental health support, survivors of trauma and others struggling with their emotions can find assistance on their own terms. The demand for such technology is high, as traditional systems still have gaps in providing support.
Overall, Koerber’s Joy: AI Wellness Platform is an innovative app that seeks to revolutionize mindfulness practices and emotional well-being. Through the use of AI and voice-emotion recognition, the app offers personalized activities to help individuals manage their emotions and practice mindfulness on the go. As the app continues to evolve and improve, it has the potential to make a significant impact in the mental health field and support those who have experienced trauma.
Credit: The Star : Tech Feed
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