Leveraging Smartphone Sensing Technology to Identify Social Isolation in Mental Illness

SPRING 2017 RESEARCH INCUBATION AWARDEES

Pl: Daniel Fulford, Occupational Therapy, SAR
Co-Pls: Richard West, Computer Science, CAS; Yuting Zhang, Computer Science, MET

Social isolation occurs as a result of mental health conditions such as depression and schizophrenia, which can lead to further disability and early mortality. Medication can reduce many symptoms of mental health conditions but not social isolation. This project will utilize mobile phone-based sensors to improve the detection of social isolation among those with high need. By developing algorithms for using the mobile sensors, patterns of physical movement and speech indicative of social isolation can be identified and then tested on a group of people with serious mental illness.

This work is funded by a Digital Health Initiative Research Award made in June, 2017.