The launch of the AI-powered app Empathic was recently announced by seamlessCARE, a digital health spin-out firm from University College Dublin (UCD). With the aid of artificial intelligence (AI), this new app can comprehend nonverbal people's emotions.
Understanding Nonverbal Individuals
Nonverbal people are unable to communicate with alternative assistive technology because of significant intellectual or physical limitations. In most families and care environments, there is one person who is able to communicate with the non-verbal person, but it can be challenging for everyone else to comprehend how they are feeling.
Lack of communication can cause poor mood and irritation to nonverbal individuals, which can lead to challenging behavior. This can lead to aggression toward family members and friends, self-harm, and other risks.
Hence, Empathic was created to better understand the emotions of these individuals.
Anyone can record a brief audio clip using the Empathic app to determine whether a nonverbal person is feeling joy, boredom, frustration, or up to 10 other emotions. This can enhance the nonverbal person's quality of life and lessen the difficult behaviors that may arise from frustration.
Empathic's Research and Development
seamlessCARE worked with caregivers in residential, home care, nursing homes, and rehabilitation facilities during the research and development of Empathic.
Most test subjects discovered that utilizing Empathic led to improved mood and fewer challenging behaviors. They found a decline in self-harm and service user falls, fewer staff injuries, and improved safety.
Moreover, the startup claims that there was higher employee retention during the test periods, which ranged from three months to two years.
The majority of this testing was done in accordance with stringent academic ethics, which prohibit the release of specific details. The results of more Pilot testing are being conducted by seamlessCARE, and they will be made public later this year.
Empathic's Inspiration
Dr. Aviva Cohen, CEO and co-founder of seamlessCARE, said that Empathic "could have a significant impact on the quality of life for non-verbal people as well as their families and others who provide support."
She adds that the inspiration for the app "came from 14 years of caring for my late husband, Steve. He became non-verbal as the result of a severe stroke. Over time, I learnt to understand him, but it was always difficult for carers, friends and family to know how he was feeling."
The Empathic app has a seven-day free trial period and costs €9.99 per month on Google Play and the Apple App Store. Each Empathic account can accommodate up to three non-verbal individuals, and the account holder is free to invite 20 additional "Companion" users.
These "Companion" users could be instructors, caregivers, support staff, friends, relatives, or anybody else in a support network.
In 2022, seamlessCARE was a finalist in the Altice International Innovation Awards in Portugal and received the AI Ireland Awards for Best Use of AI in a Startup.
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