Smartphones are capable of doing a lot these days, but one would presume that when it comes to battling drug addiction we would have to draw the line.
But acccording to researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, a new smartphone-enabled technology called iHeal, could soon be used to help substance abusers kick their nasty habits.The system, which is still being developed, works by monitoring a user’s levels of stress and then if need be, taking action to discourage them from making the wrong decisions.
iHeal incorporates biosensors built into a wristband which can measure factors such as body motion, electrical activity of the skin, heart rate, and skin temperature. That information is then sent to the user’s smartphone and if it determines that the wearer is experiencing stress or arousal, it then proceeds to ask them to provide information on their current activity, perceived level of stress, and intensity of drug cravings. In this way, a user profile can be established, identifying what sorts of situations put the user at the greatest risk of turning to drugs.
The app is also able to recognize when the physical signs associated with these situations recur, at which point it warns the user of the danger they’re facing, via a personalized multimedia message.
Whether, this technology could ever become intelligent enough to eventually replace drug rehabilitation programmes is probably a whole other article. But for the moment, as apps go, it’s pretty impressive.
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SÃle Cleary is a regular contributor to Toronto Standard. Follow her on Twitter at @silecleary.
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