In an era where mental health challenges are increasingly prevalent, Symbio envisioned a transformative digital solution to assist individuals in managing stress and anxiety. Collaborating with ISHIR, Symbio embarked on a journey to develop an AI-powered mobile application that offers real-time sentiment analysis, providing users with insights into their mental well-being. This case study delves into how ISHIR’s expertise turned Symbio’s innovative concept into a functional prototype, setting the stage for future advancements in mental health technology.
- HealthCare
- Enterprise AI
The Project
The Background
Symbio approached ISHIR with a foundational idea: to create a mobile application that functions akin to a “FitBit for mental health.” The goal was to harness artificial intelligence to monitor and analyze users’ communications, thereby gauging stress levels and offering actionable feedback. At the project’s inception, Symbio had not secured venture capital funding and lacked a tangible proof of concept. Recognizing the potential impact of such a tool, especially in the wake of increased mental health awareness, ISHIR committed to bringing this vision to fruition.
The Challenges
Data Accessibility: Capturing and analyzing user communications across various platforms (calls, emails, messages) required innovative solutions to ensure comprehensive data collection while respecting privacy concerns.​
Natural User Experience: Initial prototypes, such as those leveraging Twilio for call analysis, disrupted the natural flow of user interactions. Ensuring the application seamlessly integrated into users’ daily routines was paramount.​
Comprehensive Analysis: Focusing solely on emails or calls provided limited insights. A holistic approach was necessary to accurately assess a user’s mental state throughout the day.​
Project Goals
Develop a Seamless Prototype
Create a user-friendly application that unobtrusively integrates into daily communication channels.​
Implement Advanced AI Capabilities
Utilize IBM Watson's API to perform real-time sentiment analysis, translating diverse communication forms into meaningful stress indicators.​
Ensure Scalability and Privacy
Design the application architecture to support future growth while maintaining stringent data privacy standards.​
Facilitate Stakeholder Buy-In
Deliver a compelling proof of concept to attract potential investors and partners, demonstrating the application's viability and impact.
Key Features
- Utilizing IBM Watson’s API, the application analyzes user communications in real-time to assess emotional tone and stress levels, providing users with immediate feedback on their mental well-being.
- To seamlessly monitor user interactions across various platforms (texts, emails, social media), a custom keyboard was developed, enabling sentiment analysis without disrupting the natural user experience.
- The app delivers a dynamic stress score, reflecting the user's emotional state throughout the day, and offers personalized recommendations to manage stress effectively.
- Users have access to a comprehensive dashboard that tracks their mental health trends over time, facilitating self-awareness and proactive management of their well-being. ​
The Process
Ideation and Conceptualization
ISHIR collaborated with Symbio to refine the initial concept, focusing on creating a "FitBit for mental health" that leverages AI for real-time emotional analysis.
Prototype Development
An initial prototype was developed using Twilio to analyze phone calls, converting audio to text and assessing sentiment. However, this approach was revised to better align with natural user behaviors.
Iterative Enhancement
The team shifted focus to email analysis via a Gmail connector, which provided valuable insights but lacked comprehensiveness. This led to the innovative solution of a custom keyboard to capture a broader range of user communications.
Integration and Testing
The custom keyboard was integrated into the application, enabling real-time sentiment analysis across various communication platforms. Rigorous testing ensured accuracy and user-friendliness.
Value Delivered
1. Accelerated Product Development
ISHIR’s agile development approach enabled rapid prototyping and iterative enhancements, significantly reducing time-to-market for Symbio’s innovative mental health application. ​
2. Enhanced User Engagement
By integrating a custom keyboard for seamless sentiment analysis, ISHIR ensured a non-intrusive user experience, leading to higher user adoption and engagement rates. ​
3. Competitive Differentiation
The AI-driven, real-time stress assessment feature positioned Symbio uniquely in the digital mental health space, differentiating it from other wellness apps that lack such capabilities. ​
4. Foundation for Future Growth
The successful development and deployment of the application provided Symbio with a compelling proof of concept, facilitating investor interest and laying the groundwork for future enhancements and scalability. ​