BiAffect from UIC

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago have developed and launched an app meant to track various aspects of phone usage (primarily text) in an attempt to predict depression or mania. The metadata is sent (after being "de-identified") to UIC for research. So far it appears to only be available for the iPhone.

Has anyone here heard about this or downloaded it?

So the amount of texts shows something? I’m really interested in there info.

:scratchhead:

Apparently, their software will be analyzing the number, speed, and rhythm of keystrokes along with reliance on or dismissal of spell-check. ...and frequency of mistakes and back-spacing.

No surprise to any of us, I think, that when becoming depressed our speed slows down and long messages are too much work, so short, slowly-typed messages will indicate impending depression. Whereas, messages typed quickly with little regard for correct spelling (who can be bothered when you've got so much to say?) will signal (hypo)manic tendencies.

There's probably more to it than what I've summed up here, but that's the gist. I tried to download it, but I don't have my payment details set up in the app store, so I'm out of luck even though it's free.

I went manic once and sent a co-worker (a director) hundreds, maybe a thousand text messages of the story of my life because I thought it was so interesting and looked so cool in text bubbles!! OMG...

When I went manic in 1997, I started calling people I hadn’t seen for years to give them advice. Good grief.

I guess you probably have to live near them to go in for an evaluation. Or someone would have to give them mania/depression info.

It seems like they would need someone that cycles frequently. I’ve only had two full-blown manic events 18 years apart. Hypomania started up maybe 12 years ago at an interval I’ve never tracked. Hmmm.

Anyway, I haven’t heard of it.

No. But it's nice to say hello to you.

I am not aware of this App.

I think they'd pronounce me dead, there's so little outgoing activity on my phone. I don't like messing with phones, although the camera came in handy tonight at a concert.

Thanks for the info.


WC

I haven't heard of it, either. I don't doubt, though, that some people can be assessed by phone usage. Personally, I hardly use my phone. Doesn't matter which state I'm in.