Empathy-XR: An Immersive AI-Based Tool for Mental Health Wellbeing

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**The Challenge**The overall number of people reporting mental health problems in the UK and globally rises year on year. This translates into increasing monthly referrals to community mental health teams, whilst at the same time, UK investment in mental health services has fallen in real terms. Over a quarter (26%) of young women aged between 16--24 years old report having a common mental health problem, whilst the elderly report depression and loneliness as key impactors on mental health.Significant barriers often exist to obtaining mental health care support in the UK, including lack of local resources, social stigma, cost, and an ability to travel to receive care. However, research has shown that user engagement, rather than the modality of therapy is the key to achieving successful outcomes. This indicates that the provision of mental health support via new digital means has the potential to be as effective as some forms of traditional psychotherapy.**Vision**Oxford Dynamics will develop Empathy-XR: an innovative, AI-based personal mental health wellness tool able to monitor and assist with anxiety and depression, the most commonly reported mental health challenges. Initially delivered via smartphone and/or tablet, Empathy-XR will combine Oxford Dynamics' proven core expertise in Conversational AI and AI-based image procession/ vision systems, to deliver a unique, highly personalized, and novel immersive experience.Empathy-XR will enable immediate access to unique supportive care that is non-judgmental, eternally patient, and always available.By circumventing financial & geographic barriers to mental health provision, together with a strong focus on ease of use and an extended reality user experience, Empathy-XR will provide a breakthrough in immersive conversations, focussed on one the largest challenge areas to society.Ultimately Empathy-XR seeks to be a valuable and powerful addition to the health practitioner and patient's arsenal. Working with the NHS and a number of mental health charities, this project aims to demonstrate evidence-based improvements in users' reported mental health via field trials.**Project Deliverables**This Industrial Development project builds upon prior successful Oxford Dynamics work and previous user engagement, to produce a prototype system suitable for Beta field trials with key stakeholders. The project will cover Empathy-XR's commercial, ethical, and technical aspects, together with a roadmap for full commercial release.