According to a 2021 World Health Organisation fact sheet, depression affects 264 million people globally and is undiagnosed and untreated in half of all cases. In Singapore, where the Covid-19 pandemic has led to increased concerns over mental well-being, a study by the Singapore’s Institute of Mental Health pointed to a likely increase in mental health issues, including depression, related to the pandemic.
Activity trackers, meanwhile, are already estimated to be worn by nearly a billion people, up from 722 million in 2019.
The NTU Singapore team conducted trials using data from groups of depressed and healthy participants. Powered by machine learning, the program - named the 'Ycogni model' - screens for the risk of depression by analysing an individual’s physical activity, sleep patterns and circadian rhythms derived from data from wearable devices that measured their steps, heart rate, energy expenditure and sleep data.
To develop the Ycogni...