Unveiling the mind's secrets without wearables

In 2019 alone, there were approximately 45.82 million new cases of anxiety disorders and 301.39 million existing cases worldwide, according to research by Xiaorong Yang et al. (2021). Affecting mainly those aged 16–65, mental disorders show varying prevalence across different regions. The economic impact is profound, with costs in 2010 estimated at $2.5 trillion. Mobio Interactive, co-founded in 2015 by Avetis Muradyan, Bechara Saab, and Mark Thoburn and headquartered in Singapore, is a key player in addressing these challenges through digital therapeutics in mental health.

Pain point addressed

The pain point addressed by Mobio Interactive is the difficulty in objectively quantifying mental health improvements and personalizing therapy, especially without the use of wearables. Their services are globally accessible, with significant implications in regions like the Asia-Pacific, offering value across the entire mental health treatment chain, from diagnosis to ongoing patient monitoring. The platform serves patients by providing personalized mental health interventions, healthcare providers through improved treatment monitoring, and insurers by potentially lowering long-term healthcare costs due to effective preventative care.

Type of solution

Mobio Interactive offers a digital solution for mental health management. Their platform, primarily software-based, leverages AI and advanced algorithms to monitor and treat mental health conditions, such as anxiety, without the need for additional hardware. This approach makes their solution highly scalable and accessible globally.

Type of input data leveraged

The type of input data leveraged by Mobio Interactive includes:

• Facial photoplethysmography (PPG) data: captures physiological signals from facial video uploaded by the patient.
• Self-reported mental wellbeing metrics: include subjective assessments of mental health.
• Mobile selfie videos: used for computer vision analysis to assess stress levels.
• Demographic and clinical data: for personalized treatment plans.
• Real-time therapy interaction data: To monitor progress and adapt the treatment accordingly.

Key technology involved

The key technologies leveraged by Mobio Interactive include:

• Artificial intelligence (AI): It powers the analysis and interpretation of data, enabling personalized treatment plans.
• Deep learning: used within AI frameworks to analyze complex datasets like the facial PPG and biomarkers for stress assessment.
• Machine learning algorithms: essential for predictive analytics and adapting treatments based on patient responses.
• Facial photoplethysmography (PPG): A non-invasive method to measure blood volume changes through facial video analysis.
• Computer vision: allows for the analysis of mobile selfie videos to objectively assess stress and mental health states.
• Data analytics: for processing and interpreting large datasets, such as digital biomarkers and self-reported metrics.
• Natural language processing (NLP): It is used for analyzing patient feedback and enhancing user interaction with the platform.

Key applications of solution

• Personalized mental health monitoring and treatmentFacial PPG analysis: innovative use of facial video to assess psychological states, leveraging computer vision and AI.Stress and anxiety measurement: advanced algorithms quantify stress and anxiety levels from digital biomarkers, ensuring accurate assessment.Adaptive therapy personalization: The platform dynamically adjusts therapy based on individual responses, improving treatment efficacy.
• Remote patient monitoring:Non-invasive techniques: use advanced technology to monitor patients remotely, eliminating the need for physical hardware.Continuous data collection: ensures a comprehensive understanding of a patient’s mental health over time through consistent monitoring.
• Healthcare provider support:Decision support tool: assists clinicians in making informed decisions by providing comprehensive patient data.Patient progress tracking: enables continuous monitoring of patient improvements, aiding in treatment adjustments.

Implications of key stakeholders

• Patients

Beyond just treatment, patients gain insights into their mental health status, enabling them to understand and manage their conditions better. For instance, a patient with chronic anxiety can monitor their stress levels in real-time, adjust their lifestyle, or seek timely intervention.

• Healthcare providers

Clinicians receive a more nuanced view of their patients’ mental health, enabling precise treatment adjustments. A therapist could use data from the platform to tailor cognitive behavioral therapy sessions more effectively.

• Insurers

The technology promises more efficient treatment outcomes, potentially reducing long-term costs. Insurance companies could leverage this data to develop more accurate risk assessment models and tailor their health plans.

• Regulatory bodies

With objective, data-driven outcomes, regulatory agencies can better evaluate and approve mental health treatments, ensuring safer and more effective therapies for the public.

Current impact

• Studies involving athletes: show stress reduction and resilience building through AmDTx in athletes and young adults with anxiety.
• Cancer patient studies: multi-lingual studies highlighting AmDTx’s efficacy in preventing mental illness comorbidities in various cancer stages.
• Brain recovery post-concussion: Investigating interactive psychotherapy for accelerating brain recovery and reducing chronic symptoms post-concussion.
• Therapy for major depression and bipolar disorder: Ongoing research into AmDTx as an adjunct therapy for major depression and bipolar disorder.
• They have created a vast dataset of over 3 million biomarker data points, which enhances the precision and reliability of their stress quantification algorithms.

Potential future impact

The potential future impact of Mobio Interactive’s digital therapeutic solutions is vast and multifaceted.

• Expanded use in mental health care: broader adoption in clinical settings for various mental health conditions, improving patient outcomes globally.
• Advancements in personalized medicine: enhanced personalization of mental health treatments and leveraging AI and data analytics for tailored patient care.
• Integration with healthcare systems: potential integration with healthcare infrastructures for more efficient, data-driven mental health management.
• Global accessibility: expansion of their platform to underserved regions, addressing global mental health disparities.

Business model

Mobio Interactive’s business model incorporates elements of B2B (Business-to-Business) and B2C (Business-to-Consumer) strategies. Key advantages of this model include:

• Tailored therapeutics: Leveraging AI for personalized mental health solutions enhances treatment effectiveness and patient satisfaction.
• Partnerships with healthcare entities: Collaborating with hospitals and clinics for integrated care solutions.
• Insurance collaboration: Potential for partnerships with insurance companies for better mental health coverage and preventative care programs.

Funding and key investors

Mobio Interactive’s funding journey showcases growing confidence from investors in their innovative approach to digital mental health solutions. They have successfully raised $2.4 million over four rounds of funding. The latest infusion of capital, acquired on August 16, 2023, from a grant round, signifies not just financial support but also a validation of their potential in the digital therapeutics market. This funding is crucial for the further development and expansion of their AI-driven mental health platforms, research initiatives, and global presence in the digital health sector. The key investors are: OPPO Inspiration Challenge, Creative ventures, SOSV, Atlas asset management, Verge healthtech fund, Chinaccelerator, Australian medical angels, and Orbit startups.

Competitive differentiator

Mobio Interactive’s competitive differentiator lies in its unique approach to mental health measurement:

• Facial photoplethysmography (PPG) technology: Unlike traditional mental health apps that rely on self-reported data, Mobio Interactive uses facial PPG to objectively measure psychological stress from facial cues. This provides a more accurate, real-time assessment of mental state without requiring physical contact or wearables.

Regulatory and compliance status

For a solution like Mobio Interactive’s, maintaining compliance with relevant regulatory and compliance requirements is crucial. These include:

• FDA approval (US): for digital therapeutic solutions, especially those claiming medical benefits.
• Health Canada regulations: for operations and clinical trials in Canada.
• EU medical device regulations (MDR): If operating or selling in the European Union.
• HIPAA compliance: ensuring patient data privacy and security in the United States.
• GDPR: For data protection and privacy in the European Union.
• ISO certifications: for quality management and information security management systems.

Partnerships and collaborations

Mobio Interactive collaborates with health systems to introduce AmDTx to patients and employees, aiming to enhance mental health and human performance. These partnerships enable physicians to tailor therapy for their patients, with AmDTx offering rapid deployment in healthcare settings. This is particularly vital given the long wait times for mental health services globally. AmDTx adjusts to individual patient needs and provides objective well-being insights between healthcare visits, which physicians can utilize for informed treatment decisions.

Testimonials

“I can accept negative thoughts better than before and I can practice meditation to calm me down if the day was really stressful. I found that when I practice meditation before I sleep, I can sleep better than before, and I don’t wake up randomly in the middle of the night.– User

“I learned to unwind and be more aware of my surroundings. After a stressful day, I looked forward to doing the meditation for at least 10 minutes and it helped me become stress-free and understanding of what is there around me.” – User

Areas for continuous improvement

• An area for continuous improvement for Mobio Interactive could be the enhancement of their AI algorithms to further personalize mental health interventions. While they already utilize advanced AI, ongoing refinement in this area, especially in understanding diverse cultural and socio-economic contexts, could significantly boost the efficacy of their solutions.
• Continuously updating their compliance and data security protocols in response to evolving global regulations will be crucial to maintaining user trust and meeting international standards.

References

https://www.mobiointeractive.com/

https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/mobio-interactive

Disclaimer: Please note that the opinions, content, and analysis in my posts are entirely my own and do not reflect the views of any current or past employers or institutional affiliations. These posts, based solely on publicly available information, are for informational purposes and should not be taken as professional advice. All insights and conclusions are my viewpoints and should not be considered representative of any organizations I am or have been associated with. This content is not endorsed by, nor does it represent the stance of any affiliated entity.