The Challenge
Mental health and wellbeing needs are growing globally due to inequities, the pandemic, and the general stresses of a hyper-connected life. At the same time, the number of people with physical disabilities is dramatically increasing due to demographic trends and chronic health conditions. How can we address these urgent needs while reducing the stigma and discrimination that often accompany these challenges?
According to a 2020 CDC study, 40% of American adults struggle with mental health or substance abuse issues. WHO data indicates that more than 275 million people worldwide suffer from an anxiety disorder, and nearly as many suffer from depression, costing the global economy one trillion dollars yearly. Their data also show that people with physical disability experience poorer health outcomes, have less access to education and work opportunities, and are more likely to live in poverty than those without a disability. In both cases—and for various reasons—patients are not getting the necessary health care services.
The Media Lab’s View
There is an opportunity to revolutionize and improve mental and physical wellbeing using digital technologies and human-computer interaction.
- Digital Mental Health
Wearables, nearables, immersive systems & sensors, AI and ML, HCI, and affective AI for monitoring, predicting, and intervening for mental wellbeing in naturalistic settings. - Restoring and Augmenting Human Physical Capability
Restoring function to individuals with impaired mobility due to trauma or disease and developing technologies that augment human performance beyond what nature intends. - Preventative and Responsive Healthcare
Diagnostics, ingestibles, implantables, and wearables for early-stage detection, mediation, and therapies. - Women’s Health
Developing new and more intelligent solutions for women’s unique health issues, including breast cancer, menopause, and maternity. - Aging with Dignity
Inventing novel and compassionate technologies for aging in the comfort of the home while mitigating loneliness to assist the growing elderly populations in developing countries. - Resilient Systems
Designing responsive and resilient social and public health systems leveraging multidisciplinary technologies and methods.