Project description
AI-powered smartphone monitoring for early depression detection
While major depressive disorder is one of the most common mental health conditions worldwide, diagnosis is often delayed because assessment methods depend heavily on access to trained clinicians and in-person evaluations. Once diagnosed, symptom monitoring for detection of improvement and deterioration is also insufficient. The ERC-funded SMARTH-MDD project will develop a smartphone app that uses AI and real-time data monitoring to detect early signs of symptoms and track their progression. By collecting data through users’ smartphones, the project aims to create an accessible and cost-effective tool that reduces dependence on clinician availability. Ultimately, this will pave the way for more proactive mental health care and improve the mental health outcomes of millions of people.
Objective
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) affects one in five people globally. Early diagnosis is crucial as prognosis worsens when MDD progresses to a full episode. However, current diagnostic methods rely on costly meetings with trained professionals, often leading to delayed interventions and, thus, to poorer outcomes. SMARTH-MDD (Smartphone Application for Real-Time Health Monitoring in Major Depressive Disorder) aims to revolutionize MDD detection and prevention through an innovative smartphone app that integrates automated multimodal data collection with advanced AI-driven predictive analytics. Building on our ERC-funded research, which has demonstrated the efficacy of multimodal data in indicating depression differences (trait-like) and changes (state-like), SMARTH-MDD will develop an app that is a scalable solution for early MDD detection and personalized preventive intervention. The app will seamlessly collect comprehensive, unobtrusive data across various domains, leveraging the findings from our ongoing ERC research to create a robust, real-time monitoring system. Our approach represents a significant leap forward in mental health diagnostics and intervention by reducing exclusive reliance on clinicians’ assessments; our app is efficient and cost-effective, benefiting patients, healthcare providers, insurers, and policymakers alike. SMARTH-MDD will bridge the gap between our fundamental research and a market-ready solution, paving the way for widespread adoption and real-world impact in the early detection and prevention of MDD. By reducing reliance on clinician availability, SMARTH-MDD democratizes access to mental health monitoring, expanding early intervention opportunities, including for underserved populations. Our goal is to create a scalable, accessible tool that can dramatically improve mental health outcomes on a global scale while changing the approach to mental health management from reactive to proactive.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2025-POC
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
31905 Haifa
Israel
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.