Wednesday marked World Brain Day, a fitting occasion to introduce a new app that aims to measure stress levels using facial features scanned on a smartphone. The app, called Dawn DTx, is available for Canadians to use for free from Wednesday until Sunday, with a personalized report at the end of a five-day brain health challenge.
Developed in partnership between the Ontario Brain Institute (OBI) and Mobio Interactive, Dawn DTx uses a 30-second photo scan to gauge stress levels. Clinical neurologist Dr. Tom Mikkelsen, CEO and scientific director of OBI, notes that the app provides a way to reflect on internal dialogue and potentially put metrics on stress levels for better or worse.
The five-day challenge involves brief check-ins several times a day, with a 30-second smartphone facial scan. Participants receive notifications to check in at specific moments throughout the day, allowing them to score their stress level and reflect on their day. The app tracks trends over time, enabling users to understand their overall stress level and its impact on quality of life, productivity, and well-being.
After four to five years of research and testing on thousands of people, the app aims to deliver a simple, science-informed way to recognize how stress affects concentration, sleep, mood, productivity, and overall well-being. Dr. Mikkelsen emphasizes the importance of internal assessment and planning to tackle stress, highlighting that the app can help individuals understand the burden of stress and develop a plan to manage it.
Individuals can register for the free brain health challenge at braininstitute.ca. The campaign promotes the message: "Stress isn't the problem. Misunderstanding it is." By offering a free opportunity to gauge stress levels, Dawn DTx aims to bring science to the management of complicated life and help individuals recognize the positive and negative effects of stress.
