The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has awarded $1M to an AI-based app known as Battle Buddy, which aims to improve veterans' mental health and reduce suicide rates among veterans. USC Institute for Creative Technologies (USC ICT) and SoldierStrong Foundation plan to use the VA grant to deliver health, wellness, and suicide prevention services.
- The Battle Buddy app includes a virtual human companion that uses passive sensing or wearables to provide services associated with personalized health, wellness, and suicide prevention.
- SoldierStrong Foundation provides tech and educational opportunities to veterans.
- Individuals with military background account for 13.7% of suicides among adults in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- The National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report shows that, in 2020, the suicide rate for veterans exceeded that of non-veteran adults by 57.3%.
- USC ICT is a U.S. Army University Affiliated Research Center committed to basic and applied research, including AI and mixed reality.
- In December 2022, Oregon Health and Science University partnered with Analog Devices Inc to develop a smartwatch device to identify patients suffering from suicidality or depression.
