Mental health significantly influences many aspects of our daily lives, from physical well-being to relationships with family, friends, and communities, as well as workplace productivity. Despite its vital role in overall wellness, most available technologies focus primarily on physical health. Samsung is committed to fostering innovative health solutions for both today and tomorrow. To this end, the company frequently collaborates with leading medical institutions and universities to leverage advanced technologies and explore new possibilities in health and wellness.
In recognition of World Mental Health Day. Samsung is spotlighting its ongoing research collaborations with institutions such as Massachusetts General Hospital, MIT Media Lab, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Tulane University School of Medicine. These studies delve into the mind-body connection by investigating various health indicators. This include depression, mood, resilience, and cardiovascular diseases, aiming to deliver comprehensive and preventative health solutions.
Enabling Depression Prevention & Detection with Massachusetts General Hospital
Massachusetts General Hospital [MGH] is conducting groundbreaking research on the relationship between depression and various biomarkers by evaluating the health metrics of 150 participants at different depression levels using Galaxy Watch. The study seeks to validate correlations between depression and biometric data. This includes activity levels, sleep stages, and patterns during weekends and weekdays. These findings aim to introduce a mental health index, empowering users to understand their mental state and take proactive measures.
Read About How Samsung SDK Boosts Healthcare Innovation
Enhancing Well-Being through Better Sleep with MIT Media Lab
MIT Media Lab has expanded knowledge of sleep’s role in overall well-being through a study involving approximately 200 college students. The participants tracked their sleep for a month and self-reported on five well-being indicators each morning: alertness, happiness, energy, health, and calmness. The research demonstrated strong associations between sleep and well-being, with both duration and regularity significantly affecting these indicators. Using a mixed-effect random forest [MERF] model, MIT Media Lab was able to predict participants’ well-being based on sleep patterns, with results closely matching their self-evaluations. This underscores the potential for personalized well-being management through sleep pattern analysis.
Accelerating Recovery with Brigham & Women’s Hospital
Brigham & Women’s Hospital [BWH] is investigating the relationship between biomarkers and resilience, which refers to the body and mind’s ability to recover from major stressors such as disease or surgery. In their first use case, the hospital is monitoring patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement [TAVR] surgery. The Galaxy Watch tracks participants’ health and lifestyle patterns in real time. While the Samsung Health Research Stack collects and analyzes data to improve the efficiency and accuracy of large-scale research. The goal is to uncover insights into recovery and resilience. Providing valuable data to inform medical decisions and help individuals better prepare for life’s challenges.
Identifying Cardiovascular Risks with Tulane University School of Medicine
Mental health is closely linked with cardiovascular health. Tulane University School of Medicine is using Galaxy Watch data and the Samsung Health SDK to develop biomarkers for early detection of cardiovascular disease risk factors. Over the course of three years, the study will monitor thousands of participants from diverse demographics and areas with high cardiovascular disease prevalence. By analyzing participants’ health records and biometric data, the goal is to identify key factors influencing cardiovascular health and develop algorithms for personalized disease prediction and prevention.
“At Samsung, we are dedicated to supporting the health community by unlocking new frontiers previously thought impossible,” said Dr. Hon Pak, Senior Vice President and Head of the Digital Health Team at Samsung Electronics. “This is why we collaborate with leading medical institutions and accelerate research on the mind-body connection, leveraging our sensor technology and expertise to deliver truly holistic and preventative health solutions.”