Apple research could lead to iPhone that detects depression, cognitive decline, childhood autism

Once the research is complete, Apple hopes to create a diagnostic algorithm that will automatically detect signs of depressions, anxiety, and stress. To ensure the data is accurate, everything will be compared to other sources.

If successful, the final feature would warn users and encourage them to seek medical advice. However, if Apple is unable to create a reliable algorithm, the health feature could be scrapped.

Separately, there’s no denying that such health features would require access to tons of data. That could spark privacy concerns, which is why Apple plans to make the algorithm work on-device without sending data to servers.

There's no guarantee the research will lead to a public feature

Apple’s cognitive impairment research, on the other hand, is codenamed ‘Pi’ and is being conducted with pharmaceutical company Biogen. This is a two-year project that will also track iPhone and Apple Watch data, though on a much larger scale.

Internal documents show that Biogen and Apple will follow around 20,000 people, half of them with a high risk of cognitive impairment. It’s believed that people with cognitive decline use their devices differently.

Again, to ensure the accuracy of data, everything will be compared to more reliable data sources. In this case, standard tests of brain health and scans that track plaque buildup in the brain.

The final research project focuses on childhood autism and is being conducted with Duke University. It relies heavily on the iPhone’s camera to observe how often children sway back and forth, as well as how they focus.