Apple Launches Vision Pro to Treat Mental Illness

Reportedly, Vision Pro is expected to go on sale next year for $3,499. In addition to mental illness detection, the headset can display images and sounds on an internal screen aimed at alleviating users’ stress, depression or anxiety.

Global tech giant, Apple has unveiled Vision Pro, its first mixed-reality headset to treat mental illness. Although the headset is designed as an entertainment device, Apple aims to potentially use it to address mental illness.

Apple’s Vision Pro is equipped with an array of sensors and cameras to measure users’ facial expressions, feelings and emotions, and detect levels of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and other forms of stress.

Moreover, its advanced features include the ability to control it with just your hands and eyes, rather than having to use controllers. Further, this headset can measure changes in weight, and pupil dilation and evaluate users’ motion, potentially as a means to detect signs of Parkinson’s disease.

Reportedly, Vision Pro is expected to go on sale next year for $3,499. In addition to mental illness detection, the headset can display images and sounds on an internal screen aimed at alleviating users’ stress, depression or anxiety.

With this initiative, Apple seeks to aid its users in treating and diagnosing mental health issues. However, reports state that the tech giant is currently facing several manufacturing issues ahead of its biggest launch in years.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports, roughly one in 25 US adults struggle with serious mental illness, including bipolar disorder, major depression or schizophrenia.

Earlier, virtual reality has been used to treat patients with anxiety disorders and PTSD for decades, including survivors of traumatic events such as the 9/11 terror attacks. Results found that VR experiences reduce stress and burnout among those with high-intensity jobs, including frontline health workers.

Founded in 1976, Apple Inc. is an American manufacturer of personal computers, smartphones, and tablet computers. Over the years, Apple has expanded the use of its technology into other domains and industries

In recent years, Apple has been boosting a number of health-related initiatives. It aims to bridge the gaps between patients and doctors, and all the data in between. Further, Apple has enabled an entire ecosystem for other creators to develop their own health applications and new ways to measure different health metrics.

Talking about mental health, just a few days back, NIMHANS launched three major infrastructure upgrades including the Centre for Brain and Mind, Platinum Jubilee Auditorium and Academic Facility, and Administrative Office Complex.

This initiative sought to thoroughly investigate a large cohort of severely mentally ill patients, including conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, dementia, or addiction within families.