Our Solution
A plugin extension for text, audio, and visuals—designed with clinical support to help modulate a patient’s exposure to online triggers.
Step 1: Trigger Identification
Patients work with a psychiatrist to identify their personal triggers.
Source: The Private Practice Pro
Step 2: LLM Model Training
An AI model is trained on diverse datasets to detect and categorize triggers across text, audio, images, and video.
Step 3: Real-Time Web Scraping
The plugin continuously scans incoming digital content.
Step 5: Patient Dashboard
ModU's interactive dashboard allows patients to track and reflect on their therapy progress.
With the clinician in the loop, patients can gradually increase their exposure to triggering content over time, giving the power of re-integration back into the patient's hands.
Through clinican-AI collaboration, our tool is personalized to one's unique triggers, empowering PTSD patients to navigate online spaces with confidence and security.
The Challenge
Hosted by the University of Toronto, the Global Learning Case Competition (GLCC) invites students globally to collaborate on innovative solutions for pressing global challenges. Over 72 hours, participants work in teams, culminating in a final presentation evaluated by a panel of judges. Our prompt was: “What is one innovative way that artificial intelligence can be used for positive social change in your discipline(s) or communities?”
The Status Quo
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental and behavioral disorder that can develop from directly or indirectly experiencing a traumatic event.
PTSD is characterized by:
Re-experiencing of the traumatic event(s)
Persistent emotional and physiological arousal in response to reminders of the trauma
Anxiety in anticipation of the next panic attack
In the physical world, there are ways to manage symptoms by avoiding certain locations, people, or objects. But in the digital world, where content is constant and unfiltered, it only takes one triggering ad, video, photo to activate a panic response in PTSD patients. As a consequence, they may avoid digital spaces (such as social media and websites) to protect themselves, which can exclude them from participation in their personal and work environments.
ModU: AI-powered content modulator for PTSD users
Year
2024
Recognition
1st Place
(72 teams, 30+ countries)
Step 4: Content Modulation
As users interact with content, the plugin responds in real time.
They can customize exposure levels
(e.g., 90%, 50%, 10%).
Based on these settings, the tool can blur, warn, or remove triggering material from their feed.
How should we re-design digital spaces to help people with PTSD navigate content safely?