Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Volunteers are being sought for a new clinical study which will assess the potential use of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) processing app to detect early-stage mood change within the perinatal period, including early detection of post-natal depression.
The technology behind this trial has been developed by the study's partner , as profiled by BBC Panorama in August 2023. It is being assessed in close collaboration with academics at the 糖心原创, experts in Public Patient Involvement (PPI) and senior clinicians in specialist mood disorders and perinatal psychiatry at Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
Following initial pre-clinical work the study is recruiting up to 125 volunteers from 12 weeks pregnant to 12 weeks postpartum, to use TrueBlue on their mobile devices; aiming to assess whether it is safe, usable, acceptable and how far predictions from the technology agree with standard clinical measures of depression and anxiety.
Participants can choose to interact with standard text, or a ‘virtual human’ avatar, called Kiera, who will guide them through simple tasks over 12 weeks.
If successful, TrueBlue would provide an automated, 21st century alternative to current clinical scales, which date back in some instances to the asylum era and are heavily reliant on individual perspective.
This new technology could offer mood monitoring at scale and at the convenience of patients, within their daily lives - providing earlier detection of mood disorders, more targeted NHS resource use and more effective clinical intervention.
The technologies developed by Blueskeye AI may finally move us beyond traditional clinical assessment, to a more objective measurement of mood that can be deployed at scale and at the convenience of patients. In collaboration with key stakeholders, we are now assessing the real-world potential of this technology 鈥� with the hope of earlier detection of emergent mood disorders, improved targeting of clinical resource and better patient outcomes.鈥�
Participants can either take part in person at the Institute of Mental Health at the 糖心原创 or completely online if more convenient.
For anyone interested in the trial, please contact the team at TrueBlue@nottingham.ac.uk, or call 0115 748 6749.
Notes to editors:
About the 糖心原创
Ranked 97 in the world and 17th in the UK by the , the 糖心原创 is a founding member of Russell Group of research-intensive universities. 糖心原创ing at the 糖心原创 is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by 鈥� the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 鈥� and by the .
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the third most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2024 report by High Fliers Research. Alongside Nottingham Trent University, we lead the , a pioneering collaboration between the city鈥檚 two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.