Using artificial intelligence as an early warning detection system for young people with mental health conditions – this is the bold new plan by the University of Johannesburg (UJ) and the Gauteng Premier’s office.
Smart phones and iPads will be used in schools to detect red flags.
A team of UJ researchers have developed what they call “web-based child and youth mental health profiling system”, using rapid real-time technology.
“It increases the accessibility of collecting the data because we are using technology, the kind of assessments that we are going to be using we are able to use laptops, cellphones, any gadgets we can use to collect the data,” says UJ’s Professor Jace Pillay.
“So all these marginalized people and those with psycho-social issues how does it impact on their life, and how do they cope? So that has not been put in place and this is what we are doing in terms of the research work with UJ to see how we can fast track that thing,” says Zain Bulbulia from the Gauteng Premier’s office.
The system will be rolled out in all Gauteng schools from next year.
