Bodimojo-IBS

• 

  screen cap of the prototype

Partners

This project is a partnership between Bodimojo Inc, UCLA and Northeastern University, funded by a NIH SBIR.

Inspiration

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common condition that affects 1 person out of 6 in the USA, inducing chronic pain and profound effects on quality of life. A central challenge for adolescents dealing with IBS is the emotions and stress that arise from this condition.

What it does

The focus of this work is to develop a virtual buddy that produces relevant empathetic responses and coping suggestions for teenagers suffering from IBS. The buddy is integrated inside a mobile application.

My contribution

I worked on the interaction between the virtual buddy and the user. The interaction is driven by emotion theories (the appraisal and coping theory by Lazarus and Smith). The buddy asks questions in order to understand the context (appraisal frame) then suggests appropriate coping strategies.

What's next for Bodimojo-IBS

The prototype is currently under evaluation in a clinical study.