The UK government has announced £3.6 million in funding to support 17 innovative projects aimed at transforming mental health care. Key technologies include smart glasses designed by CrossSense that assist individuals with severe depression by recognizing objects and offering real-time prompts through a connected app. This initiative addresses the 40% surge in NHS mental health service demand since the pandemic and seeks to provide scalable, affordable support. Other notable projects include an AR board game for children’s social skills, a customizable virtual coach for substance abuse recovery, and an AI-enhanced photo-editing app to aid therapy sessions. These advancements are part of the government’s 10-Year Health Plan, which allocates an additional £688 million to mental health services and emphasizes the importance of extended reality (XR) technologies like VR and AR. By fostering these innovations, the UK aims to improve healthcare accessibility while alleviating pressure on the NHS.
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