Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Jul 05, 2025

Video games that diagnose, monitor and treat depression developed by scientists

Video games that diagnose, monitor and treat depression developed by scientists

Software analyses the patient's voice, eye gaze and micro-expressions along behavioural measures including reaction times, memory and error rates.

Scientists have developed video games using AI technology to diagnose, monitor and treat depression.

The platform, called Thymia, aims to make depression and other mental health conditions as measurable as physical ailments.

Dr Emilia Molimpakis, CEO and co-founder of Thymia, told Sky News: "Right now the existing system is flawed in many ways, GPs don't have time, the existing systems they have are subjective questionnaires that are incredibly biased and there's no follow-up between appointments.

Software analyses the patient's voice, eye gaze and micro-expressions along behavioural measures


"Thymia is the first system that offers objectivity and uses several types of data in order to create a really accurate and robust model of depression."

The programme asks patients to play simple video games, with a neuropsychological underpinning, ultimately designed to measure depressive cues.

While playing the games, the software analyses the patient's voice, eye gaze and micro-expressions as well as behavioural measures including reaction times, memory and error rates.

Through this, patterns indicative of depression are picked up on, allowing a diagnosis to be made quickly.

As it is designed to monitor patients in the long-term, patients can play games in-between appointments, helping identify whether treatments are working over time.

Dr Emilia Molimpakis is hopeful the Thymia programme will help clinicians achieve a diagnosis for depression much faster


Dr Molimpakis said: "What we hope to achieve is to help clinicians achieve the right diagnosis much faster - currently it takes years, we want to reduce that to weeks - and also help them find the right treatment for each individual patient."

Posy Parsons first began to experience symptoms of depression in her mid-20s.

Currently, diagnostic tools used to diagnose depression involve patients scoring their feelings - something Ms Parsons struggled with.

Already facing challenges at the time, getting a diagnosis came with its own challenges.

She told Sky News: "All the doctor receives is that one form and they've got no context of what else is going on and all the different complexities of the situation.

"You really feel like it is this quick snapshot and then they're judging and making potential huge consequences for your life based on that."

She says being able to see the objective measurements of depression would "help recognise that it's a real thing" - and would help her keep track of her own mental wellbeing.

Thymia has been trialled by around 2,000 patients at University College London and King's College London, with clinical trials beginning later this year.

Posy Parsons says seeing objective measurements of depression would be helpful


But there is concern over whether the technology will have the desired effect, with some saying the root of the problem needs to be the primary focus.

Dr Lucy Johnstone, a consultant clinical psychologist, told Sky News: "It's a fair point to say we're not very good at picking up, or understanding or supporting people who are feeling depressed.

"I'm just not sure this is the answer.

"A quick check list is not going to tell you a great deal but nor is sitting down through a video game of some sort that looks at your eye gaze.

"I actually think as a psychologist what we need to find out more is the reasons people are feeling the way they are.

"We actually know a lot about the life circumstances that lead people to become depressed.

"We actually need a human being sitting down and asking you more about those events in your lives, that's actually what's going to help us understand people better."

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
×