Smartphone-based mood and emotion monitoring for bipolar disorder
Official title: Detecting dynamic fluctuations in emotion, mood, and functioning: A digital phenotyping approach to clinical monitoring in bipolar disorder
Funded at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · NIH-11231253 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses an Android app that passively tracks voice and behavior to spot mood and emotion changes in people with bipolar disorder.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project start | December 13, 2023 |
| Project end | October 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $742,508 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH130411-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11231253 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with bipolar disorder who have a history of mood instability, are willing to use an Android smartphone app, and agree to passive audio monitoring for about six months are ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without bipolar disorder, those unwilling to share audio or use an Android phone, or those with consistently stable mood patterns may not benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
You would use the PRIORI Android app for six months while it passively samples ambient audio about every 15 minutes and generates emotion estimates. The app's machine learning algorithms turn audio and phone-sensor data into measures of emotional valence and arousal that the team compares with brief mood surveys. The goal is to reduce frequent, burdensome mood surveys by improving passive monitoring that works quietly in the background. About 160 people with known patterns of mood instability from an existing cohort will take part in this continuous digital monitoring protocol.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help detect mood shifts earlier and make ongoing monitoring less burdensome for people with bipolar disorder.
How similar studies have gone: Earlier pilot work with the PRIORI app and other passive-sensing studies found links between audio features and mood, but larger and longer-term validation is still needed.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcinnis, Melvin G — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Mcinnis, Melvin G
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.