These days, the digital health and wearables industry is embracing subscription models (paying a recurring fee at regular intervals). Companies like Apple, Oura, and Whoop are part of this trend. What this means for up-and-coming start-ups in this space is that keeping users engaged over the long-term is critical to building a successful business.

I think about this question in my line of work, given I’m a licensed Psychologist, a Data Scientist, and a consultant for companies in the digital health space. Ever since ChatGPT and Generative AI exploded onto the scene, everyone wants to know if, or when and in what capacities chatbots can replace therapists.

Previous research has shown that exposure to adversity, especially when traumatic events occur during sensitive periods of immunologic development, is associated with worse health outcomes, including increased risk for psychiatric illness and neurodegenerative disorders, as well as premature mortality.  Inflammation appears to be a major pathway by which exposure to adversity increases vulnerability to disease later on.

Drinking alcohol in excess is a health hazard. We applied a machine learning (ML) model to the largest international sample of smart-breathalyzer data published to date, to predict blood alcohol levels above the legal limit, setting the stage for “Just-in-Time” secondary prevention strategies.