Aarav Shah, a Grade 11 student from Podar International School IB & CAIE, Mumbai, has developed a Facial Emotion and GSR Recognition System for Mental Stress Detection in Students using Raspberry Pi.
According to the Journal of Indian Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, anxiety, social withdrawal, and dysphoria collectively affect a staggering 51% of school-aged children and adolescents.
The trials, by integrating facial emotion recognition with heart rate analysis and GSR based skin conductance analysis conducted with young children from underprivileged backgrounds, validated AnxiQure’s ability to offer a comprehensive and accurate tool for detecting signs of stress, anxiety and bipolar disorders amongst students, offering promising insights for refining its functionality and expanding its reach.
Aarav Shah implementing python code and testing Raspberry Pi in AnxiQure device
Motivated by his own personal issues with anxiety and high costs of treatment, Aarav leveraged his skills in electronics, coding, machine learning to create AnxiQure. The successful implementation of this system could pave the way for broader adoption across schools and NGO’s leading to improved mental health outcomes for students. Furthermore, the insights gained from this project could encourage the development of similar systems for other demographics, such as university students or working professionals.
Aarav has presented his research paper at The International Conference on Business and Technology, Oxford University held between November 21-22, 2024. He has also won the prestigious CREST Gold award for his invention which is managed by the British Science Association and supported by UK Research and Innovation.
A close up of AnxiQure a non invasive device used to detect anxiety based on facial emotions and GSR sensor
Mentorship has been a key factor in Anxiqure’s development. Clinical expertise ensured that the device was rigorously tested under real-world conditions, while guidance from Dr Reetu Jain, helped shape its non-invasive design and usability.
Aarav’s journey has been shaped by OMOTEC (On My Own Technology), a research and innovation lab that serves as a dynamic maker space for young innovators.
With anxiety affecting millions of students worldwide, Anxiqure aims to transform early anxiety detection and stress management for children. As Aarav continues to refine the device, he aims to ensure its accessibility and effectiveness for families in need.
