Category: Apps

Bright Sky Ireland is a new app that helps victims of domestic abuse. #BrightSkyIRL #Apps #Abuse

Bright Sky Ireland, A new free app that connects victims of domestic violence and abuse to advice and support services across the country. Bright Sky Ireland is the latest addition to Vodafone Foundation’s domestic violence project, which uses connectivity to help support those affected by domestic abuse here and across Europe. The app launches today on the Android and iOS platforms.

Bright Sky Ireland, created in partnership with the UK-based domestic abuse charity Hestia, along with Women’s Aid Ireland and An Garda Síochána, enables users to locate their nearest support centre by searching their area, eircode or current location. A short questionnaire will help users assess the safety of a relationship while also providing information about different forms of abuse such as sexual violence, stalking and harassment. The app also highlights the types of supports available, steps to consider if leaving an abusive relationship and how to help a friend affected by domestic abuse.

The app contains a ground-breaking feature designed to log incidents of domestic abuse without any content being saved on the device itself. It enables users to send information about incidents in a secure digital journal, using a text, audio, video or photo function. Evidence collated through this function will enable Gardaí to intervene and can help secure prosecutions. 

Recent research carried out by the Vodafone Foundation showed that 31% of Irish workers have experienced some form of domestic abuse of which, more than half (57%) felt safer at work compared to home. 63% experienced psychological abuse and control, 47% experienced physical violence, 23% experienced sexual violence or abuse and 19% experienced stalking. 21% said they experienced some form of domestic abuse daily and 28% said they experienced it two or three times a week. 


Picture shows from left Detective Chief Superintendent Declan Daly; Anne O’Leary, CEO of Vodafone Ireland and Sarah Benson, CEO, Women’s Aid at the launch of Bright Sky Ireland Pic:Naoise Culhane

Attendees at the event in the Science Gallery in Dublin this morning heard from Anne O’Leary, CEO, Vodafone Ireland, Sarah Benson, Executive Director, Women’s Aid Ireland, Declan Daly, Detective Chief Superintendent, Garda National Protective Services Bureau and Patrick Ryan, CEO, Hestia. John Liversidge from Thames Valley Partnership in the UK gave a demonstration of the app followed by a discussion with a panel of experts, facilitated by Dearbhail McDonald. The panel included Emma Murphy, domestic abuse survivor and advocate, Detective Sergeant Laura Sweeney, Services Manager at Women’s Aid Gillian Dennehy, Vodafone Group Foundation Director Andrew Dunnett and Sean Cooke, CEO of Men’s Development Network. 

 

Speaking on the launch of the Bright Sky Ireland app, Vodafone Ireland CEO Anne O’Leary said: “Unfortunately domestic abuse impacts many people across Ireland, with victims in some cases unable to get the support and guidance they desperately need. Following a successful rollout in the UK, I am extremely proud to launch Bright Sky in Ireland to provide victims here with a localised information and support portal. The app, developed by Hestia, with support from our partners in Women’s Aid Ireland and An Garda Síochána, is a very practical tool for people facing a variety of difficult situations. This launch also compliments the domestic abuse policy Vodafone introduced earlier this year for employees and managers to provide support in the workplace.

“Vodafone supports the wider cause in Ireland and wants to help highlight all forms of domestic abuse.  With a third of Irish workers experiencing domestic abuse and one in five Irish women affected by domestic violence, vital supports for victims are of paramount importance to us.”

Patrick Ryan, CEO at Hestia, said: “We know that without access to specialist services, the long-term impact of domestic abuse can be devastating. Bright Sky was conceived in consultation with women living in Hestia refuges in 2015. Their lived experience led us to create a much-needed app which has now been downloaded nearly 20,000 times. We are delighted that Bright Sky will now be available here in Ireland to provide those experiencing domestic abuse, as well as friends and family worried about someone, with the information and support they need to break the cycle of abuse.”

Sarah Benson, CEO of Women’s Aid said: “As Ireland’s national frontline domestic violence service provider, Women’s Aid is delighted to team up with Vodafone Ireland, An Garda Síochána and Hestia to provide a practical and useful tool for women experiencing abuse from current or former intimate partners.  Bright Sky Ireland offers key National Helpline information and details of local supports as well as information for family and friends concerned about loved ones.

A very important feature of the app is the myth busting information as well as quiz to help people recognise the signs of abuse.  However, our biggest hope is that the ability to log incidents of abuse whether it is photos, text notes or recordings, will help women experiencing abuse gather the pattern of evidence they need to avail of legal protection and secure convictions of the new crime of coercive control.”


Picture shows from left Sarah Benson, CEO, Women’s Aid; Anne O’Leary, CEO of Vodafone Ireland and Detective Chief Superintendent Declan Daly; at the launch of Bright Sky Ireland. Pic:Naoise Culhane-no fee

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said: “A core function of policing is protecting the vulnerable. Anything that can help An Garda Síochána to combat the terrible and all too common crime of domestic abuse is to be welcomed. This app will help inform victims as well as providing a safe way for them to record incidents of domestic abuse, which could help secure prosecutions, particularly in relation to the new offence of coercive control. The partnership approach to the development of this app also demonstrates once again how multi-agency collaboration is critical to keeping people safe.”

Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan said: “Violence against women is a blight on our society, and we must be more willing to accept this uncomfortable truth, to be open about it and to confront it. I am therefore delighted that the Vodafone foundation, along with their partners Hestia, have developed this innovative concept, the Bright Sky app, to tackle it. The app will no doubt be a significant resource to those experiencing domestic abuse situations. 

I know that An Garda Síochana fully endorse it, and that in developing it, Vodafone had the support of Women’s Aid. The way forward is for the State, community and voluntary services to work together to respond to this violence, by educating the public, supporting the victims and dealing appropriately with the perpetrators.”

Early this year, Vodafone Ireland launched its new domestic abuse policy that aims to support employees who are experiencing domestic violence or abuse. The first comprehensive programme of its kind in Ireland, Vodafone provides support to employees – including, up to 10 additional days paid leave, specialist counselling, management training and support toolkits. The policy also provides emergency financial aid such as salary advances and assistance for employees to set up a new bank account that allows financial independence.

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Ireland’s first contact lens ordering mobile app launched. #Apps #FeelGoodContacts

Ireland’s first contact lens ordering mobile app has been launched by Feel Good Contacts, a leading online supplier of contact lenses in the UK. With thousands of active users per month on their UK app, Irish customers can now also benefit from purchasing heavily discounted lenses from the convenience of their mobile phone. Like I have always said there is an app for everything..

Developed for the busy, modern mobile consumer, users can buy lenses from their phone at the cheapest prices in the UK – guaranteed!  In addition, eye solutions, eye care products and sunglasses can be purchased seamlessly, securely and in seconds.  A further 5% discount on all orders is currently being offered for a limited time period and first-time users get a 10 per cent discount.

With easy navigation, high resolution graphics and a touch friendly experience, this customer-centric app can be downloaded for free via App Store or Google Play. The app has been optimised for hundreds of smartphone devices, operating systems and browsers including iPhone and Android.

To ensure that Irish customers will never be stuck with paying the highest price for their lenses, the app includes a comparison feature where users can compare prices charged at leading high street opticians for their contact lenses (see table below). The company also offers a price match guarantee, so if a customer has managed to find the same product for less, then Feel Good Contacts will match the price and refund the difference.

Nimesh Shah, Head of Marketing at Feel Good Contacts commented: “We are delighted to offer our online customers in Ireland the opportunity to buy their lenses with an even faster purchasing experience using their mobile phones.  In addition to instant cost savings and next day delivery, users can also obtain information about various eye health issues or message our team of experts for specific optical health advice.”

This app features a handy reminder feature which helps to keep track of lens replacement dates.  Once set up, the user no longer has to repeatedly login and re-enter their order details.

The app incorporates advanced SSL encryption technology to provide secure payments.  Payments can be made using all major credit cards or debit cards (Visa, Visa Electron, Mastercard, Maestro and American Express) through Sage Pay and Worldpay. In addition, payments can be made through PayPal.

The Benefits of Messaging Apps for Businesses (Infographic) #Messaging #Apps #Business

Messaging apps are used the world over by people in their personal lives, so when it comes to business applications, people are already well versed in the use of these apps and therefore do not need to be trained. Also, they can be used to clarify and complement verbal communication forms, with internationally-trading businesses sometimes encountering cultural and linguistic barriers to communication. Perhaps there is too many messaging apps and plenty native with social media do we really need more? Check out this guide from Cadoo Ireland

Oslo-based Poio launches in the UK & Ireland, helping children read through game-based play #READING #Poio #Kids

Oslo-headquartered Poio (www.poio.com), the app providing a compelling, gamified alternative to traditional learning methods, has today announced the UK and Ireland launch of its English language platform, empowering millions of British children to learn to read through play.

 

Poio, launched in 2017 and acquired by Norwegian game-based learning platform Kahoot! in May 2019, has to date helped over 100,000 Scandinavian children obtain the fundamental skills necessary to achieve reading proficiency. The Poio app (and accompanying physical storybook) provides an immersive learning experience for children, typically aged between 3 and 8. Through playing in the app they explore a magical universe inhabited by the eponymous troll and discover reading through linking the sounds of letters to actual words.

 

The app-based world of Poio, available for £19 in App Store and Google Play, differs from other digital learning tools through its overall focus on play and encouragement, in a safe and secure environment, enabling children to ‘crack the reading code’ and enjoy the reading process. Poio’s goal is to raise literacy proficiency through the utilisation of phonics – the repetitive practice of letter sounds, which can then be blended together to form complete words – introducing children to the fundamental principles of reading.

Poio’s unique learning solution was devised by CEO, educator and Founder, Daniel Senn, out of necessity. Daniel’s son, Leon, had been born with a hearing impairment which meant that traditional learning methods were inadequate. With school curriculums designed for the majority, Daniel felt that children who struggle to learn to read ran the risk of becoming demotivated as they watched their friends and classmates progress.

As such, Daniel set out to find a solution, working in close collaboration with fellow educators to devise a tool that encourages self-motivated learning and makes the process of learning to read easier and more enriching for children, irrespective of their circumstances or ability. Consequently, Poio has fast-become a much-loved game for many children, from curious, eager learners, to those that require a different way of thinking in order to achieve their goals.

 

In launching an English-language version of the app, Poio aims to help address alarming statistics from the Department for Education, which revealed that in 2018, 1 in 5 children left primary school unable to read or write properly, as well as the fact that currently, the UK ranks 17th for literacy among 34 OECD countries.

 

Daniel Senn, CEO and Founder comments: “At Poio, we know firsthand that school systems around the world are designed for the majority of students that develop at the same pace and do not facilitate for those who might take longer to grasp the principles of reading, or those who learn in different ways. We have seen the efficacy of a gamified learning solution with our son Leon, as well as with hundreds of thousands of students across Scandinavia, and are excited to bring the method to the UK and the wider English-speaking world. Reading is one of life’s most fundamental and essential skills, and we want to make sure that children everywhere have access to a solution that works for them, while also raising literacy levels and increasing children’s enjoyment of the school curriculum and reading list”.

The knock-on effect of poor literacy is clear; further research by the OECD, conducted in 2015, found that a concerning number of 15-year-olds across the UK lacked a minimum level of literacy proficiency (18% in England and Scotland, 15% in Northern Ireland, and 21% in Wales), and the World Literacy Foundation estimates that the yearly cost of functional illiteracy to the UK economy is £37bn.

 

Poio – The Game and Learning Method

Poio facilitates learning to read within a safe gaming environment that children want to explore. The goal of the game is to help a troll, named Poio, learn to read the storybook he has stolen from letter bugs (characters known as ‘readlings’) in a magical location called Straw Island. In a troll-like fit of pique, Poio has imprisoned these letter bugs due to his frustration at being unable to read. To help the troll learn to read, children must free the readlings and collect words. These words are broken down into individual phonetic letter sounds voiced by the readlings, helping the child familiarise themselves with the letter and its corresponding sound and the particularly challenging vowel sounds.

 

The child is then encouraged to spell out the word and then drag it into a virtual book in order to advance the story, with the difficulty of the game adapting to each individual child. As the child proceeds, they can earn coins for completing in-game challenges, with this currency enabling them to decorate houses unlocked by finishing tasks.

 

Poio focusses on encouragement – rather than lingering on mistakes – to ensure that a point of failure is never reached whereby the player cannot proceed within the game. Constant encouraging feedback helps boost the learner’s self-esteem and ensures that they are motivated to continue, a factor especially important for low ability readers.

 

In addition, as part of Poio’s offering, parents receive an email with progress report and advice. This helps foster a positive relationship within families, rather than the frustration and isolation often experienced with traditional homework. Once progress has been made and the virtual book has been completed, the physical storybook can be obtained by adults to give to their children as a reward.

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About Poio

Poio is a game-based learning-to-read app, helping children crack the reading code through play. Founded in 2016, Poio has today helped more than 100,000 children to learn to read. Poio has so far been launched in Norway and Sweden, quickly becoming the #1 learn-to-read app in Scandinavia. In June 2019, Poio will be launched globally through a British English version. The company is headquartered in Oslo, Norway.

Irish Life launches new innovative app designed to empower people to take control of their own health #Health #MyLifeApp

Irish Life has today announced the launch of MyLife, the first healthcare app in Ireland that empowers all people to monitor and improve their own Health Score. The innovative app measures overall health, encouraging an individual to make positive lifestyle changes to improve their Health Score. MyLife, available to everyone in Ireland, gives consumers the knowledge to take control of their own health.

MyLife encourages users to select and set a fitness, nutrition or lifestyle goal each month. People will earn points when they engage with the app and complete their goal, track their exercise, get sufficient sleep, answer the Health Coach’s questions and track their weight. Irish Life customers can redeem these points in the online Reward Store and premium customers can claim great rewards.***

Research by Behaviours & Attitudes into the health of the Irish population, based on preliminary information from the MyLife app, highlights some worrying trends:

  • 13% of all adults take no exercise at all per week
  • 15% say they don’t do anything physical during the working day
  • Only 34% do more than 3.5 hours exercise a week
  • 45% of us have suffered from a serious medical condition in the past 12 months, while 21% have suffered stress or depression
  • Younger adults are the most unwell of all – particularly in their experience of seasonal illness and mental stress and depression
  • Further research indicates that smoking is still a major concern with 20% of the adult population smoking an average of 12 cigarettes a day

Commenting on the launch of MyLife, Prof. Niall Moyna, of the Centre for Preventive Medicine at Dublin City University said “We are living in an era of healthcare where the role of the patient has evolved, empowered by the rapid adoption of digital health technologies. It’s well known that individuals who take charge of their health and actively participate in decisions about healthcare delivery have better health outcomes. MyLife provides individuals with the opportunity to take a more proactive and preventive approach to healthcare, enabling people to understand potential health risks and adjust their lifestyle accordingly before problems arise.”

He continued, “Many medical conditions result from poor lifestyle choices including inactivity, smoking, inadequate sleep and excessive alcohol consumption. The unique MyLife app monitors lifestyle changes such as increasing physical activity, to show the individual just how impactful these small actions are on their Health Score. Empowering and enabling the individual creates an engaged patient which is a positive move in the right direction. In short – those who think they have no time for exercise will sooner or later have to find the time for illness.”

Speaking about the launch of the new MyLife app, David Harney, CEO Irish Life said “At Irish Life we are passionate about helping people build a better future. We are delighted to be the first Irish Insurance company bringing this level of digital innovation to market. MyLife gives everyone, not only Irish Life customers, everything that they need to better understand their own personal health with a view to improving it.”

The MyLife app is free to download on the Google Play Store for Android and The App Store store for iOS devices. The app has been developed in partnership with dacadoo.

 

Modern Mobile Apps Can Influence Human Behaviour. #Apps #Social #Behaviour

Surprising as it may sound modern mobile apps can not only influence the actions but can even change human behavior. Now, without going into the debate on whether using mobile apps are good or bad, focus on the fact that it really does change human behaviour. If you are not convinced then spare ten minutes to notice your behavior yourself.

  • How many times did you pick up the phone in these ten minutes just to check whether or not you have received any mails or any alert notification? Be honest with yourself. A number of times!
  • Now, pick up your phone and look for the mobile apps that may have sent you a few notifications. Also try to recollect all those apps that you were expecting a notification from but did not receive in the end. Once again, there will be quite a lot of it!

Now, what were you looking for all these minutes? Well, there can be many things such as:

  • It may be that you were wondering whether or not someone texted you back to a message you sent to that person 11 minutes before (remember, ten minutes were your testing time)
  • It may be the meme that you shared or
  • It may be the comment you were expecting from anyone who viewed the latest photo you uploaded on Instagram.

Possibilities are galore according to Statista and with the number of smartphone users expected to reach 4.77 million all over the world pretty soon you will need a moment to let this fact, alarming as it is, to sink in you.

Such a vast proliferation of the smartphones being used in almost every niche of the world and by people from all walks of life, it is not surprising that you will continue to get messages and snaps through different mobile apps such as WhatsApp, SnapChat and thousand others.

Looking deeper into it

Well, it is a great feeling to remain connected with your family and all of your friends almost all the time. However, the thing that you do not notice is that you cannot literally live without all those apps.

  • All these apps acts just like digital sugar to your brain keeping you hooked to it everyday, every hour, every moment, except when you are asleep, if not in your dreams, that is.
  • You must admit that fact that everyone, even you, have some degree of affinity if not addiction towards these apps like Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and others.
  • No matter how hard you try to quit this habit of using these addictive social media apps, you will hardly be able to stay away from it more than a week, that too pushing thing to the extreme limits, wen you will find that you are back on it.

None of this should be taken lightly as these are not accidental. For the sake of context, a look at the study reports on Instagram will help you to understand how additive these apps are before you know how this can change human behavior. Here is a breakdown of the active monthly users of this most popular app and the time it took to add each 100 million active users.

Since it was launched exclusively for iOS on 6th October 2010, it had 700 million monthly active users as on April 2017.  It is no small a number considering that it is not even seven years. 78 months to be precise!

  • October 6, 2010: Instagram launched
  • February 26, 2013: First 100 million in 28 months
  • March 25, 2014: Took only 13 months for the next 100 million
  • December 10, 2014: Just 9 months for the next 300 hundred till June 21, 2016
  • December 15, 2016: As low as 6 months to reach 600 million and in
  • April 26, 2017: Just 4 months to reach 700 million!

Looking at the difference in time, you may think why it took 28 months initially and just 4 months in the end. This is because there were only 4.01 billion smartphone users all over the world in that year.

The fact that the number of smart phone users increased and the availability of more and more mobile apps, it took just 4 months in 2017 to get another 100 million active users.

The human behavior aspect

The mobile apps believe it or not, ensure an emotional connection and this result in the change in the human behaviour. The mobile app developers take cue from this fact and design the apps including much more than functional UX and pretty visuals to ensure that the users constantly come back for more whether it is for checking their mail or for reading the debt settlement reviews using different apps.

Persuasive Technology is what the designers follow while designing such addictive products with intent to change human behavior for the better. In order to make sure that it is not disorienting for the users or the techniques are over-hyped or are jumbled by unreasonable theories they follow a step by step process.

Behaviour change needs a behaviour model that will put the right triggers at the right place to allure even the highly motivated users. It is this motivation that forces the person to perform a particular action.

In order to make this work perfectly, the developers use three specific elements in their app designing process namely motivation, ability and trigger. This helps them to persuade the users to do something regularly that will eventually change their behavior.

All these triggers, just like sugar addiction, are tied to the internal as well as external triggers in the human brain. When the external trigger starts to work, the internal triggers manifest automatically in the minds of the users creating a brass ring of consumer technology.

In short, it can be said that the external triggers and the internal triggers working in unison eventually hijacks the rewarding system of the brain releasing more dopamine in the brainmaking it want for more of it. You have changed and are hooked, pal!

Author – Marina Thomas

https://en.gravatar.com/marinathom

https://twitter.com/marinathomas974

App Stores in Numbers: A Market Overview [Infographic]. #Apps #Android #iOS

Do you remember the time when there was no such thing as apps then they slowly crept in, Well things have changed quite quickly along with technology and I have said it many times before there is now basically an app for everything, With Android and iOS being at the helm it did not work out well for Windows Phone but it is what it is and there is two dominant players in the market. Most of us would have plenty of apps on our phones today and the average would differ between 10 -20, with me it’s much more because of what I do, but how often do we use or even need them? This infographic below sheds some light on Apps and was sent to us by ERS IT SOLUTIONS

It has now been more than 10 years since the first apps were launched and, in that time, it has grown into an incredibly lucrative industry with an estimated worldwide value of $950 billion.

Reasons to make an MVP mobile app before the full-fledged one by @audrey_throne #MVP #Apps

Countless apps are released in the app stores on a daily basis. However, a very limited number of these apps sustain. What could be the reason behind this? The truth is that the majority of these apps are haphazardly built and launched without proper testing. After a few downloads, these apps end up becoming obsolete. This brings us to revise the whole process of app development and launching. Perhaps, there should be some kind of a testing or sampling system before fully launching an app. This is where the concept of Minimal Viable Product (MVP) comes in.  

What is an MVP?

An MVP is that version of an app that is released in the market before the final app in order to validate it from the customers with the least effort. The MVP makes sure that the final version of the app goes well. It offers the basic or essential functions of an app which are made through minimum coding and customization. Building an MVP can also save a company from the overhead development costs of their app. App development companies usually offer services for building MVPs.

There are usually two approaches for mobile app development; the traditional approach and the MVP approach.

source

The traditional approach has a lot of loopholes; for example, it is a rigid process, has poor testing, bug issues and is slow paced. In such a case, even if you hire a proper app development company, success cannot be guaranteed.  The MVP approach, on the other hand, offers a better way to deal with these shortcomings. It is a validated way for companies to test their idea with their customers. Below in this article, we have listed 9 reasons why you should build an MVP for your app before the full-fledged version.Read more about MVP software development

Reasons to make an MVP mobile app before the full-fledged version:

  1. Gives market insights:

An MVP allows you to get your product into the market with a minimum possible investment. You are offering a basic version of the app rather than a full blown product. This will allow you to gather market insights. These include the validity of your idea, potential customers’ demographics, comparison with competitors and the costs involved. Airg reviews state that these will help you in getting informed about the market demand and user needs.

  1. Helps in building a brand name

With the release of an MVP, you will be able to get your name into the market and build up a customer base. When you release the full version of your app, people will be able to visualize and associate to the journey of your brand’s growth and development. These elements will contribute in the longer run for building your brand’s name.

 

  1. Lowers the cost

An MVP allows you to distribute the cost of app development over an extended period rather than taking a huge risk at once. Also, the more complicated your app is the more investment it will require. Building an MVP requires lesser money. The features of an MVP are cost-effective and minimal. You will not lose a lot of money even if an MVP fails.

  1. Saves time

It takes less time to build an MVP since it has just the basic features with marginal coding. Imagine you spent a lot of time in building your app features and nothing happened when you released it! Sounds like a horrible dream! You can, therefore, utilize your time in building an MVP and testing it. This will allow you to create an app that is more appropriate and user friendly.

source

 

  1. Helps to fix security issues

Security issues with mobile apps are quite common. You certainly do not want to spend money and effort on launching the full-fledged version of your app and later receive customer complaints regarding security issues. An MVP will allow you to identify and resolve the security issues beforehand. When you resolve these issues at an initial level, you will able to gain customer trust and increase your conversion rate.

  1. Helps to collect feedback

With an MVP you can have a feedback framework to work on and improve in the future. To get the maximum benefit from your MVP, collect feedback directly from the users. Identify the loopholes as pointed by the users and improve them periodically. Some of today’s top-notch apps such as snapchat, Instagram and Uber started as simple MVP versions and worked on user’s input to become better. You can avail services of app development companies such as app vertical for improving the final version of the app before launching.

  1. Creates a viral effect in getting customers

An MVP will help you to attract potential customers at a very early stage. These customers will tell their friends about your app, and a viral effect will be created. By the time you release the full version of the app, you will already have a strong customer base. You will also get your first paying customers who trust in your brand and its performance.

  1. Helps to attract investors

Money, of course, is important for any business. Before investing in a mobile app, the investors are usually highly interested to see a basic version. When you have an MVP ready with you, you will be able to show the investors your efforts, acquired customers and their feedback. In other words, you will increase your chances of investment.

  1. Minimizes efforts

Besides saving your time and money, an MVP will also allow you to save your efforts. Most importantly, you will be able to plan wisely and scale your business properly.

Conclusion

An MVP will enable you to learn a lot more about your key users with a basic version without spending a lot of money and time. All you need to do is identify the key functions of your app which should be present in the MVP. Once done, work with a development company for the execution of your project.

Author Bio

Audrey Throne is a mother of a 3-year old and a professional blogger by choice. Throne is passionate about lifestyle, business, automotive, technology and management and blogs frequently on these topics.

Find her on Twitter: @audrey_throne.

Moodrise brings digital nutrition to Google Home and Amazon Alexa. #Moodrise #DigitalNutrition #Apps #MentalHealth

Moodrise, the world’s first Digital Nutrition app, has announced the launch of a unique audio program for Google Home and Amazon Alexa – Moodrise Audio – developed to help those suffering silently from a range of mental health disorders, such as anxiety and stress.

By pairing peer-reviewed science with content, Moodrise Audio delivers ‘nutritional’ 90-second audio clips, nicknamed ‘pillcasts’ to help alleviate pain, boost emotional resilience and improve people’s experience of everyday life.

The app’s hyper-curated audio content features readings and scores from exciting talent across industries, including actresses Kristen Scott Thomas and Daisy Lewis and musicians Devendra Banhart and JD Samson. Popular audio stimulation techniques such as Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) and Binaural Beats are also applied to the app.

Content within the pillcasts are focused on six of the most popular mood states and related neurotransmitters. These include Happiness (Serotonin), Confidence (Dopamine), Energy (Endorphins), Focus (Acetylcholine), Calm (GABA) and Connection (Oxytocin). Users of the app select which mood or mental state they wish to improve and are then served a series of different pillcasts. Each pillcast is supported by published scientific research and the content included has been specially created or curated to deliver the desired chemical reaction in the brain.

 

“Podcasting is a popular fixture of modern media, but programs are typically 60- to 90-minutes long. A pillcast is just 90 seconds of hyper-focused and easily digestible material, either created or curated to deliver better digital nutrition,” explains Michael Phillips Moskowitz, Founder and Creator of Moodrise. “The goal is to leverage intriguing, seductive, and utterly enjoyable pieces of audio, to help elevate mood and progressively improve emotional resilience. That’s our goal. Healthier digital material for better behavioural health.”

Musician Devendra Banhart comments: “Michael first introduced me to the term ‘digital hygiene’ and I’ve been feeling dirty ever since. Thankfully he created Moodrise Audio – a place where I can scrub off the day’s swipes and scrolls. A place to reset and let my guard down. A place of bare-bone tenderness, humour, and wisdom. I’m so honoured to be a contributor and curatorial consultant on this amazing app!”

JD Samson comments: “As an artist that has been focused on listening for the past 20 years, I have always imagined an intentional space for us to take pause with audio. Curating for Moodrise Audio meant going back to sounds that have enveloped me, changed my thinking, and collaborated with my ever-present healing methodology.”

In January this year, Michael launched Moodrise, the Digital Nutrition™ app for the mobile device that offers stimulating visual content to help users proactively manage their mental health.

Moodrise’s mobile and audio app versions are built on the premise that content can actually help heal, and healthy digital content must be a pillar of proactive wellness. There are no authoritative instructions to follow, no tough or tedious regimen to adopt, no costly time commitments. The apps are not designed to replace health professionals or medication but serve as a healthy supplement to enhance emotional resilience and mental wellbeing over time.

Download the App on Android     Download the App on iOS

Moodrise Audio is available to download for Google Home and Amazon Alexa.