The Education University of Hong Kong (EdU) has launched an AI-powered mental health support app for students, with a secondary school principal praising its potential to help teachers track pupils’ emotional well-being.
Named EmoCare and powered by artificial intelligence (AI), the app began a trial run last month, serving around 700 primary, secondary and university students.
A key feature turns students’ diary entries into colourful visualisations of their emotions.
The app’s large language model analyses the entries to create vibrant cartoons rooted in positive psychology, encouraging students to maintain an optimistic outlook.
EdU on Monday said EmoCare tested scenarios commonly encountered by students, such as heartbreak from break-ups or frustration from job rejections.
Project leader Song Yanjie, a professor in EdU’s department of mathematics and information technology, said if the app detected references to self-harm, it would ask about those thoughts.
