Open Call for Innovative Defense-Related Dual-Purpose Technologies/Solutions with a Clear Air Force Stakeholder Need

Mental health issues continue to plague the Air Force community as well as other military branches. Airmen often suffer in silence and increasingly feel isolated and alone, a main risk factor associated with suicide. To mitigate this problem, SameGrain’s Phase II proposes an AI enabled community engagement mobile app platform. The platform will utilize SameGrain’s award winning privacy tools, machine learning algorithms, and patented technology to privately match airmen dealing with the same life hurdles (PTSD, TBI, relationship/financial issues, etc.) for 24/7 “stigma free” peer support and a greater sense of connectedness. Strengthening the connections airman have in their lives builds resiliency and guards against suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The SameGrain platform can also be used to share mental health success stories, brief educational content, and hotlines. The anonymized and aggregated data derived from the matching process would be owned by the Air Force and can be used to assess the overall readiness of a base or squadron as well as a myriad of other actionable insights and predictive analytics. This solution, which can easily be expanded throughout the entire Air Force community and beyond, places a priority on airmen themselves, the most important piece of Air Force equipment.