The year is 2035…
And recent psychological studies have confirmed: problematic smartphone use has been linked to a 55% loss of empathetic ability and a 70% loss of critical thinking skills, compared to rates in 2015. Specialists in behavioral addiction have named the diagnosable condition: Mobile Screen Addiction Disorder (MSAD), which is set to be included in the upcoming edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the DSM-6.
MSAD is characterized by the compulsive and habitual abuse of mobile screens. Some criteria for diagnosis are increases in frequency of screen use, professional or academic lapse, and presence of nomophobia - the fear of being without one’s phone. The standard addictive behaviors can be typified as doom scrolling, notification chasing, and refresh reward seeking, to name a few.
Amidst this rising prevalence of screen addiction in our society, and the subsequent loss of trust in Big Tech, a widespread movement for humane tech development has formed. They are advocating for long overdue regulations on digital product development that would forbid unethical features and practices that work against the interests of the user and act as triggers for addictive behaviors.
As we wait for promised regulatory change, behavioral psychologists, addiction specialists, and experts in consumer tech have been developing recovery clinics, such as the Center for Humane Screens, with the hopes of providing more immediate relief to those suffering from severe cases of Mobile Screen Addiction Disorder.
The Center for Humane Screens guides patients through a 4-phase residential treatment program adapted from the standard model for cognitive behavioral therapy. The phases are Assessment of the patient’s disorder, Intention, or goal setting for recovery, Education on the wider context MSAD, and Augmentation, preparing for the long journey of recovery in the real world.
In the Assessment phase, patients both self report their smartphone usage and are also monitored when viewing phone content, giving experts a clear picture of their neurological and sensorial responses to the smartphone.
The second phase is Intention, in which patients work with their recovery coach to identify behaviors and thoughts to target for change. In this step, it’s important for patients to reaffirm their commitment to recovery.
A key aspect of MSAD recovery is learning about the history and factors of screen addiction. In the Education phase, a series of presentations, group discussions, and individual reflections help patients to recognize their experience in cultural and community contexts.
And finally, in the Augmentation phase of the program, patients prepare to re-enter their normal lives and begin long term recovery. They receive a prescription from their addiction specialist, then visit on-site fabrication labs to be fitted for one or more prosthesis to help them manage their day-to-day recovery process.
In the outside world, MSAD patients are constantly surrounded by the triggers for their addictive behaviors, and complete abstinence from screens is not an option for most. So, as we wait for the follow through on government-ordered humane tech development, the experts at the Center for Humane Screens have created these Sensory Augmenters as an interim solution.
Each bionic prosthesis uses cutting edge material science and nanotechnology to dampen the triggering sensations of screen use, with customized permissions based on each patient’s specific case of MSAD. More importantly, they function as prosthetic amplifiers of the real world, centering our connection to our physical place -- and the people in it, while still allowing us to use our screens responsibly. Because the antidote to screen addiction is not abstinence. It’s connection.
The Audibionic Earbuds move much of the functionality of the mobile screen into the audio realm, which is naturally less cognitively draining than the visual realm. Cybernetic sensors and vibrational computing support advanced voice assistance to make necessary smart device interactions entirely screen-free, fully neutralizing the trigger of visual and tactile stimulation.
The Visibionic Lenses are adaptive polarizing lenses that have the ability to conditionally block screen content.
The permissions are often content-based, turning screens off after a certain amount of triggering use, or creating pauses in longer periods of content viewing.
The Haptibionic Exoskins are fingertip coverings that simulate the tactile experience of skin, but contain nano sensors that track physical phone interactions, which are the leading indicator for addictive behavior in phone use.
The adaptive material also conditionally blocks capacitive touch abilities, quite literally making the users’ fingers unable to work their phone in occasions of extreme screen abuse.
The baseline permissions for the device are established and monitored by the patient’s specialist, with the eventual goal of autonomous use. After receiving their Sensory Augmenters, patients spend the next several months wearing their Sensory Augmenters and going to periodic check-ins with their specialist and nano-technician. Typically after about 6 months, patients are ready to assume full control of their device permissions, so that they can independently continue their recovery journey.
The Center for Humane Screens is reporting early success in patients using Sensory Augmenters. They are seeing the benefits of taking a unique approach to the emerging science of wearable augmentation. While popular forms of bio-hacking today often add abilities that make us feel superior and self sovereign, the Sensory Augmenters amplify senses that encourage empathy and connection, giving MSAD patients the invaluable opportunity to feel fully human again.
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Student Project Disclaimer: This is an undergraduate capstone project done while attending the University of Cincinnati DAAP.
