AI App Delivers Real-Time Psychological First Aid
BGU-developed app provides immediate AI-guided care after trauma, aiming to prevent PTSD during the critical “golden hour.”
While physical first aid kits are a staple in every home and vehicle, the "psychological golden hour" following a traumatic event often goes untreated. To bridge this gap, a first-of-its-kind AI-driven application developed at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) is now available to provide immediate, case-specific science-backed intervention for shock and anxiety victims in the field.
Developed at the AI for Resilience and Social Welfare R&D Lab, the app provides a digital "bridge" between the moment of trauma—such as a missile attack, natural disaster, or accident—and professional medical care. By delivering immediate care to any user with a smartphone, the system aims to significantly reduce the long-term risk of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
The system is currently available to the public free of charge in English, Hebrew, and Arabic, with the goal of expanding its use among international aid organizations and civilian emergency systems worldwide.
Field-Ready Guidance in the "Golden Hour"
Symptoms of acute shock, such as paralysis, uncontrollable shaking, or vomiting, often overwhelm bystanders and even trained first responders. The app, funded by a competitive grant from the Applied Research Fund at the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, uses an AI system trained on clinical data and expert field protocols to deliver case-tailored, step-by-step instructions within seconds.
"The best time to use the app is immediately after the event, but the intervention remains highly effective within the first 48 hours," explains Dr. Talia Meital Schwartz-Tayri, head of the AI for Resilience and Social Welfare Lab. "By providing the right response in those first moments, we can prevent the entrenchment of shock symptoms that frequently lead to chronic PTSD."
Bridging Borders: Expanding Resilience Infrastructure to the Gulf States
The system's ability to adapt to cultural contexts has already led to its expansion beyond Israel’s borders. The AI recognizes specific cultural nuances; for instance, when used in Arabic, it employs appropriate honorifics like "Ya Ammi." This adaptability has sparked immediate international interest, particularly in nations facing large-scale civilian trauma for the first time.
To meet this need, Dr. Schwartz-Tayri, together with Samar Alzrai’ah, a student in her lab, recently conducted a specialized international webinar in Arabic. The session provided direct training on how to utilize the app to assist shock victims across the Arab world, both within and outside of Israel.
"In the Gulf, where there isn't the same long-standing culture of trauma preparedness as in Israel, this technology provides an immediate, science-based infrastructure for resilience," says Dr. Schwartz-Tayri, who has initiated contact with Israeli officials in Bahrain and the UAE. "Our sessions with the Arab world responders show a massive opening for our capabilities to assist small nations currently adapting to these high-scale emergency events."
A National Mission for Innovation
The project is a flagship initiative of Israel's Applied Research Fund. Prof. Miri Yemini, Chief Scientist at the Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology, noted: "Support for research such as AI-PFA is a central expression of the activity of the Ministry’s Applied Research Fund, which serves as Israel’s most significant arm for competitive funding of breakthrough science in academia. As those entrusted with promoting scientific responses to national challenges in medicine, engineering, and society, we see this development as an important example of technological innovation’s ability to mobilize for national resilience and provide an immediate, science-based solution for real-time PTSD prevention."
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