Mobile Stress Recognition and Relaxation Support with SmartCoping: User-Adaptive Interpretation of Physiological Stress Parameters

The paper describes a mobile solution for the early recognition and management of stress based on continuous monitoring of heart rate variability (HRV) and contextual data (activity, location, etc.). A central contribution is the automatic calibration of measured HRV values to perceived stress levels during an initial learning phase where the user provides feedback when prompted by the system. This is crucial as HRV varies greatly among people. A data mining component identifies recurrent stress situations so that people can develop appropriate stress avoidance and coping strategies. A biofeedback component based on breathing exercises helps users relax. The solution is being tested by healthy volunteers before conducting a clinical study with patients after alcohol detoxification.