Researchers built an AI therapist that reads your smartwatch and earbuds to detect distress before you ask for help

This article was published on June 28, 2026 UbiMyTherapist uses heart rate variability, speech tone, and written text from everyday devices to assess emotional state and intervene proactively. University of Ottawa researchers built an AI assistant that reads wearable signals to detect distress and offer support before the user asks. 24-person study. Mental health chatbots all share the same limitation: the user has to reach out first. That is not always easy when someone is stressed, anxious, or unable to articulate how they feel. Researchers at the University of Ottawa are building an AI assistant called UbiMyTherapist that flips the model. It reads emotional cues in real time from devices people already wear, including smartwatches, smartphones, and earbuds, and offers support before the user asks. The system pulls physiological signals such as heart rate variability, changes in speech tone, and written text to assess a user’s emotional state. It then builds what the researchers call a “digital twin,” a profile that combines the person’s medical and psychological history with live emotional data. That context helps the assistant respond in a personalised way rather than deliverin