AI is moving from phones into wearables, promising support when people need it. Filter apps can soften harmful content, reframe intrusive thoughts and coach breathing or grounding. Smart glasses can label objects, prompt routines and nudge safety, helping those with low mood, anxiety or cognitive load complete everyday tasks with more confidence.
How Filters and Glasses Could Help
Personalised prompts, journaling cues and biofeedback may reduce avoidance and make therapy skills easier to practise between sessions. For some, these tools lower barriers to care while waiting for appointments. Others use them alongside mental health training courses to reinforce learning. Good design matters, with clear privacy controls, on-device processing where possible, and opt-in data sharing.
Where Human Support Fits
Technology should extend care, not replace it. Clinicians, carers and employers can set simple protocols for when digital tools escalate to a human check-in. A balanced plan might pair CBT or counselling with structured practice delivered by apps, plus refresher sessions from mental health training courses.
Benefits, Limits and Safeguards
Potential gains include timely nudges, better adherence and access for rural communities. Risks include false reassurance, algorithmic bias and over-reliance. Independent evaluation and safety labelling help people choose wisely. See the overview of NHS digital mental health tools for principles on evidence, accessibility and governance.
In practice, progress will come from pairing careful design with real service pathways. If products stay transparent, inclusive and clinically informed, AI filters and smart glasses can complement therapy and everyday care, offering timely prompts while preserving dignity, autonomy and choice.
