AI App Aims to Quantify Personal Pain Levels, Featured in MIT Technology Review
AI-Powered App Aims to Quantify Personal Pain
MIT Technology Review recently highlighted the development of a smartphone application that uses AI technology to measure an individual's pain level, drawing significant attention. On October 24, 2025, Deena Mousa reported via MIT Technology Review that an AI-powered smartphone app presents a new possibility for objectively assessing an individual's subjective pain. There is growing anticipation that AI technology can offer innovative solutions to the long-standing problem of measuring personal pain. In particular, the medical field often struggles to objectively assess a patient's subjective pain complaints, hindering treatment. The commercialization of such an AI-based pain measurement app is expected to significantly contribute to the development of personalized treatment plans in medical settings. Furthermore, chronic pain sufferers will be able to objectively record and manage their pain levels, enabling them to establish more effective pain management strategies.
AI technology is already being utilized in various fields, and AI-based diagnostic and treatment technologies are being actively researched and developed in the medical field. The newly developed AI-based pain measurement app is considered a prime example of how the advancement of AI technology can directly impact an individual's life. However, some question whether AI can accurately measure an individual's subjective emotions, and there are calls for further research on how AI-based pain measurement results can be utilized in real-world medical settings. Nevertheless, this research is significant in that it suggests the possibility that AI technology can help understand and empathize with individual pain. It is hoped that AI technology will further advance in the medical field and contribute to improving the quality of life for patients. The South Korean government is also expanding its investment in AI technology development and is actively supporting the use of AI technology in various fields, including healthcare.
Meanwhile, Viva Labs, a domestic company, attracted attention at the '2025 Smart City & Sports Summit' held at the Seoul SKY31 Convention Center on October 21, 2025, by showcasing an AI-based strength training solution tailored for seniors. This solution is characterized by its use of AI technology to accurately analyze the muscle strength of the elderly and provide personalized exercise programs. Kim Hye-bin, COO of Viva Labs, stated at the '2025 Smart City & Sports Summit' that approximately 20% of people aged 80 or older suffer from sarcopenia, which carries the risk of hip fractures due to falls, emphasizing that AI technology can play an important role in managing the health of the elderly. Viva Labs plans to contribute to promoting the health of the elderly and lead the smart healthcare market through its AI-based strength training solution tailored for seniors. In addition, Viva Labs will open a senior-tailored exercise center near Seoul Olympic Park on October 27, 2025, to provide AI-based personalized exercise services to the elderly.
Another domestic company, ATHLETEC, led by CEO Choi Sang-hyup, developed an innovative technology called 'FieldVision' in May 2024. 'FieldVision' is a system that analyzes joint movements in real-time using a single camera and NVIDIA Jetson, and integrates athlete-reported pain data to provide immediate feedback on injury risk. This technology is expected to bring about a breakthrough in the field of injury prevention and management for athletes. While existing injury prevention systems have primarily focused on predicting injury risk based on athletes' past injury history or physical data, 'FieldVision' is differentiated by its ability to analyze athletes' movements in real-time, detect injury risks, and provide immediate feedback. This system helps athletes accurately understand their physical condition during training or competition and reduce the risk of injury. ATHLETEC expects that 'FieldVision' will contribute not only to improving the performance of athletes but also to creating a safe training environment. This is an example of how AI technology can play an important role in maximizing the potential of athletes and minimizing the risk of injury in the sports field.
As such, AI technology is bringing about innovative changes in various fields, from personal health management to improving the performance of athletes. The Lee Jae-myung administration in South Korea is actively supporting the development of AI technology and is making policy efforts to ensure that AI technology can strengthen national competitiveness and improve the quality of life for the people. In particular, investment is being expanded in the development of AI-based diagnostic and treatment technologies in the medical field, and the construction of a smart healthcare system utilizing AI technology is being promoted. These efforts are expected to play an important role in South Korea's leap to becoming an AI technology powerhouse. At the same time, the Donald Trump administration in the United States also recognizes the importance of AI technology and is actively supporting AI technology development and utilization. The United States is a global leader in the field of AI technology, and is paying attention to the impact of AI technology on economic growth and security. The US government is expanding research and development investment to strengthen AI technology competitiveness and is also focusing on fostering AI technology manpower. These efforts by the United States and South Korea are expected to contribute to innovating future society and enriching human life through AI technology.
