UK HealthTech Company, Spicy Minds Launches AI-Powered Autism Support App

A UK digital health company, Spicy Minds has unveiled an AI autism support app called Hazel, the BBC reported. The new app provides personalized support to parents and caregivers of kids who have neurodivergent traits and are struggling to access the help they need.

UK’s Diagnosis Challenge

The Hazel app uses AI to give users a better idea of what could be going on as they wait for diagnosis. Across the UK, over 71,000 currentaily await autism assessment by the National Health Service (NHS).

The waitlist grows by 65% each year. In Bristol, where Spicy Minds is located, about 7,000 children await the assessment. Hazel reliefs parents of the long wait by offering immediate, personalized support.

“It crucially provides strategies that work, reducing family stress and improving day-to-day difficulties while they navigate the long wait for NHS services. Parents shouldn’t have to wait years to understand their child’s needs and get practical support,” Spicy Minds CEO Ben Cosh said.

Spicy Minds specializes in development of AI-powered digital products for mental health. The health tech company is seeking to work with parents who are navigating the ADHD or autism journey. It will provide a three month free and early access to Hazel to parents in exchange for feedback to improve the ADHD child guidance app.

“We are constantly reviewing our products to make sure they are providing the right support for people so we’re excited to receive feedback on Hazel from Bristol families,” Cosh said.

Appreciation by Parents

Already, the company has given some parents access to the app. The process commences with screening tests on widely accepted issues like OCD, sensory and ADHD. The app then interprets the results using AI models to give caregivers a better understanding of what’s going on with their child.

Caregivers also get customized practical ideas and strategies for adjusting home, school, and holiday programs for the child. Parents across the board expressed appreciation of the AI support for autism that the app provides.

One parent from Almondsbury, Nicola Bennett said she waited for five years to get an autism diagnosis for her son. She thinks it would have been amazing if her family had access to such an app.

“If I had access to the app in those five years I would have used it. I think it’s really really good. Having an app like that that gives you some guidance on how to plan your day and work with sensory needs is amazing. As a parent you need to learn about the neurodiversity to be able to support the child in the right way especially if you’ve never come across it before. I didn’t know anything about autism. Five years is a long time and they had to deal with x amount of things in school until he got it. Anything that can help, why would you not use it?” Bennet said.

Bennet suggested that the mental health tech app could provide additional autism diagnosis support by linking users to support networks, local services, or charities.

Driven by Need

Ben Cosh founded Spicy Minds in 2023 after experiencing challenges navigating the highly complex neurodivergent world while seeking support for a family member. He experienced first hand the long NHS waitlist, conflicting digital advice, and costly private options.

Cosh sought for digital solutions to help him out, but couldn’t find a suitable option. That’s when he chose to create an accessible, supportive alternative to improve outcomes of his family and many others in similar situations.

“Through my own experiences, I could see that technology, specifically AI, has incredible potential to help people. Using AI for mental health is a relatively new field, and we are being rigorous about how we do it. This means making sure our products are safe to use and people’s conversations and personal information are secure,” he said.

Spicy Minds has designed another app, Rowan. This app provides adults with personalized emotional support through AI-powered conversations. Both Rowan and Hazel are available on app stores.