Pal: An Innovative Solution to Loneliness in the Digital Age

Blockchain and AI-Powered App Encourages Offline Connections

Pal, a unique application designed by Drew Tozer, aims to combat loneliness in young adults. The inspiration for this innovative solution came from other mental health apps like Headspace, Youper, Calm, and Moodkit. However, Pal stands out with its focus on loneliness, a problem identified by many young adults as originating or worsening from an overuse of social media.

The app, powered by blockchain and AI, offers a variety of personal health widgets to track user progress and suggest helpful, personalized tips. The social widgets of the app encourage users to meet up and build meaningful friendships and habits offline. These widgets include a local event calendar, routine builder, chat with a professional, and a personal progress tracker.

Pal was prototyped using Sketch for a user-centered experience, with all illustrations created on Adobe Illustrator. The AI system of the app receives chronological data on events, progress in skills, and other apps from Pal's integrated blockchain-run data collection. This allows the app to track progress, suggest tools and tips for growing progress in specified skill groups, and monitor the user's routine.

The app's design was based on extensive research, including journals on loneliness and social media usage, interviews with the target demographic, and a survey. The findings indicated that meaningful face-to-face connections and engagement with hobbies were the best ways to reduce loneliness. This led to the creation of Pal, with features designed to keep users on healthy schedules, track their progress, provide helpful responses, and offer opportunities to meet locals.

One of the main challenges faced during the design process was identifying how to promote spending less time on social media through an app. Pal had to become the "anti-social media", which meant finding opportunities for users to get off the app and build meaningful connections, stronger physical and mental health. Every feature of Pal's works to promote less screen time.

Drew Tozer's innovative solution to a pressing issue in today's digital age has not gone unnoticed. Pal was awarded Silver in A' Mobile Technologies, Applications and Software Design Award in 2020, a testament to its creative and professional design that showcases a remarkable level of excellence and innovation.