Now, tech tools to test cortisol, soothe anxiety

A range of tech tools for mental health will be showcased at CES '25 in Vegas

- AFP

Whether detecting rising anxiety or managing a full-blown panic attack, the tech industry is offering an array of new tools designed to support mental health.

Scores of start-ups will pitch their solutions at this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas (from 7 to 11 January), including Swiss firm Nutrix, which is introducing cortiSense to measure levels of the so-called stress hormone cortisol.

A small cylindrical object with a thin strip at one end, cortiSense allows users to test and analyze their saliva directly—without having to spit into a tube and send it to a laboratory, according to Nutrix. Results can be consulted in minutes via a mobile app.

Up to now, Nutrix founder Maria Hahn said, to test your cortisol ""you need to go to the hospital, or you need to send your samples.""