Welcome to Hackathon Raptors 2024: AI-Powered Mental Wellness Support Chatbot

Welcome to a new Hackathon Raptors event.

This year, we're looking for the brightest minds in technology to develop AI-powered mental wellness support chatbots that can change ♥.

We invite decent professionals and tech enthusiasts passionate about using AI to drive mental wellness.

Please look at the latest version of our guidelines to get more.

About

Input at the Moment of Need: Develop chatbots that can effectively recognize and respond to users' immediate emotional states and needs.

What are we aiming for?

Relevant Output for Mental Wellbeing: Create responses that address the specific issues triggering the chatbot's use, enhancing mental well-being through meditation, spirituality, exercise, nutrition, sleep, and similar dimensions.

The chatbot must demonstrate an ability to understand and process complex human emotions, providing responses that are not only contextually appropriate but also empathetic. This criterion evaluates the chatbot's capacity to engage users in a manner that makes them feel genuinely supported and understood.

1 — Empathetic Interaction

Innovation is key in creating a chatbot that stands out. This criterion assesses the project's originality in approach, especially in how AI and machine learning navigate the nuances of mental wellness support. Projects should showcase novel solutions that push the boundaries of current technology while remaining feasible and user-friendly.

2 — Innovative Problem-Solving

Considering the diverse needs of individuals seeking mental wellness support, the chatbot must be designed with scalability. This involves the ability to handle high loads and the flexibility to adapt to different languages, cultures, and regional mental health resources. The architecture should support growth and expansion without compromising performance or user experience.

3 — Scalable Design & Architecture

Given the sensitive nature of mental wellness discussions, ensuring user data privacy and security is paramount. This criterion focuses on the project's adherence to best data security and privacy practices, including compliance with relevant regulations and implementing robust security measures to protect user information.

4 — Security & Privacy Assurance

The chatbot should act as a bridge, connecting users with professional help and resources. This criterion evaluates how well the chatbot integrates and signposts to external mental wellness resources, support groups, and professional services, ensuring users can access the help they need beyond the chat interface.

5 — Resource Integration & Signposting

Mental wellness support is an ongoing process. This criterion assesses the chatbot's ability to maintain user engagement over time, encouraging continuous support and follow-up. Projects should demonstrate how their chatbot fosters a supportive relationship, enabling users to return whenever they need assistance.

6 — Continuous Engagement & Support

Technical Principles

How well is AI integrated? Does it seamlessly process and understand user inputs?

Is the interaction intuitive and engaging? Would a user feel "heard" and supported?

Does the chatbot address user concerns accurately and promptly?

How unique is your solution in the current market?

What is the potential reach and positive influence your chatbot could have?

Winning projects will receive support from the Hackathon Raptors community and the opportunity to showcase their work to a broad audience of potential supporters and collaborators. A generous cash prize of $1000 awaits the first-place winner, $300 for the second, and $200 for third place, adding extra motivation to your impactful contributions.

Prizes

Let's unite intelligence, initiative, and insight to build a brighter future for all. We can't wait to see the waves of change you'll create during this event, register to join us.

We're excited to see the transformative solutions our talented community will bring to this important field. Thank you for joining us in harnessing AI for mental well-being.

We're excited to clarify the aim and ethical considerations for our upcoming event. Our goal is to foster the development of AI chatbots that act as personal coaches or confidence boosters, steering clear of medical claims and focusing on enhancing mental well-being through innovative technology.

Clarifications & Ethical Guidelines

Project Scope & User Definition
We're targeting the creation of chatbots designed to support users in moments of need, offering encouragement and boosting confidence without entering the realm of medical advice. These AI companions are intended for anyone seeking a mental uplift or assistance navigating daily stresses, acting as a private voice for positive reinforcement.

Our rules and criteria include an ethics section emphasizing privacy, security, and the non-medical nature of chatbot interactions. We're committed to ensuring these projects provide safe, supportive experiences within domains like meditation, spirituality, exercise, nutrition, sleep, and similar, without substituting professional healthcare advice.

Inspiration & Resources
To inspire our participants, we recommend watching (Mariano Sigman's TED Talk) on how our words can predict mental wellness trends. This talk offers fascinating insights into the potential of AI in understanding and supporting mental well-being through language analysis.

27.06.2024 18:00 (UTC)

Registration
Ends

27.06.2024 18:00 (UTC)

Hackathon Kickstart

30.06.2024 15:00 (UTC)

Submission Deadline

30.06.2024 16:00 (UTC)

Judging Begins

06.07.2024 12:00 (UTC)

Judging
Ends

07.07.2024 12:00 (UTC)

Announcement of Winners

27.06 — 30.06