Anunay Raj is a forward-thinking leader in the digital health space, utilizing his engineering expertise to push the boundaries of brain health research and technology.
As the co-founder of NeuroUX, Anunay has been instrumental in developing a cutting-edge platform that empowers researchers to conduct meaningful studies across diverse clinical conditions. His path to NeuroUX is rooted in a passion for bridging the gap between controlled research environments and real-world applications, with the goal of advancing brain health and mental wellness.
Anunay’s journey began with a deep commitment to product design and development, which led him to collaborate with leading researchers to address the unique challenges of remote cognitive studies. Under his leadership, NeuroUX has evolved into a customizable, data-driven platform designed to enhance the accuracy and engagement of brain health research, particularly through mobile technologies and AI-driven tools.
In this exclusive Q&A, Anunay Raj discusses the inspiration behind NeuroUX, the challenges faced in building a platform that supports remote mental health studies, and the ways in which technology is transforming brain health research. He shares insights into NeuroUX’s innovative approach to data collection, the critical role of AI in analyzing brain health data, and how the platform is shaping the future of mental health research and care.
Q: Can you please give us your background and how you came to help found NeuroUX?
I have a background in engineering with a strong focus on design and product development. I'm passionate about creating digital health products that have a real-world impact, bridging the gap between controlled research settings and practical applications.
This passion led me to co-found NeuroUX, where I spearheaded the implementation of our innovative brain health research platform. My focus was on building a scientifically robust, highly engaging, and customizable platform capable of supporting a wide range of studies and suitable for diverse participants across the lifespan and multiple clinical conditions.
From the beginning, I embraced multiple roles—leading product design & development, driving sales & marketing initiatives, managing operations, and shaping our overall strategic direction. This hands-on approach provided me with a deep understanding of how to create tools that not only meet the scientific needs of research projects but also align with the requirements of major funding bodies, institutional partnerships, and regulatory compliance.
The expertise of my co-founders, who are clinical neuropsychologists, cognitive scientists, and seasoned entrepreneurs, was instrumental in shaping the scientific and strategic direction of our company.
As NeuroUX has grown, my role has evolved. While I now delegate more responsibilities, I remain deeply involved in overseeing product development and driving innovation. My focus continues to be on pushing the boundaries of what's possible in brain health research, ensuring that NeuroUX remains at the forefront of this critical field.
Q: What excites you most about the projects you are working on?
What excites me most is collaborating with leading researchers and empowering them to conduct world-class studies through our products and services. We're constantly innovating to support new approaches to data collection, pushing the boundaries of what's possible in brain health research.
It's incredibly rewarding to see how our platform enables researchers to reach broader, more diverse participant groups and gather richer, real-world data that was previously out of reach. Each project brings new challenges and insights, driving us to continually refine and expand our capabilities.
Beyond our platform, we also collaborate closely with research teams to develop custom software solutions for their studies—whether it’s a digital health app, an intervention, or novel assessments. We’re committed to turning research ideas into reality, creating engaging, impactful products that address the specific needs of each study.
It's particularly gratifying to support PhD students and early-career researchers who often face budget constraints. We offer discounted pricing and guide them on grant submissions and study design, ensuring they have the tools and support they need to get their projects off the ground.
As we continue to innovate and collaborate with researchers and clinicians worldwide, I'm excited about the breakthroughs we can facilitate and the positive impact we can have on improving brain health and well-being.
Q: Can you share the story behind the founding of NeuroUX? What inspired you to focus on building technology to aid in brain health and mental health research?
The idea for NeuroUX grew out of a collaboration when one of our co-founders, a leading brain health researcher, approached us for help on a project she was conducting. The study involved remote assessment of cognition.
As we worked on the project, we learned about the challenges researchers face when trying to collect meaningful data outside the lab. We saw that there was a lack of specialized tools for this purpose. The available solutions were not well-designed for remote studies, often failed to engage participants, weren't customizable to meet specific study requirements, and were inadequate for capturing the nuances of real-world cognitive performance.
While lab-based research is essential and irreplaceable in many cases, we realized that a lot of research could potentially be done remotely using mobile technologies and wearables, opening up new possibilities for data collection and participant engagement. This insight became the foundation for NeuroUX.
We started by developing a library of mobile cognitive tests, designed for remote and repeat administration in real-world settings. As pioneers in this space, our goal was to create engaging, customizable tools that researchers would find valuable and participants would enjoy using.
As NeuroUX has grown, we've expanded our suite of products and services to cover various aspects of brain health research. It's been rewarding to see our tools adopted by top researchers and universities worldwide. We're constantly learning and evolving, always aiming to push brain health research forward in innovative ways.
Q: What was the initial problem or gap in technology for mental health research that you aimed to address with NeuroUX?
We observed a growing trend of researchers wanting to transition from lab-based studies to remote research, but they were encountering significant challenges. Existing tools weren't adequately meeting their needs—participant engagement and adherence were key issues, compounded by a lack of customization options. Researchers found it difficult to tailor these tools to their specific study requirements, and personalizing the experience for participants was either not possible or overly complicated.
Additionally, setting up these platforms was often cumbersome, with researchers dedicating too much time to understanding and configuring the technology instead of focusing on their research. Technical support was slow or unresponsive, leaving researchers to troubleshoot on their own.
We also noticed that researchers had to rely on multiple vendors for different aspects of their studies, which created inefficiencies and delays—especially with university procurement processes. This fragmentation stifled the potential for innovative study designs, as integrating multiple systems was both difficult and time-consuming.
We developed NeuroUX to address these challenges and make it easier for researchers to conduct remote research. We created a beautifully designed, gamified, and highly customizable platform that significantly improves participant engagement and adherence.
Our cross-platform and multilingual suite of products enables researchers to include diverse participant groups.
From our library of validated mobile cognitive tests and Ecological Momentary Assessments (EMA) to passive sensing and wearable integrations, our integrated platform simplifies the research process. It's easier to procure and allows for more innovative study designs, as both researchers and participants no longer need to juggle multiple apps.
We provide excellent support and handle all the technical aspects, from programming to setup and customizations, significantly streamlining the study implementation process. Our close collaboration with research teams positions us as an extension of their team, allowing them to focus on what truly matters—advancing brain health research.
Q: As the founder, what has been the most rewarding aspect of developing a technology that impacts brain health research?
As a co-founder, the most rewarding aspect of developing technology for brain health research has been witnessing how NeuroUX has empowered researchers to conduct remote studies that were previously very challenging or not possible. We've supported a wide range of research areas, from sleep studies and eating disorders to depression, suicidal ideation, PTSD, and Alzheimer's research.
The feedback we receive from researchers is particularly gratifying. Many have shared how our platform saves them time and resources, allowing them to focus more on the science rather than technical hurdles. They also report that participants find our tools very engaging and easy to use, which not only improves data quality but also elevates the overall research experience.
Another highlight has been the development of novel cognitive assessments and tools that push the boundaries of what’s possible in research. Seeing how our platform enables innovative study designs, reaches diverse participant groups, and consistently enhances data quality is deeply fulfilling.
Q: Could you explain the core technology behind NeuroUX and how it assists researchers in studying brain health and mental health issues?
The core technology behind NeuroUX is a cloud-based, cross-platform solution designed for remote brain health research. Our platform is built with data security and participant privacy as top priorities, ensuring HIPAA and GDPR compliance.
We offer a library of gamified and validated mobile cognitive tests and Ecological Momentary Assessments (EMA), enabling real-time data collection in participants' natural environments.
Our platform integrates with wearables like Fitbit, Apple Watch, Garmin, and others. It also includes a passive sensing app that gathers data from mobile sensors. This allows researchers to conduct comprehensive, digital phenotyping studies. Collectively or used as stand-alone products, these tools offer innovative solutions to several longstanding challenges in mental and brain health.
Our platform supports micro-randomization and A/B testing, enabling researchers to implement advanced study designs and test interventions in real-time. It's also customizable, multilingual, and scalable to studies of any size, empowering researchers to conduct comprehensive and impactful research.
We’ve incorporated AI into our products for innovative use cases like analyzing facial and vocal expressions from audio and video diaries, adaptive interventions, and more. We're also integrating Large Language Models (LLMs) to develop advanced tools for suicide prevention research and other critical areas in mental health.
Q: How does your technology improve the accuracy or efficiency of mental health studies compared to traditional methods? Where do you feel you are getting the most traction?
There’s a growing need to understand real-world symptoms and clinical measures without the limitations of in-person assessments. Traditional methods, while valuable, often rely on infrequent outcome assessments that may not capture the fine-grained relationships between variables or account for interindividual variability over time. These assessments may lack the temporal resolution necessary to track changes in mental, cognitive, and behavioral health symptoms that vary over time.
Our platform is designed to address these issues and make it easier for researchers to use mobile technologies to study mood and related constructs over time.
We’re seeing significant traction across a variety of research areas, including studies on depression, anxiety, sleep, eating disorders, loneliness, PTSD, and Alzheimer's research. We're proud to work with dozens of top universities in the U.S. and globally, and our platform has been used in several NIH and VA-funded studies.
Q: What role does AI or machine learning play in the NeuroUX platform when analyzing brain health data?
We've incorporated AI into our products for innovative use cases like analyzing facial and vocal expressions from audio and video diaries. This allows researchers to gather rich, multimodal data on participants' emotional states. We use AI to support adaptive interventions, personalizing the research experience based on individual participant patterns and responses.
We're also integrating Large Language Models (LLMs) to develop advanced tools for suicide prevention research and other critical areas in mental health. These models are enabling us to explore a variety of use cases, from intelligent chatbots to conversational open-ended surveys and voice-based assessments.
We also leverage voice-to-text models in our passive sensing app, providing researchers with deeper insights into participant behavior and communication patterns.
As we continue to explore new applications of AI, ensuring privacy remains a top priority for us. With time, I expect the adoption of AI in research use cases to increase.
Q: How does your technology adapt to the evolving needs of researchers studying complex brain conditions such as Alzheimer’s or depression?
We believe patient education is key to managing any health condition. Informed patients can make better decisions about their health. For example, we collaborated with a research group to develop HALT-AD, a bilingual program that provides a science-based and personalized educational experience to help adults learn about their brain health, identify dementia risk factors, and make meaningful lifestyle changes to manage those risks.
Our library of validated cognitive tests is being used in depression and Alzheimer’s studies, offering researchers reliable tools for assessment. We're always exploring new ways to help researchers capture more nuanced data. One example is our use of facial and vocal expression analysis during video diaries and cognitive tests, allowing researchers to detect emotional shifts that traditional methods might overlook.
Our passive sensing app tracks social interaction patterns, such as how often participants interact with others, recognizing that loneliness is a significant risk factor for both conditions. The app also tracks GPS data and activity levels, providing insights into behavioral patterns.
Integration with wearables, such as fitness trackers, enhances our capability to accurately gather activity, sleep data, and more, which are important markers in various conditions.
We’ve also implemented smart alerts that notify research teams if elevated suicidal tendencies are detected, enabling quicker interventions when needed, particularly useful in depression-related studies.
Our integrated platform brings together data from multiple sources—validated cognitive tests, passive sensing, wearables, and more—providing researchers with a comprehensive view of participants' brain health. By doing this, we enable researchers to gain deeper insights, develop accurate hypotheses, and design effective interventions.
Q: What breakthroughs or insights have been made possible using NeuroUX technology in mental health studies?
In work being led by Dr. Andrea Weinstein at the University of Pittsburgh and presented at this year’s annual Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC), Dr. Weinstein and her team found that NeuroUX mobile cognitive tests can detect subtle changes in reaction time and variability that correlate with Alzheimer's disease biomarkers when traditional lab-based neuropsychological assessments do not.
These preliminary results suggest the potential for our mobile cognitive tests to provide earlier, objective insights into cognitive changes associated with neurodegenerative conditions.
In a randomized controlled trial, we conducted a head-to-head comparison of patient-reported measures of depression, anxiety, and mindfulness symptoms using traditional paper-and-pencil forms versus real-time, ambulatory measurement of symptoms via EMA.
Study outcomes greatly differed depending on which measurement method was used, with EMA measures of depression and mindfulness substantially outperforming paper-and-pencil measures using the same items by having greater sensitivity to detect change (Moore, et al., 2016, Journal of Psychiatric Research). This study highlights that EMA yields a lower Number-Needed-to-Treat (NNT) than a traditional depression questionnaire, findings that have significant cost savings implications for clinical trials.
Q: How does NeuroUX contribute to the patient experience in studies that use your technology?
NeuroUX enhances the patient experience by offering a gamified, highly engaging platform that improves adherence to study protocols. Our platform is multilingual, cross-platform, and accessible, making it easy for participants from diverse backgrounds to engage with the study. It has been used across the lifespan and in multiple clinical conditions, providing a seamless experience that ensures participants remain actively involved throughout the study.
Q: Can you share an example of a real-world study or project that successfully leveraged NeuroUX’s platform to make a significant discovery?
In work being led by Dr. Andrea Weinstein at the University of Pittsburgh and presented at this year’s annual Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC), Dr. Weinstein and her team found that NeuroUX mobile cognitive tests can detect subtle changes in reaction time and variability that correlate with Alzheimer's disease biomarkers when traditional lab-based neuropsychological assessments do not. These preliminary results suggest the potential for our mobile cognitive tests to provide earlier, objective insights into cognitive changes associated with neurodegenerative conditions.
In a randomized controlled trial, we conducted a head-to-head comparison of patient-reported measures of depression, anxiety, and mindfulness symptoms using traditional paper-and-pencil forms versus real-time, ambulatory measurement of symptoms via EMA. Study outcomes greatly differed depending on which measurement method was used, with EMA measures of depression and mindfulness substantially outperforming paper-and-pencil measures using the same items by having greater sensitivity to detect change (Moore, et al., 2016, Journal of Psychiatric Research). This study highlights that EMA yields a lower Number-Needed-to-Treat (NNT) than a traditional depression questionnaire, findings that have significant cost savings implications for clinical trials.
Q: What were some of the biggest challenges you faced when developing NeuroUX, and how did you overcome them?
One of our biggest challenges was balancing scientific rigor with a user-friendly design. Brain health assessment tools need to be clinically valid, but also engaging enough for regular use. We overcame this by adopting a human-centered design approach, working closely with clinical research partners and end-users. This helped us develop mobile technologies that facilitate cognitive and behavioral data collection while offering a delightful user experience.
Q: How do you envision the future of brain health research with technologies like NeuroUX?
The future of brain health research with technologies like NeuroUX is incredibly promising. We envision AI-driven predictive analytics and personalized interventions playing a central role, enabling researchers to identify brain health risks earlier and provide tailored support to participants. This approach could dramatically improve our ability to prevent and manage a wide range of mental health conditions.
Moreover, with our expertise in building engaging products, we see great potential for digital health apps originally built for research to extend beyond academic settings. These tools could provide individuals with practical, evidence-based resources for improving their well-being in everyday life. Ultimately, we aim to bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and real-world application, making advanced brain health monitoring and support accessible to a broader population.
Q: As you look to the future, how do you plan to evolve the NeuroUX platform to further support mental health research? What areas do you feel you will make the biggest difference in and why?
As we look ahead, our vision is to establish NeuroUX as a leading innovator and trusted partner in the digital transformation of brain health research and care. Over the next few years, we aim to enhance our platform with cutting-edge advancements like AI-driven predictive analytics and personalized interventions, enabling researchers to identify brain health risks earlier and provide tailored support to participants. We’d like to expand research collaborations to validate our solutions across more conditions and improve accessibility and user experience to drive broader adoption.
We believe the biggest impact will come from expanding our platform’s integration into clinical healthcare and pharmaceutical trials, where timely insights into mental health can drive better patient outcomes.
Additionally, as we continue collaborating with research groups to build digital health apps, we aim to see these tools extend beyond research settings, providing individuals with practical resources for improving their well-being. Our commitment to privacy and ethics will remain a priority as we evolve, ensuring that all advancements are both innovative and responsible.
Q: What role does collaboration with healthcare professionals and researchers play in shaping the development of NeuroUX?
Collaboration with healthcare professionals and researchers is essential to shaping NeuroUX. We regularly pick the minds of our research partners, gathering valuable feedback on what can be improved, what new features to add, and which areas to focus on. Their insights ensure our platform meets rigorous scientific standards while remaining practical and user-friendly, allowing us to continuously refine and adapt our tools to real-world mental health research needs.
Q: What is your vision for the future of healthcare technology, particularly in the areas of brain health and mental wellness, and where does NeuroUX fit in that landscape?
My vision for the future of healthcare technology, particularly in brain health and mental wellness, involves creating more accessible, real-time tools that empower both clinicians and individuals to make data-driven decisions. NeuroUX is poised to be at the forefront of this transformation by continuing to innovate with personalized interventions, real-time monitoring, and cross-platform solutions that fit seamlessly into healthcare systems and clinical trials to improve patient outcomes.
I’d also like to see many of the tools we develop in collaboration with our research partners come out of the lab and into the hands of real users. By focusing on making these tools simple, effective, and widely accessible, we aim to empower individuals to manage their brain health and mental wellness in meaningful ways, helping bridge the gap between research and everyday life.
Emerging devices like wearable AI companions, smart glasses, and other sensor-driven technologies will unlock new use cases for brain health. These devices can provide continuous monitoring and personalized feedback, enabling even more precise and proactive interventions. As these technologies evolve, NeuroUX is positioned to integrate them into our platform, expanding the possibilities for real-time mental health management and improving overall well-being.
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