Eurofarma is using social media for the greater good.
The Brazil-based multinational pharmaceutical corporation has launched Scrolling Therapy, an app designed for people with Parkinson’s disease, Adweek reports.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 8.5 million people around the world are fighting the disease.
Created with the support of agency Dentsu Creative and the Brazil Parkinson Association, the app uses AI-powered facial recognition to help people maneuver hypomimia, a symptom of Parkinson’s that reduces motor control, which moves facial muscles.
How Scrolling Therapy works is that users practice making expressions daily such as smiling, showing surprise, and more to control various things on the app, including playing videos, swiping, and scrolling up or down on their phone screens.
“Scrolling Therapy is a beautiful example of how we can use the power of creativity fueled by technology to help mitigate a very difficult problem — a simple solution that could help millions of people around the world keep what makes them human: their facial expressions,” Rafael Rizuto, chief creative officer, U.S. and Hispanic Latam at Dentsu Creative, said, according to the outlet.
Scrolling Therapy is a more accessible alternative to physical therapy, which many patients find challenging to attend with busy schedules. The users are still able to effectively work their facial muscles with the help of social media.
“When I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s almost six years ago, I promised myself that I wasn’t going to let the disease beat me, and I’ve done everything to keep that promise,” said Sebastián Porta, offshore services director for Dentsu Creative Argentina and a Parkinson’s patient. “I’ve personally engaged in many activities to stay active and fight back. But this goes way beyond that.”
Scrolling Therapy is available for free on the Google Play Store. What’s more, the app is accessible globally and can be downloaded in languages including English, Portuguese, and Spanish.
