MATHI
Reducing Auditory Hallucinations Through Psychoacoustic Masking
A $14 device using Edge AI to help millions—no phone, no internet, complete privacy
What are Auditory Hallucinations?
Auditory hallucinations are experiences of hearing speech when no external sound is present—distinct from illusions or simple tones
People hear voice-like content—words, phrases, commentary, or commands—with speech-like timbre and temporal structure including syllabic rhythm.
Lifetime occurrence is 60-80% in schizophrenia, with onset often beginning in late adolescence and frequent persistence or recurrence.
Distress
Emotional suffering and aversiveness that changes rapidly with stress, arousal, and attentional capture
Uncontrollability
Difficulty redirecting attention or dampening the experience, leading to feelings of helplessness
Interference
Impact on sleep, conversations, work, and daily functioning—disrupting quality of life
Comorbid conditions are common: Sleep disturbance, anxiety, depression, social withdrawal, and elevated self-harm risk frequently accompany auditory hallucinations. Any practical aid must respond to rapid within-person variability, not just average severity.
A Global Mental Health Crisis
The public health need is large and unequal—access to skilled care is critically limited
Auditory hallucinations affect the majority of individuals with schizophrenia, yet treatment remains out of reach for millions worldwide.
Severe shortage of psychiatrists in low-resource regions creates massive treatment gaps. Follow-up care is expensive and inaccessible.
Direct costs (fees, travel), opportunity costs (missed work), and hidden expenses (data plans, maintenance) make care unsustainable.
Expensive & Proprietary
Imported devices are priced beyond local means and tied to proprietary ecosystems unavailable in under-resourced settings
Connectivity Dependent
Phone-centric tools require data plans, maintenance, and battery management—adding hidden costs and complexity
Not Adaptive
Fixed presets with limited control don't adapt to moment-to-moment distress, context, or preference
Safety Concerns
Headphones reduce environmental awareness and can be uncomfortable over long sessions
MATHI: Psychoacoustic Masking with Edge AI
A clinic-independent, privacy-preserving device that uses targeted sound and adaptive AI to reduce the salience of auditory hallucinations
MATHI is a compact, standalone device that performs sensing, on-device personalization, and audio rendering locally—no phone or network required. It uses psychoacoustic masking principles to reduce the salience of voice-like hallucinations while preserving comfort, safety, and complete privacy.
~$14 Cost
Ultra-affordable for global deployment
100% Offline
Works anywhere, no connectivity needed
Complete Privacy
All processing on-device, no data shared
How It Works
MATHI combines established psychoacoustic principles with real-time Edge AI adaptation
Concentrates energy in critical frequency bands where speech information resides (≈1-4 kHz within 0.25-6 kHz passband), using ERB-scale filters to improve signal-to-masker ratio in the auditory system.
Shallow low-rate modulation (≈4-16 Hz with slight jitter) targets syllabic-rate speech cues while remaining unobtrusive through smooth transitions, competing with voice-like content without distraction.
On-device Edge AI adjusts parameters based on distress ratings (0-10 scale) and acoustic context with <20ms latency. Closed-loop controller personalizes masking from brief user feedback while preserving safety constraints—all processing happens locally on the embedded processor.
All processing happens locally on the device. No raw audio is stored or transmitted. Only coded scalar states (parameters, ratings, exposure counters) are retained. No internet required—complete privacy guaranteed.
Three Pillars of Innovation
What makes MATHI uniquely positioned to bridge the treatment gap
Evidence-Based Design
Grounded in established psychoacoustic principles and validated through rigorous research
Methodology
- Randomized crossover trial with counterbalanced order
- Level-matched adaptive vs. static baseline comparison
- Controlled washout period between conditions
- Prespecified distress reduction as primary outcome
Outcomes
- Primary: Mean within-block distress change (0-10 NRS)
- Secondary: Controllability, comfort, distraction
- Device logs: Exposure and controller stability
Energetic Masking
Overlapping frequency content within critical bands reduces signal-to-masker ratio, making voice-like content less salient
Modulation Masking
Shallow low-rate AM interacts with slow envelope fluctuations carrying syllabic-rate cues in perception
Attention Anchoring
Stable external auditory anchor may reduce attentional capture by internal percepts (plausible interpretation)
Aligned with Global Goals
MATHI directly contributes to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
MATHI promotes mental health and well-being by providing accessible, evidence-based support for individuals experiencing auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia.
By prioritizing affordability, offline functionality, and privacy, MATHI bridges the mental health treatment gap in underserved and low-resource communities worldwide.
By aligning with SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), MATHI demonstrates how innovative technology can create meaningful social impact and contribute to a more equitable, healthier world for all.
Suhan D
Suhan D
Student Researcher & Innovator
CHIREC International School
Hyderabad, Telangana, India
suhandhandapani@gmail.comDriven by a passion for accessible mental health technology and equitable healthcare solutions for underserved communities.
MATHI demonstrates how rigorous psychoacoustic theory combined with Edge AI can provide meaningful support for individuals living with schizophrenia—especially in low-resource settings where the need is greatest.
"Technology should empower those who need it most"
The Vision
Bringing accessible mental health technology to millions worldwide
Together, we can bridge the treatment gap and transform lives through innovation, accessibility, and compassion