The University of Idaho has received $1.3 million through two multi-institutional grants from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), to conduct machine learning research related to the diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder in service members.

Psychology professor Colin Xu said that the development of machine learning models, which he will lead, is intended to support early detection of PTSD risk and symptoms in military personnel and improve the well-being of their families.

One of the grants, with $974,000 earmarked for U of I, is intended to study the use of smart wearable technology to detect biochemical and biophysical signals associated with PTSD. The study will be a four-year research project.

The other, totaling $361,000, will be used to study the affects of deployment on service members’ families’ stress levels and risk of harmful behaviors. It will be a three-year project.

“Our work aims to give clinicians better insight into who may be at elevated risk, and when, so that support can be provided proactively,” Xu said.

Grant funding also went to researchers at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Auburn University, Northwestern University and Tufts University.