EU Horizon Europe EIC Pathfinder Open

SAFE: Social Anxiety Focused Exposure through AI Interview Simulation

Developing evidence-based AI intervention tools for individuals with social phobia, creating safe exposure therapy through dynamic conversation technology

Advancing Social Anxiety Treatment Through AI

The SAFE Research Initiative addresses a critical gap in therapeutic exposure therapy by developing AI-powered interview simulation technology. Our approach provides a completely safe, controlled, and judgment-free environment where individuals with social phobia can practice interview scenarios before real-world exposure.

Clinical Impact

Addressing critical barriers to employment and career advancement for individuals with social anxiety through accessible, evidence-based intervention tools.

AI Innovation

Dynamic conversation AI with voice interaction, CV-driven personalized question generation, and adaptive response pathways based on user anxiety indicators.

European Excellence

Building an international consortium of leading European research institutions for comprehensive clinical validation and deployment.

Addressing a Critical Mental Healthcare Gap

Current Limitations

  • Limited to controlled therapy office environments
  • Vulnerable to judgment in friend/family role-play scenarios
  • High economic barriers to extended therapeutic intervention
  • Insufficient exposure opportunities for skill consolidation

SAFE Innovation

  • AI-powered interview simulations for safe exposure therapy
  • CV-driven personalized question generation algorithms
  • Voice-based natural language interaction with adaptive responses
  • 24/7 accessibility with complete privacy protection

Four Key Innovation Areas

Our research focuses on four breakthrough technologies that create a therapeutic bridge between traditional therapy settings and real-world professional interactions

Interactive Personalization

CV upload triggers customized interview scenarios with dynamic question sequencing based on user responses and adaptive difficulty progression

Conversational Intelligence

Natural voice-based interaction with context-aware follow-up questioning and emotional tone recognition for appropriate response modulation

Therapeutic Safety Design

Zero human judgment environment with infinite patience, controlled exposure progression, and complete privacy protection encouraging honest participation

Clinical Validation

Evidence-based approach using standardized anxiety assessment scales (GAD-7, SPIN) with multi-site clinical validation and long-term efficacy measurement

Research Methodology

1

Prototype Development

Functional MVP development with basic conversation capabilities, CV parsing algorithms, and voice interaction baseline implementation based on comprehensive literature analysis

2

Clinical Pilot Study

Small-scale user testing with target population using standardized anxiety measurement protocols and iterative system refinement based on therapeutic outcomes

3

Large-Scale Validation

Multi-site clinical validation study with control group comparison to traditional exposure therapy and long-term follow-up for sustained benefit measurement

Join Our Research Consortium

We are actively seeking research partners with complementary expertise for our EIC Pathfinder Open application and consortium formation

Clinical Psychology Research

Anxiety disorders research, exposure therapy expertise, and therapeutic outcome measurement

  • • Clinical validation study design
  • • Standardized assessment protocols
  • • Ethical review and patient safety
AI & Computer Science

Conversational AI, natural language processing, and human-computer interaction expertise

  • • Machine learning and NLP development
  • • Voice recognition and synthesis systems
  • • Emotional AI and user experience design
Digital Health & Ethics

Technology acceptance research, privacy-preserving healthcare solutions, and AI ethics

  • • Health technology assessment
  • • Privacy architecture and data protection
  • • Ethical AI deployment frameworks
HIMSS25 Europe - June 10-12, 2025

Meet our team at HIMSS25 Europe to discuss partnership opportunities and consortium participation for EU Horizon funding

Principal Investigator

Ignas Markauskas

Principal Investigator, SAFE Research Initiative

Leading the SAFE Research Initiative at MB "Imarkas" Research & Development division, focusing on AI-driven therapeutic interventions for social anxiety disorders. The project builds on comprehensive literature analysis of 1,100+ research papers and represents Lithuania's contribution to EU Horizon Europe digital health innovation priorities.

AI ResearchDigital Mental HealthEU Horizon EuropeClinical Innovation

Partner With Us

Join our consortium in developing breakthrough AI therapeutic interventions. Contact us to discuss research collaboration opportunities.

Contact Information

ignas@safe-research.eu
Contact via email preferred
MB "Imarkas", Vilnius, Lithuania

Research Collaboration Areas

Social Anxiety ResearchConversational AIClinical ValidationEU ConsortiumDigital Therapeutics
Research Collaboration Inquiry
Express your interest in joining the SAFE research consortium for EU Horizon Europe funding