Custom AI tools & growth paths

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

Summary:

Bringing together expertise in neuroscience, artificial intelligence / machine learning, blockchain, web3 governance, and cutting-edge art, Gabriel Axel Montes and Taylor Kuhn are submitting a proposal to the Cardano Project Catalyst Fund9 Challenge: Custom AI tools & growth paths. Developing upon previous funded proposals, the present proposal aims to integrate professional-grade cognitive assessments and well-being practices to help individuals gain insight into their cognitive styles and strengths, paving the way for enhanced team cooperation and formation. It will apply deepened machine learning AI to analyze the relationships between cognitive assessments and well-being practices so as to deliver more targeted and personalized recommendations for individuals and teams. Additionally, codification of user assessment in the form of neurotech via brain-waves using EEG measurements will continue to be actively explored as part of the broader strategy. This work builds upon the existing work and collaboration between the team members, including funded (Funds 7 & 8) work by Gabriel Axel Montes, PhD (see below) and existing cognitive assessment capability (a functional MVP) by team member Taylor Kuhn, PhD and his colleague Lev Gottlieb, PhD.

The proposal carries a large team and already has a functional MVP, slide deck, and litepaper/whitepaper for the component projects (Pathform and Architex), all attached.

More information:

The present proposal aims to develop and implement additional capacity into the application PATHFORM (http://pathform.io/pathform), a spin-off project of Cardano partner, SingularityNET, which is a blockchain marketplace for AI services that run on the Cardano blockchain. Pathform won a Catalyst grant (Fund 7) to fund its prototype app, with further partial funding support in Fund 8. Though they are separate developments, the present proposal synergizes with the F7 proposal (more information below on the relationship between the two). Whereas the F8 proposal began initial linking between Pathform and Architex, the present proposal adds to the F8 proposal by deepening the artificial intelligence / machine learning development and the connections between the micro-practices and the cognitive assessments. More information on Pathform below.

Link to the previously funded F7 (and completed) proposal:

https://cardano.ideascale.com/a/dtd/Pathform-Custom-growth-paths/384379-48088

Link to the previously funded F8 proposal:

https://cardano.ideascale.com/c/idea/398904/

Fig: Sample Architex assessment brain schematic

The present proposal aims to work on the integration of Pathform with Architex, a neuropsychological assessment tool aimed at helping users gain insight into their cognitive style (more info below). The effects of Pathform's neuroscience-informed micro-interventions, which will be measured via biosensing peripherals such as heart rate and EEG, will also be correlated against an individual's cognitive style, which aims to help personalize and optimize the micro-interventions, as well as aid in the development of new ones. Additionally, codification of user assessment in the form of neurotech via brain-waves using EEG measurements will be explored.

Pathform serves as the go-to well-being source for the whole of the SingularityNET ecosystem which continues to expand, and due to SNET’s stronghold on decentralized AI globally and AI in Cardano, Pathform is in a strong position for continued adoption as it pioneers a way forward in Precision Consciousness and AI applied to well-being.

Architex, a best-in-class cognitive assessment tool, has multiple verticals that apply its core technology. The integration of Pathform micropractices and AI into its capabilities mean further adoption in other areas and ecosystems.

Impact:

The problem we have set out to solve is multifaceted:

• As web3 complexifies, tools for human growth, organization, and growth are missing.
• Well-being tools currently in existence lack precision (targeted functions and outcomes) and personalization. 
• Psychology is complex, leaving the market intimidated to adequately address it or inducing it to resort to oversimplification and commodification of well-being.

Our approach is as proposed because:

• Targeted micro-practices (provided by Pathform) will promote and bring forth “Precision Consciousness”, and developing an expansive repertoire of micro-practices enables proper coupling with the precise measurements of the psychological assessment (provided by Architex);
• A 6-minute psychological assessment that provides the user with insight into their cognitive style will help orient the types of micro-practices from which they might most benefit as well as serve as a framework for organizing web3 teams according to skillsets that might be most synergistic and complementary.
• The use of AI to strengthen the connection between the targeted micro-practices and the cognitive assessment will help tune well-being and organizational tools according to the “neurodiversity” of people, making tools for well-being, creativity, and productivity more effective for a wider range of people and situations.

Our project will engage:

• The SingularityNET community (As of Q4, 2021: 100k GitHub commits, 32k+ Telegram members, 60k newsletter subscribers, 26k AGIX token holders, 4.5M organic monthly reach, Top 3 Ai videos on YouTube by Views, 7 of 45 top YouTube videos [over 1M views] listed on “artificial intelligence” search have tech built by the SingularityNET team)
• Teams in various web3 applications
• Will be made available to the web3 market more broadly

The project will be implemented by:

• Having users engage with the Pathform micro-practice app (functional prototype complete);
• Having users take the Architex cognitive assessment;
• Analyzing correlations between user preferences and patterns between both apps;
• Developing micro-practices specific to the developmental pathways for each cognitive style (from the Architex assessment);
• Adding artificial intelligence / machine learning to deepen the understanding and patterning of the relationship between the micro-practices and the cognitive styles.

The anticipated product of the proposal will be:

• Enhanced repertoire of micro-practices and their tuning to cognitive styles, which enriches the goal of Pathform: Precision Consciousness.
• Improved backend AI/ML linking micro-practices and cognitive assessment/style, enabling enhanced targeting and personalization for the user. (Use of AI leverages the SingularityNET platform, which runs its AI service calls on the Cardano blockchain.)

Anticipated outcomes as a result of our work from this proposal will be:

• Enhanced well-being and enriched targeting and personalization of micro-practices (i.e. Precision Consciousness);
• Experimentation and adoption by web3 teams interested in adopting well-being tools for their DAO’s and psychological tools for improved team formation and organizational dynamics.

The present proposal benefits the Pathform and Architex products’ capabiliites, the SingularityNET and Cardano ecosystems (AI services calls on SNET mean transactions on the Cardano blockchain).

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Fig: Sample screenshot of Pathform prototype (beta) mobile app

About Pathform:

Pathform offers a framework for delivering well-being–oriented exercises and experiences to users via various media, and using AI-based analysis to help optimize and sequence the exercises presented to each user and provide user guidance. This will be initially delivered via mobile app, with virtual world and augmented reality modes also being actively explored.

Well-being exercises include targeted meditation and body-awareness practices and also more innovative techniques, including ones leveraging biofeedback from smartphone peripherals and EEG headsets. The framework is applicable to a wide audience, and is amenable to technical professionals and developers/engineers. Subsequent versions of the framework will also be extended to allow creation and dissemination of properly vetted user-created exercises.

Pathform will incorporate neuro-assessment capabilities in collaboration with Architex, a digital assessment tool based on 100 years of science in functional neuroanatomy and brain-behavior relationships, founded by academic and clinical neuropsychologists. Architex will offer users a rapid assessment of their cognitive strengths to help them discover and appreciate their cognitive 'architype', an in-depth indicator of neuro-cognitive type, with accompanying insights for using this knowledge to elevate performance and thrive.

Architex in its current form offers MVP functionality, consisting of a 6-minute, empirically-informed, quantitative neuropsychological assessment that maps your neurocognitive traits and, based on a multitude of data points, provides insights into a user’s neurocognitive style. In doing so, it captures a litany of neurocognitive domains, many of which are trait-based, some of which are state-based. Thus, Architex provides an individualized, quantitative mapping of each user’s neurocognitive style and strengths. These can be leveraged to personalize precision consciousness, micro-interventions and other user-enhancing recommendations via Pathform.

The whole of the Pathform roadmap encompasses a long-term project backed by a committed team and vision. It is well beyond the scope of any single Catalyst Challenge. Pathform plans to scale beyond the scope of this Challenge -- in number of users, market, and range of applications --, and it aims to continue evolving so as to address large global challenges of our time, directly addressing well-being, consciousness, and technology.

Pathform will directly make use of SingularityNET's marketplace AI services. This means an increase in calls using SingularityNET's AGIX tokens. Because SingularityNET's AGIX token runs on Cardano, this means increased use of the Cardano blockchain. Furthermore, as developers/programmers are a focal sub-audience of Pathform, Pathform's offerings will be available to Plutus developers as well and thus add value to the Cardano community and ecosystem.

We aim for the requested budget (below) to be sufficient to meet our 3- and 6-month milestones (see below), which is the intended scope of this Challenge funding request. The greater extent of the project will require more funds, which we plan to request in any combination of the following options in Q2 2022 and beyond, if/as necessary: future Catalyst funding rounds, planned fundraising rounds, possible token generation event.

Community development will in due course be supported by World Systems Solutions (WSS), which is in collaboration with Pathform, to facilitate the community dialogue and growth toward collaborative education and action around global challenges and development of ethical AI. This is key and core to the progressive decentralization of AI, wherein the community must cultivate an understanding of how to steward technological development and governance toward building a prosperous and beneficial future. For more information, see attachment and visit https://wssnow.org/social-movement-engine/ .

Pathform is viewed as mission-critical to the ethical development of AI and advanced technologies in the world as well as the beneficial development of the SingularityNET community.

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Fig: Sample Architex assessment schematic

About Architex (https://www.myarchitex.com/):

Architex is a quick and accessible digital assessment of the brain and mind created by the co-founders of The Integrated Clinic (https://www.theintegratedclinic.com/). Grounded in the science of functional neuroanatomy and brain-behavior relationships, Architex uncovers your cognitive strengths to help you discover and appreciate your ArchiTYPE: an in-depth indicator of your brain type, with accompanying insights for using this knowledge to elevate performance and thrive. Architex distills 100 years of neuropsychological research and a 6-hour test into a 6-minute mobile device test on smartphone/tablet/webapp. Architex moves away from a focus on deficits and diagnosis and toward applied positive neuropsychology, seeking to provide insights into each user’s individual cognitive style in order to help them leverage that insight to improve their daily functioning.

The session first begins with several interview questions about your life, interests, and goals. Next, clients complete the cutting-edge, six-minute Architex assessment on our iPad or web platform. After completion, your results will be computed and presented to you along with an individualized feedback session with our scientists.

Results are presented in two parts: (i) a four-letter acronym, with each letter representing an aspect of your cognitive profile; and (ii) a two-letter code expressing how your strengths uniquely manifest in the world. With Architex, you can leverage your natural neurocognitive talents in school, work, and relationships, all in order to promote your daily functioning. Architex: Learn your brain. Build your life.

[IMPACT] Please describe how your proposed solution will address the Challenge that you have submitted it in.

The present proposal directly addresses the Challenge aim of increasing Cardano adoption and utility. Our proposed solution aims to utilize artificial intelligence. SingularityNET, a Cardano partner, hosts a blockchain marketplace for AI services. We aim to utilize the SNET marketplace for our AI needs. Service calls on the AI marketplace directly translate to increased transactions on the Cardano blockchain, as the SNET token (AGIX) runs on Cardano.

In terms of KPI's that directly impact and benefit Cardano, this proposal aims to accomplish the following:

• Increased number of transactions on Cardano due to SingularityNET AI service calls.
• Target number of unique active users in 12 months: 1000 ~ 3000

The outcomes of the project will be marketed via the existing Pathform marketing budget, to developers and technical professional audiences, talent networks, and the Cardano community.

[IMPACT] What are the main risks that could prevent you from delivering the project successfully and please explain how you will mitigate each risk?

Risk (1): Immediate hiring need. Our team is actively searching for a machine learning engineer now. Due to global demand for AI talent and in order to attract suitable talent in a timely manner, we are offering a competitive salary. This will also help to increase the chances of keeping a strong engineer beyond the scope of this proposal.

Risk (2): Not reaching target number of users in 12 months' time. To mitigate this risk, we have the following.

• We have budgeted for a social media in this proposal in order to begin building toward this goal from the beginning.
• Pathform is part of the SingularityNET ecosystem, which has multiple projects with existing and expanding user bases that could be marketed to and leveraged.
• Architex is currently used to provide meaningful information to telemedicine and in-person clinics, eg. at https://www.theintegratedclinic.com/, and is currently being implemented in other industries, including executive coaching and talent networks. This maintains the high probability that number of users will increase sizably.

*A NOTE ABOUT USER DATA AND PRIVACY*

All user data is stored in HIPAA and GDPR compliant databases using safe harbor de-identification pipelines. Safe harbor pipelines scrub identifying information from the data, pair and replace this data with a randomly generated, unique identification code, and finally, encrypt and store the unique code-identifying information in a secure digital vault ascribing to HIPAA and GDPR regulations.

[FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed plan, including timeline and key milestones for delivering your proposal.

The present proposal encompasses the milestones for 3 months and 6 months:

3 months:

• Users engage with the Pathform micro-practice app (functional prototype complete);
• Users take the Architex cognitive assessment;
• Analyze correlations between user preferences and patterns between both apps;

6 months:

• Developed repertoire of micro-practices specific to the developmental pathways for each cognitive style (from the Architex assessment);
• Added artificial intelligence / machine learning for deepening the understanding and patterning of the relationship between the micro-practices and the cognitive styles. ML/AI insights derived from initial Architex neurotyping (cognitive style mapping) and suggested micro-interventions launched and interatively improved based on micro-practice outcome data and repeat Architex administration to monitor consciousness and cognitive changes over time.

12 months: Pathform functionalities of consciousness micro-interventions and neuropsychological assessment tools available to and in use by a broad audience. Assessment, validation and initial optimization of ML/AI model complete and production-level Architex-Pathform synergy available to all users.

Remarks on workload:

Gabriel Axel Montes and Taylor Kuhn have two proposals together in Fund9, and Gabriel is involved in one other one with another collaborator. Gabriel has been successfully managing more than one past funding round simultaneously with no timing or workload issues attributable to these projects. Each project has a distinct core team and sets of milestones, making it straightforward to allocate workload. Regarding ongoing projects (Fund 8), the past and present proposals have been designed so as to be synergistic and co-existent, each able to support the others, yet each able to deliver on its own merits and resources. We have chosen this approach deliberately to maximize our value contribution. As our past experience and success has demonstrated, we anticipate no workload issues.

[FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed budget breakdown.

Research & Development (R&D):

• Micro-intervention/-practice development in-app: $66,000 ($11,000 per month x 6 months)
• Cognitive assessment development: $54,000 ($9,000 per month x 6 months)
• Biosensing development: $30,000 ($5,000 per month x 6 months)

Machine learning /AI engineer: $33,000 ($5,500 per month x 6 months)

Marketing: $24,000 ($4,000 per month x 6 months)

Biosensing equipment: $15,000

Cloud computing costs (data analysis): $12,000

TOTAL: $234,000

[FEASIBILITY] Please provide details of the people who will work on the project.

Core team (more detailed information below):

• Gabriel Axel Montes, Ph.D. ~ Neuroscientist, consciousness researcher and practitioner; Organizational transformation. Pathform Founder & CEO, Executive Chairman of the Board. https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielaxel

• Taylor Kuhn, Ph.D. ~ Neuropsychologist. Cognitive psychometrics. Brain imaging, cannabis, neurodegeneration. UCLA. Architex Co-founder (Pathform collaborator). https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylor-kuhn-a40a9b48

Gabriel Axel Montes will undertake all Pathform-related duties.

Taylor Kuhn will undertake all Architex-related duties.

We are looking for a suitable AI/ML engineer for the project.

Extended team (more detailed information below):

• Refik Anadol ~ Media artist & director, pioneer in aesthetics of data and machine intelligence; UCLA Visiting Researcher & Lecturer; https://www.linkedin.com/in/refikanadol/
• Lev Gottlieb, Ph.D. ~ Architex Co-founder (Pathform collaborator) https://www.linkedin.com/in/gottliebneuro
• Zach Richter ~ award-winning Director, Creative Director, and graphic designer. VR. https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachary-richter-27533428/

The above members are part of the extended team of Pathform-Architex. They engage in other branches related to the proposed work, related to NFT's, clinical application, and creative direction, respectively.

Founding Board (Pathform):

• Gabriel Axel Montes ~ https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielaxelExecutive Chairman of the Board & CEO. Neuroscientist, consciousness researcher & educator. SingularityNET, Neural Axis
• Ben Goertzel ~ https://www.linkedin.com/in/bengoertzel Father of AGI. Founder & CEO, SingularityNET
• Eddie Monroe ~ https://www.linkedin.com/in/eddiemonroe Virtual agents, NLP, healthcare robotics. Former psychotherapist. Loving AI X-prize project
• Janet Adams ~ https://www.linkedin.com/in/janet-adams-ai-risk COO, SingularityNET. AI risk. Banking & finance. ex-HSBC.

Advisors (Pathform):

• John Jones ~ https://wssnow.org/board-of-directors IT, consciousness educator and teacher. Existential risk. Founder, World Systems Solutions
• Dan Mapes ~ https://www.linkedin.com/in/danmapes Co-designer of Spatial Web IEEE protocol. Metaverses. Co-founder & President, VERSES.io & The Spatial Web Foundation
• Edward Keller ~ https://www.linkedin.com/in/edkeller Architecture, transdisciplinary and multimodal design. Creative Director, SophiaDAO. ex- Columbia University
• Sebastian Rubens y Rojo ~ https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastianrubensyrojo Strategic planning & execution, governance. Ex-Deloitte, ex- Abu Dhabi Education Council

[FEASIBILITY] If you are funded, will you return to Catalyst in a later round for further funding? Please explain why / why not.

We are fans and enthusiasts of Catalyst, and are grateful for its support of our project as we offer value to the Cardano ecosystem. We aim to make our products as accessible as possible to the Cardano and Catalyst ecosystems. We intend to seek further funding for our projects, as they require it for continued development toward our longer-term aims (see milestones above and attached slide decks). Various milestones can be broken up into chunks for funding requests.

Ultimately, whether we continue to seek funding from future Catalyst rounds depends on ongoing support from Cardano and for the Catalyst system to continue to appreciate the value the projects bring. We hope to continue to apply to the Catalyst funding system as long as there is felt mutual benefit. If so, you can look forward to seeing us again! We are grateful to be here!

[FEASIBILITY] Are you or any member of your team working on any other proposals in this Fund9?

[FEASIBILITY] Are you or your team working on any other proposals from previous Funds?

[AUDITABILITY] Please describe what you will measure to track your project's progress, and how will you measure these?

We will measure the following key metrics related to our project aims as well as the aims of the Challenge:

• Number of micro-practices integrated into the Pathform app; and
• The number of direct relationships achieved between micro-practices and cognitive styles.

Since the more of these there are, these two metrics bear directly on the usage of AI, as AI will be used more in order to make sense of and draw correlations between these metrics. As mentioned, AI service calls to the SingularityNET marketplace translate into usage of the Cardano blockchain. We will of course additionally track the number of users internally, that said, since we are in a core R&D phase, we view the above mentioned two metrics as primary.

[AUDITABILITY] What does success for this project look like?

Participants will experience enhanced well-being embedded in everyday life and work, with personalized curation of micro-interventions suited to their cognitive style, targeted to specific underlying cognitive-experiential functions.

Teams in Web3 will experience enhanced suggestions for organization and team formation (e.g. DAO's and sub-DAO's) according to cognitive style as well as micro-interventions suited to complement and balance their style.

[AUDITABILITY] Please provide information on whether this proposal is a continuation of a previously funded project in Catalyst or an entirely new one.

[This section is an extension of the comment on this topic provided in the Timeline section above.]

The present proposal is an extension of the NeuroTools proposal in Fund8. https://cardano.ideascale.com/c/idea/398904/ The two proposals have the same long-term timeline and goals, however whereas the previous proposal set the stage for linking Pathform micro-practices with Architex cognitive styles, the present proposal deepens that link with added AI capability. Crucially, the present proposal has an additional focus on concerted innovation and development of micro-practices, which is required to have properly optimal dovetailing with Architex cognitive styles so as to be sufficiently refined and widely useful for the end-user. With the present proposal, users get the repertoire of micro-practices and the AI capability to deliver the functions needed to fulfill project aims.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Rating

Goal 3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages