IMAGS (http://imags.eamir.org) is a research effort focused on addressing chronic pain through music. This software was developed by biomedical engineer Ava Mattimore and music technologist V.J. Manzo as part of this effort. Though music is already known to cause pain relief, our project called the Music-induced Analgesia Genome Study (IMAGS) is interested in discovering which aspects of music reduce chronic pain the most. The project team consists of a music therapist, a medical doctor, a music technologist, and a music educator. IMAGS was initially developed in response to the overuse of opioids for the treatment of chronic pain, which has unfortunately led to a national epidemic of overdose and addiction.
The IMAGS software system has two components: a client application that tracks patients’ song selection while they rate their pain through sensors and other controls, and a host application to allow researchers to view and aggregate gathered data from the client application (via patients). IMAGS Data Viewer—this software system—allows researchers to identify what types of music could be used to supplement or replace opioid pain relief. This database can inform the development of algorithms for pain relief playlists according to listeners’ music preferences and listening needs. As a turnkey solution for others, the IMAGS platform is targeted toward medical practitioners and researchers seeking to use these tools to gather data from patients. The IMAGS team is also exploring self-directed solutions for individual end-users who experience chronic pain.
Additionally, IMAGS seeks to provide a mobile peer support system that promotes users’ existing interest in using music to help manage their pain in a mindful and effective way by connecting users to a community of peers who share similar pain management goals. Through this music-centered social network, users can learn about additional supports in the community that best suit their needs. Thus the primary aim is to support users’ self-efficacy in pain management, and also foster meaningful social connections through music.
Visit http://imags.eamir.org for more information
The IMAGS Data Viewer software is an open-source project made available as part of EAMIR (http://eamir.org) and the Interactive Music Systems Lab at WPI (http://ims.vjlab.org) here:
https://github.com/EAMIRorg/IMAGS
A repository and a step-by-step video guide for building your own Arduino-based galvanic skin response sensor for use with the IMAGS IMAGS Data Viewer software is available in this repository:
The IMAGS GSR hardware is an open-source hardware is an open-source project available here:
https://github.com/EAMIRorg/GSR