Once detected, alerts are triggered within the system and the patient is issued with key intervention tools to assist in offsetting this decline in real time – and days ahead of time.

Federation University is designing a series of treatment programs using these technology, the first being LIFE FleX, which targets anxiety and depression.

The program is the brainchild of Professor Britt Klein, one of Australia's pioneers in online mental health treatment programs. In 1998, with the late Professor Jeff Richards, she created Panic Online, one of the first digital therapy programs for panic disorder. She later directed the eTherapy unit and the National eTherapy Centre, with David Austin, launching one of the world's first full service e-clinic's, Mental Health Online.

LIFE FleX is underpinned by what's called a biopsychosocial model – where the patient's biological, social and psychological functions (thoughts, emotions and behaviour) are equally considered.

The most ground-breaking aspect of the platform is the emerging predictive technology that enables the system to monitor people 24 hours a day and automatically intervene early, where necessary. These functions are based on predictive algorithms based on 60,000 hours of biometric data and 5000 mood surveys gathered from volunteers in a study that has been running for year.

At pre-assessment participants filled out mental health and wellbeing questionnaires, provided four saliva samples, a blood sample. Their resting heart rate variability was measured. And they undertook three computerised cognitive tests.

Participants were then provided with a biometric device – to be worn 24 hours a day for eight weeks – that continuously measured their heart rate, activity levels and intensity, sleep metrics, skin temperature and perspiration. An Affective App was installed on their mobile phones and during each day they would receive five SMS alerts at different times asking them to complete a comprehensive mood survey.

After eight weeks, researchers met with the participants again and repeated the questionnaires, bloods and saliva samples, and cognitive tests.

Says Professor Klein: "Although we will look at this data in many different ways, our first goal is to find common clustering and networks of key variables that co-occur when a person's mood, anxiety or stress levels begin to decline over a period of time. Once a common set of reliable variables are identified, predictive algorithms can be developed so that this decline is picked up far earlier in the cycle."

Professor Klein says LIFE FleX is a more sophisticated digital program than existing web-based treatments that largely focus on cognitive based therapy (CBT).

"CBT is an effective therapeutic model but it was developed in the last century and since this time much more research has been generated," she says. "LIFE FLeX provides more than just the standard CBT by also incorporating the latest evidence around neurobiological factors and the importance of also increasing positive affect and wellness levels."

There is considerable evidence that web-based treatments are effective, including several peer-reviewed studies that found outcomes that were comparable with face-to-face therapy. This week the federal government, in its response to Review of Mental Health Programmes and Services the National Mental Health Commission's report, has pledged to put a major focus on digital mental health.

Programs such as MoodGym have also shown that they can help to reduce suicide thoughts. But many of the existing web-based programs, at present, don't have mobile capability.

There are dozens of apps available that work as simple therapeutic aids that provide breathing control or mindfulness-based guided audios, for example, which can help people in real time when they are panicky or highly stressed. But there is evidence lacking around their effectiveness to change behaviour in isolation.

Professor Klein's program combines the depth of a web-based program with the real-time benefits of an app. The aim is to make a unified e-health platform available to healthcare professionals and researchers, and to people who would otherwise not consult a health professional. One million Australians experience a mood disorder and 2.3 million experience an anxiety disorder in a 12-month period, and the majority do not access mental health services such as a GP.

The predictive technology – and automatic interventions – will be trialled in a Stage 2 roll-out of LIFE FleX from May next year.

Federation University has put out a call for volunteers aged 18 and over to participate in an open trial of LIFE FleX. The program is being offered for free, using an open trial design. After consenting to the study, participants create an account and answer some pre-program questionnaires. People will then receive immediate access to LIFE FLeX at www.lifeflex.fedehealth.org.au