Situation: Globally, 70M people are on the autism spectrum (ASD). They suffer panic attacks or anxiety crises due to hyperacusis, a hearing sensitivity to specific noises, such as barks, sirens or construction works.

Brief: Actual noise cancellation technology blocks all noises for people with autism. But this also isolates them. Samsung needed a smart and universal solution to suppress the noises without limiting the lives of over 450K ASD Spaniards.

Objective: Use an existing Samsung technology: Galaxy Buds2 Pro earphones. Through this wearable device we create an A.I. app that suppresses certain noises and improves the quality of life of people with ASD. With Unfear, we transform actual Samsung devices into an effective and free tool that gives a new audio experience and interaction with the world to the autistic community.

Spain is one of the most sociable countries in the world and also one of the noisiest, so it is natural that a tool that allows those affected to interact with the environment and people has been very well received. Unfear goes beyond noise cancellation, creating a great solution for a normally forgotten audience, the autistic community.

This new app, which provides greater emotional well-being and a better quality of life for people with ASD and acoustic sensitivity, was launched at the end of March 2023, in order to get some traction during World Autism Awareness Day on April 2. Launching it on this date helped us to highlight their needs in front of everyone.

Unfear is a smart noise cancellation app that protects people with ASD and hearing disorders. Using advanced AI, it recognizes and suppresses stressful noises in real time by continuously listening and pinpointing each sound before cross-referencing thousands of audios through its 5 functions:

OUTSIDE SOUND MODE automatically cancels ambient noises selected by the user through an educated algorithm with more than 2M sounds.

MOBILE CONTENT MODE equalizes the sound coming from the phone, to offer an adapted audio. It has 4 programs: Movies, Video games, Social networks and Music.

FOCUS MODE mutes ambient sound except for conversations. Only the user's voice reopens the microphones and interrupts the mode.

CALM MODE automatically plays a relaxing audio when the user is upset. This allows the user to calm down and return to normal.

Strategy centered on a usually forgotten target providing them with a tool that helps them listen live with no fear to noises allowing them to be in any environment.

Phase 1: Unfear was tested with ASD people, their families, doctors, psychotherapists and engineers to achieve a useful tool.

Phase 2: Unfear was released to the media during International Autism Awareness Day. With over 100 international media covering our tool created in collaboration with Spanish main’s ASD associations who helped spread the news throughout the collective.

Phase 3: A video showing the app during Fallas, the loudest Holiday in Spain was launched. There an ASD kid enjoyed this fireworks festival for the 1st time.

Phase 4: Currently, we are working to implement Unfear to other noisy scenarios where its function can be useful (sporting events, concerts, cultural festivals). In addition to launching the app in more countries and languages.

Unfear was built during 9 months by a multidisciplinary team of developers, engineers, doctors, therapists and the 10 most important ASD associations in Spain. During its research, production and testing, all of them provided feedback to improve the tool.

At the end of March, before launching the app on April 2, International Autism Awareness Day, we also obtained the scientific endorsement of the Spanish Society of Psychiatry and Mental Health.

100% of the app was designed hand in hand with people with ASD to make it accessible through pictograms and help all users understand its functions.

To date, the results are positive. From +5,000 downloads with a user rating of 4.7/5, to testimonials from professionals in the medical sector and a scientific endorsement. In addition, more than 200 local and international media, both general and advertising industry, talked about Unfear, achieving 1M earned media.

This has helped to increase downloads and usage of the app, give visibility to the ASD community and reaffirm Samsung's commitment to help through technology. In addition, during the app's first months on the market, the brand donated 100 Galaxy Buds2 Pro to leading autism associations to promote its use and demonstrate its effectiveness.

Unfear continues the work done by Samsung in its Technology with Purpose (TCP) campaign. For more than a decade, the brand has worked on more than 30 projects investing more than 25 million euros to help and improve people's lives through technology and innovation.