The invention “Interactive Artificial Intelligence-Based Hypnotherapeutic Computer System and Related Software Product” has been granted patent protection by the Patent Office of the Republic of South Africa. The patent has been awarded to the University of Silesia in Katowice. The inventors are Ania Malinowska, PhD DLitt, and Przemysław Jasielski.
The invention combines hypnotherapy with artificial intelligence technology in an innovative way. The system uses a microphone to receive users’ voice commands and a display to present dynamic visual representations generated by AI algorithms. A key component is an induction-word recognition module that identifies specific words and phrases commonly used in hypnotherapeutic practice and triggers corresponding system responses in the form of changing molecular animations.
The system guides users through three stages of a hypnotherapy session—activation, calming, and awakening—each associated with distinct visual patterns that differ in colour, speed, movement arrangement, and particle dispersion. A notable feature of the invention is the semiotic inconsistency of the visual representations: the generated images are intentionally unrelated to the semantic meaning of the spoken commands, constituting a deliberate therapeutic technique. The system records the course of interactions and optimises its responses based on the individual reactions of each user.
The invention reflects the growing interest in the application of artificial intelligence in mental health support and technology-assisted therapy.
This is the first patent in the history of the University of Silesia in Katowice to be granted in South Africa and one of only a few university patents protected outside Poland.
„Artificial Intelligence-Based Interactive Hypnotherapeutic Computer System and Related Software Product”