Situation: Globally, 70M people are on the autism spectrum. They suffer panic attacks and anxiety crises due to hyperacusis (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: 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 ASD collective.

The first smart noise canceling app that protects ASD people and those with hearing disorders from stressful noises. An advanced AI that continuously listens, pinpointing every sound before cross-referencing in real-time with thousands of audio libraries to suppress only the noises that affect them.

Unfear is a 5-function multi tool. Its 2 main filter modes are the smart cancellation of external sounds and the sound wave modification of mobile content (games, video, social networks and music). But it also has a focus mode, a SOS button and a calm mode that plays binaural sounds through a voice recognition to help the affected return to a normal state.

Our strategy focused on helping a forgotten audience by providing them with a multifunctional tool that helps them to listen live without fear to the usual noises.

Phase 1: Testing phase: We tested the app with over 100 people. ASD people, their families, doctors, psychotherapists, developers and engineers helped us create Unfear.

Phase 2: Organic spread: During International Autism Awareness Day, we launched our free app to generate downloads and start the conversation in the news. More than 100 international media covered it and the main Spanish ASD associations which we created the app with, helped to spread the news among the collective.

Phase 3: We launched a video testing the app during the noisiest holiday in Spain with an ASD kid proving this tech in the real world. We are planning to highlight Unfear on other relevant spanish dates throughout the year while spreading the results with ASD influencers.

Unfear has been developed by programmers, engineers, doctors, therapists and 10 of the most important ASD associations in Spain. Unfear was designed hand to hand with ASD people to make it accessible through pictograms and help all users to understand its functions. We also developed a tutorial explaining how easy, intuitive and functional the app is.

Timeline: We spent 9 months testing and developing it. During the launching phase (3 months) we are working with ASD influencers and organizations to create video testimonials in different cultural events (music festivals, sport events, folk parties) showing the potential of Unfear and inviting people to try it.

Scale: Unfear was launched for ASD people with hyperacusis but the scale is not limited to the Autism collective. Any person with Sound sensibility can use it and benefit from it. Meaning that over 7% of Spaniards can be impacted by Unfear on the next years.

To date the results are promising. Unfear had a positive rating of 4.9/5 in the testing phase and has been scientifically endorsed by the Spanish Society of Psychiatry and Mental Health. The reviews from specialized doctors and ASD associations have been great so far.

Since its launch, the promotional videos gained 1M of earned media around the globe.

During the first months of the app in the market, Samsung has donated over 100 Galaxy Buds2 Pro to the main ASD associations to increase the use of the app, give visibility to the collective and reaffirm with facts the brand's commitment to help with the use of technology.

Unfear continues the work done by Samsung in its Technology with Purpose campaign. For a decade, it has worked on more than 30 projects with an investment of €25M to help and improve people's lives through technology and innovation.