Time Machine is an evidence-based progressive web app designed to help people connect with themselves and others in positive, loving ways. It is based on the effectiveness of "time-travel narratives" — a proven therapeutic method that supports people in getting to know, forgive, and love their internal representations of their past, present, and future selves.
Our team created Time Machine because in our own lives, we knew how lovingly connecting with all aspects of ourselves — even the parts we were ashamed of or afraid of — have helped us survive and even thrive. We wanted to bring this idea to an accessible technology that does not support negative interactions or addiction. We call this type of technology, "Hope Technology."
The Time Machine functionality was tested in a pilot study of 96 participants who used the app for 26 days. We found that overall wellbeing scores, time perspective, physical symptoms of stress scores and feelings of unconditional love all improved over the 26 days. Read our paper to learn more about the pilot study. There is some evidence that unconditional love specifically was active in causing the improvement in overall wellbeing scores.
