People suffering from the early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease often have difficulty remembering things that recently happened to them. As the disease takes root, a person’s reasoning and behaviour can change. Day-to-day routines — like handwashing — may become challenging for them and they begin to need more assistance from caregivers for simple tasks.
But now there is technology that can help.
Jesse Hoey, a professor in the Cheriton School of Computer Science, has combined artificial intelligence with mathematical models of human interaction to create a virtual solution to help older adults living with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
The home-based technology, called ACT@Home, acts as a virtual assistant that can automatically monitor a person doing a task and offer verbal prompts to encourage them to start and complete tasks.