Emotionally intuitive AI - featuring Professor Jesse Hoey

Tuesday, July 16, 2019

Waterloo researcher develops cognitive assistive technology for people with Alzheimer’s disease

By Stephanie Longeway
University Relations

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 at-home tasks.

But now there is technology that can help.

Professor Jesse Hoey, a University of Waterloo computer scientist, 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.

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