Therapeutic area

Alzheimer's disease

Developing digital tools to study early cognitive changes, track everyday function, and support people living with dementia and their caregivers.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive brain disorder and the most common cause of dementia. It affects memory, thinking, and the ability to manage daily tasks. Difficulty remembering recent events is often an early symptom, although the first symptoms and rate of progression vary. Over time, changes in language, judgment, behavior, and mobility can increase the need for support.

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NIH funding supports our Alzheimer's disease research

Support from the National Institute on Aging, part of the NIH, has helped advance our research on cognitive and functional assessment, home exercise, and dementia care coordination.

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Our research in AD

Our research in AD and related cognitive impairment explores digital technologies to identify changes in cognition and everyday function, evaluate exercise programs, and support dementia care. We study these tools alongside established assessments to understand their potential value for research and care.

Digital tools to study early cognitive changes

Brief cognitive tests can miss subtle changes, and repeated testing can introduce practice effects. We are studying speech, cognitive-motor performance, and gait as complementary measures of cognitive impairment. Standardized tasks support assessment in the clinic or remotely; their use for earlier diagnosis requires further validation.

  • Speech biomarkers

    In a study of 59 older adults, a model using four reading-derived speech features distinguished participants with and without cognitive impairment with 88% precision and 76% balanced accuracy. Some speech features correlated with Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores. These exploratory results require confirmation in independent cohorts.

  • Dual-task cognitive-motor assessment

    A video-recorded, 20-second elbow flexion-extension task performed while counting backward assesses cognitive-motor performance. In a study of 18 adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia, video-derived measures showed agreement with wearable sensor measures, and selected measures correlated with cognitive scores and dual-task gait speed.

  • Gait and instrumented cognitive-motor tasks

    Studies of detailed gait measures and an instrumented trail-making task have identified associations with cognitive status. A proof-of-concept study found group differences among people with no cognitive impairment, amnestic MCI, and AD, supporting further investigation of these potential cognitive-motor measures.

Tracking cognitive and functional change in daily life

Across our studies of cognitive impairment and dementia, we combine wearable sensors with digital assessments of activity, gait, balance, speech, and cognitive-motor performance. We also study interactions with everyday objects to understand daily activity. Repeated measurements at home can complement clinical assessments and help researchers study change between visits.

  • PAMSys

    A pendant sensor that measures walking, postural transitions, and time spent in different activities during daily life.

  • LEGSys

    Wearable sensors that quantify walking speed and other gait measures during standardized assessments, including at-home study visits.

  • BalanSens

    Wearable sensors that quantify body sway during standardized balance tests.

  • BioDigit Speech

    Standardized speech tasks and automated analysis for studying speech characteristics and their relationship to cognitive function.

  • BioDigit Video

    Video-based analysis of standardized movement tasks, including upper-extremity performance during a concurrent cognitive task.

  • Daily activity monitoring

    A research platform combining wireless object tags and a pendant sensor to study daily activity through object interactions and movement patterns.

Digital exercise to support function and quality of life

People with cognitive impairment may need tailored instructions and support to exercise at home. Tele-Exergame combines wearable sensors, interactive games, and remote supervision. Our research evaluates its feasibility, acceptability, and effects on cognitive-motor function, including in an NIA-funded randomized trial.

  • Tele-Exergame

    An interactive home exercise platform that translates sensor-recorded movements into games with real-time visual feedback and supports remote supervision through telemedicine.

  • Designed for cognitive impairment

    Exercises combine movement with cognitive tasks. In a small feasibility study, adults with MCI or dementia used the system at home twice weekly for six weeks and reported favorable attitudes toward it. The findings support further evaluation of effectiveness.

  • Clinical trial evaluation

    The randomized trial compares Tele-Exergame with home exercise without the platform over 12 weeks in adults with cognitive impairment or dementia. Wearable and video-based measurements complement clinical assessments. UCLA's May 2026 study listing reports the trial as active, not recruiting.

Digital tools to support dementia care

Dementia care often involves coordinating routines across family members and care partners. Developed with support from the National Institute on Aging and collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine, Nili brings together care scheduling, reminders, and activity information to help families manage daily routines.

  • Care coordination for care partners

    Nili combines a caregiver app with a companion tablet for the person receiving care. In an early study of the research platform, dementia care experts, people with dementia, and caregivers reported favorable perceptions of ease of use and usefulness after a demonstration.

  • Daily routines and activity information

    Wireless tags record interactions with everyday objects to provide context about daily routines. These signals can help caregivers follow up on scheduled tasks, but an object interaction alone does not confirm medication use, food intake, or hydration.

  • Goal-aligned care with wearables

    In a small study of older veterans with cognitive impairment, wearable activity data supplemented self-reports when evaluating personal goals such as walking. This approach can inform discussions among participants, caregivers, and clinicians.

Clinical studies in cognitive impairment and dementia

Our studies investigate digital measurement and interventions across cognitive impairment, dementia, and related aging research. Follow-up schedules and recording periods differ by protocol. Study details below reflect public records reviewed in September 2026; enrollment figures refer to the linked study or the identified published analysis.

Our research partners

We collaborate with academic medical centers on studies of cognition, everyday function, and dementia care.

  • Baylor College of Medicine
  • University of California, Los Angeles

Selected publications and presentations

Advance Alzheimer's disease research with digital measures

Explore digital measurement for Alzheimer's disease research. Discuss research collaborations, study protocols, and data access with our team.

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