Technology
Our Technology Goal
Our goal is to use technology to improve the lives of people with mild cognitive impairment and their Care Partners through the creation of non-intrusive and engaging interventions that guide and reinforce personalized therapy, support daily activities in the home, encourage physical activity, and foster social engagement.
Members and Care Partners of the program will play an active role in helping us answer the following questions:
- What types of technology interventions best empower people with MCI, their Care Partners, and their healthcare team?
- What data sensed in everyday settings best depicts the makeup of MCI, including evidence of decline, evidence of forestalling disease progression, and evidence of engagement in therapeutic programs?
- How can technology be integrated into the physical environment to respond to everyday activities and improve health outcomes?
- How do people with mild cognitive impairment, and their Care Partners, strive to use technology in everyday life?
Technology Developments
- We have developed a technology infrastructure designed specifically for individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Although this is not the first instance of a technology infrastructure for individuals with MCI, this is likely the first to be integrated closely with a comprehensive therapeutic program in a space designed for data collection.
- Our developed technologies are designed to support what Members and Care Partners learn in the program. As an example, technology researchers have developed an app for Members and Care Partners which helps increase engagement and adherence to the programming being offered. In addition, we also collect novel clinical markers of empowerment and engagement. Some of these markers include smart sensor technology spread throughout the program space, which are designed to non-intrusively collect data while maintaining privacy.
- The Congnitive Empowerment Program also encompasses an innovative in-home sensing component which will collect a variety of data to identify the positive impacts that the program has on Members' lives. Sensors will be placed in a Members home in various locations. The sensors will not collect any audio or visual data, but instead will collect data on motion, medication use, driving, temperature, sleep pattenrs and more. In the spirit of empowerment, the input of our Members and Care Partners is used to improve and futher develop the program. Participation in the in-home sensing component is optional.
- Our technology team within the program is a key component to our program's success. Our program allows individuals with MCI to interface directly with technology experts to both learn from them and provide information to them that is relevant to tech development. Together, our technology experts, Members, and Care Partners work as a team with a data driven mindset to develop innovative technologies that enrich the lives of those with MCI.
