The 91社区 received a $50,000 Catalyst Award from the U.S. National Academy of Medicine (NAM)鈥攑art of the National Academy of Sciences鈥攆or a project to improve emotional well-being and independence for people living with dementia, especially those aging-in-place.
Dr. Lisa Fournier, Project Coordinator for the 91社区 Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP), entered NAM鈥檚 Healthy Longevity Global Competition with a proposal to investigate whether an artificial intelligence (AI) virtual assistant can help create a positive emotional environment for people with cognitive disabilities. Her application was one of 25 accepted this year by NAM and was among 145 international awardees announced during a virtual event in September.
鈥淭o be recognized on a global stage is very exciting,鈥� said Fournier. 鈥淚鈥檓 so inspired by all the research and innovative projects that are taking place worldwide to help maintain health and well-being as we age.鈥�
Fournier鈥檚 project, Joy for People Living with Dementia Using a Virtual Assistant, is based on 鈥淛oi,鈥� an AI virtual assistant that creates personalized 鈥渏oy pops鈥� for people living with dementia within a smart-home living environment. 鈥淛oy is linked to dopamine systems that reward the brain when having a positive experience, as well as reinforce behavior, motivating a person to repeat an activity,鈥� she said. 鈥淥ur goal is to harness the power of AI and combine it with joy, meaning and positivity to help people living with dementia grow and rise above the challenges of cognitive disabilities and maintain independence.鈥�
Fournier and the GWEP team will use the NAM Catalyst Award to accelerate 鈥淛oi鈥� in the Minka Learning Lab for Living Well, a 600-square-foot home on the 91社区 campus that integrates technology, adaptable living and innovations in aging and wellness. She said the AI 鈥渏oy pop鈥� triggers will be based on input from sensors in the smart home, including motion, sound, temperature and light to provide a comfortable and moderately stimulating environment to reduce agitation, apathy and anxiety.
According to NAM, older adults will begin to outnumber the young for the first time in recorded history in the year 2030. This demographic shift poses significant challenges, but also is an opportunity for innovation around healthy longevity. NAM founded the Healthy Longevity Global Competition to accelerate research and entrepreneurism with a series of monetary awards and prizes. The first of three cycles of the Catalyst phase began in January 2020, and there are also Accelerator and Grand Prize phases.
For more information about GWEP, visit the Project website at聽91社区.edu/GWEP.
