AI Tools to Detect Dementia under Development in Japan

Tokyo, June 5 (Jiji Press)–Efforts are underway in Japan to develop artificial intelligence-based tools that will help detect dementia at an early stage, including one that analyzes how people walk.

Those tools are expected to lower risks of elderly people failing to notice that they have the condition and see a doctor early or roaming around, easing concerns of those people and their families.

Since February, Ridgelinez Ltd., a Fujitsu Ltd. unit that offers consulting services, has been working with the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center and AI startup Noel Inc. to develop a system that will detect characteristics seen in the way people with dementia walk.

Using AI-based posture recognition technology adopted in Fujitsu’s judging support system for artistic gymnastics competitions, the tool will find signs of dementia like small steps from video footage taken at cameras in public facilities, allowing people around those with such symptoms to talk to them about the possible problem.

The three entities involved in the development of the tool will work on information management rules for privacy protection and conduct analysis in cooperation with nursing care facilities, to put it into practical use in fiscal 2027.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]