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There are at least 50 million people living with memory-related diseases globally, and the number is expected to double over the next 20 years.

Current screening methods are not very effective in identifying individuals who are at significantly elevated risk of developing dementia. Early detection is crucial, as the progression of the disease can be significantly slowed with lifestyle changes such as a healthy diet, regular physical activity, proper treatment of cardiovascular conditions, and cognitive rehabilitation.

Researchers at Aalto University are developing mobile brain-body imaging (MoBI) for dementia risk detection. With MoBI a diverse range of brain and body signals are measured — an EEG cap measures brain activity, EMG sensors record muscle activity, ECG sensors monitor cardiac function, and smart glasses track eye movements.   This approach will help study what happens in the brain as a person moves through everyday environments—such as walking in a park.

“As dementia progresses, it also affects movement, such as gait changes and difficulty with daily tasks. We’re interested in the kind of data that reveals these changes. Machine learning and AI will help us process complex datasets and detect subtle signs linked with dementia. Our goal is to create a diagnostic platform that allows older adults to receive an indication of elevated dementia risk from just a 10-minute walk,” says research fellow Shrikanth Kulashekhar.