A new study is finding out whether smart-glasses could provide support for people with dementia for their everyday activities around the house.

The study will test an app called CrossSense which links to the smart-glasses. The app will provide audio and visual support for people with dementia. The aim is to help them interact with their environment.

How do the glasses work? 

The app adds a digital layer of words and voice reminders to connect objects to their names and what they are used for. This could hopefully help people with dementia remember loved ones and objects, whilst also being able to carry out everyday activities. The app was designed together with people living with dementia. 

Professor Julia Simner, Professor of Neuropsychology at the University of Sussex, says: “For someone living with dementia everyday tasks can be made extremely difficult as they often misplace items or struggle to retrace their steps to find them. 

“Testing new digital technologies, including augmented reality and AI, could help shape the future of treatment and care for those living with dementia. Through this study we hope to assess the impact of the smart-glasses intervention on memory and quality of life in people living with dementia.”

What does the study involve? 

The research session will last up to 2 hours and will take place in the person’s own home, where 2 researchers will visit for the session.

Those taking part will be given questionnaires and asked to complete tasks with and without the glasses on. The study is looking to recruit people aged 75 and under living with dementia and their carers.

The study is recruiting participants through Join Dementia Research until December 2025. It is led by University of Sussex and funded by the Longitude Prize on Dementia. The Longitude Prize on Dementia is funded by Alzheimer’s Society, UKRI Innovate UK and Nesta Challenge Works. CrossSense is a project developed, delivered and owned by Animorph Co-operative.

To find out if you are eligible to take part in a dementia study, sign in to your Join Dementia Research account. Or if you are not already registered, sign up today.