First-of-its-kind AI Avatar provides support for people living with dementia
Rachel Pritchard reports on the innovation which it's hoped could transform care for those with Alzheimer’s and dementia.
A woman from Lancashire has told how she's helping a tech firm create artificial intelligence which can support people living with Dementia.
The first Alzheimer's Avatar, named Liv, is being described as a potential technological breakthrough.
Designed using the experiences of those who have the disease, it helps provide social interaction and maintain communication skills.
More than 100,000 people in the North West live with some form of the condition - with that number expected to rise to nearly 150,000 by 2040.
Gail Gregory, a 56-year-old from Blackpool was diagnosed with young-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
She participated in the focus groups which informed the development of the tech and knows first hand the importance of realistic and relatable advice.
Gail said: "The thing is, when you get a diagnosis of dementia, like I did five years ago, when when you leave that clinic or consultation room, you feel quite numb and everything's sort of a blur.
"So you come out of that room and you haven't answered the questions that you you might want to answer, because it's just been a big shock for you."
Gail got help through an online support group recording video diaries about her life.
That support and expertise has now been turned into an AI avatar, with the hope even more people can be helped.
Steve Milton, Director, Innovations in Dementia and project lead for the Dementia Diaries, explained: "Lenovo came to us and said, 'How would you like us to help you take all of this wisdom and all of this knowledge and all of this compassion and put it into a virtual avatar that has been named Liv?'.
"That can be there as a direct contact between all the wisdom in these diaries, and people who are sitting at home having just received their diagnosis of dementia - and we thought that was a pretty good idea."
The scientists brought the technology to Gail's house so she could try it out. She said: "It was quite scary at first, because you're speaking to a robot, but once you get used to that, it's quite useful.
"The strangest thing was, though, because I'm from Lancashire and I have a very broad Lancashire accent, she was actually picking up some of my Lancashire accent, which was quite scary at first.
"But it brought a few laughs in the room."
Gail added: "I'd like people to know that dementia is not all about the end stages. I would urge people to find peer support groups and get involved, and your life will change.
"I've turned everything around now, from being negative and not knowing what was going to happen to my life, to being positive."
The AI avatar isn't publicly available yet as the scheme needs more funding, but it's hoped this technology could one day help make a positive difference to the millions of people living with Alzheimer’s and dementia.
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