This article was originally written by Sam McEvans for SWNS — the U.K.’s largest independent news agency, providing globally relevant original, verified, and engaging content to the world’s leading media outlets.
New AI glasses could be a game-changer for helping people with dementia live more independently — and they may be available through the U.K.’s National Health Service, or NHS, as soon as 2027. Developed by CrossSense, the glasses have already wowed test users and a panel of judges after supporting patients in their homes.
Last week, the London-based tech company was awarded the prestigious Longitude Prize on Dementia, funded by the Alzheimer’s Society and Innovate UK. CrossSense CEO Szczepan Orlins said the $1.3 million grand prize will be used to accelerate research on the glasses and work on making them publicly available within the next year.
“The prize’s panel of international expert judges agreed that the winning solution was a genuine breakthrough technology with revolutionary potential for people living with dementia and their families,” a press release noted.
Fiona Carragher, chief policy and research officer at Alzheimer’s Society, said the glasses “are a prime example of harnessing technology to develop intuitive personal support that complements care given by humans,” per SWNS. “By anticipating people’s needs as their condition progresses, easing daily living challenges, and providing additional reassurance to families, this revolutionary tech will allow people with dementia to maintain their independence for longer within the familiar environment of home.”
So how do they work? Paired with an AI companion called “Wispy,” the glasses can guide those with early-stage dementia through daily activities by identifying everyday objects and familiar faces, providing audio commentary, and projecting visual prompts onto the lenses.
Wispy learns a person’s unique way of doing things by asking gentle questions, and adapts to each user’s needs as their dementia progresses. The AI will even talk someone through what to do when they can’t remember a particular step in a process. This can help those with dementia feel confident in their own home, take good care of themselves, plan the day ahead, complete planned activities, and host friends and family.
Weighing just 2.6 ounces, the specs work with prescription lens inserts and are hearing aid compatible. A built-in battery lasts for one hour, and a portable power bank can keep them running all day long.
CrossSense’s team of AI engineers spent over a decade creating and tweaking prototypes, training the glasses with dozens of everyday activities like getting dressed, managing household chores safely, making a cup of tea, and interacting with loved ones. In test trials, 3 out of 4 patients reported a significant improvement to their quality of life due to Wispy’s tips.
There is currently no cure for dementia, and the number of people worldwide living with the progressive condition is projected to increase significantly — from approximately 57 million in 2019 to over 152 million by 2050. “Dementia is a dreadful condition which affects millions of people and their loved ones in all parts of the U.K., and I’m proud of how innovators and scientists across the country are making breakthroughs which deliver the dignity, care, and support people deserve,” U.K. Minister for Science Patrick Vallance told SWNS. “CrossSense’s work will help people living with dementia lead more independent lives in confidence.”
Carole Grieg, a 70-year-old with dementia from the Sutton borough of London, agrees. She founded a support group called ForgetMeNots, works closely with the nonprofit Age UK Sutton, and has contributed to dementia research with King’s College London and the NHS. After trying the new glasses, Grieg is convinced they could help dementia patients maintain their independence, and hopes they will benefit her personally as her own condition develops.
“For many of us, our world slowly becomes smaller as the condition progresses. Innovations like this offer real hope, and I know that as my own circumstances change, I will certainly be relying on them,” she said. “I thought it was an amazing concept, with the potential to provide real, reliable support for people like me, helping to compensate for the cognitive skills we gradually lose as dementia progresses.”
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