Abstract:
In this webinar, Dr. Diane Cook (Washington State University) introduces the concept of digital twins as a powerful framework for modeling the health, behavior, and environmental context of older adults in real time. Drawing from years of research in smart homes and pervasive computing, Dr. Cook explains how sensor-based monitoring can be used to build personalized digital representation, i.e. “twins” of individuals, enabling proactive support for aging in place.
This talk outlines the components and lifecycle of a digital twin, including data streams from ambient sensors, activity recognition, anomaly detection, and health trajectory modeling. Dr. Cook highlights applications in detecting changes in daily routines, predicting health risks, and informing interventions before crises occur. She shares findings from longitudinal studies, discusses the potential for integrating AI with environmental and behavioral data, and emphasizes the importance of ethical design and user privacy.
Attendees will learn how digital twin models can enhance caregiving, support independent living, and offer new avenues for personalized, preventive health strategies in aging populations.
Biography:
- Diane J. Cook, PhD, Regents Professor and Huie-Rogers Chair in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Washington State University
- Dr. Cook is the founding director of the WSU Center for Advanced Studies in Adaptive Systems (CASAS) and co-director of the WSU AI Laboratory. She is a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the National Academy of Inventors, and the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). Diane’s work is featured in the BBC, IEEE the Institute, IEEE Spectrum, Smithsonian, the White House Fact Sheet, Scientific American, the Wall Street Journal, AARP Magazine, HGTV, and ABC News. She is a pioneer in the research of human activity recognition, sensor-based data analysis, and AI applications for healthcare. In particular, her research has focused on developing AI-driven smart environments that can learn human behavior patterns and support individuals, especially those with cognitive impairments, in their daily lives.