Pilot B5 – Impairment Science

This is part of the monthly MassAITC webinar series. Abstract:  This webinar explored cutting-edge technologies aimed at improving early detection and monitoring of cognitive and functional impairments in older adults. Dr. Kate Papp (Mass General Brigham) opened the session by highlighting the challenges of traditional clinical assessments—lengthy, labor-intensive, and inaccessible to many—and the promise of scalable, remote, and ecologically valid digital tools to address the growing needs of an aging population. Three MassAITC pilot awardees presented innovative approaches: Dr. Eric Larson (Sonde Health) discussed testing a vocal biomarker platform that leverages AI to detect and monitor cognitive impairment via smartphone-based voice samples collected in home environments. Early findings show high participant engagement and promising accuracy in distinguishing cognitive status. Dr. Jennifer Stamps (Rendever) shared progress on a multimodal virtual reality (VR) fitness platform that combines physical exercise,…