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Support the development and commericialization of wearables that can increase rigor in measuring environmental exposures and intervention dosing for various non-pharmacological modalities (e.g., light, sound, sleep, physical activity).
2026 PAS-19-316: Advancing Research on Alzheimer's Disease and Alzheimer's-Disease-Related Dementias (R43/R44 Clinical Trial Optional, Re-issue of PAS-18-187) RFA-AG-21-009: Artificial Intelligence and Technology Collaboratories for Aging Research (P30 – Clinical Trial Optional) NOT-AG-21-048: Digital Technology for Early Detection and Monitoring of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias PHS-2024-1: Technology to facilitate characterization of the exposome in under-resourced populations for AD/ADRD Studies 11.D Achieved Support the development and commericialization of wearables that can increase rigor in measuring environmental exposures and intervention dosing... DN 2015 AD Summit: 4D 2017 Dementia Care Summit: 12.2, 12.3 and 12.4 2018 AD Summit: 5K Workshop: Cost Effective Early Detection of Cognitive Decline Enabling Technologies and Disease Monitoring Toward Next Generation Data on Health and Life Changes at Older Ages Careband: Wearable Technology for People with Dementia (CK) Artificial Intelligence and Technology Collaboratories: Awarded Pilot Studies Projects funded under NOT-AG-20-017 in FY22 2016
Launch at least 10 projects conducting research and commercialization efforts towards the development of wearable sensors that can be used to quantify:
- disease monitoring.
- environmental exposures.
- intervention dosing for non-pharmacological modalities.
Summary of Key Accomplishments
NIA is supporting several projects on the use of digital technology, including wearables and sensors, designed to detect changes in physical activity and sleep, for example, that may signal early cognitive decline before typical symptoms are identified by cognitive assessments or biomarkers. The ongoing Artificial Intelligence and Technology Collaboratories (AITCs), funded by NIA at the end of fiscal year 2021, are major infrastructure projects that will serve as a national resource to promote the development and implementation of artificial intelligence approaches and technology to improve care and health outcomes for older Americans, including persons living with dementia and their care partners. The work of the AITCs includes developing approaches to handling the vast amount of data collected from wearables in a way that enables clear analysis, providing pilot funding for projects to develop novel wearable and home sensor technologies, and developing low-burden wearables and hand-held technology tailored to the needs of older adults with AD/ADRD. To date, there have been 125 Pilot Studies awarded through AITC.
NIA also supports a growing portfolio of small business grants in this space. One example is the “digital InteGrated behavioral treatmeNt for comorbid obesITy and deprEssion among racial and ethnic adults aged 50 and older (IGNITE),” a project that tests the efficacy of a fully digital I-CARE intervention, combining a virtual coach for depression management with a video-based program for weight loss. In this fully remote clinical trial, participants receive a tablet, a wireless weight scale, and a wearable activity tracker to determine the intervention effects on the primary depressive symptoms and weight loss outcomes, identify predictors of treatment success, and characterize the experiences and perceptions of intervention participants to inform future development and translation.
The key accomplishments summary is current as of September 2025.