Sensing mood to counteract dementia

With this paper we want to stimulate discussion about the use of mobile and unobtrusive sensing devices for detecting relevant mental and emotional states in patients, to provide for optimally timed assistance and care for persons with dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this paper, an exemplary scenario is described to illustrate ways in which mobile and non-obtrusive devices can be used to support caregivers of persons with dementia by monitoring their patient's cognitive and emotional state and communicating relevant information to their caregivers. We also suggest that if the actual state of the patient is known in this way, then the environment could itself adapt to meet his or her current needs. For example, a person may be shielded from certain kinds of communication when these would prove distressing. Other examples include system-guided breathing exercises to improve relaxation, or the initiation of periods of interactive game play for sensory, cognitive, and physical stimulation, as appropriate to the detected state and therapeutic regime.