A sensor-based framework to support clinicians in dementia assessment: The results of a pilot study

Abstract

This paper presents the main mechanisms of a sensor-based framework to support clinical diagnosis of people suffering from Alzheimer disease and dementia. The framework monitors patients at a lab environment while trying to accomplish specific tasks. Different types of sensors are used for monitoring the patients, while a graphical user interface enables the clinicians to access and visualize the results. Sensor data is semantically integrated and analyzed using knowledge-driven interpretation techniques based on Semantic Web technologies. Moreover, this paper presents encouraging preliminary results of a pilot study in which 59 patients (29 Alzheimer disease –AD– and 30 mild cognitive impairment –MCI) participated in a clinical protocol. Their analysis indicated that MCI patients outperformed AD patients in specific tasks of the protocol, verifying the initial clinical assessment.