I-Corps: Aging in Place with Artificial Intelligence-Powered Augmented Reality

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of augmented reality solutions that address challenges of aging at home. Fifty-four million older adults aged 65 and older live in the U.S. By 2050, that number will grow to almost 90 million, comprising nearly 20% of the U.S. population. This technology may help older adults stay physically, cognitively, and socially active to help combat physical and mental decline while in the comfort and safety of their own home. The potential benefits for the U.S. include reductions in healthcare costs and social services requirements, and improvements to the overall wellness of communities across the country. This I-Corps project is based on the development of generative artificial intelligence (AI). The generative AI algorithms “make sense” of one’s environment and procedurally generate scenarios in games and other interactive experiences. These algorithms have been previously demonstrated in a variety of lab environments and adapted for use in other technologies including video games. The techniques are ready to be transitioned to commercially available augmented reality experiences that “expand the world” for people aging at home and beyond. Core technologies may be deployed on tablets, phones, and augmented reality-specific hardware such as headsets as capabilities and adoption advance. In addition, the solution could allow content creators to rapidly specify compelling experiences that may be adapted to any user environment. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.