Driving Tech: A New Way to Spot Early Signs of Dementia

Did you know that by 2050, around 50 million people worldwide could be affected by Alzheimer's disease and related dementias? That's a huge number, and it's important to catch these conditions early. One way scientists are trying to do this is by looking at how well people drive. You see, before people get dementia, they often have something called Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). This is where their thinking skills start to slip a bit, but it's not always easy to spot. Doctors usually check for MCI with tests, but these aren't done very often. Researchers have come up with a new idea called the Smart Driving System. It's like a special tool that fits in your car and uses something called AI to watch how you drive. It can also check things like your heart rate and how you're feeling. All this helps it figure out if you might have MCI. The best part is that this system doesn't bother you while you're driving. It's like a secret helper, always on the lookout for signs of MCI. Scientists are working hard to make this system even better and to test it out in real cars.