Osakidetza, the Basque Country’s public health service, presented a research project on 21 September exploring the use of augmented reality glasses . The aim is to help people with Alzheimer’s remain independent for longer in everyday activities. The immediate occasion is World Alzheimer’s Day, when the Basque Country’s health service outlined the plans.
The planned application overlays virtual elements on the user’s real-world surroundings. These augmented reality overlays are intended to provide visual and, where needed, audio prompts to guide users through routines step by step, for example when preparing simple meals, taking medication or carrying out personal care. Those responsible hope that clear, context-specific instructions will reduce errors, ease the burden on relatives and care workers, and delay dependence in everyday life. Osakidetza also stresses that the technology is intended to provide support, not replace professional or family care.
According to the health service, the project is in the research and development phase. Plans include technical testing, usability assessment, and evaluation of safety and effectiveness in appropriate settings. Data protection, ethical issues and accessibility for older people are to be addressed before use in the home is considered. The developers also point out that reliable recognition of the user’s current everyday situation through sensors and software is essential for precise guidance — an area that must be validated with people affected before the application is used.
The initiative is part of Osakidetza’s broader digital strategy, which ranges from telemedicine to rehabilitation aids. With the newly announced work on augmented reality glasses, the focus is on cognitive support in the home. Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia are seen as a growing care challenge in Spain and in the Basque Country , making solutions that extend autonomy and target resources effectively increasingly necessary.
Timeframes and cost plans beyond the development phase were not announced on Monday. It also remains to be decided which patient groups and everyday situations would be suitable for the subsequent practical test. One thing is clear: only once the glasses’ technical suitability, the protection of personal data and acceptance among users have been demonstrated could the augmented-reality glasses be tested on a larger scale.
Editor: Clara Simonichek (Article created with AI assistance).