AI conversational coach to deliver STEADI fall-prevention for older adults with and without mild cognitive impairment
Official title: Implementing and Scaling the STEADI Fall Prevention Algorithm Using a Conversational Relational Agent for Community-Dwelling Older Adults with and without Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI).
Funded at Friendi.fi Corporation · NIH-11370764 · Data updated 2026-11-12
An easy-to-use virtual coach will guide older adults, including those with mild memory problems, through the CDC's STEADI fall-prevention steps to help reduce falls and keep people safer at home.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Friendi.fi Corporation NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Millbrae, United States) |
| Project start | September 26, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $916,460 |
| NIH project number | 4R44AG085913-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11370764 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are community-dwelling adults aged 65 and older, including those with mild cognitive impairment, who can use or have help using a tablet/phone and are concerned about falls.
✕Less likely to help
People living in skilled nursing facilities, those with advanced dementia who cannot engage with a virtual coach, or those without access to the required device or internet may not benefit from this program.
What this research studies
You would interact with a friendly conversational agent (a virtual coach) that asks about your fall history, guides balance and strength activities, and reminds you about safety steps from the CDC STEADI program. The system is designed to work for community-living older adults and to adapt communication when someone has mild cognitive impairment. The project focuses on scaling this approach so more people can use it without large clinic visits, and it includes ways to share results with caregivers or clinicians. Participation likely involves using a tablet or phone app and occasionally connecting with a program team or partner organization.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could make proven fall-prevention care easier to use and more widely available, lowering falls, injuries, and related hospital visits.
How similar studies have gone: Multifactorial programs based on STEADI have reduced fall risk in prior work, and digital/telehealth fall programs show promise, but using a conversational relational agent to scale STEADI is a relatively new combination.
Where this research is happening
-
Friendi.fi Corporation
Millbrae, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kerssens, Chantal M — Friendi.fi Corporation
- Study coordinator: Kerssens, Chantal M
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Using a Conversational AI to Help Older Adults Prevent Falls at Home
A small, practical project uses a chat-based AI coach to help people 65 and older follow proven steps to prevent falls, including those with mild cognitive impairment.
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Technology to support thinking and social life for older adults with mild cognitive impairment
A multi-site program is developing an adaptive software to help older adults with mild cognitive impairment stay sharp, manage daily tasks, and stay socially connected.
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How everyday relationships affect memory and dementia risk in diverse twins
A long-term study in ethnically diverse twins explores how everyday social experiences, like loneliness or warmth from others, relate to mild cognitive impairment and the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
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Understanding how difficult social experiences affect memory and dementia risk in diverse twins
This project looks at how challenging social experiences might influence memory problems and the risk for Alzheimer's and related dementias in a diverse group of twins.
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Technology for Thinking Skills and Social Connections in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment
This project aims to create and test smart software that helps older adults with mild memory problems improve their daily activities and stay connected with others.
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Improving Neurological Health with Brain Training for Mild Cognitive Impairment (INHANCE-MCI)
A computer-based brain training program is being tested to help people with mild cognitive impairment maintain thinking skills and daily functioning.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.