Smart faucet to help people with Alzheimer's with drinking, hygiene, and cooking
Official title: Active-H2O: Sensor driven smart faucet to empower independent living for individuals impacted by Alzheimers disease and dementia
Funded at Nasoni LLC · NIH-11176322 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A sensor-driven smart faucet that makes drinking, bathing, cooking, and medication-related water tasks easier for people with Alzheimer's and dementia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Nasoni LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Suffolk, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,274,724 |
| NIH project number | 5R44AG087731-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11176322 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Older adults with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease or dementia who have trouble initiating or sequencing water-related daily activities and live at home or with a caregiver.
✕Less likely to help
People with very advanced dementia who cannot respond to prompts or those in homes where the device cannot be installed may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project builds a smart faucet that uses sensors and control algorithms to detect what part of a water task I'm trying to do and then adjust flow, pressure, and temperature while offering simple task reminders. The faucet connects to a cloud system so caregivers can receive alerts or reminders if I miss steps like taking medication or washing. Engineers will test the device in controlled settings and in real homes to fine-tune the sensors, software, and user prompts. The aim is to reduce mistakes, speed task initiation, and support safer independent living at home.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could make water-based daily activities safer and more reliable, helping people with Alzheimer's remain independent and reducing medication errors and emergency visits.
How similar studies have gone: Related smart-home and assistive technologies have shown promise for supporting daily activities in dementia, but sensor-driven smart faucets are a newer, less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Nasoni LLC
Suffolk, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Waddell, John Steven — Nasoni LLC
- Study coordinator: Waddell, John Steven
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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.