Hi, DTx 'Alzguard' to Launch Integrated Dementia Service

Agreement Signed with Chungbuk Jeungpyeong-gun Senior Welfare Center

DTx 'Alzguard' by Hi follow-along eye-tracking test screen (Photo by Hi)

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] Digital therapeutics (DTx) specialist company HiGA announced on the 6th that it recently signed a business agreement with the Chungbuk Jeungpyeong-gun Senior Welfare Center to provide integrated dementia services and establish a health, medical, and welfare network.

The signing ceremony held at the Jeungpyeong-gun Senior Welfare Center was attended by HiGA Director Kim Ho-young and Jeungpyeong-gun Senior Welfare Center Director Kim Yong-ye. Both parties agreed to carry out dementia screening tasks using HiGA’s artificial intelligence (AI) dementia screening tool, Alzguard, aimed at screening and improving mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in the elderly.

Based on the results of this pilot project, they plan to jointly propose the service to other areas such as Guro-gu in Seoul to provide integrated dementia services and build a health, medical, and welfare network. HiGA will utilize the latest 'Alzguard Short' (tentative name), which has accumulated a large amount of data in this project. Alzguard Short has upgraded the user interface (UI) based on the user base, reducing the test time by 60% compared to the previous version, enabling rapid dementia detection within 10 minutes.

Through Alzguard Short, HiGA screens MCI in men and women aged 65 to 85 who are at risk of cognitive decline by using game formats such as ▲matching numbers ▲picture memory ▲situational awareness ▲following instructions ▲memorizing and reciting sentences ▲choosing large numbers ▲quick viewing.

Kim Yong-ye, Director of Jeungpyeong-gun Senior Welfare Center, said, “Early detection and prevention of dementia are very important, but it is not easy to comfortably receive MCI screening near one’s home. By detecting dementia early through MCI screening tests, we aim to suppress progression to severe stages and improve symptoms to enhance quality of life, which is why we decided to participate in the pilot project with HiGA.” Kim Jin-woo, CEO of HiGA, also stated, “Starting with this agreement, we plan to expand collaboration not only with Jeungpyeong-gun but also with welfare centers nationwide,” adding, “We are also promoting cooperation with nursing hospitals and silver towns.”