SK Chemicals and SK Plasma Donate AI Dementia Prevention Program

SK Chemicals is donating a dementia prevention artificial intelligence (AI) program together with SK Plasma.

On the 22nd, SK Chemicals announced that it will additionally distribute the AI-based cognitive improvement program "SoundMind" to 45 elderly day and night care centers nationwide. Last year, SK Chemicals began distribution together with SK Bioscience, and this year it is partnering with SK Plasma.

SK Chemicals employees are demonstrating the AI-based cognitive function improvement program 'Sound Mind.'
[Photo by SK Chemicals]

Last year, SK Chemicals supplied the program to 75 elderly day and night care centers. By distributing SoundMind to an additional 45 centers this year, a total of 120 centers will operate the dementia prevention program.

SoundMind is a cognitive and language training program developed by the social venture Idware. Utilizing proprietary voice recognition and AI technology, it helps prevent dementia or delay symptoms in high-risk groups such as the elderly and those with mild cognitive impairment. Based on over 60 brain training contents in the areas of memory, language, perception, thinking, and attention developed in collaboration with clinical experts including neurologists and university speech pathology departments, cognitive tests are conducted every 12 weeks. According to the results, the AI selects and recommends training tailored to the individual's characteristics.

SK Chemicals reported that a comparison between a high-risk group who used SoundMind for 12 weeks and a control group who did not use the program at elderly day and night centers where the program was distributed last year showed a 12% improvement in cognitive function. They explained that this effect corresponds to preventing cognitive decline for three years.

Kim Yun-ho, head of SK Chemicals’ Pharma Business, said, "It has been confirmed that this program can prevent the onset of dementia in high-risk groups or delay the worsening of early mild patients. We will continuously monitor the distribution effects and continue efforts to solve social issues such as dementia prevention."