First Photorealistic AI Avatar for People Living with Alzheimer’s and Dementia Launched by Lenovo and Innovations in Dementia
Lenovo, in collaboration with Innovations in Dementia, has launched Alzheimer's Intelligence, a photorealistic 3D avatar with custom AI based on the experiences of people with dementia and Alzheimer's. This proof-of-concept project offers 24-hour access to a conversational avatar providing curated advice with accuracy, privacy, and compassion.
The avatar, named 'Liv', was created using AI technology and Lenovo's comprehensive portfolio of solutions. It aggregates firsthand experiences and advice from hundreds of people living with dementia into a responsive, photoreal 3D avatar capable of natural conversation. The project aims to support the estimated 55 million people globally living with dementia, a number expected to reach 139 million by 2050.
Alzheimer's Intelligence prioritizes accessibility and natural interaction, allowing newly diagnosed individuals to ask questions that only someone with lived experience can answer. The avatar is currently being trialed in a controlled environment with the goal of future public availability.
Lenovo, in collaborazione con Innovations in Dementia, ha lanciato Alzheimer's Intelligence, un avatar 3D fotorealistico con intelligenza artificiale personalizzata basata sulle esperienze di persone affette da demenza e Alzheimer. Questo progetto di prova offre accesso 24 ore su 24 a un avatar conversazionale che fornisce consigli curati con precisione, privacy e compassione.
L'avatar, chiamato 'Liv', è stato creato utilizzando tecnologia AI e il portfolio completo di soluzioni di Lenovo. Aggrega esperienze dirette e consigli da centinaia di persone che vivono con demenza in un avatar 3D fotorealistico e reattivo capace di conversazioni naturali. Il progetto mira a supportare gli 55 milioni di persone a livello globale che vivono con demenza, un numero che si prevede raggiunga i 139 milioni entro il 2050.
Alzheimer's Intelligence dà priorità all'accessibilità e all'interazione naturale, consentendo alle persone di recente diagnosi di fare domande alle quali solo chi ha esperienza diretta può rispondere. L'avatar è attualmente in fase di sperimentazione in un ambiente controllato con l'obiettivo di essere disponibile al pubblico in futuro.
Lenovo, en colaboración con Innovations in Dementia, ha lanzado Alzheimer's Intelligence, un avatar 3D fotorealista con inteligencia artificial personalizado basado en las experiencias de personas con demencia y Alzheimer. Este proyecto de concepto ofrece acceso 24 horas al día a un avatar conversacional que proporciona asesoramiento curado con precisión, privacidad y compasión.
El avatar, llamado 'Liv', fue creado utilizando tecnología de IA y el completo portafolio de soluciones de Lenovo. Agrega experiencias y consejos de primera mano de cientos de personas que viven con demencia en un avatar 3D fotorealista y sensible capaz de mantener conversaciones naturales. El proyecto tiene como objetivo apoyar a los 55 millones de personas en todo el mundo que viven con demencia, una cifra que se espera alcance los 139 millones para 2050.
Alzheimer's Intelligence prioriza la accesibilidad y la interacción natural, permitiendo que las personas recién diagnosticadas hagan preguntas que solo alguien con experiencia vivida puede responder. Actualmente, el avatar se está probando en un entorno controlado con el objetivo de estar disponible al público en el futuro.
레노버(Lenovo)는 Innovations in Dementia와 협력하여 알츠하이머 인텔리전스(Alzheimer's Intelligence)를 출시했습니다. 이는 치매와 알츠하이머를 앓는 사람들의 경험을 바탕으로 한 맞춤형 AI를 가진 포토리얼리스틱 3D 아바타입니다. 이 개념 증명 프로젝트는 정확성, 개인 정보 보호 및 연민을 거론하는 조언을 제공하는 대화형 아바타에 24시간 접근할 수 있는 기회를 제공합니다.
'Liv'라는 이름의 아바타는 AI 기술과 레노버의 종합 솔루션 포트폴리오를 사용하여 만들어졌습니다. 이는 치매를 앓고 있는 수백 명의 사람들로부터 수집한 직접적인 경험과 조언을 집계하여 자연스러운 대화가 가능한 반응적인 포토리얼 3D 아바타로 변환합니다. 이 프로젝트는 전 세계적으로 약 5,500만 명이 치매를 앓고 있으며, 이 숫자가 2050년까지 1억 3,900만 명에 이를 것으로 예상되는 상황에서 지원하는 것을 목표로 합니다.
알츠하이머 인텔리전스는 접근성과 자연스러운 상호작용을 우선시하여 새로 진단받은 개인들이 오직 체험한 사람만이 대답할 수 있는 질문을 할 수 있도록 합니다. 현재 아바타는 공개될 미래를 목표로 통제된 환경에서 시험 운영되고 있습니다.
Lenovo, en collaboration avec Innovations in Dementia, a lancé Alzheimer's Intelligence, un avatar 3D photoréaliste doté d'une IA personnalisée basée sur les expériences des personnes atteintes de démence et d'Alzheimer. Ce projet de preuve de concept offre un accès 24 heures sur 24 à un avatar conversationnel fournissant des conseils curés avec précision, confidentialité et compassion.
L'avatar, nommé 'Liv', a été créé en utilisant la technologie IA et le portefeuille complet de solutions de Lenovo. Il agrège les expériences directes et les conseils de centaines de personnes vivant avec la démence dans un avatar 3D photoréaliste et réactif capable de conversations naturelles. Le projet vise à soutenir les 55 millions de personnes vivant avec la démence dans le monde, un chiffre qui devrait atteindre 139 millions d'ici 2050.
Alzheimer's Intelligence donne la priorité à l'accessibilité et à l'interaction naturelle, permettant aux personnes récemment diagnostiquées de poser des questions auxquelles seule une personne ayant vécu l'expérience peut répondre. L'avatar est actuellement en cours d'expérimentation dans un environnement contrôlé dans le but d'être disponible au public dans le futur.
Lenovo hat in Zusammenarbeit mit Innovations in Dementia Alzheimer's Intelligence gestartet, ein fotorealistisches 3D-Avatar mit maßgeschneiderter KI, basierend auf den Erfahrungen von Menschen mit Demenz und Alzheimer. Dieses Konzept-Testprojekt bietet rund um die Uhr Zugang zu einem Gesprächsavatar, der kuratierten Rat mit Genauigkeit, Privatsphäre und Mitgefühl bietet.
Das Avatar, genannt 'Liv', wurde unter Verwendung von KI-Technologie und Lenovos umfassendem Lösungsportfolio erstellt. Es aggregiert direkte Erfahrungen und Ratschläge von Hunderten von Menschen, die mit Demenz leben, in ein reaktionsschnelles, fotorealistisches 3D-Avatar, das natürliche Gespräche führen kann. Das Projekt zielt darauf ab, die geschätzten 55 Millionen Menschen weltweit zu unterstützen, die mit Demenz leben, eine Zahl, die bis 2050 voraussichtlich 139 Millionen erreichen wird.
Alzheimer's Intelligence priorisiert Zugänglichkeit und natürliche Interaktion, indem es neu diagnostizierten Personen ermöglicht, Fragen zu stellen, die nur jemand mit direkten Erfahrungen beantworten kann. Das Avatar wird derzeit in einer kontrollierten Umgebung getestet, mit dem Ziel, es in Zukunft der Öffentlichkeit zur Verfügung zu stellen.
- Lenovo launched an innovative AI-powered avatar to support people with Alzheimer's and dementia
- The project demonstrates Lenovo's commitment to developing responsible AI for underserved communities
- Potential to provide 24/7 support and information for individuals newly diagnosed with dementia
- The Alzheimer's Intelligence avatar is still in the proof-of-concept stage and not publicly available
- to a controlled trial environment, which may delay widespread access to the technology
Alzheimer’s Intelligence project demonstrates how smarter AI can empower people and give different communities a voice around future innovation
'Liv' the Alzheimer's intelligence avatar being used by Ahmad Krayem, one of the focus group participants involved in the Lenovo project. (Photo: Business Wire)
“Globally there are around 55 million people living with dementia, and that number is expected to reach 139 million by 2050,” said Dr. David Llewellyn, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology and Digital Health. "The AI advancements in Lenovo's 'Alzheimer’s Intelligence' initiative demonstrate how technology has the potential to enhance human interaction, offering a valuable tool to support individuals living with dementia, both in the present and future."
In this first-of-its-kind application, Lenovo pioneered the use of AI made possible by its comprehensive portfolio of technology solutions, from individual to enterprise. The combined technology aggregates firsthand experience and advice from hundreds of real people living with dementia and Alzheimer’s into a responsive, photoreal 3D avatar capable of having an unscripted, natural conversation. With this proof of concept, a person diagnosed with dementia is just a click away from a real-time conversational resource and aid.
“With recent and ever-growing advancements in AI, we must harness this technology purposefully and responsibly for communities that may be overlooked by innovative technology,” said Doug Fisher, Chief Security and AI Officer at Lenovo. “This is part of our commitment to delivering Smarter AI for All—developing and deploying technology that can empower everyone at every scale.”
The avatar was created from a composite of images of 10 people living with dementia and Alzheimer’s. From the initial pose of each image, generative AI extrapolated faces for several thousand other expressions and angles inspired by the subject. These were then aggregated into one dataset, which blends with the face of a filmed performer to create the image of "Liv," the AI avatar.
A large language model (LLM) dataset of the advice Liv can impart was created using data that came directly from experiences of people living with dementia, including entries from Innovations in Dementia’s Dementia Diaries project and in-depth panel interviews. Each time a user asks a question (via Speech-to-text), the LLM queries the dataset to provide text-based answers to the user's question, expressed using the language of the "persona" created for Liv, and based on the knowledge base built for Liv. The replies are then voiced using a vocal synth created for the project. "Sentiment analysis" is used to analyse the underlying feeling of the reply, which is reflected in the facial expression of the AI when it speaks. Finally, real time 4k visual AI is used to allow the speech generated by the vocal synth to appear to be spoken in real time.
Alzheimer’s Intelligence will allow people who have recently been diagnosed with dementia to ask the questions that only someone who has lived with the disease can answer, including understanding day-to-day challenges, discussing the disease with family, and exploring new hobbies. Crucially, the entire experience was designed to be accessible, requiring minimal tech expertise and prioritizing natural, familiar interaction.
The avatar is currently being trialled by people with dementia in a controlled environment with the goal of making it more publicly available in the future. The making of the project and initial interactions have been captured in the films linked below.
The Alzheimer’s Intelligence project offers a new way to easily access valuable insight sourced from data based on real people living with dementia and Alzheimer’s. While the information is wide-ranging, the development team took great care to apply clear guardrails to the AI and ensure no medical advice is offered by the avatar. This included working closely with Dr. Llewellyn and Innovations in Dementia, who both advised and consulted on the avatar build and testing.
The AI was trained and tested for this specific use case, and the project was designed and brought to life with Lenovo devices, services, software, servers, and cloud solutions. This is the first time ever that Lenovo AI-ready solutions have come together to develop an avatar of this kind. Devices and solutions include:
- Lenovo’s tech partner Kaleida, who led the development of the avatar and underlying AI, leveraged Lenovo’s AI professional services to support the processes and security
- ThinkStation P7server, ThinkPad T14s Gen 6, and ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 AIPC laptops, as well as Lenovo Legion and ThinkVision monitors and accessories.
“When people are first diagnosed with dementia, they can feel lost, with so many questions about what is happening. This AI doesn’t replace human contact but what it does do is offer a knowledgeable and compassionate source of assurance and advice based directly on the experiences and wisdom of other people with dementia.” said Steve Milton, Director, Innovations in Dementia. “It’s great to see tech leaders like Lenovo prioritising such an innovative use of AI in a way that not only recognises and the expertise of people with dementia but harnesses it in such a unique way to support others when they need it most.”
Innovations in Dementia state that around
“We recognize the importance of giving everyone a voice in innovation,” commented Doug Fisher at Lenovo. “With huge advancements in AI and smarter technologies, now is the time to explore and pilot creative new ways to use technology like AI thoughtfully and responsibly, for the greater good. Ultimately, it’s about re-imagining a future where technology is for—and from—all, giving everyone a voice in what they want from the most transformative technology of our generation.”
Gail Gregory and Ahmad Krayem, focus group participants comment…
- “It’s so important to have real people involved in the creation of the avatar. Because the people with dementia are the experts. We’re the ones living with it. You can’t just grab things from a textbook because it’s not real. It must be real. And the more realistic it is the more relatable it is. I think it is going to be a very useful tool, especially for people living on their own because they’ve got nobody to ask,” Gail Gregory.
- “I want to help other people who have been recently diagnosed with dementia and reassure them that it is not something to be afraid of. A doctor can tell you what medication to take. But only people living with dementia, can tell you what they are exactly going through,” Ahmad Krayem.
Watch the Alzheimer’s Intelligence video here
The participants in this film include:
Gail Gregory: Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at age 55, Gail also subverts the commonly-held stereotypes of a person living with dementia. She can broach serious topics with humour, and is candid in her opinions and struggles.
Ahmad Krayem: Ahmad was only diagnosed with early onset in his early 60s after insistence from his wife, who was a pharmacist, that he should go for a check-up. Ahmad found stopping work a big challenge and has been through a journey of denial and acceptance. He talks passionately about helping others who’ve gone through this.
Alzheimer’s Intelligence is a proof-of-concept tool and is not publicly available, but for anyone looking to hear from people living with Alzheimer’s or dementia diagnosis, can contact Innovations in Dementia (
Examples of interactions with the avatar:
Q: I keep forgetting to take my pills. How can I remember?
A: It's quite common to forget things like taking medication. Perhaps setting a routine could help, like taking your pills with a meal or at the same time each day. You could also try setting an alarm or reminder on your phone. There are pill organisers, too, which can be useful. Would one of those options suit you, do you think?
Q: How do I talk about my diagnosis with friends and family?
A: Talking about your diagnosis with friends and family can be a daunting task, but it can also help to bring support and understanding. Start by sharing how you feel today and maybe a bit about what you've learned about your condition. Encourage them to ask any questions, as this can help them understand what you're going through. It’s okay to be honest about any fears or concerns you have, as well. Do you think that might be helpful?
About Lenovo
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View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241015879964/en/
Stuart Gill, sgill@lenovo.com
Source: Lenovo
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