Zhanat Makhataeva, PhD candidate in Robotics Engineering at Nazarbayev University School of Engineering and Digital Sciences, on the human memory augmentation app she is developing

A very common problem amongst older people is the development of cognitive disorders. This results in more round the clock care needed which can be very expensive. But it’s not all doom and gloom as there is a solution being developed that will help. Zhanat Makhataeva, PhD candidate in Robotics Engineering at Nazarbayev University School of Engineering and Digital Sciences, has developed an app for digital headsets called ExoMem , an AR-based human memory augmentation system.

Zhanat talks about the app, the equipment used with the app, future versions of the app, the freedom users will have, and Microsoft HoloLens. Zhanat also talks about how developing the app came about, how improving technology has helped, battery life, memory, trying to live a normal life, future plans for the project, AI, and her internship with Microsoft in London.

More about the app Zhanat is developing:

The app works by recognising and remembering objects and their location to aid individuals and mitigate the effects of conditions such as dementia or Alzheimer’s.

Zhanat believes that AR head-mounted displays, computing technologies, and AI algorithms can significantly benefit research in assistive systems and human-technology interaction, especially for people affected by cognitive impairments and memory decline.

The augmentation of hearing and vision in humans, which can help both healthy people and people with cognitive impairments, is a possible direction for AR and AI research. By restoring the perception and memory functions of people with cognitive impairments, we can improve not only the lives of patients, but also those around them.