# Improved AD/ADRD Assessment Sensitivities Using a Novel In-Situ Sensor System

> **NIH NIH R44** · BIRKELAND CURRENT LLC · 2020 · $1,992,588

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
 Accurate assessment of daily functions for individuals at risk for and with
AD/ADRD, is fundamental to detection, diagnosis, and characterization of its progression
and prescribed treatments. Current assessment techniques typically rely on non-
continuous, discreet observations provided from a third party and covering single or
limited performance domains. With significantly larger portions of American’s choosing to
age in place, any assessment technology must be able to be in-situ (low-cost, ubiquitous)
and operate without user interface (autonomous) to provide objective, cross-domain, and
continuous daily function measurements and reporting.
 The primary objective of this fast track SBIR project is to demonstrate the feasibility
and effectiveness of using the Birkeland Current Sovrin IoT system to continuously and
accurately assess daily functions, ADLs, and IADLs, for persons experiencing cognitive
decline in a home or assisted care settings. This includes direct comparison with an
accepted assessment technique, ADCS-ADL/23. Machine learning and artificial
intelligent techniques will be employed to identify novel subfactors for improved
sensitivities from available sensor data combinations. Secondary objectives include
establishing a significant data set of detailed daily actions (<10 sec resolution) for 100+
individuals with AD/ADRD. Long-term goals support future intervention studies through
improved assessment tools with enhanced sensitivity to early and mid-stage decline.
 The Birkeland Current Sovrin IoT system makes use of patented proximity-based
energy monitoring and control sensors, data analytics and change detection algorithms
to continuously monitor activities of individuals in a home or assisted care environment.
Intelligent power-strips and battery-based sensors located throughout the home or facility,
monitor real time absolute location of individuals, caregivers, and devices they interact
with. Correlation of high-fidelity data allows accurate determination of activities,
attribution to a specific individual, mobility measurement, and behavior assessment
across traditional and novel ADL/IADL categories. Birkeland Current is teamed with
Texas A&M Center for Population Health and Aging, Georgia, Tech Institute for People
and Technology, Baylor Scott and White Division of Gerontology, and multiple home-care
and assisted-care facilities, in the development of the study approach, implementation
plan, analytics tools, and applications to aging populations and future intervention studies.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10131376
- **Project number:** 4R44AG065118-02
- **Recipient organization:** BIRKELAND CURRENT LLC
- **Principal Investigator:** John E Fitch
- **Activity code:** R44 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $1,992,588
- **Award type:** 4N
- **Project period:** 2019-08-01 → 2022-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10131376

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10131376, Improved AD/ADRD Assessment Sensitivities Using a Novel In-Situ Sensor System (4R44AG065118-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10131376. Licensed CC0.

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