# Phase IIB - Smart Eyewear Assistant for the Support of Seniors and their Caregivers in the Long-term Care Setting

> **NIH NIH R44** · GEN-9, INC. · 2020 · $888,198

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Addressing the rapidly growing need for affordable, high-quality, long-term elder care is, and will remain, one of
the most daunting challenges facing healthcare over the next several decades. The costs associated with long-
term care for the elderly are skyrocketing. By 2030, spending for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid will
grow to almost 60% of the federal budget, driven largely by the cost of this care. Long-term care in the home
may represent a potential solution to controlling the public cost of this care. Over 90% of seniors and their
families prefer long-term care in the home rather than institutional care. However, changing demographics
resulting from longer lifespans and lower birthrates result in fewer children and grandchildren available to care
for an increasing number of elders. Population growth among those aged 65–74 are projected to increase to
32.8 million in 2020 and 38.6 million in 2030. The number of individuals aged 75–84 is expected to reach 30.1
million by 2040 and those aged 85 and older is expected to reach 14.1 million. These demographic changes
are further exacerbated by the increasing cost of home care delivery, which is disproportionately borne by
family members. All of these factors can and do lead to financial hardship for the family and/or social isolation
and decreasing care quality for the elder.
The application of appropriate technology presents the best option to support both family and professional
caregivers in providing this care while keeping costs under control. However, no technical solution can be
viable without the participation of the senior receiving the care. Unfortunately, current technology tends to
intimidate elders with complex screen menus, stigmatize them with inappropriate form-factor designs and/or
are limited by their communication capabilities, which do not extend outside of the confines of the home when
the elder is most vulnerable to emergencies.
Our working hypothesis is that a cellular-connected mobile communication and monitoring tool, in the form of
an ordinary-looking pair of eyeglasses and equipped with an entirely voice-activated interface can address
these requirements and in so doing support both family and professional caregivers in providing this care.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9986576
- **Project number:** 5R44AG046969-06
- **Recipient organization:** GEN-9, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Mark A Fauci
- **Activity code:** R44 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $888,198
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2014-08-01 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9986576

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9986576, Phase IIB - Smart Eyewear Assistant for the Support of Seniors and their Caregivers in the Long-term Care Setting (5R44AG046969-06). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9986576. Licensed CC0.

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