By Nicola Davis
Publication Date: 2026-03-18 19:30:00
AI software that can be embedded into smart glasses has won a £1 million prize for technology to help people with dementia.
The technology – known as CrossSense – is built into chunky black-rimmed frames that have a camera, microphone and speakers, and guides the wearer through everyday life with the help of a chatty assistant called Wispy.
Not only can Wispy provide prompts and feedback during tasks – through verbal cues and text that floats in front of the wearer’s eyes – but it can also ask questions, engage in casual conversation, and help remember.
The software won the Longitude Prize on Dementia, one of several awards designed and awarded by Challenge Works and supported by Nesta.
Funded by the Alzheimer’s Society and Innovate UK, the prize aims to support the development of technologies to help people with dementia remain independent for longer. It is estimated that around 150 million people worldwide will be living with dementia by 2050.
