MSU researchers using artificial intelligence to detect early signs of Alzheimerâs disease Researchers at Michigan State University are working towards detecting early signs of Alzheimer's Disease using artificial intelligence. and last updated 2021-07-16 21:17:49-04 EAST LANSING, Mich. â Changes in the way a person walks, talks, and sleeps can be early indications of Alzheimer's disease. Researchers at Michigan State University are working on ways to track those changes to create a warning system for the onset of dementia that could be downloaded onto a smartphone. "The main impact of this research is that we can come up with this AI system where we can have this early dementia detection using very affordable and accessible technology, and you don't have to go to a specialist," said Jiayu Zhou, an associate professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. "The app would be communicating with and working together with our machine learning model, and then we'll be able to tell you, 'Hey you got some risk for early dementia and perhaps you should see a physician or see your primary care doctor.'"