The new project from Heriot-Watt University is designed to reduce the cost of diagnosis as well as allow for more regular monitoring and health assessments. It is thought it could be particularly useful for those living with conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive impairments.

The technology has been developed at the University’s National Robotarium, a research facility that has been supported by £21m from the UK government.

Dr Mauro Dragone from the National Robotarium: “With gaps between assessments lengthening, the care and support that is being prescribed to assist vulnerable people may become unsuitable as an individual’s physical and cognitive abilities change over time.

“Our prototype makes use of machine learning and artificial-intelligence techniques to monitor smart home sensors to detect and analyse daily activities. We are programming the system to use this information to carry out a thorough, non-intrusive assessment of an...