Serdang, 21 March – The Malaysian Research Institute on Ageing (MyAgeing®), UPM in collaboration with the IEEE Circuits and Systems Society (IEEE CAS), hosted a public lecture entitled "Aging Without Dementia: How Can AI Help?". The session was well attended by 47 participants, including academicians, researchers, students, and members of the public.

The keynote speaker was Prof. Dr. Mohamed Elmasry, FRSC, FIEEE, FCAE, FEIC, Emeritus Professor of Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo, who is a globally respected authority in Artificial Neural Networks. Prof. Elmasry is also the author of two recent works: iMind: Artificial and Real Intelligence (Routledge, 2024) and Dementia: Evidence-based Lifestyle Guidelines (Barnes & Noble, 2025).

During his talk, Prof. Elmasry addressed dementia as a growing global health concern, pointing out the widening gap between lifespan and healthspan. While life expectancy in many countries has reached 80 years, healthspan—the number of years lived in good health—remains around 65. As a result, many seniors spend over 15 years coping with chronic conditions, including dementia.

He emphasized that Artificial Intelligence (AI) can serve as a powerful tool for the early detection and management of dementia. At the same time, he noted that prevention remains key, stressing the importance of physical, mental, and spiritual health in maintaining cognitive well-being as we age.

Prof. Elmasry encouraged participants to “engage the sensors in our body and mind and use them regularly,” highlighting the need to train memory and active focus. He also noted that mind and body health are equally important and that preventive habits must begin from a young age.
The lecture also introduced future research directions, including the reverse-engineering of the human brain to better understand ageing-related challenges and drive technological solutions in elder care.

This public lecture offered timely insights into the intersections of AI, ageing, and dementia prevention, reinforcing MyAgeing®'s role in advancing knowledge and innovation to improve the quality of life for the older population.

Tarikh Input: 21/03/2025 | Kemaskini: 21/03/2025 | n_asyikin