CogAI is a new kind of psychological assessment, an autonomous psycholobot. A machine that can do psychological assessment all by itself.

Traditionally in psychological assessment a psychologist administers a test to a persons or asks them a structured set of questions. After this the psychologist scores the test or analyses the answers and from this may draw some conclusions.

With CogAI, there is no psychologist, instead an AI Robot, uses computer speech to ask questions, speech recognition to listen to answers and Natural Language Processing to score the test or analyse the answers and then from this an AI may draw some conclusions.

The CogAI test is conducted over the phone, in under 8 minutes, by an AI Psycholobot which uses speech recognition and AI to replace the psychologist. The advantage of this is that the CogAI is more available, assessment can take place at any time that suits the person being assessed (including out of office hours) and is generally more accessible than assessment by a psychologist. It also has a quick turn around (instant), sending a report of the assessment results to the referring clinician in a few seconds after the assessment is completed. 

Who is the CogAI for?

People aged 60 years and over, but the CogAI will not work for and is not recommended for some people who:

• have problems with hearing
• have problems with speech (including not having good English)
•  are on medications or have an illness that interferes with mental processes
• already have dementia or cognitive problems

For the CogAI to produce a valid result, the person needs to be able to clearly hear the 15 questions asked and to be able to respond in good time, speak in a clear voice and speak in English.

 In General terms, it will be a valid assessment in relatively healthy older people, free of the above. Referring clinicians will need to use their judgement when considering if to refer.

Can the CogAI be used to diagnose dementia or Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)?

No. The CogAI can only assess cognitive wellness, it cannot assess for dementia or cognitive decline. If a person gets a below normal score on the CogAI, it could be due to a large number of reasons, such as hearing, speech, medications or illness. The only valid way to diagnose clinical conditions such as dementia or Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is to have a comprehensive assessment at a Memory Clinic. If you are concerned about your memory or your cognitive functioning, you should discuss this with your GP, who can decide if you need a referral to a Memory Clinic. To find a Memory Clinic near you, see  Australian Dementia Network: Find a Memory Clinic

How do I get a CogAI test?

Your GP, psychologist or other registered health professional can order a CogAI test for you, the same way they order any medical test. They make an appointment time for you to call the CogAI, give you the phone no. to call and give you an ID no to say when asked by the CogAI for your ID no. When you call, the CogAI will ask you 15 questions over the phone, you say your answer to each question, the CogAI listens and scores your answer. This will test your memory and general cognitive functioning. At the end of the call the AI writes a report, detailing how you responded and concludes if your cognitive status is normal for your age. If your cognitive status is normal then there is a 95% chance that you will not have dementia in the next 5 years.

By doing a CogAI test once every year, you can keep looking 5 years into the future each year and be re-assured you will not have dementia in the next 5 years after your last assessment.