AI Smart Glasses Win £1M Longitude Prize for Helping People with Dementia

CrossSense, a technology company specializing in assistive devices, has won the prestigious £1 million Longitude Prize on Dementia for its innovative AI-powered smart glasses called "Wispy." The award, funded by the Alzheimer's Society and Innovate UK, recognizes technology that makes a meaningful difference in the daily lives of people living with dementia.

Wispy works by using embedded cameras and artificial intelligence to identify everyday objects and guide users through routine tasks. For someone with early-stage dementia, activities that once were automatic — making a cup of tea, finding keys, recognizing household items — can become confusing and frustrating. Wispy provides gentle, real-time guidance that helps users maintain their independence and confidence.

“" The award, funded by the Alzheimer's Society and Innovate UK, recognizes technology that makes a meaningful difference in the daily lives of people living with dementia.”

The results from testing have been impressive. In controlled trials, participants wearing the Wispy glasses correctly identified 82 percent of household items, compared to just 46 percent without the glasses — a near doubling of performance. This improvement translates directly into greater autonomy and reduced reliance on caregivers for basic daily activities.

The development of Wispy involved three years of co-design with over 250 "experts by experience" — people living with dementia, their families, and their caregivers. This collaborative approach ensured that the technology addresses real needs rather than theoretical ones, and that the user interface is intuitive and non-stigmatizing.

CrossSense plans to release a smartphone-based version of the technology by the end of 2026, making it accessible to a wider audience before the dedicated smart glasses hardware launches in early 2027. The expected pricing model includes a subscription of approximately £50 per month, with the glasses hardware costing up to £1,000.

The Longitude Prize on Dementia represents the latest chapter in the storied history of the Longitude Prize, which was originally established in 1714 to solve the problem of determining longitude at sea. The modern iteration applies the same principle of incentivizing breakthrough innovation to address one of the 21st century's most pressing health challenges.