The University of Melbourne’s Music Attuned Technology – Care via eHealth (MATCH) project has been selected as one of the 15 projects for the $25 million AI for the Global Goals grant. The grant, funded by Google.org, aims to accelerate progress towards meeting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. The MATCH project, which focuses on providing music-based interventions to manage the mood of dementia patients, will be receiving A$2 million ($1.3 million) in funding and support.

The MATCH project aspires to merge wearable sensor technology, AI, and music-based interventions to create a sophisticated, adaptive system that can detect early signs of agitation in dementia patients and address it effectively. The funding will facilitate the development of this AI-enabled music adaptive system. The first part of the MATCH project, a training package app for caregivers with a curated list of music for targeted intervention, has already been developed. The grant will now be used to develop a music-adaptive system that will be integrated with this app.

How Does the AI-Enabled Music Adaptive System Work?

The AI system will use wearable sensors to comprehend each user’s unique agitation behaviors and positive music interventions. It will then customize the user’s preferred music to treat their agitation. If agitation is detected, the app will play soothing music. If the initial music choice isn’t effective, the music will be changed until the person’s state stabilizes. Apart from funding the development of the system, the grant will also support the pilot of the MATCH app in Australia, paving the way for a global rollout in the future.

Despite the Australian government’s recommendation for all aged care centers to provide access to music and art therapy by July 2024, a shortage of music therapists presents a stumbling block. The MATCH project aims to address this by creating a music-adaptive system for the early detection and treatment of agitation. It holds the potential to decrease agitation, reduce care costs per person with dementia, and eliminate the need for pharmaceutical interventions that can increase confusion and other side effects.