Brain Health: Samsung Aims to Detect Dementia in Everyday Life

How does a person move, speak, and sleep? The new Samsung Galaxy »Brain Health« feature monitors behavior in the background; algorithms detect subtle patterns that could indicate early signs of dementia. How reliable are the predictions, and how is the data protected?

When your own mother suddenly gets lost on a familiar street, can't remember her grandson's name, or leaves bills unopened for months, it's more than just forgetfulness —it's a strong indication of dementia. But many sufferers and their families don't notice such changes until it's too late — or don't want to admit it. This is especially true since the body sends out tiny warning signs and clues for early treatment much earlier on. This is exactly where Samsung comes in with a new feature that the South Korean technology group is currently presenting at CES 2026: "Brain Health" is designed to pick up on these warning signs in everyday life long before cognitive decline becomes obvious.

The Basic Idea Sounds Simple

Smartwatches and smartphones collect data anyway—about steps taken, voice during phone calls, sleep phases, and daily routines. Brain Health evaluates this information and looks for abnormalities that could be associated with cognitive decline. Is the gait changing? Is the voice becoming more monotonous? Is sleep deteriorating? The algorithms combine such signals to create a risk profile.

What makes it special is that users don't have to actively do anything, perform extra tests, or turn their lives upside down in order to take preventive measures. The technology runs passively in the background and connects to existing functions such as blood pressure measurement, ECG, and heart rhythm alerts. Samsung wants to establish a comprehensive health picture on the wrist—from the heart to sleep to the brain.

From Deviations to Brain Training

If the function detects deviations, users and their relatives receive notifications that something has changed. This is accompanied by personalized brain training, i.e., special exercises and stimuli designed to stabilize cognitive abilities. However, Samsung makes it clear that "Brain Health" is not a diagnosis, but an early warning system. The message is: if something is noticeable, go to the doctor.

Samsung is currently testing the reliability of the algorithms in clinical trials. Together with medical institutions in South Korea and other countries, the company is testing whether gait, voice, and sleep profiles really correlate with established dementia scores. It is still unclear when "Brain Health" will actually be available as a feature in the Samsung Galaxy universe. The tech company is talking about a staggered rollout, initially in selected countries and possibly as a beta version. Regulatory hurdles, data protection issues, and collaborations with healthcare providers will likely be decisive for the specific timeline. 

Data Security is Key

In its announcement for CES 2026, Samsung states that Brain Health data is protected by Knox technology and is primarily processed locally, not in the cloud. For users, it will be crucial how transparently the system explains what it measures — and how comprehensible the risk scores are — without causing fear among those affected.

At CES, visitors can try out »Brain Health« and see how cognitive indicators are translated into dashboards and alerts. Whether this big move will be successful will only become clear after clinical trials and then in everyday use. But Samsung is deliberately positioning itself against competitors such as Apple and Google with the early detection of dementia: prevention should encompass much more than just heart rate and steps taken.

Prevention from Heart Attack to Stroke

For the medical technology industry, this feature is already sending a signal: sensor technology, AI, and clinical validation are converging — until wearables monitor the brain as naturally as they monitor the heartbeat. (uh)