Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42341288›Full record

ArticleJMIR mHealth and uHealth2026

Enhancing Cognitive Functions of Older Adults With Software Robot: Longitudinal Exploratory Field Study.

Byunghun Yun, Bohee Kim, Hyunjeong Ko, Jinsung Kim, Bori R Kim, Whani Kim, Soyoon Park, Jinwoo Kim, Jee Hang Lee, Geon Ha Kim

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Byunghun Yun *HCI Lab, Department of Cognitive Science, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.ORCID 0009-0009-8611-3180
Bohee Kim *Cloud Service Team, LG Electronics, Seoul, Republic of Korea.ORCID 0000-0002-2494-2356
Hyunjeong KoDigital Therapeutics Research & Development, HAII Inc, Seoul, Republic of Korea.ORCID 0000-0003-3061-5092
Jinsung KimDepartment of Human-Centered AI, Sangmyung University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.ORCID 0009-0006-7235-0896
Bori R KimEwha Medical Research Institute, Ewha Womans University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.ORCID 0000-0002-8069-1213
Whani KimDigital Therapeutics Research & Development, HAII Inc, Seoul, Republic of Korea.ORCID 0000-0002-1412-8414
Soyoon ParkHCI Lab, Department of Cognitive Science, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.ORCID 0009-0003-0270-8985
Jinwoo KimHCI Lab, Department of Cognitive Science, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.ORCID 0000-0002-0162-5446
Jee Hang LeeDepartment of Human-Centered AI, Sangmyung University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.ORCID 0000-0002-4337-2774
Geon Ha KimDepartment of Neurology, Ewha Womans University College of Medicine, Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital 1071, Anyangcheon-ro, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, 07650, Republic of Korea, 1 82-2-650-5298.ORCID 0000-0001-5395-1924

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: The global prevalence of dementia continues to rise and demands scalable, nonpharmacological interventions. Digital cognitive training has expanded, but many older adults, who have limited digital literacy, struggle to sustain use. We designed an intervention that integrates social interaction, reward-based engagement, and an artificial intelligence (AI) conversational agent, which aims to reduce these barriers and support continuous participation. Objective: This study examined whether a 12-week digital cognitive training program improves cognitive function in older adults. It also tested whether a group chat service, which enables interaction among participants and with an AI agent, increases engagement and social support. Methods: We recruited 133 participants (mean age 64.75, SD 6.76; range 55-75 years) who had no diagnosis of dementia. All participants used the Care & Cure program for 12 weeks. The program includes an AI chatbot (Sammy Talk) and a group chat service (Our Town), which supports peer interaction. We measured cognitive function using the Korean Mini-Mental State Examination-Version 2 (K-MMSE-2). We also assessed degrees of social support (Medical Outcomes Study-Social Support Survey), depression (Short Form Geriatric Depression Scale-Korean Version), and engagement (Twente Engagement with eHealth Technologies Scale), and analyzed usage logs to examine participation patterns. Results: Participants showed improved cognitive function after the intervention (Hedges g=0.350, P<.001). Active users (n=67), who engaged more frequently with the program, showed greater improvement than nonactive users (n=66), especially among those who had lower baseline cognitive scores (Hedges g=0.523, P<.001). Social support increased, particularly emotional and informational support (t132=-6.509, P<.001). Participants reported higher engagement (t132=2.008, P<.05) and lower depression scores (t132=3.093, P<.01). Regression results showed that group chat participation, which promotes interaction with the AI agent, increased engagement in cognitive training (t131=12.395, P<.001). Increased engagement was associated with higher social support (t131=4.102, P<.001) and improved cognitive function (t131=2.467, P<.05). Cognitive training alone did not produce a significant effect. Participants showed low adherence, which indicates a need for strategies that sustain long-term use. Conclusions: The Care & Cure program improved cognitive function and strengthened social support in older adults. Social interaction, which increases engagement, played a central role. These findings suggest that digital cognitive interventions should incorporate social mechanisms to achieve meaningful effects.

Indexed as

CognitionRoboticsSoftwareAgedCognitive EnhancementCognitive TrainingFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleMiddle AgedPsychometricsSocial SupportSurveys and Questionnairesagingchatbotdementiamild cognitive impairmentmobile phone

Identifiers

PMID42341288
PMCPMC13293570

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.