This video series introduces CognoMND™, a University of Sheffield-led project developing an AI-powered tool to detect thinking and behaviour changes in Motor Neuron Disease. Featuring researchers and people affected by MND, it explains how speech analysis and digital technology could make screening more accessible and support earlier care.

About the project
Motor Neuron Disease (MND) affects the nerves that control movement. Around half of people living with MND also experience changes in thinking or behaviour, but these can be difficult to recognise and are not always assessed early.

CognoMND™ is an innovative digital screening tool developed at the University of Sheffield, in partnership with the NIHR Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre, the NIHR HealthTech Research Centre in Long-Term Conditions (Devices for Dignity) and University of Edinburgh. It appears as a virtual agent on a laptop and asks carefully designed questions. Using artificial intelligence, the system analyses patterns in a person’s speech to look for subtle signs of thinking change.

The tool also includes input from care partners, helping to build a picture of changes in behaviour.

By enabling remote assessment from home, CognoMND™ aims to make screening more accessible, reduce pressure on specialist services, and help people receive the right support at the right time.