At CES 2026, Praveen Raja, vice president and head of digital health at Samsung, announced that the company is working on a new set of AI-powered tools to monitor cognitive function and detect early signs of dementia in users (via an official Newsroom post).
The feature is expected to be available for the newer Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Ring models in the near future. It analyzes users’ everyday behavior, including changes in speech patterns (including how someone interacts with the AI assistant on the device), movement and walking frequency, and even the way they use the smart devices in their home.
From fitness tracking to brain health monitoring
Fundamentally, the smartwatch and smart ring (with all of its sensors) should be able to detect subtle changes over time in the way users speak, move, and interact with the smart devices around them, and detect early signs of cognitive decline. However, Samsung is still very keen to point out that the launch is not a medical diagnostic tool.
Instead, users and families are alerted to possible signs of mental decline and are advised to consult a doctor for further advice. The technology relies heavily on artificial intelligence: it collects and processes data from a series of sensors on the health monitoring devices, processes it on the devices (comparing real-time data with baseline metrics), and informs users of any differences.
The cognitive monitoring feature marks a major shift in the way consumer wearables can help users monitor their mental health (in addition to their physical health). Until now, smartwatches have focused primarily on physical measurements such as steps, calories and heart rate. But Samsung’s cognitive monitoring feature aims to change that.
Dementia affects millions of people worldwide, and earlier detection could seriously help control symptoms or take timely preventive measures to either slow the progression or improve quality of life through timely medication and lifestyle changes. Although clinical validation and medical integration remain a question at this point, the feature sounds promising.
Although Samsung has not confirmed the availability of the cognitive monitoring feature, it should be available in beta (for testing) in select markets around the globe. If successful, Samsung’s cognitive monitoring feature could quietly change our expectations of health monitoring wearables, helping them evolve from fitness trackers to an early warning system for brain health.
Recently, a Samsung Health update added smarter snoring detection to Galaxy Watches.
