ExaMD of ExaWizards Group Launches 'CogniTalk', a Highly Accurate Unique Voice AI that Visualizes the Pre-stage of Dementia from a 30-Second Free Conversation
ExaMD Inc. will launch 'CogniTalk' in April 2026, an AI that visualizes cognitive health in a 10-level score from a 30-second conversation. It utilizes SaMD technology to early detect MCI, addressing social issues in finance, insurance, and mobility.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 23, 2026 at 17:30
- 🔍 Collected: April 23, 2026 at 09:01
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 23, 2026 at 09:25 (23 min after Collected)
ExaMD Inc. (Minato-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director: Yasuyuki Hama, hereinafter ExaMD), a group company of ExaWizards Inc. (Minato-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director & CEO: Makoto Haruta), will begin offering 'CogniTalk', a unique voice AI that visualizes the health status of cognitive function with a 10-level score from approximately 30 seconds of free conversation voice, to the healthcare market starting in April 2026. CogniTalk utilizes the technological foundation of the Software as a Medical Device (SaMD)*2 for which our company is advancing clinical trials.
While the population at risk of dementia numbers in the 10 million range, its preceding stage, MCI (Mild Cognitive Impairment), is a crucial turning point that greatly affects a person's life, where normal social behavior can be maintained and recovery is possible. However, the current reality is that the vast majority progress while being overlooked. CogniTalk captures changes in cognitive function with high accuracy from the stage before it progresses to dementia, shifting the approach to dementia from 'coping after progression' to 'preparing in advance'. It contributes to the realization of a society where each individual can continue to choose their own life based on their own will.
This technology can be provided in various forms such as API, edge AI, apps, and solution development, making it capable of responding to various scenes such as finance, insurance, mobility (driver's licenses, etc.), and nursing care/monitoring. Furthermore, with security design at the medical device level, it can be introduced with peace of mind.
☑︎ Background: The Social Impact of Noticing in MCI - The Overlooked Pre-stage of Dementia
Dementia has a pre-stage called MCI (Mild Cognitive Impairment). There are approximately 6 million dementia patients in Japan, and it is estimated to reach 10 million when including MCI*3, but the detection rate at the MCI stage is only 6-15%*4. Cognitive function tests are not included in regular health checkups, limiting the opportunities for examination itself. Additionally, it is difficult to accurately capture MCI using conventional testing methods, and over 85% progress to dementia while being overlooked.
This structure of 'MCI being overlooked' brings major challenges to various industries.
- Finance: The financial assets of elderly people with dementia and MCI are estimated at 295 trillion yen. There is a risk that 215 trillion yen will be frozen in 2030*5. The utilization rate of the adult guardianship system is only 3.8%*6.
- Insurance: Despite the expansion of dementia insurance, there is a lack of cognitive function evaluation tools at the time of underwriting and payment. If not noticed at the MCI stage, 42.5% progress to dementia within 5 years*7.
- Mobility: About half of drivers aged 75 and over involved in fatal accidents are suspected of cognitive decline*8. Approximately 65,000 people per year are judged to have a risk of dementia in cognitive function tests*9.
- Pharmaceuticals/Healthcare: In addition to therapeutic drugs like Lecanemab, the importance of non-pharmacological interventions such as exercise and social participation is increasing, leading to a rapid expansion in screening demand at the MCI stage.
- Nursing Care/Monitoring: It is normalized for cases to be discovered only after they become severe, losing the opportunity for preventive intervention.
On the other hand, MCI is the stage before progressing to dementia, and it is a state where progression to dementia can be avoided depending on preparation for the future and countermeasures. Therefore, it can be said to be an important turning point that greatly affects subsequent life. Unlike when one has progressed to dementia, at the MCI stage, one can freely make social decisions based on their own will without restrictions, such as asset management, driver's license judgments, and nursing care policies. On the other hand, after progressing to dementia, it becomes difficult to carry out these activities freely and proactively.
Being able to 'notice' at the pre-stage of becoming dementia - just that will significantly shift the paradigm of how we face dementia from 'coping after progression' to 'preparing in advance'. If changes in cognitive function are visualized in daily conversation, individuals can prepare for the future while they are still healthy. Building this 'society where we can notice before dementia progresses' is expected to enable each individual to live their own life based on their own will.
To realize this paradigm shift, ExaMD has developed the unique voice AI 'CogniTalk', which can capture changes in cognitive function even in the pre-stage of dementia. By visualizing the health status of cognitive function as a 10-level score from about 30 seconds of free conversation and incorporating it into various scenes of daily life, it enables proactive preparation by the individual and provides a foundation for the whole society to notice early.
*1 Internal research, survey date June 2025, survey scope: voice AI medical device programs
*2 The medical device program for cognitive function judgment by voice analysis developed by our company has been designated as a priority review item in the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's innovative medical device program designation system (Press release on February 10, 2025). We submitted a clinical trial notification on February 5, 2026, and are currently conducting clinical trials (Press release on February 5, 2026).
*3 Estimated numbers of dementia and MCI patients are from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
While the population at risk of dementia numbers in the 10 million range, its preceding stage, MCI (Mild Cognitive Impairment), is a crucial turning point that greatly affects a person's life, where normal social behavior can be maintained and recovery is possible. However, the current reality is that the vast majority progress while being overlooked. CogniTalk captures changes in cognitive function with high accuracy from the stage before it progresses to dementia, shifting the approach to dementia from 'coping after progression' to 'preparing in advance'. It contributes to the realization of a society where each individual can continue to choose their own life based on their own will.
This technology can be provided in various forms such as API, edge AI, apps, and solution development, making it capable of responding to various scenes such as finance, insurance, mobility (driver's licenses, etc.), and nursing care/monitoring. Furthermore, with security design at the medical device level, it can be introduced with peace of mind.
☑︎ Background: The Social Impact of Noticing in MCI - The Overlooked Pre-stage of Dementia
Dementia has a pre-stage called MCI (Mild Cognitive Impairment). There are approximately 6 million dementia patients in Japan, and it is estimated to reach 10 million when including MCI*3, but the detection rate at the MCI stage is only 6-15%*4. Cognitive function tests are not included in regular health checkups, limiting the opportunities for examination itself. Additionally, it is difficult to accurately capture MCI using conventional testing methods, and over 85% progress to dementia while being overlooked.
This structure of 'MCI being overlooked' brings major challenges to various industries.
- Finance: The financial assets of elderly people with dementia and MCI are estimated at 295 trillion yen. There is a risk that 215 trillion yen will be frozen in 2030*5. The utilization rate of the adult guardianship system is only 3.8%*6.
- Insurance: Despite the expansion of dementia insurance, there is a lack of cognitive function evaluation tools at the time of underwriting and payment. If not noticed at the MCI stage, 42.5% progress to dementia within 5 years*7.
- Mobility: About half of drivers aged 75 and over involved in fatal accidents are suspected of cognitive decline*8. Approximately 65,000 people per year are judged to have a risk of dementia in cognitive function tests*9.
- Pharmaceuticals/Healthcare: In addition to therapeutic drugs like Lecanemab, the importance of non-pharmacological interventions such as exercise and social participation is increasing, leading to a rapid expansion in screening demand at the MCI stage.
- Nursing Care/Monitoring: It is normalized for cases to be discovered only after they become severe, losing the opportunity for preventive intervention.
On the other hand, MCI is the stage before progressing to dementia, and it is a state where progression to dementia can be avoided depending on preparation for the future and countermeasures. Therefore, it can be said to be an important turning point that greatly affects subsequent life. Unlike when one has progressed to dementia, at the MCI stage, one can freely make social decisions based on their own will without restrictions, such as asset management, driver's license judgments, and nursing care policies. On the other hand, after progressing to dementia, it becomes difficult to carry out these activities freely and proactively.
Being able to 'notice' at the pre-stage of becoming dementia - just that will significantly shift the paradigm of how we face dementia from 'coping after progression' to 'preparing in advance'. If changes in cognitive function are visualized in daily conversation, individuals can prepare for the future while they are still healthy. Building this 'society where we can notice before dementia progresses' is expected to enable each individual to live their own life based on their own will.
To realize this paradigm shift, ExaMD has developed the unique voice AI 'CogniTalk', which can capture changes in cognitive function even in the pre-stage of dementia. By visualizing the health status of cognitive function as a 10-level score from about 30 seconds of free conversation and incorporating it into various scenes of daily life, it enables proactive preparation by the individual and provides a foundation for the whole society to notice early.
*1 Internal research, survey date June 2025, survey scope: voice AI medical device programs
*2 The medical device program for cognitive function judgment by voice analysis developed by our company has been designated as a priority review item in the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's innovative medical device program designation system (Press release on February 10, 2025). We submitted a clinical trial notification on February 5, 2026, and are currently conducting clinical trials (Press release on February 5, 2026).
*3 Estimated numbers of dementia and MCI patients are from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare