MADRID, SPAIN – What if a video game could do more than just entertain? What if it could detect early signs of Alzheimer’s—with the precision of a lab test and the accessibility of an app?
Enter The Mind Guardian: the latest innovation from Cheil Spain and Samsung, gamifying cognitive health for a cause that hits home for many. Part of Samsung Spain’s decade strong “Technology with Purpose” platform, this immersive open world tablet game has already drawn in 25,000+ users.
Designed with AI and developed in partnership with the University of Vigo, this isn’t your average playthrough. Players step into a virtual city and navigate everyday challenges like remembering a shopping list or planning a route while an AI engine evaluates memory and cognitive performance with an impressive 97% accuracy. In less than 45 minutes, users receive a personalized cognitive health report that spans episodic, semantic, and procedural memory domains.
“Unlike most Alzheimer’s-related campaigns, ‘The Mind Guardian’ does not seek to raise awareness
of the disease, but to take action and create a practical and tangible tool to tackle the problem as
early as possible”, says Alejandro Di Trolio, European Creative Chairman at Cheil.
Unlike typical awareness campaigns targeting older populations, The Mind Guardian zeroes in on Gen X, an age group often overlooked in Alzheimer’s discourse but statistically at risk starting at age 55. With 80% of early cases going undiagnosed in Spain, this digital intervention offers a much-needed nudge.
In the words of Kelly Kim, CEO of Cheil Spain: “‘The Mind Guardian’ is another step forward for
‘Technology with Purpose,’ a platform that celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2025 and represents a
common dedication between Cheil and Samsung. We truly believe in carrying out long-lasting
projects that through technology will make a positive social commitment”.
Available for any Android tablet, more than 25,000 people have already downloaded the game to
receive a report with key personalised data on three domains: episodic, semantic and procedural
memory.
The app promises to revolutionise the cognitive health landscape, making testing more engaging and accessible through a tool available to everyone, everywhere. However, the app is by no means
a substitute for clinical diagnosis, but can help early testing increase quality of life by up to 10 years
and reduce the effects of dementias by up to 40%.
Developed over a two-year collaboration with the University of Vigo and endorsed by the CEAFA
Foundation (Spanish Confederation of Associations of Relatives of People with Alzheimer’s and
Other Dementias), ‘The Mind Guardian’ reflects a commitment to leveraging creativity in
addressing significant issues and democratising access to innovative tools. It also has the scientific
endorsement of the Spanish Society of Neurology (SEN) and the Spanish Society of Psychiatry and
Mental Health (SEPSM).
