Upcoming TapTalk Study

Did you know that hand movements and speech change in the earliest stages of dementia?

Upcoming TapTalk Study

Our researchers at the Wicking Centre have worked with computer scientists within the University to develop a new smartphone app called TapTalk which aims to detect the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s disease using a 2-minute test of hand movements and speech. This project won a large research grant from the Royal Hobart Hospital, and we would like to thank all the ISLAND participants who have already tested out the new app – we really appreciate your help. We have published early results in the prestigious medical journal GeroScience.

In January 2026, we are inviting people from the ISLAND Project to participate in the next stage of the TapTalk research project, and we do hope you will be able to help us. We are looking for people willing to complete the 2-minute app test once every 6 months for about 18 months – all from the comfort of their own home. Repeating TapTalk helps us better understand how hand movements and speech change with ageing compared to early dementia. Please look out for your invites soon! Further information on the TapTalk project is available here: TapTalk