INTRODUCTION:

Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are known to cause progressive cognitive decline, with a early detection critical yet challenging due to the dependence on costly in person tests. Smartphone apps offer a scalable, remote screening through cognitive games. Simple smartphone games can screen memory and brain speed skills which are affected first in dementia. This beginner friendly app uses two validated tasks (such as number memory, color-word interference) adapted from clinical tools, making screening accessible to anyone with a basic Android phone, particularly valuable in underserved areas like the rurals.

METHODS:

A single-screen MIT App Inventor app was developed featuring two 90-second cognitive tasks. Task 1 (Number Memory) displays a 3-digit sequence, hides it, then requires users to tap the correct order on number buttons while timing response latency and errors. Task 2 (Color Stroop) presents color words printed in mismatched ink colors (such as "RED" in blue letters), asking users to tap the actual ink color across 5 trials, measuring reaction time and accuracy. Scores combine memory time (seconds) + color errors × 10, categorized as Green (<400, normal), Yellow (400-600, monitor), Red (>600, clinical evaluation needed). Data is saved locally via TinyDB with timestamps.

RESULTS:

Preliminary family testing wi th users showed promising usabi l ity, achieving high completion rates for the assessment. Initial observations suggest age-related differences in task per formance and further testing is needed to establ ish reliability benchmarks against the cl inical standards.

CONCLUSION:

This simple smartphone app provides practical dementia screening through validated cognitive measures, requiring zero technical expertise to use. High completion rates and clear risk categorization make it ideal for family-led moni tor ing. Future iterations could add age normed scoring and WhatsApp score sharing, scaling early detection where specialists are scarce.