Galaxy Watch to Help Researchers Study Brain Health

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Samsung is seeking to understand how brain health changes with age using wearable technology. The company has teamed up with the Neuroscape research center at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) to launch a study using Galaxy Watch devices. This could allow researchers to develop digital biomarker solutions for tracking cognitive function.

Samsung, UCSF launch brain health study using Galaxy Watch

Dubbed Technology for Aging Health – Digital Approaches (TAH-DA), the study is part of Samsung’s Open Innovation Initiative. It started recruiting participants from across North America in early 2026 to understand the connection between the brain and wellness. The researchers plan to enroll 200 adults from each decade of life, ages 40 to 89.

Participants will receive a Galaxy Watch and a Galaxy Tab A9. The smartwatch will record a host of health metrics for one year. Some of these include heart rate, ECG (electrocardiogram), blood pressure, blood oxygen levels, and body composition (BIA). Meanwhile, the Android tablet will allow participants to assess and train their cognitive control abilities.

The study will take place remotely through Nexus, a clinical trials platform from Neuroscape. Participants will use the platform to complete enrollment, provide consent, take diagnostic assessments, and access digital interventions. Samsung and UCSF have also teamed up with Helpsquad to give participants access to an AI chatbot and a virtual assistant. Meanwhile, didit.me will verify participants’ identities during enrollment.

Simply put, the research project integrates Samsung’s wearable devices and tablets with Neuroscape’s software to study brain function in day-to-day life. Researchers hope it will help create digital biomarker technology to track changes in cognitive function over time.

“Using biometric data from our Galaxy Watch, we are excited to support the identification of behavioral and physiological predictors of cognitive decline, while looking toward digital interventions for improving cognition,” said Praveen Raja, Vice President of Digital Health Samsung Research America.

Written by

Binay Konwar

Binay Konwar started his blogging journey in 2014 and has since written plenty of tech articles. At present, he is working as a News Writer at SammyGuru, covering everything about Samsung. He holds a Master's degree in Mathematics, but his real passion lies in tech and writing. In his free time, he enjoys playing chess and watching movies.

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