The recent death of President Reagan has brought much attention to Alzheimer’s Disease, including its symptoms and the emotional and physical toll it heaps on patients and their families. New studies are underway to combat the disease, and Mrs. Reagan has been staunchly behind stem cell research in order to diminish its effects.

Here’s news of a trial about to begin in Portland, Oregon and Las Vegas that uses wireless networks, along with RFID tags and sensors, to help those stricken with the disease lead more productive lives at home. Intel is leading the effort through its research arm, Proactive Health Research.

RFID tags are placed on items such as teacups, plates, and cabinet doors to monitor routine tasks and determine if a patient is having difficulty. Quarter-size motes, tiny wireless computers, connect disparate sensors embedded around the room. The motes contain tiny processors that gather and transmit the data to a central PC. If the system detects trouble, it will communicate wirelessly with a nearby digital device that can use a PC, television, radio, or cell phone to provide step-by-step audio and visual assistance from doctors or caregivers if required.