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Researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University and Emory University deployed HomePal, a home sensor system, in the homes of 70 adults aged 65 and older for three months. They are comparing sensor data with loneliness assessments to see whether everyday behavior can reveal patterns that merit caregiver follow-up; the system has not been shown to diagnose loneliness.
Researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University and Emory University have tested a passive home-sensing prototype called HomePal in the homes of 70 adults aged 65 and older, aiming to find behavioral patterns that may be associated with loneliness. The three-month deployment is part of research published in the journal Assessment; the team is still analyzing the data, and the system is not a loneliness diagnostic tool.
HomePal combines commercially available and custom sensors to record aspects of daily life, including movement, activities, sleep and phone use. The setup described by the researchers includes motion and door sensors, smart plugs connected to televisions, sleep sensors and smart speakers. Phone-call patterns are also considered as a possible indicator of social connectedness.
The researchers intend to compare the sensor data with loneliness assessments conducted every two weeks for participants. The VCU team is using an AI model to examine which observed patterns, if any, are more strongly associated with participants’ reported feelings. The study’s stated aim is to assess how well those models match the survey results—not to establish that a sensor pattern proves someone is lonely.
The team said a future version might generate a daily score or longer-term trend for a participant or caregiving team. That proposed use remains a goal, not a reported feature validated for routine care. The researchers are continuing to analyze the data and adjust the sensors as they learn more.
How Home Monitoring Could Help Caregivers
The project addresses a practical challenge: loneliness can be difficult to identify during a clinic visit, particularly if an older adult does not raise the issue. If home-based patterns prove useful, they could give a caregiver another reason to check in or ask about a change in someone’s wellbeing. That possibility is relevant as many older adults live independently and may not have frequent contact with health professionals.
At the same time, behavioral signals are indirect. Changes in sleep, movement, television viewing or phone use can have many explanations and should not be treated as proof of loneliness. The potential value of HomePal depends on whether the team can establish a reliable relationship between those measures and people’s own assessments—and whether any resulting alerts support, rather than replace, conversations and professional judgment.
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How the HomePal Study Is Set Up
The prototype was installed for three months in homes of 70 adults aged 65 and older living independently in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Researchers are collecting data from the sensors alongside biweekly assessments of loneliness. The study brings together researchers in computer science and nursing, linking technology-based observations with participants’ reported experiences.
In the published account, the researchers describe several possible signals rather than a single direct measure. Motion and door sensors may show changes in activity or time spent at home; television use may help estimate screen time; sleep sensors track rest patterns; and smart speakers may capture speech-related information. The researchers say these measures are intended to help identify patterns for further examination, not to label an individual’s emotional state automatically.
The work is reported in the journal Assessment in a 2026 paper titled “Development of an AI-Enabled Remote Loneliness Assessment System for Older Adults Using Behavioral and Speech Data From IoT Sensors and Smart Speakers.” The system remains a research prototype, and the report does not describe a product available for consumers or healthcare providers.
“The main idea is to see whether everyday behavior at home can give early signs that an older adult may be experiencing loneliness or social withdrawal.”
— Mohamed Kamel, VCU computer science doctoral student and lead author
Accuracy, Alerts and Privacy Remain Open
The available report does not provide results showing how accurately HomePal can identify loneliness, or whether the system has generated validated alerts. The researchers say they are still analyzing the data and comparing model outputs with survey responses. It is also not clear which specific patterns will prove informative, how often a system might incorrectly flag a change, or whether results will differ across participants.
Privacy and data access are further questions for any future deployment. The researchers say HomePal could be modified to rely on sensors that process and store information on a local network, and that data-sharing choices could be limited. The report does not specify a finalized privacy design, how long data would be retained, or what safeguards would apply to a commercial product. Those decisions would matter because the system collects information about activity and, in some configurations, speech and phone use.
Researchers Continue Model Testing
The team plans to continue analyzing HomePal data, developing AI models and refining the sensor setup. Its next key research step is to test how closely the patterns identified by the models correspond with the participants’ biweekly loneliness assessments. The report does not give a schedule for those results or announce a planned commercial launch.
The researchers have described a possible future product that could be installed in a home in a way similar to a security system, with a daily score or trend shared with an older adult or a caregiver. That remains a development goal. Further evidence on accuracy, participant privacy and how caregivers should respond to an alert would be needed before the system’s role in routine care could be judged.
Key Questions
What is HomePal?
HomePal is a research prototype that combines home sensors and connected devices to track selected patterns such as movement, sleep, television use and phone activity. Researchers are studying whether those patterns correspond with older adults’ reported loneliness.
Has HomePal been shown to diagnose loneliness?
No. The researchers say they are looking for patterns that may be associated with loneliness and could merit follow-up. They have not reported that the system can diagnose loneliness, and they are still testing its models against assessment results.
Who took part in the study?
The prototype was deployed for three months in the homes of 70 adults aged 65 and older who lived independently in the Atlanta metropolitan area.
What happens to the data?
The report says the system could be adapted to use sensors that store and process information locally, with choices about what is shared with caregivers. It does not give a finalized data-retention policy or full details of safeguards for a future product.
When will HomePal be available to the public?
No public release date is given. The researchers say they are continuing to analyze data, develop models and refine the sensors; a commercial version is described as a future possibility, not an announced product launch.
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