Brainwaves and AI to tackle depression in older adults... Hanyang University ERICA joins 13-billion-won BCI project

[Financial News] A research team led by Professor Kim Seong-gwon of Hanyang University ERICA will join a major national research and development (R&D) project to manage depression in older adults using brainwave and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.
According to Hanyang University ERICA on the 21st, the research team led by Professor Kim Seong-gwon of the Department of ICT Convergence, College of Software Convergence (Digital Healthcare Lab), has been selected as a commissioned institution for the 2026 “Korean ARPA-H Project,” supported by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the K-Health Future Promotion Group at the Korea Health Industry Development Institute.
The project will develop a platform based on brain-computer interface (BCI) technology to extract mental health data from older adults and provide optimized interventions. The research period runs from July 2026 to December 2030. Of the total government research funding of 18 billion won, up to 13 billion won will be allocated to the subproject involving the Hanyang University ERICA research team.
Eight institutions in the medical, AI, and BCI fields are participating in the research, including Yonsei University Wonju Severance Christian Hospital, Hanyang University ERICA, Gachon University, Pusan National University, BioNexus, Upstage, Lulumedic, and Peach Life Science.
Throughout the project, the Hanyang University ERICA research team will conduct research on neuroplasticity that addresses changes in brain function, identify brainwave biomarkers associated with depression in older adults, and establish and analyze a paradigm for the simultaneous measurement of brainwaves and sound. The team will also support the development of welfare and care services for use in real-world validation settings and verify their effectiveness.
The project will proceed in stages. Wonju Severance Christian Hospital will lead stages 1 and 2, conducting research on neuroplasticity and biomarkers, while Gachon University will lead the stage 3 community-based demonstration. On September 9, the research team held a kickoff briefing at Yonsei University Wonju Severance Christian Hospital and shared the institutions’ respective roles and plans. 

[email protected] Kim Man-gi Reporter