Paper Number
ECIS2026-1628
Paper Type
CRP
Abstract
Digital health interventions can ease cognitive impairment, but their benefits often fade outside of supervised settings. We argue that the missing ingredient is neuro-adaptive coupling: systems that sense a user’s neurocognitive and affective state and adapt pacing, representations, and feedback in situ. We have developed five design principles grounded in Distributed Cognition theory and synthesized from interdisciplinary fields such as physiological computing, neuroIS, and neurobiology. Using a design science approach, we derive design requirements, specify a closed-loop sensing–inference–adaptation mechanism, and articulate boundary conditions, such as non-invasive sensing, calibration, latency, explainability, and consent. We then evaluated the design principle reusability with domain experts. Our contribution is a set of design principles that treat the human-IS dyad as a temporary cognitive organ that bolsters memory, attention, and executive function, targeting outcomes that matter for individuals with mild cognitive impairments: fewer errors, better adherence, and greater independence.
Recommended Citation
Böhmer, Martin and Kuehnel, Stephan, "A Temporary Cognitive Organ: Proposing A Set Of Design Principles For Neuro-Adaptive Information Systems In Digital Health For Mild Cognitive Impairment" (2026). ECIS 2026 Proceedings. 10.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2026/cog_hbis/cog_hbis/10
A Temporary Cognitive Organ: Proposing A Set Of Design Principles For Neuro-Adaptive Information Systems In Digital Health For Mild Cognitive Impairment
Digital health interventions can ease cognitive impairment, but their benefits often fade outside of supervised settings. We argue that the missing ingredient is neuro-adaptive coupling: systems that sense a user’s neurocognitive and affective state and adapt pacing, representations, and feedback in situ. We have developed five design principles grounded in Distributed Cognition theory and synthesized from interdisciplinary fields such as physiological computing, neuroIS, and neurobiology. Using a design science approach, we derive design requirements, specify a closed-loop sensing–inference–adaptation mechanism, and articulate boundary conditions, such as non-invasive sensing, calibration, latency, explainability, and consent. We then evaluated the design principle reusability with domain experts. Our contribution is a set of design principles that treat the human-IS dyad as a temporary cognitive organ that bolsters memory, attention, and executive function, targeting outcomes that matter for individuals with mild cognitive impairments: fewer errors, better adherence, and greater independence.