IBM and University of California San Diego have launched a joint research project to combine technology, artificial intelligence and life science knowledge to improve quality of life for aging populations.

The partnership is part of IBM’s Cognitive Horizons Network — a group of universities working with the company to implement AI — and aims to provide solutions for UCSD’s new Artificial Intelligence for Healthy Living Center.

“This is a very prestigious relationship for UC San Diego, the first university on the West Coast to collaborate with the IBM Cognitive Horizons Network,” UCSD Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla said in a statement. “Our campus, one of the top 15 research universities in the world, is home to changemakers whose innovation will help advance cognitive wellness to make a difference in our lives.”

The project’s goal involves creating a cognitive framework for living environments that promote independent living and a high quality of life for older adults, including the development of machine learning algorithms that enable sensing, understanding, modeling, personalizing and informing. The framework could include the deployment of robotic systems as well.

“We’re committed to collaborating with the best minds in academia to inspire the next generation of scientists by providing access to leading-edge AI tools and expertise to solve real problems that impact human lives,” IBM senior vice president of Cognitive Solutions and IBM Research Dr. John Kelly III said in the release. “This new collaboration with UC San Diego is the latest example of how we’re executing on this AI vision — and we are thrilled to bring our global AI research resources to Southern California to engage the wealth of local talent.”

Today the world’s population of people over 65 is 617 million. That number is expected to jump to 1.6 billion by 2050 while the population of people over 80 is supposed to triple.

“People might be living longer, but that doesn’t mean they are living better,” Khosla wrote in a blog post. “As people age, cognitive health — the ability to think clearly — can decline. Cognitive decline can determine whether older people live independently, which can, in turn, affect their health and happiness …This is why we must better leverage technology and data to provide opportunities for seniors to continue living meaningful, productive lives.”