Dr. Mark Chignell
We are profoundly saddened by the passing of Dr. Mark Chignell, a long-time, highly respected researcher and startup leader in the AGE-WELL network.
Dr. Chignell, a Professor of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the University of Toronto, conducted research at the intersection of psychology, engineering and computer science. His work advanced the fields of human factors and user interface design with a focus on aging, adaptive interfaces, health care, telecommunications, and driving.
An AGE-WELL researcher since 2015, Dr. Chignell was dedicated to helping older adults stay active, resilient and engaged through innovative games that provide physical and cognitive exercise. He sought to enhance well-being and reduce the prevalence of falls and conditions such as delirium that can accelerate cognitive decline.
Dr. Chignell led a number of AGE-WELL research projects, many centred on the development of serious games. He was also Founder and President of Centivizer Inc., a Toronto-based startup that has created a set of interactive and rewarding technology-based activities to promote physical and cognitive health.
His generosity, mentorship and dedication to making a real difference will be missed by all who knew him. “Mark was devoted to improving the lives of older adults and caregivers. He brought curiosity, ingenuity and boundless energy to everything he did,” said Bridgette Murphy, CEO of AGE-WELL. “His important work will have an enduring impact.”
One of Dr. Chignell’s most celebrated innovations was 2RaceWithMe, an exergame that motivates activity in older adults living in long-term care, retirement homes and at home. The game promotes physical and cognitive health by pairing stationary cycling with scenic travel videos. Players choose from 400 travel videos from across Canada and around the world and must keep pedalling to see the scenes unfold. The system is now in use at 25 long-term care, assisted living and community sites across six provinces and in Tokyo, Japan.
Seeing his innovations in action, Dr. Chignell said it was “an amazing feeling when you see a product that you’ve worked on for so long actually getting used – and getting used successfully.”
His innovative work included ABBY®, developed with Dr. Andrea Wilkinson and industry partner Mark Kanik of Ambient Activity Technologies. This wall-mounted, personalized activity system is designed for people with dementia living in long-term care homes. ABBY integrates touch-screen monitors, video, music and familiar tactile activities, such as turning a wheel or petting a cat, to create engaging experiences. When a resident is wearing a Bluetooth beacon, it signals the unit to display personalized content, including family photographs, favourite music or TV programs.
Dr. Chignell developed a serious game to screen for delirium in emergency patients, in collaboration with Dr. Jacques Lee of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. There is also the BrainTagger suite of cognitive assessment games, created with Professor J. Bruce Morton of Western University. BrainTagger is currently being used by seven research teams across Asia and North America.
Dr. Chignell’s 2RaceWithMe system is featured in the new AGE-WELL Innovation Studio, which highlights cutting-edge technologies improving the lives of older adults and caregivers. He envisioned products like 2RaceWithMe as having the power to “revolutionize exercise programming for older people by making exercise meaningful and an integral part of scenic travel experiences.” His inventive approaches to promoting healthy aging received widespread attention, most recently in a CBC news story in summer 2025.
Dr. Chignell died on November 20 after facing cancer earlier this year. We extend our condolences to his family, friends, colleagues and students.