TIDAL: Education

Education

PhD grant-writing workshop

We want the TIDAL network to have a long-term impact and to be sustainable beyond the term of our EPSRC funding. One way of doing this is to support the next generation of researchers. We ran a grant-writing workshop on 28th June 2023 aimed specifically at current, final year, PhD students,   with the opportunity to apply for feasibility funding for an AT project relating to one of the TIDAL themes (see section on feasibility funding).  Coaching support was provided for those submitting applications. The winning application was by PhD student Otis Wyatt from University of Staffordshire for a project investigating the, ‘Feasibility of a novel non-pneumatic wheelchair tyre with adaptive spoke technology’. (See Objective 3 feasibility project funding for further details.)

ECR Accelerator

The TIDAL N+ ECR Accelerator was a pilot programme to support Early Career Researchers (ECRs) to translate their research into marketable assistive technology innovations. It was developed with the aim of testing the process of running an accelerator for ECRs working on early-stage technologies, and to help them advance their projects through mentoring, business training, and hands-on support—resources often lacking at early stages of tech development. It launched on May 1st 2024, ran for 3 months and supported 4 aspiring innovators:

Project 1

A photonic device for sensing muscle activity. Early tests confirm the sensor outputs can track changes associated with muscle activation in various areas of the body. Relative to current technology it has componentry that are readily available and very low cost; uses less power and can be adapted to on-demand power usage; is invariant to factors that make electrical biosensors unreliable in warmer climates and requires less signal conditioning to produce a usable and interpretable output signal.

Photonic systems have been proposed as a method of achieving a far greater understanding of muscle biochemistry, physiology, and pathology to improve human healthcare. The major challenge identified to achieving this is the availability of a low-cost, easily accessible, wearable photonic sensor. These benefits align with societal requirements for cheap, non-invasive, and ubiquitous medical sensing capabilities that can alleviate NHS costs by monitoring health in the home environment.

Project 2

A multi-modal hearing aid system. This advanced solution integrates audio, visual, and radar-based technologies to provide comprehensive support for individuals with hearing impairments. By combining traditional microphone-based audio input with visual cues and radar sensing capabilities, this innovative system offers enhanced auditory feedback in various environments. The multi-modal approach enables improved sound localization, reduced background noise, and increased clarity in speech and environmental sounds. The radar-based component detects and analyses sound waves in real-time, complementing the audio and visual cues for a more holistic hearing experience.

This AT innovation is designed to cater to the diverse needs of individuals with hearing loss, offering customizable settings and adaptable functionality to suit different listening environments and preferences. By commercializing this multi-modal hearing aid system, I aim to enhance the quality of life for individuals with hearing impairments by providing comprehensive and personalized auditory support.

Project 3

Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) for green communication, health care, blind spot coverage and non line of sight (NLOS) signals for rural areas. RIS represents a breakthrough technology with profound implications across various domains.

In the realm of green communication, RIS offers an innovative approach by dynamically adjusting the propagation environment, thus optimizing energy efficiency and reducing overall carbon footprint. Moreover, in healthcare, RIS holds promise for enhancing wireless connectivity within medical facilities, enabling real-time monitoring and communication between devices for improved patient care.

Additionally, in non-line-of-sight (NLOS) scenarios prevalent in rural areas, RIS can mitigate signal blockages and enhance coverage, bridging the connectivity gap and facilitating access to essential services like telemedicine and education, thereby fostering socioeconomic development in underserved regions and opening up the possibilities for delivery of remote services.

Project 4

An innovative Assistive Technology (AT) solution, leveraging the flexibility and interoperability of Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) architecture, designed specifically for enhancing dental care accessibility and efficiency. This AT innovation, named "DentAR," utilizes augmented reality (AR) facilitated by Open RAN to provide real-time, interactive dental imaging and diagnostic assistance directly in dental practices.

The problem at the heart of our innovation is the significant barrier to early and accurate dental disease diagnosis, which often results in delayed treatments and worsened health outcomes. Traditional diagnostic methods can be invasive, uncomfortable, and not always accessible to all populations. "DentAR" addresses these challenges by offering a non-invasive, precise, and user-friendly diagnostic tool that empowers dental professionals with instant insights into patients' oral health, fostering a proactive approach to dental care. Preliminary results from our prototype testing have demonstrated "DentAR's" potential to significantly improve diagnostic accuracy and patient comfort during examinations.

Our solution also aligns with the sustainable development goals of enhancing health and well-being for all, by making advanced dental care accessible and efficient through the integration of Open RAN technology.

TIDAL’s role was to support each project to find appropriate technology-product fit, and to help the entrepreneurs identify a viable plan to take their project forward beyond the duration of the accelerator.

At its launch, Prof Cathy Holloway, Academic Director at GDI Hub and TIDAL project lead, said,

"The launch of the TIDAL Accelerator represents a significant milestone in our mission to foster innovation and entrepreneurship among early career researchers. By providing strategic support, mentorship, and access to resources, we aim to empower these innovators to transform their research into tangible solutions that address real-world challenges and create lasting value."

Ben Hardman, Head of Innovation Ecosystems at GDI Hub, explained the programme content: "The TIDAL Accelerator is not just about finding funding; it's about providing comprehensive support to early career researchers at every stage of their entrepreneurial journey. Through a blend of technical mentorship, individual coaching, and peer support sessions, we aim to equip innovators with the tools, knowledge, and networks they need to succeed in commercializing their innovations."

Group sessions offered a diverse range of activities tailored to the needs of the participating innovators - from retrospective discussions on assumption validation to thematic presentations on business modelling, IP protection, and pitching for investment.

"The group sessions were designed to provide a holistic learning experience, combining theoretical insights with practical exercises and peer feedback," says Daniel Hajas, lead facilitator of the TIDAL Accelerator. "By fostering a collaborative environment where innovators can learn from each other's experiences and perspectives, the aim was to accelerate their progress towards commercial success."

In addition to the group sessions, participants benefitted from one-to-one check-ins, individual innovation coaching, and access to a virtual venture studio for collaborative work and resource sharing. Furthermore, the accelerator offered opportunities for networking, mentorship, and showcasing innovations to potential collaborators, entrepreneurship support organisations, and industry partners.

The overall feedback from participants on the TIDAL Accelerator was extremely positive. Representative quotes include:

• “The insights and knowledge I gained from the accelerator program have transformed me from an academic researcher into an entrepreneur who can now apply business models to invest in technology.” 

• “The TIDAL Accelerator has been invaluable, offering key insights into product development, business strategy, and market validation. The mentoring and networking opportunities have significantly advanced my project and its path to commercialization.”

• “The program greatly enhanced my understanding of commercialization, particularly in market analysis, strategic positioning, and balancing product development with market needs.”

• “The TIDAL Accelerator was a transformative experience, providing the necessary skills, knowledge, and networks to take (my innovation) from concept to commercialization.”

• “My overall experience with the TIDAL Accelerator was exceptional. I felt very fortunate to be mentored by Daniel and Ben, who provided valuable advice and brought a wealth of experience. I learned a lot throughout the program. Balancing my regular job with the accelerator was hectic, and I feel a bit frazzled now that it's over—but I would do it all over again!”

• “This was my first major career development step that I have made (outside of academia), and I believe it was a very strong and valuable move to make. (My) project would not be where it is today without the support from TIDAL.”

• “The TIDAL Accelerator significantly impacted my professional development and project success. It provided me with critical insights into commercialization strategies, enhanced my understanding of the innovation ecosystem, and helped me refine my project for greater market readiness. The connections I made and the skills I acquired through the program have been invaluable in advancing my career and pushing my project closer to success.”

What did we achieve?

• We have demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach in helping ECRs bridge the gap between academia and industry, to support the translation of research, and help research-based technologies to be commercialised effectively and make it to market.

• All participants in the Accelerator were able to move their ideas forward down the path towards commercialisation. The insights gained by one participant during the programme, whose innovation was a non-invasive technique for monitoring muscular activity, prompted him to shift his focus away from simply trying to compete with traditional techniques, towards a new goal of using the technology to enable speech restoration in people with motor neurone disease. This demonstrates the real-world impact of the accelerator in helping innovators to develop user-focused applications for their research that meet the needs of disabled people.

• The success of the Accelerator also demonstrated an unmet need amongst ECRs for the kind of support offered by the Accelerator and the benefits of investing further funding into similar initiatives in the future.

Based on our learnings from the ECR Accelerator, we produced a Mentoring Playbook which provides a practical guide for anyone wanting to run a mentoring programme for AT innovators.

Engaging diverse participants: disability awareness education for AT (and other) researchers working with disabled participants

During the TIDAL ECR Accelerator, important learnings were identified, focused around researchers interacting with, working alongside and engaging lived experience experts, disabled people and diverse groups in the context of research, co-design, user testing and product innovation. We therefore initiated a project to create guidance in the form to short videos showcasing best practice for collaboration, including language, engagement styles, approach and follow up.

The aim was to create space and an opportunity for those involved in co-design as lived experience experts to share their own preferences for communication and engagement, so that ECRs (early career researchers) have the opportunity to hear from contributors themselves, and understand best practice; also to hear from researchers themselves, so they could share their experiences and reflections to support the learnings of others.

The output was a series of 20 short videos with the purpose of advising early career researchers on how to work alongside diverse audiences, showcasing best practice, guidance and how to maximise engagements in research, innovation and product development. 10 were with researchers (disabled and non-disabled); 10 with disabled people (including people with a variety of impairments).

These videos will provide a resource for emerging innovators as they move through the co-design phase, enabling better engagement with diverse audiences, and more fruitful outcomes. Insights will support the development of relationships and provide early career researchers with insights into ways to engage with disabled audiences.

Knowledge sharing

Agile Ageing Alliance talk - AAA ISO Leaders' Forum

Cathy Holloway presented and took part in a panel discussion at a summit organised by the Agile Ageing Alliance on 26th October 2022 which addressed the question, ‘How can Standardisation Accelerate Innovation that Supports Disability and Promotes Healthy Ageing?’

Cathy Holloway presented on the need for additional evidence to support the commercialisation of innovative AT: “There is a lot of research showing that well-designed technology can’t get over the funding hurdles of TRL 5 (Technological Readiness Level 5). This is where the evidence is needed to satisfy venture capitalists and other prospective investors. I’m hoping that we can use the development of the new ISO Standard to work more collaboratively to drive scale and sustainability.”

She also argued that we need new business models that can deliver integrated solutions effectively and help the really good ideas connect to systems infrastructure, whether that is at a city level, company level or at the UN level.

• Over 500 delegates attended

• International audience

• Policymakers, professional practitioners, representatives from charities and other third sector organisations, AT users, older people and their carers

Consensus workshops on assistive products repair

The climate crisis and concerns about environmental sustainability have led to an increasing emphasis on repair and reuse as well as recycling. However, the repair of assistive products (AP) presents a number of particularly challenging issues for industry, commissioners, and users which are not adequately addressed by current repair strategies. It’s a very complex issue to address effectively: no one actor can achieve what is needed.

We held two in-person consensus workshops to explore the complexity of repair and maintenance of Assistive Products (AP) in the UK, and how it relates to the rest of the value chain – from the industry, commissioners and users under-represented by current repair strategies, to the barriers to optimising AP provision. 

Delegates included users of assistive technology; health professionals and other service providers; manufacturers; designers; repair enthusiasts; start-ups interested in incorporating repair-focused strategies; academics working on repair of AT, or circular economy topics.

Workshop 1: repair of P&O (Prosthetics and Orthotics) and mobility devices

The first workshop focused on repair of P&O (Prosthetics and Orthotics) and mobility devices. It was held on May 16th 2024 in at Salford University and was attended by 26 delegates. Through a range of perspectives, we uncovered valuable insights into how repair can drive sustainability, improve service delivery, and empower users. Key discussions centred on the urgent need for a systemic shift toward more repairable and modular designs alongside regulatory changes and innovative frameworks that support efficient repair services. We also highlighted the importance of better data on repair practices and the need for transparency and user engagement. As we look ahead, the conversation must include all stakeholders, particularly the users themselves. This collaborative approach will be vital to building a more sustainable and repairable future for assistive technology.

Download the workshop report on repair of P&O and mobility devices.

Workshop 2: repair of wheelchairs

The second workshop focused on repair of wheelchairs. It was held on 21st June 2024 at GDI Hub, UCL East in London. It was attended by 37 delegates. By engaging multiple perspectives, we gained valuable insights into how improved repair processes can enhance service delivery, empower users, and support sustainability efforts. Key discussions focused on the urgent need to address data gaps in repair practices, promote user involvement, and shift towards systems that prioritise repair and maintenance. Innovative ideas, such as creating digital profiles for wheelchairs and using AI to predict breakdowns, were explored as ways to streamline repair services and improve user autonomy. Going forward, collaboration between manufacturers, healthcare providers, and users will be essential to building a more sustainable, user-centred approach to wheelchair repairs.

Download the workshop report on repair of wheelchairs.

Is Soft Robotics the Future of Assistive Technology?  A seminar on the applications of Soft Robotics in AT.  

This half-day, in person workshop was a hosted by SoRo-Health with support from TIDAL N+. It was held on 10th December at UCL East in London. The workshop offered an exploratory discussion about the role of soft robotics in assistive technology. Can soft robotics address challenges related to reduced motor function, such as mobility and rehabilitation needs?  The aim was to stimulate discussion and to provide focus to soft robotics device development in the area of assistive technology. Participants discussed real-world needs of those with impaired mobility and looked at how new soft robotics solutions can transition from the lab to everyday use. 

Martin Birchall (So-Ro Health) and Richard Bibb (TIDAL Network+) gave an introduction, followed by an overview of soft robotics from Jonathan Rossiter who explained that soft robotics is a subfield of robotics that involves the design, control, and fabrication of robots made from soft materials, mimicking those in nature. In contrast to the rigid-bodied robots built from metals, ceramics and hard plastics with which we are more familiar from the news and media, soft robots have the potential to be safer and more acceptable when working in close contact with humans, including those with illnesses and disabilities.   

A panel of people with lived experience of mobility issues then discussed the real-world unmet mobility and activity needs of those living with reduced motor function, highlighted the issues they face within and outside the home, and presented challenges to engineers and medical professionals. There was then a response from a panel of soft robotics engineers, a start-up executive/engineer, and an expert in design and manufacturing, discussing how we might get new soft robotics solutions to these problems into people’s homes.

Dissemination

Webinar - Current trends in AT research

Held on 6th March 2023, showcasing the winning projects from our feasibility funding calls, how they will help to transform assistive technology, and contribute to our vision of innovative, sustainable and equitable assistive technologies; providing insights into where some of the latest lines of research inquiry are heading across our core themes.   

• 205 people attended

• 76 from UK and the other from 39 countries spanning Europe, Asia, Africa, South and North America

• Representing 148 institutions

• Including academic, clinical, voluntary, advocacy, industry representatives

Speakers: 

Responsible Engineering

• Dr Michael Berthaume – LSBU: how an affordable, flexible prosthetic socket could reduce waste, CO2 & abandonment. Project title: An affordable and flexible prosthetic socket  

• Leen Jabban – Bath University: how the Internet of Things (IoT) combined with a person-based approach could enable co-creation of AT & better meet user needs. Project title: A Person Based Approach to the Development of Upper Limb Prostheses (Dr Benjamin Metcalfe / Leen Jabban) 

Digital Design and Manufacturing

• Dr Nicola Bailey – Bath University: how could capturing patient data remotely for custom design of prosthetic sockets improve access to prosthetics & care for amputees? Project title: Remote capture of patient data for bespoke socket design (Dr Nicola Bailey / Dr Elena Seminati) 

• Dr Ben Oldfrey – UCL: designing novel materials & matching repair strategies to maximize the potential of digital prosthetic manufacture while minimizing the climate impact.  Project title: Algorithmic design of functionally graded prosthetic liners 

• Dr Timothy Whitehead – Aston University: creating a low-cost, bespoke rugby wheelchair using recycled plastic and the latest distributed manufacturing to open up the sport for people in LMICs. Project title: Bespoke entry-level Wheelchair Rugby chairs through Advanced Distributed Manufacturing  

• Jonathan Howard – Swansea Bay University Health Board: Developing a blueprint for a better, cheaper, faster user-centred co-design process for personalised assistive tech with Jonathan Howard. Project title: Improving the efficiency of co-designing personalised assistive technology through utilising digital design and manufacturing systems 

Sensors, data and communication aids

• Dr Duncan Williams – Salford University: music generally sounds pretty bad through hearing aids because they’re optimised for speech. Can we make music sound better for hearing aid-wearers by using feedback from wearable sensor data to tweek and personalise sound to individual needs?  Project title: Exploiting wearable sensors for improved communication of music via hearing aids and consumer devices   

• Dr Matthew Dyson – Newcastle University: exploring the properties and applications for a new photonic muscle-sensing device: what does it actually measure, does it work with different skin tones, and what does this mean for how it might be used in assistive technologies? Project title: Physiological validation of a novel photonic biosensor 

Watch the webinar on current trends in AT research.

Building a roadmap for Assistive Technology Innovation

An in-person event at Salford University, MediaCity Thursday 7th September 2023 from 1.00pm to 4.15pm. This event showcased the latest interdisciplinary research in AT innovation from TIDAL Network members, considered how research translates into new products and services, and how we can create a roadmap for the advancement of Assistive Technology.

We heard from the lead researchers whose feasibility projects have been funded by TIDAL, and how they will help to transform AT, plus insights into where some of the latest lines of research inquiry are heading in the fields of AT-related Responsible Engineering; Digital Design and Manufacturing; Sensors, Data Science and Communication Aids.

There was also an overview of the post-Brexit regulatory environment for Assistive Technology based on our first rapid review mapping project. In the wake of Brexit, the regulatory framework for assistive technologies in the UK is changing, and a new regime will come into place in 2024. What are the implications for manufacturing of AT in the UK, in particular for digital AT and medical devices? Speaker: Cathy Holloway

Finally, a review of AT Research impact, asking what helps and what hinders the translation of academic research into new assistive technology products and services? The presentation gave an overview of the findings from the TIDAL review of Assistive Technology research impact, with insights from case studies identifying barriers and facilitators. Speaker: Prof Los Kenney / Niamh Gill