Tag: Research

Giving nurses and midwives the practical genomics knowledge they need to positively impact patient care

Author bethjohnson | Posted on

Professor Aniko Varadi, Director for the Centre for Research in Biosciences

I lead the Generation Genome education team here at UWE Bristol. But my interest in genomics education goes back to 2012, to the launch of the 100,000 Genomes Project.   

The 100,000 Genomes Project was an English initiative to sequence and study the role our genes play in health and disease. Even now, even when you see how far the science has come, there is still untapped potential in genomics.

For example, if you know the changes in the DNA sequence in a cancer, say breast cancer, you can identify its subtype. You can then look at how that subtype responds to different drugs. And, providing the drugs exist, you can select the best possible drug for an individual patient.  

Mainstreaming genomics  

But genomics isn’t just about identifying treatment options; you can predict what’s going to happen in a family too. If one family member has, for example, colorectal cancer, and it turns out to be an inherited form, then we can do surveillance for the family members who have the same DNA variants.

But all this depends on our NHS professionals having the genomics knowledge in the first place. At the moment, we have a knowledge gap; our nurses and midwives don’t have genomics training. If they have training, when they gain genomics knowledge, they can use it to make a real difference to patients.  

This is what excites us. Upskilling our health professionals with the genomic know-how they need to positively impact patient health.

Workforce training  for our healthcare professionals 

So, in collaboration with NHS England, Macmillan Cancer Support, the British Heart Foundation (BHF), Genomics England and the South West Genomic Laboratory Hub, we have created a competency framework for healthcare practitioners.  

Based on this competency framework, we have developed a totally new education programme. It’s the only fully validated PgCert in Genomics for nurses, midwifes and allied health professionals in England – and UWE Bristol is currently the only HE provider of genomic CPD aimed specifically for nurses and fully funded by NHS England. 

Better access to genomics for more patients  

For all of us in the team, it’s about practically improving the knowledge of frontline NHS professionals. Helping them so they help more patients. As a result of training, many more patients are being tested. I’ll give you a specific example. Lynch Syndrome (LS) is a condition that can run in families and can increase the risk of developing some cancers. So, it’s an inherited type. In one region one of our course participants led an LS clinic. In the past in that region 35-40% patients with LS were missed but with this new clinic in place all those eligible for LS genomic testing were referred for testing. So, we know that what we are doing has a huge impact. For patients, for services, for our nurses. 

Changing lives in many ways  

We know we have changed lives. And, at a time when the NHS is so strapped for cash, if you can provide a better test quicker, then surely that’s only a good thing. For everyone.  

So far, we’ve educated over 200 nurses, midwives, allied healthcare professionals, physios, even some GPs. My ambition is to increase that number tenfold. That’s the ambition – and we always have very big ambitions here. 

Contribution to the UN 2030 sustainable development goals

UWE Bristol is proud to align our research to the UN sustainable development goals. The above research aligns with the following goals:

UWE researchers launch futuristic hydroponics installation at Triennale di Milano

Author Anna Jones | Posted on

SPIKA challenges inequality and urban food futures through microbial innovation.

UWE has been a key part of a development that has taken centre stage at one of the world’s biggest design exhibitions – the Triennale di Milano – with a striking new installation exploring nature, inequality and the future of food.

Launched on 13 May, SPIKA is part of the 24th International Exhibition at the Triennale di Milano. The installation features a hydroponic tower powered by microbial fuel cells – a sustainable system developed at UWE Bristol with Dr Mukesh Sharma and Prof Neil Willey. It invites audiences to consider our relationship with nature and how we might produce nutritious food in future urban settings.

Watch the SPIKA build come to life and hear from the researchers involved:
Video: Building SPIKA

SPIKA is an output of the Microbial Hydroponics (Mi-Hy) project – a €6.5 million EU/UKRI-funded effort to create sustainable urban hydroponic systems. The team at UWE is working in partnership with KU Leuven, University of Southampton, CSIC Madrid, University of Novi Sad, Biofaction Vienna and SONY Computer Science Labs Paris.

Innovation at UWE: The MI-Hy System

The Mi-Hy system – short for Microbial Hydroponics – is being developed in the Envirotron at UWE Bristol, a specialist facility for environmental and agricultural innovation. It reintroduces beneficial microbes into hydroponic systems and uses smart technology to manage these microbial communities.

Why? Because microbes are key to turning common urban waste streams into a nutrient source for food production. This makes Mi-Hy a bold response to urban sustainability, food security, and climate change – using waste to grow nutritious crops, closer to where people live.

Mi-Hy is part of the European Innovation Commission’s CO₂ and Nitrogen Valorisation Portfolio – a €30 million programme aimed at reducing emissions and creating circular solutions across Europe. The system will be demonstrated at key events and forums across the continent over the next two years.

See SPIKA in action

SPIKA is on display at the Triennale di Milano until November 2025

sage growing in the hydroponic tower powered by microbial fuel cells

SPIKA and Mi-Hy are just one part of a bigger picture – showing how UWE researchers are using science, design and collaboration to shape sustainable futures.

Visit the live exhibit website to explore the exhibit in real-time

You can see updates by following on Instagram: @spika.mi_hy, @triennale

Developing useful, affordable and practical robotics that make a difference in the home or at work

Author bethjohnson | Posted on

Professor Carlos Cifuentes, Associate Professor in Human-Robot Interaction   

I am interested in solving real problems. In doing more meaningful work for the benefit of people.   

Take ageing. We know that the UK has an ageing population. Fewer people are now economically active. We also tend to write people off quite early. When you get to a certain age, it can feel like your contribution to society is over. That doesn’t seem right to me. So, we want to explore how we can develop and provide new tools and technologies that will enable people to do more for longer.   

Independent living through assistive tech   

We are also looking at technologies that can support people to live independently. Technologies that can help caregivers and clinicians in their important work. I have already done some work around dementia. Exploring how social robots can help dementia patients to live more independently.   

For example, sometimes dementia sufferers have memory issues.  They still retain a lot of information, but they started forgetting things. Where the toilet is, for example. We can create an application or piece of technology that can remind them and give practical advice. Like a co-pilot to help them get around their home. We never want technology to replace humans but to help them. And also, the feeling when you can do something for yourself rather than someone else doing it for you – that is really exciting to me.   

Breaking the falls    

Here is another example of where technology can help. Older people and people with dementia sometimes fall over. They lose their balance. And if they fall, it can take a long time to recover and they may have to go back into hospital, taking up hospital beds.  Can we develop technology to stop these falls? Or detect when someone is about to fall?   
  
If we go back to workers again. People in warehouses who are lifting heavy things a lot of the time. That creates strain on the body and can lead to back problems. So, we are looking at exosuits, for example, where we can transfer the pressure to the suit and enable people to go about their jobs without placing additional strain and stress on their bodies.   

Ultimately, my work is to develop useful, affordable and practical robotics that can make a difference to people in the home or at work.    

Contribution to the UN 2030 sustainable development goals

UWE Bristol is proud to align our research to the UN sustainable development goals. The above research aligns with the following goals:

Knowledge Transfer Partnership Associate Spotlight: Abdulrazaq Sanni

Author Anna Jones | Posted on

Abdulrazaq is a Software Engineer as part of our Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with WASE and UWE Bristol. A KTP is a UK-wide, 3-way partnership between a business, a university and talented graduate, and aims to help businesses improve competitiveness and productivity, whilst also boosting the career prospects of the graduate.   

WASE and the College of Arts, Technology and Environment (CATE) at UWE Bristol began their KTP together in April 2025. The KTP will create a machine learning-based soft sensing platform. This platform will be integrated within WASE’s Electro-Methanogenesis Reactor (EMR) to remotely optimise system performance. The system will help expand EMR technology, allowing customers to treat wastewater on-site while generating energy, reducing carbon emissions, and producing cleaner water and nutrients for use as fertilizers.

The project aim is to develop game-changing improvements to the EMR technology by enhancing the system’s monitoring and adaptability. This will ensure minimal downtime and maximum value from the waste. The improvements will involve optimizing WASE’s industrial-scale system and improving predictive analytics in anaerobic digestion (AD). We will use feedback from microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) modules to enhance sensor accuracy.

The KTP team caught up with Abdulrazaq to hear about their experience of the KTP so far:

What attracted you to the position?

I’m drawn to the role for several reasons. Primarily, it’s the excitement around the project’s potential — what we can achieve and the path to getting there. I enjoy challenges and solving problems, and this feels like the perfect project for someone like me. I’m especially excited about helping position WASE at the forefront of innovation in the anaerobic digestion (AD) sector through the application of AI and operational automation.

Another reason is the role’s position at the intersection of academia and industry. Having previously worked in academia, I’ve been considering a transition into the industry. This opportunity allows me to bridge both worlds. Finally, the sustainability aspect is very important to me. I’ve worked on a project that was somewhat related to sustainability, and being part of an initiative that contributes to a healthier climate is truly rewarding.

What are you most looking forward to?

I’m most looking forward to realising the project’s objectives. I say “realising” because I genuinely believe they’re achievable, even though the journey might be challenging. Reaching those goals will be a testament to the work, support, and growth that come along the way. It will also reflect the level WASE will have reached — and I’m excited to be a key contributor to that progress.

How is the partnership between UWE Bristol and the company working?

It’s only my third week so far, but the partnership has been fantastic. Everyone at both the company and the university has been incredibly supportive and engaged, which is great because it shows that everyone is equally invested in the project. One thing that stands out to me is how they’ve managed to involve the right people — experts who understand exactly what we need to do. That alignment is crucial to the project’s success, and I think they’ve nailed it.

What are the major benefits/support available from UWE Bristol?

The major sources of support from UWE have been the academic team and the KTP team. The KTP team has been actively involved from the start, guiding me through key steps and helping me understand the important elements of the partnership. The academic team has also been very supportive and clearly committed to mentoring and guiding me throughout the project.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

Although it’s only my third week, it already feels like an environment where I’ll get to learn a lot — especially about anaerobic digestion, a field I hadn’t worked in before. The learning curve is steep, but that only makes it more exciting. The people here have also been amazing. They could probably list “Family” as one of their core values, because that’s exactly how they operate — with a strong sense of unity and belonging. That culture really helps drive a shared sense of purpose.

Find out more about KTPs at UWE Bristol. 

Levelling up the playing field by confronting and challenging inequalities in education

Author bethjohnson | Posted on

Dr Richard Waller, Professor of Education and Social Justice  

I’m a sociologist of education. My research, which tends to be qualitative in nature, focuses on education and social justice. I’m especially interested in how educational systems, processes and experiences can either challenge, reproduce or reinforce existing social inequalities, particularly those involving social class and gender.   

We often hear people talking about how education can lead to social mobility and that going to university puts everyone on a level playing field. It’s often assumed that if you go to university and get a degree, then you’re then starting your career on the same equal footing as every other graduate. That, whatever your socioeconomic background, you can go and compete for the same jobs. Fairly, equally. But that’s just not true. You can’t. As our recent Paired Peers longitudinal research study showed.   

Capitals and gains   

This particular study was submitted to the REF and highlighted by the British Education Research Association as being particularly impactful and able to change people’s lives. The study followed 88 young people over 10 years. We interviewed them repeatedly and gathered lots of other data from them. We looked at what they brought with them into university, in terms of their personal resources and what we call ‘capitals’. That’s their social capital, economic capital, and cultural capital.   

We followed these 88 young people as they moved through university and into the workplace. We looked at the subjects they chose, the activities they were involved in, the skills and knowledge they gained – within and beyond the university environment – and the careers they aspired to.   

Breaking down barriers

Now, many of these people already knew that, for them, a degree wouldn’t be enough to land the job they wanted. They needed a really ‘shiny’, stand-out CV, with loads of experiences and transferable skills on it. But that’s easier for some than others. For example, if you’re from a wealthier background, you don’t necessarily need to think about part-time work. You immediately have more time to focus on other things. But that’s much harder to do if you’re working in a shop or a bar for 20+ hours a week to pay your bills. Then you can’t afford to spend your time on things that will enhance your CV.  
  
We also found real barriers to doing things like internships or work experience, which often aren’t particularly well paid. Say you’re well-connected and have family or friends in London or another big city. If you take up a work placement, for example, you can go stay with them. Many people can’t. They simply can’t afford to go and do these things. Or they don’t have contacts who can get them into graduate internship schemes or offer other similar opportunities.  

Widening participation

So, my research really highlighted the inequalities that exist before young people even get to university and that grow while they’re there. How some groups of people start with a stronger hand which only reinforces the gap when they graduate.   

To help all students make the most of their university experience, to get the most out of it, we must find ways to help them actively participate. To properly widen participation, if you like. Because true participation is much more than just access to university.   

If you want people to truly participate at university, you need to be able to somehow level the playing field. Bursaries can really help. If you’re from a low-income background, a bursary doesn’t just help financially but it somehow validates your place at university too. And it may allow you to work fewer hours in your part-time job. So, you can spend a bit more time studying or doing other things. Like joining a sports team, for example.   

We can help with internships too. For example, here at UWE Bristol we had a subsidised internship scheme whereby we paid a certain amount of an undergraduate’s salary for a short period.  

Everyone benefits

And all this doesn’t just benefit the individual; it benefits society. It helps people from different backgrounds consider careers or roles that they couldn’t previously. We all know the importance of diversity and representation. We need more of that, for example, in many of the boardrooms of our top companies.  Because from businesses to public services, it’s vital that we see people from a diverse range of backgrounds. Better for individuals, better for business, better for society.    

So yes, I guess I’m ultimately driven by social justice. I try to make a real difference to individual lives, whether it’s through the classes I teach, the events I speak at, or the research I carry out.    

Contribution to the UN 2030 sustainable development goals

UWE Bristol is proud to align our research to the UN sustainable development goals. The above research aligns with the following goals:

The Sibling Sexual Behaviour & Abuse (SSB-A) Practice Outcomes Framework for services and organisations supporting and responding to sibling sexual behaviour and abuse.

Author Anna Jones | Posted on

Guest blog by Amy Adams & Kieran McCartan.

Sibling sexual behaviour and abuse (SSB-A) is an emerging research area in the field of preventing and responding to harmful sexual behaviour (HSB) in children and young people (CYP). Over the last five years the authors have been involved in several research projects (including the first government commissioned national sibling sexual abuse project for the Home Office with SARSAS, Purple Leaf and Dr Sophie King-Hill from the University of Birmingham)have worked with a number of national and international organisations (#SiblingsToo and Thriving Survivors) and have published with others on SSB-A (including but not limited to Dr Sophie King-Hill, David Russell, Dr Peter Yates and Stuart Allardyce –  for a list of relevant publications please see the resource and the UWE repository). Over this period, it has occurred to the authors that while the research and evidence base on SSB-A is emerging and has long been central to the work of many professional organisations and frontline services, these services rarely carry out research or collate an evidence base on their practices and outcomes relating to SSB-A. This is mainly because frontline services lack time, resources, funding and research experience to carry out this work alongside their practice. To support services/organisations/professionals who want to become more outcomes focussed and evaluate their work regarding SSB-A, the authors using internal impact related funding from UWE, have developed a research and evaluation framework for SSB-A.

The research and evaluation framework has been developed and is underpinned by the authors’ research experience and knowledge of the area of SSB-A, as well as the extensive research and evaluation carried out by them in the field of sexual abuse. The framework provides the current research context of SSB-A and states why we need a better practice-based evidence base, before highlighting the most effective methodologies for doing this and how they can be best understood, interpreted and evidenced by practitioners. The framework is underpinned by a wellbeing and trauma-informed approach and a public health and development perspective.  Moreover, as SSB-A is a family systems issue it needs a family systems response, especially if uncovered or disclosed in childhood, as such the framework addresses and centralises a ‘whole family’ perspective.

Given the complicated nature of reporting and recording data on SSB-A, whether the behaviour and abuse was disclosed and reported in childhood (therefore framed as harmful sexual behaviour (HSB) and an ongoing child protection issue) or in adulthood (as a victim services issue as well as potentially a criminal justice issue), evaluating the topic can be challenging. The framework offers insights to collecting and evidencing outcomes for five distinct but interrelated populations:

  • Children and young people (CYP) who has been harmed
  • CYP responsible for the harm
  • Parent and carers of CYP impacted by SSB-A
  • Adults who as children were responsible for harm
  • Adult victim-survivors of SSB-A

The framework also provides examples of the research questions, data that needs to be collected for each of these groups, providing worked examples and data collection tools and analysis guidelines. It is hoped that this framework will be of use to practitioners in developing their own evidence base in SSB-A and that this in turn will feed into academic research as well as improving commission, evidence-based practice and improve outcomes for everyone impacted by SSB-A.

The framework is a free resource and can be found on the UWE website.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact the research team (Kieran.mccartan@uwe.ac.uk or axa1895@student.bham.ac.uk).

Amy and Kieran would like to thank New Wave , especially Jessica Jolliffe and Kaela Earl-Tester, for all their work on the production of the final document.

Developing a non-invasive electronic nose to detect diseases quickly and save lives

Author bethjohnson | Posted on

Dr Saliha Saad, Associate Professor in Biomedical Sciences

I have a medical background with expertise in oral microbiology. 

My work is mainly around oral biofilms. Biofilms are layers of bacterial communities that accumulate on many surfaces including the teeth, gums, and the tongue. 

We know that the biofilm on the tongue can cause oral malodour also called bad breath. This condition which is of microbial aetiology is not life-threatening however, people who suffer from it can have, a complicated life. They can get isolated. It really affects their quality of life.    

Tackling bad breath, increasing confidence     

Bad breath is a very complex issue; however, it is well accepted that the volatile compounds produced by bacterial metabolism on the tongue are responsible for oral malodour.  

I have been collaborating with many large companies in this area, including GSK, Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Philips, Colgate-Palmolive to develop and test antimicrobial formulations and tools that can control this condition by reducing the number of microbes and the volatile compounds they produce.    

Sniffing out disease

My work in this area also led to something very important. I am now exploring the link between the oral microbiome and systemic diseases, like diabetes. We know that there is a strong link between gum disease and diabetic foot ulcers. In collaboration with Aryballe, we want to be able to detect early stage of diabetic foot ulcers using electronic nose NeOse that ‘sniffs’ the mouth and the foot.  

This means that we don’t have to swab the infected area. Taking a swab can be intrusive and labour intensive. It takes time to get results back too. So, we can speed this up and act to help the patient quicker and prevent severe complications like gangrene which often requires toe or limb amputation.  

Early detection saves lives 

The mouth is accessible and sampling mouth air is non-invasive. If we can detect disease early, we can reduce the burden on the NHS. We can save time, money and, importantly, save lives.    

Contribution to the UN 2030 sustainable development goals

UWE Bristol is proud to align our research to the UN sustainable development goals. The above research aligns with the following goals:

Case study: For the big questions of today, communities are at the heart of tackling climate change and sustainability

Author bethjohnson | Posted on

Dr Laura Fogg-Rogers, Associate Professor for Engineering in Society 

While you’ll find me in the School of Engineering, I’m a social psychologist and science communicator. I study people and their engagement with technology.   

That means that most of my work is done with groups and communities. Because we humans are social creatures. We want to live and thrive together. And I believe that communities are the answer to the big questions of today. I’m really focused on how we can make sure that communities stay together, stay connected and stay resilient, so that we can live with our changing times.   

Communities drive change

I encourage communities to tell us what their problems are and what they need us to work on. Naturally, this has taken me a lot into the area of sustainability and climate change – and how we can work together, solve problems and make a real world, on-the-ground difference.   


Because yes, I’m driven to make a difference. Action is everything right now. And action happens within our communities. But we have to inspire action and show that it’s possible for communities to affect change.   

Be what you can see

For instance, some of my work has been about minority and underrepresented groups working in technology and engineering. So, there’s this classic phrase: you can’t be what you can’t see. And that’s really important. Representation matters. We need to show that different people, diverse people, are working in this area and making a real difference. Seeing that there are role models doing this right now is so important. It’s inspiring. And we want to excite the next generation and show them that they can too.   

We’re also active in policy development. We’re working with local councils to show them how they can embed citizen-led climate ideas and action into policy. How we can connect awesome community projects with the policies that are going through right now. Again, a lot of this comes back to getting community voices heard, and making sure that there’s diversity and representation at all levels.  

We are all the difference

As a social psychologist, I’m all about groups. As I said at the start, we’re social creatures. We want to look out for each other. My passion, my work, is to support communities to come together and make a difference to each other – and the environment we all live in.    

  Contribution to the UN 2030 sustainable development goals

UWE Bristol is proud to align our research to the UN sustainable development goals. The above research aligns with the following goals:

UWE Bristol researcher makes strides in ARC Accelerate programme

Author Anna Jones | Posted on

UWE Bristol is proud to highlight the achievements of Dr. Jack Lowe, based in the Digital Cultures Research Centre, who recently completed the prestigious ARC Accelerate programme. Jack spent six months transforming his innovative ideas into a scalable venture, with the support of this AHRC/ESRC-funded initiative.

About ARC Accelerate

ARC Accelerate is a 6-month accelerator programme designed to help researchers in social sciences, arts, and humanities transform their ideas into market-ready products and services. The programme offers up to £62,500 in funding, along with comprehensive support including training, mentorship, and networking opportunities.

Dr. Jack Lowe: Pin the Tale

Jack has developed Pin the Tale, a digital game that strengthens community ties to place using the what3words app. In the game, players use what3words addresses to write stories about specific locations, creating connections between narrative and place. This innovative approach encourages players to explore and share their experiences of different locations through storytelling.

For Jack, the ARC programme offered a transformative perspective on research commercialisation. He reflects:

“Commercialisation doesn’t have to mean profiteering. Instead, it is most useful as a lens for thinking about how to sustain the impact of your work, whatever form that might take.”

The programme’s structured support and resources proved invaluable:

“Having a dedicated period of paid time focused solely on my venture, and being able to fully pay my collaborators for their work, resulted in an outcome that simply would not have been possible otherwise.”

Through engaging with multiple stakeholders during the programme, Jack gained crucial insights into how his platform could meet real-world needs. Each public workshop has provided new learning opportunities about the challenges and possibilities his game presents.

Project Progress and Future Plans

Since completing the ARC Accelerate programme, Jack has successfully launched Pin the Tale in early-access to the public. The game is now freely available online, inviting users to discover and create stories connected to specific locations across the UK.

“At its heart, Pin the Tale is about re-connecting individuals and communities to the places they live in, visit or care about. It’s about going beyond the ‘official’ stories of places; the ones we might be familiar with from history lessons or books. Pin the Tale aims to be much more intimate, inspiring and creative, where ‘culture’ and ‘heritage’ is something to be uncovered in people’s own stories and the stories of others in their communities.”

The game offers two key experiences:

  • Discovering stories about places you’re interested in: Navigate on the map to an area of the UK that you’re interested in. Click the Find Stories button to read stories other people have written about places in that area. 
  • Share your own stories: Zoom into a UK location on the map that you want to write a story about. Click the square closest to the spot your story is about, then click ‘Write a story about this location’. Stories on Pin the Tale can take any creative form: fictional, poetic, historical, personal, informative, imaginative.

Jack emphasises the experiential nature of the game:

“When learning about the world around you feels like a process of discovery – when it engages your imagination – that’s when it becomes exciting. We want to evoke that feeling in our players.”

The project continues to gain recognition within the academic community, with Pin the Tale being selected as a featured project at this year’s Royal Geographical Society Annual International Conference, where it aligns perfectly with the conference theme of ‘Geography and Creativity.’

Support for UWE Researchers

UWE is committed to supporting our researchers in transforming their innovative ideas into real-world impact. Jack’s success in the ARC Accelerate programme demonstrates the potential of our research community to drive positive change through commercialisation.

Find out more about the ARC pathway here: https://arcaccelerator.io/

Key Dates:

  • Applications for the next cohort open in June 2025.
  • Programme start: February 2026

Get Support: To discuss your application and receive guidance on the process, contact UWE’s Impact and Innovation Team at ipteam@uwe.ac.uk

Contribution to the UN 2030 sustainable development goals

UWE Bristol is proud to align our research to the UN sustainable development goals. The above research aligns with the following goals:

Using eye-tracking and machine learning technology to aid the early diagnosis of crippling neurodegenerative diseases

Author Anna Jones | Posted on

“Technology is a great enabler. It can make a real difference to our lives. That is why we are using eye-tracking technology and machine learning to aid the early diagnosis of crippling neurodegenerative diseases. ” 

Dr Wenhao Zhang, Associate Professor of Computer Vision and Machine Learning   

I currently have two main streams of research. One is around agriculture technology, using computer vision and machine learning. The other one is to adapt and apply a similar set of techniques to a very different interdisciplinary challenge: healthcare tech. I am looking at how we can use eye tracking and machine learning for disease diagnosis.   

The eyes have it   

  
Eye tracking is a really interesting area – for me personally and for useful, real-world applications – because eye movements are quite an important type of human behaviour. They tell people about your attention, for example, Are you interested? Are you tired? and potentially other clinical signs useful to disease diagnosis. We can absolutely read a lot from eye movements.   

Our ambition is to use eye movement information, combined with machine learning analysis, to tell you if you might have a neurodegenerative disease such as dementia or its early pre-disease stages. We are in the early stages of our research work, and we are taking a very novel approach to diagnosis. But we believe in what we are doing based on evidence shown in the relevant literature and the successes we have had with applying machine vision and machine learning to other research areas. The ultimate aim is to enable everyone to be able to undertake eye tracking tests in their own home.   

Pick up and play   

Essentially, we are working to create a kind of an eye tracking test for dementia. The current gold-standard tests commonly need to be administered by a clinician. It takes time. It is labour intensive. It’s inconvenient for everyone really. Despite the availability of newer forms of eye tracking tests, you have to sit there and complete a visual task, which can be tracking a dot moving in different directions on a screen. The task can be somewhat counterintuitive. And it’s not fully representative of your cognitive functions and higher-level thinking skills.   

What we want to do is build everything into a game. A game you can play on your laptop, phone and tablet. A game that uses the built-in camera to track and record your eye movements.   

Through machine learning analysis of subtle but high-speed eye movement, we aim to spot errors in movement trajectories, latencies in responses to stimuli, and other more complex eye movement patterns. We would then compare those patterns to a healthy group of people who are not cognitively impaired and also to people who have dementia.   

Increasing the data set   


Also, by making the test more accessible we can increase our data set which often improves machine learning performance. While there are already commercial eye trackers available, they are commonly very, very expensive. Also, people can’t get to or use them easily, especially people who have a neurodegenerative condition. Through our research work, we want to enable just a normal webcam, or the camera on your phone or tablet, to achieve accurate and ubiquitous eye tracking. And ultimately, the more accessible the test, the more people will use it, and the bigger difference we can make.   

Looking to tomorrow   

Once we are up and running, we want to conduct some kind of longitudinal study. To see, for example, what happens if you play the game once a day or a few times a day. What happens over the course of a year. Are there any neuropsychological changes detectable by our approach? Could playing the game delay the onset of dementia? How early could dementia be detected before clinical symptoms manifest?  Certain aspects of our future work are entirely hypothetical, but these are the kind of questions we want to ask of ourselves.   

 Contribution to the UN 2030 sustainable development goals

UWE Bristol is proud to align our research to the UN sustainable development goals. The above research aligns with the following goals:

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