Jack Lumsdon is a research assistant focusing on the meaningfulness of using wearable sensors to monitor people with Parkinson’s disease. Claire Wilkinson is a BRC-funded PhD student who investigates the measurement of turning using wearable sensors in the real world in people with Parkinson’s disease. As part of their work within the Digital Health, Ageing Innovation, and Inclusion theme they use wearable sensors to monitor real world movement and explore the insights it can provide. They took these sensors to each event making the research accessible and experienceable.
The first event took place as part of the Discover Festival run by Newcastle University. This one-day family event brings exciting research to life for the next generation of scientists while encouraging connection and interaction. A month later, they ran a stall at a community open day in the new Healthcare Innovation Neighbourhood where local residents and community groups were invited to gain insights into the research being conducted at the BRC and in the North East, as well as finding out more about the future plans for the development of the Health Innovation Neighbourhood (HIN) development.
They used this opportunity to open discussions around neurodegenerative conditions, the impact of these on a person’s walking, and how it can be measured using wearable sensors. With members of the public putting on the wearable devices at both event stands, they were first instructed to stand still for 15 seconds and then asked to stand on one leg with their eyes closed holding a tray of balls for 15 seconds. Following this, people were able to see how an objective measuring device could capture the nuances of movement, exploring how these devices may be able to improve future research into movement and clinical trials, as well as potential uses in healthcare. Each stall invited everyone who was interested in participating in research to ask any questions and learn more about opportunities. If you are interested in getting involved in research, you can find more information under Patient and Public Involvement.
The events highlighted the interest and excitement in digital health research and the importance of ensuring science is communicated in an accessible manner. Although both events hosted a similar activity, the people in attendance varied greatly between events. A key learning was to ensure information is provided to the public in exciting and accessible ways. It was very inspiring to gain insights from participants involved in other BRC projects and engage with the people we aim to benefit through our research.