PhD Studentship: Tele-rehabilitation robotics for functional recovery in patients with frailty

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Engineering
Location:  UK Other
Closing Date:  Monday 06 May 2024
Reference:  ENG1771

An exciting opportunity has arisen to undertake a PhD as part of the National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) Training Academy. The student will be based at University of Nottingham (UoN), UK, with access to both UoN and NRC facilities and expertise.

The National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) is part of the Government’s New Hospitals Programme and will be the only such facility in the UK when it opens to patients in Spring 2025.  It will establish a new operating model which integrates clinical rehabilitation treatment with education, training and research and innovation under one roof. The NRC is co-located with the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre (DMRC), providing unparalleled opportunities for sharing knowledge, facilities, education, and research. Further information about the project can be found at https://nationalrehabilitationcentre.nhs.uk/.

Social isolation and frailty are two of the biggest issues facing people living in the community in later age, particularly following periods of ill health, injury or stroke. Older adults are frequently provided with rehabilitation services; however, access to and use of these services is often limited by frailty-related physical and cognitive impairments, transportation issues or other individual living contexts which affect engagement at the level and frequency required. While digital approaches for tele-rehabilitation such as video conferencing using Zoom or WhatsApp are becoming more prevalent, access require digital skills, and for people with sensory or mobility impairments, these platforms often don’t have the affordances, or the flexibility required for an effective remote tele-rehabilitation session. The aim of this PhD will be to investigate the use of telepresence robots, remotely operated by volunteers or health care professionals, as well as operating autonomously, to provide more pro-active and frequent social interaction and structured support for rehabilitation in their own homes. Outcomes will include measures of function or activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living, including mental well-being. The research will include exploring and trialling accessible communication needs when interacting with, and through these systems, integrating the system other ambient and physiological sensors. The research will also compare the efficacy and sustainability of a telepresence robot-based rehabilitation approach with other interventions, with a view to identifying the technology and service infrastructure required to deliver tele-rehabilitation at scale. The project will be in partnership with Adine Adonis, ACPIN which has over 3,500 members and the majority of members are physiotherapists practicing in the field of neurology, both in the NHS and private practice. Their clinical expertise will be helping to guide and inform the research considering further healthcare professionals training needs and ensure representation of diverse views and expertise from different working contexts. This project can be adapted to focus either more on the technology and its development, or take a more clinical perspective, depending on the candidate’s background.

The successful candidate will be part of a mini-cohort and receive specialised training alongside their PhD research including support from industry partners on understanding areas such as product regulation, access to the UK market and internationalisation. In addition to their academic supervisors, the successful candidate will be mentored by a team of stakeholders including healthcare professionals, patients and careers, and industry partners. They will take part in activities to develop skills in working with a variety of stakeholders and researchers from different disciplines, including our award-winning OPAD programme (https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/cate-team/opad-assistive-devices-healthcare-and-community-partners). To ensure patient needs are placed at the heart of innovation, students will work alongside patients with lived examples in focus groups so they can understand challenges and barriers to acceptance of new technology.

Studentships will start in October 2024 and will be 4 years in duration. This funding covers the payment of tuition fees and gives you a tax-free stipend at the standard UKRI rate (£19,237 for 2024/25). To apply, a covering letter, CV and academic transcripts should be sent by email to [email protected] by Monday 6th May.