Research Fellow

We are seeking a motivated and skilled Researcher to join the RadioMe project - an innovative health technology initiative aimed at supporting people with dementia to live independently in the community. RadioMe uses biosensors to detect signs of agitation and delivers personalised music interventions to help manage symptoms and enhance quality of life.

The project has recently completed pilot testing, and you will lead the analysis, write-up, and dissemination of the findings. This role requires a researcher confident in applying mixed-methods approaches to analyse a diverse range of data, including qualitative interviews, pre- and post-intervention quantitative measures, field notes, and biometric data.

You will be encouraged and supported to find creative and impactful ways to disseminate the findings, including opportunities to present at national and international conferences. Additionally, the role offers professional development opportunities in grant writing, leading publications, and shaping future research directions.

You will join the Community and Primary Care Research Group (CPCRG) in the Faculty of Health at the University of Plymouth. CPCRG is a dynamic and supportive environment focused on applied health research that makes a real difference in community and primary care settings. The CPCRG is continuing develop a portfolio of international recognised dementia research, and are embedded in existing dementia infrastructure such as the NIHR PenARC, the Alzheimer's Society Doctoral Training Centre for Integrated Dementia Care, and SPIN-D network plus.

RadioMe is a £2.7 million project that uses artificial intelligence to adapt and personalise live radio, with the aim of transforming the lives of people living alone with dementia. It addresses key causes of hospital admission for people with dementia, such as agitation and not taking medication correctly. As a result, it is hoped quality of life will improve and people will be able to remain living independently at home for longer. Funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), it capitalises on the popularity of radio among the age group most likely to be living with dementia, developing a way to seamlessly ‘remix’ live digital broadcast so that listeners receive personalised reminders, information and music.

Specifically, RadioMe generates an audio output which is a semi-real time remix of the local radio stream; and a simplified computer interface allowing the people with dementia/carer to monitor and adjust the system. Within the base-station there are four processes: 1) analysis of the radio stream to find opportunities to insert/replace with anti-agitation interventions and audio reminders; 2) conversion of diary reminders into radio DJ-like announcements using a speech synthesizer; 3) short-term statistical analysis of bio-sensor data for agitation detection; and 4) when agitation is detected, then the next time music is to be played  it is replaced with personalized relaxing music in a way that sounds natural.

RadioMe is led by the University of Plymouth's Interdisciplinary Centre for Computer Music Research (ICCMR) and Centre for Health Technology, in collaboration with the Glasgow Interactive Systems group at the University of Glasgow, and the Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research at Anglia Ruskin University.

This is a full-time position working 37 hours per week on a fixed-term basis until 31^st August 2025 in the first instance due to funding. There may be the possibility of a short extension, subject to funding approval.

Advert information