Intelligent Tools to Support Individuals with Acquired Brain Impairments

This project forms part of a larger initiative to develop adaptive tools for people with language and/or other communication difficulties, whether these are due to developmental disabilities or acquired/degenerative brain failure. In particular, this initiative aims to understand the neurobiology and psychosocial aspects of different brain developmental disorders or failure by developing ‘intelligent’ tools which would support/assist the disabled individual while providing insights for researchers and clinicians alike.

Continued advances in mobile technology particularly in relation to mounting use of the “Quantified Self” technologies, artificial intelligence, human computer interaction clinical imaging as well as other emergent biotechnologies including biomarkers and genomics offer exciting opportunities to combine research into neurobiology (e.g. using fMRI and Diffusion Tensor imaging and Tractography together with imaging biomarkers of microvascular health) with Augmentative Alternative Communication science to gather data about individual specific aspects of brain failure and to enable the development of targeted interfaces to augment or stimulate brain activity and potentially remodelling in a very much more personalised way (e.g. developing games to exercise specific brain activity). This in turn will lead to precision, person centred enabling technologies to facilitate communication between individuals, their carers and wider society; a vital and fundamental aspect improving global health and wellbeing in this group of people.

The PhD candidate will focus on the area of communication challenges following stroke. This will be facilitated by engaging participants in stroke survivor groups. The project will involve developing a set of ‘serious’ games to target specific skills, e.g. similar to training task switching [1] or supporting word finding [2]. The focus of this research will be to: a) review successful digital interventions for aphasia following stroke; b) design prototype systems to map results of clinical data onto interventions; c) evaluate the potential of automatically adapting the task to the individual patient.

For information on Evaluation and Criteria Guidance, Funding and Eligibility & How to Apply please click here - https://www.findaphd.com/search/PhDDetails.aspx?CAID=3380