Bionics+: User Centred Design and Usability of Bionic Devices
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Warwick
Department Name: Sch of Engineering
Abstract
The Bionics+ NetworkPlus will represent the spectrum of research, clinical and industrial communities across bionic technologies within the EPSRC Grand Challenge theme of Frontiers of Physical Intervention. It will invigorate and support a cohesive, open and active network with the mission of creating a mutually supportive environment. It will lead to the co-creation of user-centred bionic solutions that are fit for purpose. These advances will have a global impact, consolidating the world-leading position of the UK. The founding tranche will focus on ambitious and transformative research, new collaborative and translational activities, and the formulation of a longer-term strategy. Within this context, as a community, we will explore and identify areas of opportunity and value, driven by Bionics users' needs, complementary to existing activity and strengths. The network will instigate and support early-stage research in these priority areas, alongside providing an outward-facing representation and engagement of the UK Bionics community. Further, we aim to contribute in an advisory capacity to public bodies, UK industry and government policy.
At the time of the application, we have obtained a positive commitment from circa 70 groups including bionic users, academic partners from universities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and a few international partners; partners in medical devices, orthotics and prosthetics industry, both large corporates and small-medium size companies; and many clinicians, surgeons and aligned health experts from relevant NHS clinics and the private sector.
At the time of the application, we have obtained a positive commitment from circa 70 groups including bionic users, academic partners from universities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and a few international partners; partners in medical devices, orthotics and prosthetics industry, both large corporates and small-medium size companies; and many clinicians, surgeons and aligned health experts from relevant NHS clinics and the private sector.
Organisations
- University of Warwick (Lead Research Organisation)
- University of Oxford (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- Great Ormond Street Hospital (Project Partner)
- CARDIFF UNIVERSITY (Project Partner)
- Galvani Bioelectronics (Project Partner)
- Koalaa Limited (Project Partner)
- NHS Lothian (Project Partner)
- University of Surrey (Project Partner)
- University of Glasgow (Project Partner)
- University of Aberdeen (Project Partner)
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (Project Partner)
- UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS BIRMINGHAM NHS FOUNDATION TRUST (Project Partner)
- National University of Ireland Maynooth (Project Partner)
- Imperial College London (Project Partner)
- University of Cambridge (Project Partner)
- Albany Business Consultants Ltd (Project Partner)
- Cardiff and Vale University Health Board (Project Partner)
- NIHR CLAHRC for South Yorkshire (Project Partner)
- BIOS Health Ltd (Project Partner)
- University of Southampton (Project Partner)
- University of Strathclyde (Project Partner)
- Brunel University London (Project Partner)
- Coherent UK Ltd (Project Partner)
- Devices for Dignity (Project Partner)
- University of York (Project Partner)
- Sheffield Hallam University (Project Partner)
- University of Sheffield (Project Partner)
- Platt & Associates, Inc. (Project Partner)
- Newcastle University (Project Partner)
- Meta (Previously Facebook) (Project Partner)
- University of Manchester (Project Partner)
- Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust (Project Partner)
- University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust (Project Partner)
- University of Bristol (Project Partner)
- UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON (Project Partner)
- University of Edinburgh (Project Partner)
Publications
Green RA
(2021)
Possibilities in bioelectronics: Super humans or science fiction?
in APL bioengineering
Portillo-Lara R
(2021)
Mind the gap: State-of-the-art technologies and applications for EEG-based brain-computer interfaces
in APL Bioengineering
| Description | Explained the concept of Bionics and expanded on the scope of the field with researchers and end-users alike |
| Exploitation Route | Through a continued presence in Bionics through a "Bionics Society" |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy Creative Economy Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Education Healthcare Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
| Description | Bringing together of a pan-disciplinary audience and introducing each leading to possible new research. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2022 |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Healthcare,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology |
| Impact Types | Societal Economic |
| Description | Minimally Invasive Multiplexed Temporal Interference Brain Stimulation Network |
| Amount | £4,140,515 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Advanced Research and Innovation Agency (ARIA) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2025 |
| End | 12/2028 |
| Description | NeuroMod+: Co-creation for next-generation neuromodulation therapeutics |
| Organisation | University of Oxford |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | My research team has contributed to the concept of the network, with discussions on the content, mainly in relation to NISNEM technologies. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Rylie Green, co-I in NISNEM, is co-I in this network proposal and extensively contributed to the conceptualization of the network focus. The network will focus on addressing the challenge of minimally invasive treatments for brain disorders, including non-invasive methods developed in NISNEM for monitoring and treating. The network has just been accepted for funding and includes new collaborations with the University of Oxford, the University of Nottingham and the University of Edinburgh. This network and the other newly funded EPSRC Network+ on Neurotechnology for enabling community-based diagnosis and care (see separate item in this section of the report) cover two fundamental core areas of NISNEM - treatment and diagnosis of neurological disorders - and will be essential in accelerating the dissemination of NISNEM technologies. |
| Impact | This network will commence this year. We will update on the outputs in the following reports. |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Bionics Webinars |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A recurring webinar with online attendees varying from 20 to about 60 of project partners + guests |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023,2024,2025 |
| Description | Bionics+ Newsletter |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Bi-monthly newsletter highlighting individuals, papers, events and funding schemes |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021,2022 |
| URL | https://www.bionicsplus.org/?page_id=361 |
| Description | Conference stand promoting Bionics |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | An annual stand at a premiere international conference to promote the Bionics+ activities and the general area of research |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023,2024,2025 |
| Description | Development of the Bionics Bus |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The launch of the Bionics Bus project for outreach at the NEC classic motor show - over 70,000 attendees passed through the show and we connected with as many of them as we could. A survey was conducted which was followed up with a publication. (Healthcare Technology Letters, "The Bionics Bus for Neurology and Neuropsychiatry: Concept development and validation", 2025) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | http://www.bionicsbus.org |
| Description | Early Career Researcher Workshops |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Workshops designed to discuss and disseminate best practice in developing researchers skills, public engagement and PPI |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023,2024 |
| Description | Funding Sandpits |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Sandpits where application areas in Bionics are raised, discussed and project ideas formed and research planned |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2024 |