Radio Me: Real-time Radio Remixing for people with mild to moderate dementia who live alone, incorporating Agitation Reduction, and Reminders

Lead Research Organisation: Anglia Ruskin University
Department Name: Fac of Arts,Humanities Social & Sciences

Abstract

Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.

Publications

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Title BioBracelet 
Description The Artefact that was commisioned from the Science Museum Group for their Musical Minds exhibition. The Bracelet was worn from the first participants of the RadioMe project while music listening. 
Type Of Art Artefact (including digital) 
Year Produced 2022 
Impact The braelet has been put under glass and went into the exhibition Turn it up - The Power of Music 
URL https://www.scienceandindustrymuseum.org.uk/whats-on/turn-it-up
 
Title DJ edited tempo variation of prefered pre-recorded music for arousal adjustment 
Description Utilising DJ remix tools like Serato of pre-recorded tracks 
Type Of Art Composition/Score 
Year Produced 2022 
Impact will model some music therapy intervention tools to be automatically inititated with biomarker and preference data 
 
Title Musical Minds: Turn it up - the Power of Music exibition 
Description BioBracelet to record and monitor heartrate data. This bracelet has been used by participants of the Radiome study 
Type Of Art Artistic/Creative Exhibition 
Year Produced 2022 
Impact BBC breakfast TV was attracted from the project description related to the bracelet and aimed to interview but then Liss Truss resigned... 
URL https://www.scienceandindustrymuseum.org.uk/whats-on/turn-it-up
 
Title Visual representation of what music means to people with dementia and music and memory 
Description There are three different designs created by a couple who are recruited into the RadioMe study: 1. waves of music genres; 2. 'Brainwaves: music within memory; 3. fish with play button scales 
Type Of Art Artwork 
Year Produced 2023 
Impact The participants have been discussing ways of raising awareness of the importance of music to people with dementia and the range of music that is preferred by the population, which can appear to be limited in the public perception to older compositions such as Hello Dolly and We'll Meet Again, which don't represent the demographic and cultural diversity of this patient population. We have discussed designing a sound installation to exhibit in a gallery or public space, to give an experience of music, associated memories and how it can alter arousal and mood. 
URL https://aru.figshare.com/account/articles/22269577
 
Description There is great interest form people living with dementia (PwD) and their carers to join the project, which we have found through contacting NHS trusts, dementia cafes and local singing groups for PwD and the well attended (ca. 130 people) public lecture on music listening. The Patient Carer and Public Advisory group have contributed to developing a new procedure to create music playlists for people living with dementia, which will be more likely to find the most effective music for arousal adjustment and reducing agitation.
The advisory group has confort-tested four different wearable heart rate data collection devices. This provides essential data for the RadioMe system, as little is known about tolerance for a longterm use of these devices by PwD.
We are about publish a review of literature showing the huge gap in knowledge in homebased interventions to manage neuropsychiatric symptoms.
We recruited about 40 participants and about 30 have completed the playlist compilations, 5 systems are installed in participants homes and those participants are reporting on how the the system is running , problems with the system, they are collecting heartrate data when the PwD is experiencing symptoms such as stress, anxiety, frustration, which would be more common to people in the earlier stages of dementia or with mild cognitive impairment. The heartrate data is send to our collaborators to extract the data for the system to play the music at the right time.
When working with the RadioMe prototyp we asked participants to report times when they were getting agitated. One interesting outcome is the variety of descriptions we get PwDs and their carers are reporting about the actual symptoms of agitation which are not necessarily aquivalent to the know definitions used in any observation tools like the Cohen Mansfield Agitation Inventory.
Exploitation Route The project's aim to create an interactive radio with personalised content for PwDs living on their own would be to have another layer of patient monitoring with high quality information delivered from the interactive sensor (Heart rate monitor sending data to the system) and input domains provided to the participants. Music therapy practice procedures would be embedded in the interactive RadioSystem and would also allow for a new stream of home-based music therapy delivery.
Sectors Communities and Social Services/Policy,Creative Economy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Healthcare

 
Description The Science Museum Group has contacted us for their 'Musical minds' exhibition that took a start in Manchester Science museum with the exhibition 'Turn it up - the power of music'. One of our measuring tools was used as an object and put under glass. BBC were keen to interview but then on the day other political events didn't make it happen.
First Year Of Impact 2022
Sector Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections
Impact Types Cultural

 
Description COVID-19 Grant Extension Allocation (CoA)
Amount £35,184 (GBP)
Organisation United Kingdom Research and Innovation 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 11/2020 
End 03/2021
 
Description VC PhD fellowship award
Amount £24,000 (GBP)
Organisation Anglia Ruskin University 
Department Vice Chancellor's Awards
Sector Academic/University
Country United Kingdom
Start 09/2021 
End 08/2024
 
Title Agitation heart rate data collection with in-patients on dementia ward: protocol 
Description This is a protocol we have developed with CPFT NHS Trust on an in-patient ward, to help collect heart rate data from people living with dementia at the points in the day when they appear agitated. These data are needed to help calibrate the RadioMe system to start playing the music when needed, i.e. when heart rate and heart rate variability indicate agitation onset. 
Type Of Material Physiological assessment or outcome measure 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? No  
Impact The data will enable us to more accurtely calibrate the RadioMe system to play the music at the right time and for the right duration, i.e. when heart rate indicates agitation onset, until it indicates a reduction. 
 
Title Interview procedure for compiling playlists of relaxing or calming music 
Description This is a procedure, adapted from published methods and co-designed with advisory group, to assemble a playlist of up to 20 pieces of music that the person living with dementia is likely to find relaxing or calming, thus having ther potential to stop or reduce episodes of aggitation. The procedure poses a series of questions to theperson with dementia and their carer, and uses tools such as music listening platforms (iTunes, Spotify, Napster, etc) to present examples of music to the person in order to remind them of their preferred, relaxing music and eliminate any music from the playlist that may prompt negative behaviours or memories. 
Type Of Material Physiological assessment or outcome measure 
Year Produced 2020 
Provided To Others? No  
Impact We have adapted the long-form playlist compilation procedure to a short form that non-clinicians will be able to use to quicklycompile playlists for arousal adjustment and to help manage neuropsychiatric symptoms with people living at home. 
 
Title Music editing to accelerate impact on arousal 
Description A process of editing music so that hook-lines, refrains and riffs that comprise the most recognisable elements of the composition to the listener (with dementia) are more quickly generated, i.e. without the less 'catchy' introductions and verses (in some cases) edited out. Serrato music software is used for this and it will enable more rapid arousal adjustment for some users. Tempo adjustment is also enabled using this software and another app caller Perfect Tempo, so that we can work towards developing the RadioMe system so that it first plays music triggered by the heart rate that matches the heart rate in terms of tempo - the system will eventually adjust the tempo of the music so that it matches that of the listener. 
Type Of Material Physiological assessment or outcome measure 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? No  
Impact This method will be used as part of the RadioMe system in stage 3 testing, where we will compile music to be played that is edited and/or tempo adjusted manually for some participants. It will make the system more effective in grabbing listeners' attention and matching their current arousal state, so that the music can adjust arousal away from become agitated. 
 
Title RadioMe music playlist compilation form (short version) 
Description This is a list of instructions to help compile a playlist of music to be used with the RadioMe system, that is re-designed for non-clinicians to use (i.e. spouse, carer, relative, friend) 
Type Of Material Physiological assessment or outcome measure 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? No  
Impact This will enable some of the RadioMe system testing to be completed by non-clinicians with people living with dementia in their own home, within the timeframe of the EPSRC grant (ending Novemebr 2023) 
 
Title AV and HR (pulse rate) recordings of participants listening to preferred music 
Description including pulse rate data recorded with OH1 and Samsung Galaxy 4; AV monitoring data from participants (confidential) while listening to thei music and talking with therapist. 
Type Of Material Data analysis technique 
Year Produced 2022 
Provided To Others? No  
Impact documentation and understanding how music influences HR and HRV measures ind PwDs and how it decreases agitation 
 
Description Alzheimer's Society Talking Point Forum PPI Group 
Organisation Alzheimer's Society
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution We have registered our interest in recruiting people from the forum for further PPI work on the use of technology in the homes of people in the early stages of dementia. We have submitted all documents to them and await their go ahead to recruit. The forum contains posts from members specifically on how they have used technology to remotely help relatives with dementia who are living alone.
Collaborator Contribution We are waiting for approval from the research and development team for us to proceed with recruiting PPI members.
Impact PPI pending
Start Year 2023
 
Description CPFT Cambridge Peterborough Foundation Trust 
Organisation Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution We linked up with CPFT to collaborate on testing our RadioMe system and to record agitation related behaviour of Persons living with Dementia in a ward setting. We have designed a program related to staff's recomendations and will visit wards regularly during times when agitation related behaviours are more likely to occur. this will allow to train the algorhims with HR data
Collaborator Contribution Staff recommends certain times and occasions in which we may be able to record target behaviours. CPFT collaborates on another research project related to agitaion reduction
Impact Ethics application
Start Year 2022
 
Description EPUT collaboration on AI applications in mental health and dementia 
Organisation Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution Since February 2022 we have been in touch with EPUT. EPUTs ITT department, overseeing the trusts use of IT and AI applications in clinical settings are interested in working with ARU and are interested in the developments of RadioMe for their clinical settings. Especially the use for severely depressed patients in their homes are of interest. We have been invited to their meetings and i did a presentation on the research project.
Collaborator Contribution so far no other contributions then inviting us to meet and offered access to their patients for the study.
Impact Collaboration is on mental health, especially severe depression and dementia
Start Year 2022
 
Description Join Dementia Research 
Organisation National Institute for Health Research
Department NIHR Join Dementia Research
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution We will be able to recruit people on the JDR database into the RadioMe study. As soon as the Covid-19 pandemic quarantine restrictions allow, we have everything in place to recruit immediately and begin testing the RadioMe system.
Collaborator Contribution We have access to the JDR database, and they have delivered training to us on how to use it, so that we can recruit participants into the study.
Impact None to report at this stage, other than having pathways to recruitment in place.
Start Year 2020
 
Description MATCH research team (Music Attuned Technology for Care via eHealth) 
Organisation University of Melbourne
Country Australia 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution The HOMESIDE project, whose UK arm is run by CIMTR (Prof Odell-Miller)i is an EU funded research study whereby music therapists deliver training program for family carers of people living with dementia. The training program is being tested in a randomised controlled trial in Australia, Norway, the UK, Germany, and Poland. Some RadioMe Participants have been involved in the HOMESIDE study.
Collaborator Contribution To increase accessibility of this training program, the partners have translated the in-person training program into a digitally delivered format (MATCH) with resources to support carers. The MATCH App is designed to train family carers of people living with dementia to use music more intentionally and purposefully to support care, increase wellbeing being, and create opportunities for shared meaningful experiences together. This project is led by Professor Felicity Baker at The University of Melbourne and funded by Australia's Medical Research Future Fund.
Impact This collaboration has grown out the HOMESIDE project and an international music therapy consortium. No current outputs can be reported yet.
Start Year 2021
 
Description MHA 
Organisation Methodist Homes (MHA)
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Informing several MHA independent living managers of the study and potential recruitment of participants into the study and into the PCPI group.
Collaborator Contribution Information has been circulated to help with participant and PCPI member recruitment
Impact Due to Covid-19 we have not been able to recruit from MHA sites yet. The independent living sites are aware of the study and when appropriate we will liaise with them in order to identify participants.
Start Year 2019
 
Description Musical Minds - The Science Museum Group 
Organisation Science Museum Group
Department The Science Museum
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution We have been asked to contribute one of the first RadioMe prototyp elements (a fitnes tracker used for the puls rate recordings during music listening) and have lend it to the organisation.
Collaborator Contribution They offer an exhibition space and to keep it in their Musical Mind portfolio to go on national and international tour. 'Musical Mind will showcase new music-making opportunities that science and technology have unlocked and the fresh perspectives they are revealing about how music affects our bodies and minds. Through incredible and intriguing objects, musical commissions and interactive experiences, discover how technological advancements continue to push the limits of music and to make playing music more accessible for everyone. This riotous, hands-on experience will encourage us all to feel, to remember and to reflect on what music means to us and the lives of others. Musical Mind is the headline exhibition for Manchester Science Festival, premiering at the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester before a national and international tour.'
Impact Fachner, J. (2022, Oct 21-30). Turn it up - the power of Music. Paper presented at the Manchester Science Festival, Manchester.
Start Year 2022
 
Description Recruitment and PCPI membership 
Organisation Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution Providing an opportunity for people living with dementia to join the RadioMe study Providing an opportunity for carers of people living with dementia to join the PCPI advisory group
Collaborator Contribution Support with recruitment of participants. CPFT have contacted people living with dementia living in the community (not care homes) on their database, sending them a letter explaining about RadioMe and asking them to contact Alex Street if they are interested in participating Recruitment of PCPI members into the advisory group. They have contacted carers of people living with dementia in the community, sending them a letter explaining about the PCPI group and inviting people to contact Alex Street if they are interested in joining
Impact This is not a multi-disciplinary collaboration. Some carers have joined the PCPI group.
Start Year 2020
 
Description Recruitment site 
Organisation Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution We have set up recruitment for RadioMe with CPFT.
Collaborator Contribution The CPFT NHS Trust research staff will disseminate information about Radiome to potential recruits, who will contact RadioMe research staff at Anglia Ruskin University to recruit them if interested.
Impact There is a PIC agreement between Anglia Ruskin University and CPFT enabling recruitment of participants
Start Year 2022
 
Description X-System music listening system for arousal adjustment 
Organisation X-System
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Securing funding for a PhD studentship within RadioMe, which will use X-System music listening and provide the company with data on their system usability and efficacy, thus supporting their product development.
Collaborator Contribution The X-System team will provide expertise and advice on arousal adjustment using their music listening system specific to the PhD studentship. For the PhD, X-System are making an in kind match funding contribution estimated at £32,000. They will compile music playlists using their algorithms and advise on listening duration and frequency for the carers of people living with dementia in their own home. The aim is to determine the effect of music listening on sleep quality and quantity of carers. Further collaboration specific to the core aims of RadioMe are also planned for discussion.
Impact The collaborations so far have included a public roundtable (remotely delivered), X-System advising on a PhD studentship project within RadioMe. The PhD will be advertised and applicants will be interviewed. The X-System and RadioMe researchers will co-design the PhD studentship application. X-System will provide advice through the course of the doctoral research and co-author outputs such as publications and conference presentations, as well as participating in dissemination activities.
Start Year 2020
 
Title Music playlist compilation protocol for music listening to help stress/ anxiety/agitation management 
Description An interview and music audition process tio identify music that is most likely to have an observable and /or measurable effect on stress by analyising heartrate / HRV responses 
Type Therapeutic Intervention - Psychological/Behavioural
Current Stage Of Development Refinement. Clinical
Year Development Stage Completed 2022
Development Status Under active development/distribution
Impact we are developing it for non-music therapists working in dementia care 
 
Description European Music Therapy Conference presentation on RadioMe 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact presentation together with members of the RadioMe intervention team and several discussions with colleagues and professional practioners on the posibilities of utilising AI related modules of interventions
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Music Listening Technology and Arousal Adjustment Roundtable 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Researchers from the RadioMe project, including Dr Alex Street, Professor Jörg Fachner, Professor Eduardo Miranda, Dr Alexis Kirke will be joined by Emeritus Professor Nigel Osborne MBE a RadioMe collaborator, who runs X-Systems,.
Current evidence suggests that music listening might improve quality of life for people living with dementia and help regulate arousal, thus assisting in the management of neuropsychiatric symptoms such as agitation. Personal playlist creation may bring more benefits, and research has established how and where to source music likely to have personal meaning and to be linked to positive memories. The areas addressed in this round table will include, what music listening does, how people can currently access such playlists most efficiently and what can be done to improve access to effective playlists and listening systems that will ensure access to the music when most needed, including when living at home.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
URL https://aru.ac.uk/cambridge-institute-for-music-therapy-research/whats-on/music-listening-systems-an...
 
Description Music therapy and dementia roundtable 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact This webinar featureda panel of speakers from Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research (CIMTR), including Dr Ming-Hung Hsu, Claire Molyneux, Jodie Bloska and Dr Alex Street who is a Teammember the RadioMe project sharing their work in different areas of music therapy and dementia care.
The panel discussion will be chaired by Prof Helen Odell-Miller OBE who is a Teammember the RadioMe project will highlight current projects as well as considerations for the future of music therapy and dementia research.

YouTube Video link https://aru.ac.uk/cambridge-institute-for-music-therapy-research/whats-on/music-therapy-and-dementia-roundtable
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://aru.ac.uk/cambridge-institute-for-music-therapy-research/whats-on/music-therapy-and-dementia...
 
Description Music therapy research across Europe: current areas, approaches and methodologies, and their connection with the practice of music therapy. Invited Symposium Paper presented at the 12th European Music Therapy Conference 8-12th of June: Music therapy in progress: Please disturb!, Edinburgh 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact This was an invited presentation on which views on utilising technology and future aspects of music therapy were discussed. After a former presentation colleagues from the US met with us to discuss new project and funding ideas (see collaborations Shennandoah)
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://www.qmu.ac.uk/conferences-and-events/emtc-2022/
 
Description Patient carer and public involvement steering group 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Patients, carers and/or patient groups
Results and Impact To discuss collecting heartrate data from people with dementia who are experiencing stress-how to set up a situation where stress is introduced in a controlled and ethical way. This is in order to see how heartrate changes so that the RadioMe system can be calibrated to trigger calming music when heartrate indicates agitation.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
 
Description Patient, Carer and Public Involvement advisory group meetings 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Patients, carers and/or patient groups
Results and Impact This is a PCPI group of six.
Activities so far:
Co-design of music playlist interview procedure to conduct with each study participant to compile playlists of relaxing/calming music
Discussion of RadioMe system interface design for home installation
Comfort testing of four different smart watches for collecting heart rate data (posted to group members). Each person wearing the smart watch for a week and completing a usability scale.
Discussion of nested study for doctoral research within RadioMe, providing music listening for carers of people living with dementia to examine the effects on sleep quality and quantity; identifying potential for such a study, members discussing how their sleep patterns are disrupted due to caring for person living with dementia and the potential for using music listening to improve sleep.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020,2021