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SPOTLIGHT ON RESEARCH Technologies for mental health: recent developments at Strathclyde Mario A Parra and Graham Wilson
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here are growing expectations regarding the benefits that modern technologies can bring to support people affected by mental health diseases, particularly those posing significant health and social challenges such as dementias. They cause progressive loss of cognitive and functional abilities, gradually limiting the capacity of those affected to live independently. The UK government has set strategies to address these challenges, envisaging that novel technologies can enable affected individuals to stay at home safely, prolonging quality of life and delaying institutionalization. Examples of such technologies are those that rely on Virtual or Augmented Reality (VR/AR). The UK Dementia Research Institute (UK-DRI)’s Programme for Care & Technology is aiming at “… Researching, developing and applying new technologies and engineering principles with a view to understanding and promoting new models of care, assessing capacity and progression, monitoring and managing behaviours and symptoms...” The Technology Charter of the Scottish National Dementia Strategy states that “… it will ensure that everyone with a diagnosis of dementia and those who care for them are aware of, and have access to, a range of proven technologies to enable people living with dementia to live safely and independently...”. The Strategic Themes of the University of Strathclyde align well with these national and global priorities. The Lifelong Health & Wellbeing theme’s vision is that “… Good health and wellbeing requires a multidisciplinary consideration of whole systems, from the biological cell to individual and societal health and wellbeing, examining social, physical and mental health…” To provide for these social needs, we at the University of Strathclyde have launched an interdisciplinary team that brings together researchers from Psychological Sciences and Health (Applied Cognition Lab) and Computer and Information Sciences (Digital Health and Wellness Group). The activities undertaken by the interdisciplinary team to date have given us some lessons worth highlighting. First, the impact that institutional initiatives aimed at creating spaces to promote interdisciplinary dialogues can make. Second, the role of such dialogues to map institutional strengths and capabilities to meet social needs. Third, the relevance of engaging wider audiences to ensure new technological developments will meet the needs and expectations of stakeholders.
Institutional spaces for interdisciplinary dialogues On the 12th September 2018, a Working Group set up to promote research in areas aligned to the University Strategic Themes organised a workshop that focused on Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality (VR/AR). The workshop aimed to identify researchers/academics that share an interest in applications of VR/AR from across all faculties, and to bring this community together, to discuss how different disciplines could utilise VR/ AR equipment and facilities at the University. It was envisaged that such knowledge and shared interests would provide an appealing environment to encourage new collaborations and support the next generation of competitive grant proposals.
Figure 1. University of Strathclyde Strategic Themes’ VR/AR Workshop (Wednesday 12th September 2018). Through two Breakout Sessions, applications of VR/AR to Architecture, Rehabilitation, Digital Health, Manufacturing, Dementia, Underwater Environments, and Digital Health, were discussed.
The HaSS Research & Impact Bulletin [ People & Society - Winter 2019, Issue No.5 ]
