CHIA Joins BRIDGES Network to Develop AI Technologies Supporting Dementia Care
CHIA researchers are part of the newly funded BRIDGES for Dementia network, an initiative that will create innovative technologies to empower people with dementia to maintain independence and meaningful engagement with their communities. Funded by £6 million from UKRI’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Society, the network brings together experts from across disciplines to address key challenges in dementia care.
The network will explore four central themes:
- Indoor and outdoor spaces
- Arts, sports, and culture
- In-person and online communication
- Digital technology development and translation
These themes aim to promote agency and control for people with dementia, ensuring that technology enhances their engagement with the world and communities. Additionally, the network prioritises equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), encouraging collaboration between patients, carers, researchers, and industry partners.
Led by Dr Jennifer MacRitchie and Professor Li Su from the University of Sheffield, BRIDGES brings together expertise across a number of fields, including medicine, public health, language technologies, human-computer interaction, and design, among others.
“This is an important application of AI, one that requires us to put patient needs at the heart of technology development,” said Professor Anna Korhonen, Director of CHIA. “The network’s collaborative and human-centric approach will ensure that the AI tools can make a genuine difference.”
Dr Ulla Petti, researcher of AI ethics at CHIA, highlighted the importance of responsible development: “Tailoring the ethics of AI to the needs of the target communities is critical. Through this network, we can ensure that ethical considerations are embedded at every stage of the design process.”
In addition to the Universities of Sheffield and Cambridge, partner institutions in the BRIDGES network include Anglia Ruskin University, Lancaster University, London South Bank University, University College London, University of Kent, and University of Leicester, alongside Innovations in Dementia, Lewy Body Society, Dementia UK, Kent County Council, Sheffield City Council, and Bow Robotics.
To learn more about the BRIDGES network, click here