fin.schofield.2019@bristol.ac.uk

Project Title: Assistive Sleep Technologies: inclusive design with ADHD

Supervisors:

Dr Hanna Kristiina Isotalus, School of Engineering, Mathematics & Technology

Prof Matt Jones, School of Physiology, Pharmacology & Neuroscience

General Profile: 

In June 2022, I completed my BSc Neuroscience course here at the University of Bristol. The course was a research-driven deep dive into key healthcare conditions across neuroscience and physiology, ranging from neurodegenerative disorders to chronic conditions such as cystic fibrosis.

My final year research project focussed me onto digital health – wherein I employed ‘smart watches’ to quantitatively investigate the relationship between physical activity, mindfulness, and wellbeing.

As the project developed, I became more fixed on the detection of quantitative biomarkers of stress, primarily heart rate variability (HRV), and the psychophysiological theories that build the relationship between the body and mental state. Digital health strategies offer novel opportunities to monitor these biomarkers and further empower patients to take control of chronic conditions that affect their mental health and wellbeing.

I’m currently interested in following on from my undergraduate studies to further investigate the employment of non-invasive trackers to assess mental state across chronic healthcare conditions. Real-time monitoring and processing of biomarkers poses many exciting opportunities for a blend of engineering, preventative medicine, and ethical discussion on the future of healthcare provision.