We are a multi-institutional EPSRC-funded project dedicated to the creation of a remote system to effectively measure chewing efficiency. This holistic system will include objective measures of chewing efficiency (e.g., particle breakdown and movement of the food in the mouth) and subjective measures (e.g., perceived ability and psychosocial impacts of chewing difficulty).
Chewing difficulty is known to have negative consequences for both physical and mental well-being and can be linked to a number of medical conditions or can occur with no clear cause. Typical assessments of chewing ability involve specialist lab-based techniques or self-reported accounts of the difficulty experienced. Using remote technologies to adaptive previously lab-based techniques, the RIICE system allows patients to generate and control their own health data and take a more proactive role in managing their chewing.
If you would like to contact us about the project, please use the contact us button at the top of the page, or by e-mailing the project lead (dawn.branley-bell@northumbria.ac.uk). We would love to hear from you!
Dr Dawn Branley-Bell
Project Lead
Dawn is an Associate Professor of Cyberpsychology & Director of the Psychology and Communication Technology Lab (PaCT Lab). She specialises in cyberpsychology, health and well-being, and online behaviour. Dawn has extensive experience of digital health interventions and is the project lead for RIICE.
Dr Faith Matcham
Co-Investigator
Faith is a Lecturer in Clinical Psychology and a Health Psychology Consultant with expertise in the interface between mental and physical health. Current research focuses on mental/physical comorbidity and the use of digital technologies to measure and manage chronic health conditions.
Prof Chee Siang (Jim) Ang
Co-Investigator
Jim is a Professor in Computing, where his main research expertise lies in digital health, specifically in co-designing, deploying and evaluating immersive and sensing technologies in healthcare settings. Jim is leading on the development of the algorithm/code to assess chewing efficiency.
Prof Helen Dawes
Co-Investigator
Helen is Professor of Clinical Rehabilitation in the College of Medicine and Health. She has a clinical academic background as a physiotherapist and exercise scientist with an ambition to enable people living with conditions affecting their movement to be able to move more.
Dr Elhassan Mohamed
Senior Researcher
Elhassan is a Research Associate specialising in machine learning for image processing. With a strong background in medical applications, Elhassan has contributed to Interreg projects such as ADAPT and MOTION, focusing on smart and innovative solutions in the healthcare sector.
Dr Claire McGrogan
Senior Researcher
Claire is a Senior Research Assistant with a background in mental health and well-being. She has previously worked on projects exploring online support for emotional well-being during the pandemic.
Dr Helen Cartner
Senior Researcher
Helen is a Senior Research Assistant specialising in health psychology and altered eating. Her recent work focused on the use of food play to explore eating experiences of people living with Sjogren’s syndrome. She also has clinical expertise in dentistry.
