The Digital Health group have the capability to design, manufacture, test and evaluate bespoke wireless sensors in laboratory and free-living settings. Our wearables team are experts in embedded programming, low power wireless communications (including, but not only, Bluetooth) and on-device data compression. We have state-of-the art design facilities, anechoic chambers for optimisation of wireless performance (e.g. for reliability, including the effect of the human body) and established relationships with manufacturers that have produced hundreds of devices for us to date.

Our test and measurement laboratories allow us to measure power consumption, reliability and other performance metrics in controlled situations. These are complemented by the SPHERE house - a two bedroomed Edwardian mid-terrace near the University, specially-refurbished and equipped as a proving ground for technology, in which more than 20 people have lived for periods of up to 2 weeks with various new sensor technologies over the past two years. 

Data capture from participants in the SPHERE house is supported by custom automatic and manual annotation tools, developed by the team in order to label large quantities of free living data.

Our devices have also been used in the wider community - to date more than 120 people have lived for weeks or months (and in some cases over a year) with our digital technologies. The Digital Health technician team have huge expertise in configuring, testing, installing and maintaining devices and systems in local homes.

Both SPHERE and the CDT in Digital Health and Care are based in a bespoke new office and laboratory space at 1 Cathedral Square, in the heart of Bristol.