A national network of researchers, engineers, and people living with dementia will co-design adaptive technologies—from word-finding tools to new ways of navigating online spaces—that evolve as a person’s abilities change over time. The problem is urgent: as dementia diagnoses rise, most existing technologies are static, failing to adjust to the progressive loss of memory, speech, or sensory processing. This leaves people with tools that become useless as their condition advances, undermining independence. The BRIDGES network tackles this by embedding lived experience directly into the design process, ensuring that technologies—whether for communication, arts engagement, or navigating indoor and outdoor spaces—remain useful and empowering throughout the entire dementia journey. If successful, the network will shift how assistive technologies are developed and deployed at scale. Instead of one-size-fits-all devices, people could use adaptive systems that grow with them, supporting agency in daily life—from shopping in a supermarket to participating in cultural events. The work also targets the infrastructure of community living: town centres, volunteer networks, and care homes could integrate these co-designed tools, making independent living more achievable for longer.
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As the number of people waiting for or receiving a diagnosis of dementia increases, urgent attention is needed to support independent living across community and residential care. The BRIDGES for Dementia network (Building Research Innovation co-Developing Greater Empowerment and Support for people living with Dementia) will build research innovation communities that put empowerment at the heart of supporting people to live life on their own terms. The network's approach is anchored in partnerships with people living with dementia; we will drive the development and use of adaptive technologies that evolve alongside individuals and families, addressing the progressive changes in abilities such as memory, speech, and sensory processing throughout their dementia journey. Whether it is tools to support word-finding, platforms to engage with music or the arts, or new intuitive ways to interact in the face to face or online world, we envisage the network to encourage the co-design of new or adaptation of existing technology that empowers people living with dementia to be in charge of what they want to do and how they want to remain as integral parts of their communities. The BRIDGES for Dementia network integrates expertise across disciplines including languages, arts and humanities, build environment, computer science, engineering, medicine and population health spanning diverse clinical and social contexts. Led by researchers with transdisciplinary experience in co-design and participatory approaches, the network partners with organisations to invigorate research incorporating lived experiences and to implement innovative technologies at scale. Our dual integrated activity programmes of co-design for transdisciplinary learning and equality, diversity and inclusion inform research across four key themes: Indoor and outdoor spaces Arts, sports and culture In-person and online communication Digital technology development and translation These themes prioritise tools that enable individuals with dementia to feel agency and “in control” as they continue to have an active role in a rich daily life, and technologies that open up the world rather than dictate a limited set of activities or interactions. The network will stimulate and build new interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary communities driving tool and technology innovation to support people living with dementia to live independently. It will host technology design sandpits and conferences, facilitate researcher upskilling through lived experience masterclasses, and fund a wide range of scoping, pump-priming, and feasibility studies. The wide network membership will include organisations with expertise across clinical and community life including community health and wellbeing, supermarkets and town centres, cultural institutions, councils, volunteer networks, support agencies and directly those with lived experience. Together, our activities will develop the transdisciplinary interface and synergies between lived experience, technology design expertise, and community organisations and will co-produce rich and engaging technology design agendas for the future.
Anna Korhonen (Co-Investigator)Chee Siang "Jim" Ang (Co-Investigator)Christian Morgner (Co-Investigator)Daniel Blackburn (Co-Investigator)Dr Giovanni Masala (Co-Investigator)Dr Jennifer MacRitchie (Principal Investigator)Hua Zhong (Co-Investigator)Huiyu Zhou (Co-Investigator)Joseph Lindley (Co-Investigator)Li Su (Co-Investigator)Ming Hsu (Co-Investigator)Roger Whitham (Co-Investigator)Tao Cheng (Co-Investigator)
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