February 2026
March brings two opportunities to contribute to wearable emotion monitoring research: one happening very soon, and one arriving in your inbox within weeks.
š§¦ New Study: HUGĆSmartSocks in Anxiety Disorders - Apply now!
Weāre inviting participants for HUGĆSmartSocks, a study exploring physiological responses while using HUG by LAUGH, a therapeutic comfort object designed to provide calming sensory input, combined with Milbotix SmartSocks for continuous physiological monitoring.
When: Monday 15 to Friday 20 March 2026 (weāll work with your availability within this window) Where: UWE Bristol Frenchay Campus, Living Lab (same location as MEMoPAD Phase V) Duration: 90 minutes Compensation: Ā£40 voucher for your time Capacity: We can accommodate approximately a dozen participants, four per session
This study uses different activities than MEMoPAD Phase V, so everyone is welcome, whether you participated in Phase V, missed it, or are completely new to our research. Weāre exploring how comfort objects interact with physiological emotion signals, and your contribution will help us understand this relationship better.
š CLICK HERE FOR THE SURVEY to learn more, express your interest and indicate your availability.
š MEMoPAD Phase V: Final Survey Invitations (Coming in March)
Survey invitations will arrive within the next few weeks for two groups:
Patients who didnāt attend Phase V in-lab sessions: This is your chance to share your feedback Clinicians: Help us understand how the new prototype could integrate into clinical pathways
Iāve already completed qualitative analysis of focus group discussions from in-lab sessions, and these surveys will complement those insights before we move into full data analysis and the next prototype iteration for Phase VI.
If you attended the in-lab Phase V sessions, youāve already completed your Phase V contribution, thank you, no further action needed at this stage.
š Taking Steps Toward Real-World Implementation
Several co-design participants asked me if this work is going to be a nice publication only, or if we can hope to see it implemented in real life.
To explore this, Iāve enrolled in the ICURe Engage programme by Innovate UK Business Connect and SETsquared Partnership, which helps researchers validate whether their work can become viable products (more info here). Since our co-design process already involved patients, carers, and clinicians, Iām now engaging additional stakeholders whose perspectives are essential for MEMoPAD deployment, exploring not just whether it works technically, but whether it can work as a sustainable, accessible product in real healthcare systems. No promises yet, but the exploration is active and serious.
š Behind the Scenes
New Website Photos: The MEMoPAD project website now features updated imagery thanks to Marc Rath, Media Relations Manager at UWE. The new photos give the site a more human and authentic feel. Itās a small change that aligns with MEMoPADās broader commitment to being approachable, inclusive, and grounded in lived experience. š Visit MEMoPAD website
Conference Acceptance (and Reality Check): We received acceptance to present a short paper on user engagement strategies for MEMoPAD at an upcoming conference. Unfortunately, the participation fee exceeded our available funding, more info here. Weāre applying for other presentation opportunities and will share updates when confirmed.
Thank you for staying engaged. Whether you fill out a PhaseV survey, join the HUG study, or simply follow along with curiosity, your support matters!