January 2026

January was a month of action. After months of co-design, planning, and simulation testing, Phase V moved from preparation to real-world data collection; and the response exceeded expectations.

📊 Phase V: From Interest to Action

When we opened recruitment for Phase V lab sessions, nearly 100 people filled out the initial survey expressing interest. Unfortunately we have limited resources, so, from that pool, 16 participants joined us in the lab for 2-hour sessions wearing both Google Pixel2 smartwatches and Milbotix’s SmartSocks while engaging in simulated daily activities.

The protocol was structured around four emotion-eliciting scenarios (image above): PLAY (interactive gaming to spark a variety of emotions), RELAX (guided meditation for calm), WATCH (video content for passive emotional engagement), and DISCUSS (group conversation for social-emotional connection). These activities were chosen to capture a range of emotional states, from high arousal to deep calm, from individual experience to social interaction.

We were vert pleased to see that the working prototype actually worked! This allowed the technical evaluation but also the participants to help us understand whether the prototype is moving in the right direction to meet their needs. Both the mobile app and smartwatch components performed stably throughout sessions, capturing continuous physiological data (heart rate, skin temperature, electrodermal activity) alongside participants’ contextual self-reports. For a first build, this is exactly the kind of validation we needed before moving to the next phase. At least as important as that, we also collected codesign insights precious for improving the user experience, engagement, and effectiveness of the developed tool.

To the 16 people who gave us their time, trust, and honest feedback: thank you. Your contributions are now shaping how MEMoPAD will evolve. For the other ones, thank you for your enthusiastic support, and please find below how to get involved in future activities. 🙂

🔍 What’s Next for Phase V

Data collection is complete and the analysis will start very soon, but Phase V isn’t finished. Over the coming weeks, we’ll be inviting participants to get involved in online surveys for patients, and short interviews with clinicians to help co-design the next iteration. This is where your lived experience becomes design insight, telling us what worked, what didn’t, and what features matter most for real-world use.

If you didn’t participate in lab sessions, watch your inbox for these invitations if you have already filled our recruiting surveys. Otherwise you can find them at the following link: https://memopad.luigiandreamoretti.com/take-part/.

🚀 Phase VI on the Horizon

Starting next month, we’ll begin developing the upgraded prototype based on Phase V insights. This new version will include more working features and -crucially- will be designed for multi-week real-world use, not just lab testing. We’re moving from controlled environments to everyday life.

🧦 Bonus Opportunity: HUG Wearable Emotions Study

In the coming weeks, we’ll share an invitation to participate in a collaborative study exploring emotions while using HUG by LAUGH, a soft sensory product designed for comfort and connection. This study will follow a similar format to MEMoPAD’s Phase V lab sessions: in-person activities, physiological monitoring, and post-session discussion.

If you missed Phase V or loved the experience and want to contribute to related research, this is a great opportunity.

📚 Resources You Might Find Useful:

New MHRA E-Learning on Digital Mental Health Technologies

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and NHS England have launched free online modules to help professionals and the public understand which digital mental health tools are regulated, what safety evidence to look for, and how to report concerns. Hosted on MindEd, the resources use tip sheets and animations tailored for patients, carers, and healthcare professionals.

This is particularly relevant for anyone in my network working with or recommending mental health apps, and it’s also relevant to MEMoPAD’s future regulatory pathway as we move toward real-world deployment.

👉 Access the modules on MindEd | Read more about the MHRA project

NIHR Public Committee Membership (Applications Close 27 Feb)

The NIHR (National Institute for Health and Care Research) is recruiting public members to join committees that shape which health research gets funded. No scientific background needed: they want people from all walks of life who can use lived experience to ensure research reflects real-world needs. Particularly encouraging applications from people aged 18-40.

👉 Learn more and apply

BNSSG ICB Mental Health Research Seminar (26 Feb, Online)

The Research Team at Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB is hosting a seminar showcasing local mental health research projects, including work on men’s mental health in prisons and ethnic minority patients’ understanding of the physical-mental health link.

📅 Thursday 26 February 2026, 12:00–13:00 👉 Register here

January has been an exciting month that saw genuine community interest translates into tangible data, and first prototypes become validated foundations for the next iteration. Thank you for your interest, support and involvement in MEMoPAD project!

Questions? Reflections? Just want to say hello? Hit comment below, I’d love to hear from you.