All Outputs (33)

Designing with purpose: Developing research ecologies in product design education (2025)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

As global challenges intensify, it becomes vital product design education empowers students to engage critically with the world around them. This presentation showcases the development of a classroom ecology that places research, inquiry and real-wor... Read More about Designing with purpose: Developing research ecologies in product design education.

Care companions: Co-design and adoption of the HUG soft therapeutic comforter across a health board (2025)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

HUG by LAUGH is a specialized therapeutic comforter that was co-designed for individuals with dementia, featuring weighted limbs, soft body, simulated heartbeat and built-in music player programmed with favourite songs. Extensive research and develop... Read More about Care companions: Co-design and adoption of the HUG soft therapeutic comforter across a health board.

Trust, privacy and energy data governance: Understanding UK consumer perspectives in smart home energy device adoption (2025)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

Designing HUGs: Therapeutic comforters to reduce anxiety and bring joy (2024)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

Anxiety, agitation, and distress are frequently experienced by people living with the advanced stages of dementia. Finding ways to alleviate anxiety and provide soothing care was one of the imperatives of LAUGH research at Cardiff Metropolitan Univer... Read More about Designing HUGs: Therapeutic comforters to reduce anxiety and bring joy.

The power of a HUG: Implementation of assistive technology across a health board (2023)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

HUG, a soft comforter specifically designed for individuals with advanced dementia, was developed by the HUG by LAUGH team at Cardiff Metropolitan University. With weighted arms and legs, a soft body, and a simulated beating heart, HUG aims to provid... Read More about The power of a HUG: Implementation of assistive technology across a health board.

A cross-cultural exploration of smart home energy devices and community well-being (2023)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

This study explores the role of smart home energy devices in Home Energy Management Systems (HEMS) and their impact on culture and community well-being. Through a comprehensive seven-step methodology, we analyze the features of HEMS that enhance indi... Read More about A cross-cultural exploration of smart home energy devices and community well-being.

CURIOs for care: Designing physical prompts for research (2023)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

As design researchers, we are drawn towards creating tangible artifacts. The CURIOs for Care project embraces this appeal of making physical artefacts as a means of inquiry and as a creative tool to invite stories about individuals' experiences with... Read More about CURIOs for care: Designing physical prompts for research.

HUG: A compassionate approach to designing for wellbeing in dementia care (2023)
Journal Article

Design can improve the quality of life of people living with dementia but creating successful design solutions is not simple, due to the complexity of the medical condition, and the ethical considerations of including those affected in design researc... Read More about HUG: A compassionate approach to designing for wellbeing in dementia care.

Compassionate design: HUGs on prescription (2022)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

There is a growing need for well-designed innovative products and services for people affected by dementia. Governments and charities are offering a range of business support to encourage the development of commercial products to address this need. T... Read More about Compassionate design: HUGs on prescription.

Making HUGs: Crafting well-being benefits through social manufacturing (2020)
Journal Article

Making space for uncertainty (2020)
Book Chapter

Compassionate Design: A methodology for advanced dementia (2020)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

Predicted increases in the numbers of people living into the advanced stages of dementia pose a significant problem for health and care providers around the world. Finding ways to ameliorate the distressing dementia symptoms of anxiety and depression... Read More about Compassionate Design: A methodology for advanced dementia.

Laugh empowered PSCI evaluation and making: Playful objects for wellbeing, emotional regulation and engagement for dementia and post stroke cognitive impairment (2019)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

Designing folding interventions for positive moments (2019)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

People living in the advanced stages of dementia are often confined to a bed or chair and spend many hours unoccupied. Hand-based activities that are ‘in the moment’ and provide stimulation have the potential to relieve agitation, reduce stress and p... Read More about Designing folding interventions for positive moments.

Open doors: Designing playful objects for dementia (2019)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

This design-based submission comprises a prototype design for a playful object for use in dementia care and the ‘Open Doors’documentary video that explains the underpinning research collaboration. LUMA is a hand-held playful object, designed for peop... Read More about Open doors: Designing playful objects for dementia.

The Lancaster care charter (2019)
Journal Article

Designing for playfulness through compassion: Design for advanced dementia (2019)
Journal Article

Compassionate Design: How to Design for Advanced Dementia – a toolkit for designers (2018)
Book

One of the major challenges facing the world today is how to care for the increasing numbers of older people in society and help them to live well, right until the end of their lives. The World Health Organisation and Alzheimer’s International have i... Read More about Compassionate Design: How to Design for Advanced Dementia – a toolkit for designers.

Designing for playfulness through compassion: Design for advanced dementia (2018)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

The LAUGH project is a recently completed international three-year UK Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC)funded design research project. Outcomes from the research include a collection of playful objects designed to support the wellbeing of peo... Read More about Designing for playfulness through compassion: Design for advanced dementia.

Designing for well-being in late stage dementia (2018)
Book Chapter