Category: Placement

Posted on

Delay is not Delilah*: My Placement with Digital Catapult

post by Favour Borokini (2022 cohort)

I officially began my placement with Digital Catapult, or DC, as rather affectionately I think, it is referred to by Digital Catapult staff and me, eventually, now, in April 2023. Although the Horizon CDT Placement is meant to take place over the course of three months, there is quite a lot of flexibility regarding its duration and structure. In my case, my key contact at my Industry Partner, Dr Aki Jaarvinen, was of the view that my research would greatly benefit from a two-part placement since I was so early in my research. I would spend a month visiting DC offices in London between May to June 2023, familiarising myself with the DC team and their work, especially the Immersive team and then, as my research progressed, return in December through March 2024 to complete the rest of the placement having learnt in the first part, how best suited DC would be to support my research and give me the opportunity to learn what life in the industry was like. 

My PhD with the Horizon CDT wasn’t my first time engaging with DC though. Back when I was in Nigeria and working in tech policy research, I had come across a LinkedIn vacancy for a Responsible AI Ethics Officer position at the organisation that I was highly interested in and tried to apply for and in a bid to learn more about the role and DC, I got in touch with Cecilia Nunn, a member of the DC AI Ethics team. Unfortunately, due to certain visa restrictions, I was ineligible for the position – visa restrictions being a rather remarkably persistent thorn in my flesh, ever since I began to work in international tech policy research. 

When some months after this interaction, Andrea confirmed to me over Teams, while I wondered if it was really happening, with my primary supervisor, that she would be issuing my Letter of Acceptance, I perhaps misunderstood what she meant about the industry partner as I interpreted something she said to mean that my admission was contingent on finding an industry partner to support my research. 

I made a long list of potential industry partners, organisations working in VR or technology policy and similarly related spaces and sent lots of cold emails. Some people responded, usually positively but the vast majority did not. One of the latter was Digital Catapult, or so I thought. What had happened was that Cecilia forwarded my email to Aki, who as a technologist is involved with the Immersive Lab activities and who, I suppose found my research interesting enough at the time and emailed me, and the rest is history. Some other visa application issues meant that I wouldn’t actually meet Aki in person or visit Digital Catapult till April the following year.  

Beginning the Placement 

When I first visited DC, I was struck by quite a number of things. There was the view, of course, through which one could watch Londoners milling ant-like between DC and the towering buildings on one side and the architectural marvel that was the British Library on the other. The offices themselves were quite airy and brightly lit, which I am fairly certain in no small way contributed to the overall friendliness of the team as I mentioned to Dr Oliver Butler, my primary supervisor, DC felt like a great place to work. This feeling would come to be validated several times during my placement, as I observed how tightly-knit and warm the Immersive Lab team and other teams interacted amongst themselves and with me. 

During the first part of my placement, I was introduced to the team including Kerwyn Dyte, the Immersive Lab Manager, Rachel Thuo, a Junior Technologist with the Immersive Team, and Jessica Driscoll, the DC’s Director of Immersive and participated in a number of activities at the lab that got me thinking about some of the ways immersive technologies can remarkably transform our lives. Some of my ideas were admittedly, rather comical(ly dystopian) – plastic surgeons for avatars/digital twins for instance, mind uploading for exercise purposes (drawing from former Horizon CDT student, Dr Angela Thornton’s research) but working with the team and merely observing their sparked my more imaginative side. Rachel and Kerwyn strongly encouraged me to watch Dark Mirror. 

Inside a room with graphic design project being displayed on a large screen

Inside a room with graphic design project being displayed on a large screen
Exploring Virtual Human Creation

DC’s position as a member of the UK Catapult network meant they interacted with a huge number of stakeholders including policymakers and stakeholders, such that by the end of the first part of the placement, it became quite apparent to us that it would be in our mutual interest for me to hold a series of workshops relying on their network and support.

When I began my research, and what perhaps prompted the introduction to Aki, my interests were specifically geared towards creating an ethics framework for virtual reality harms, however as my research progressed, I quickly realised that what I was most interested in were avatars and afrofeminist ethics concerns in their design and use. This change thankfully did not prove too challenging to my industry partner, and with their assistance and support, I successfully organised three workshops with over 20 participants in London and Bristol between December to June.

five people standing together with CDT student, Favour Borokini, in the centre
Final Placement day

Lessons Learnt

There were quite a few distinctions between the industry and academic approach. For one, academic research proceeds much slower and I sometimes had to juggle required modules within the CDT and Law school, sometimes missing a couple. Ethics approval requirements meant that I couldn’t run workshops as quickly as I hoped and I was often quite surprised at the speed the Immersive Lab team worked, often beginning and wrapping several projects seemingly at light speed. To work with the very busy people at DC, I had to strike a balance, sometimes needing to write module convenors to be excused on certain days, a skill I think every multitasker should have. I also quickly realised that note taking was very important to keep track of all that needed to be done, so I recorded my industry partner supervision meetings with my primary supervisor dutifully as well.

I was also constantly floored and humbled by the DC team’s interest in my research and their willingness to give up their time and resources and the invitations to participate in various internal and external networking and knowledge-sharing events from Jessie and Aki and occasionally team members I had never even met. It has often been observed that workplaces that refer to themselves as families often turn out to be the farthest thing from family, but somehow, despite not ever once in my hearing referring to themselves as family, DC turned out to be a really interesting place to work.

Perhaps most importantly, working with DC and DC’s network helped me re-engage with the ludic element of technology design and meet with real people across the industry who want to create pleasurable, diverse experiences. I think very often in the tech policy and responsible innovation, elements of escapism and pleasure and leisure (pleisure?) get overlooked and ignored in favour of concepts like justice and equity. But what justice without fantasy and speculation and futurism and fun? My conversations with the team and Rachel especially have motivated me to take an interest in why people love and are interested in immersive technologies, beyond simply designing an ethics toolkit for better design.

Favour and Rachel taking a selfie
With Rachel after a networking event

Aki’s definition of the metaverse as an imaginary and narrative of different types of technologies and interfaces of a futuristic type of digital interaction is probably the best, most wholesome definition of a space it is rather de jour to deride.

PS

In July, I visited DC again to return a headset I had been loaned by the Lab and spoke with Kerwyn about working with DC again as my research continues to progress. I hope the opportunity arises again. I’m really thankful to Kerwyn, Rachel, Jessie, Aki, Iulia, Nicole, Chris, and Chris, (there are two Chrises!), as well as Cecelia and Chanell, for speaking to me about and supporting my research.

* Delay is not Delilah is a humorous Nigerian perjoration of the phrase, “Delay is not denial”.

Posted on

Bridging AI and Oral Healthcare: My Placement with Haleon PLC

post by Muhammad Suhaib Shahid (2020 cohort)

  1. Introduction to My Placement Experience

In the summer of 2024, I embarked on a placement with Haleon PLC in Nottingham, as part of my doctoral research with the Horizon Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT). The placement was an incredible opportunity to merge my interests in artificial intelligence (AI) and healthcare, specifically focusing on oral health. Over the course of three months, I engaged in two primary projects: conducting interviews with industry professionals about AI in oral healthcare and collecting dual-modal data involving MRI scans and facial video recordings. This placement not only enriched my research and contributed towards my thesis, but also provided valuable insights into the practical applications and challenges of integrating AI into healthcare.

  1. Part One: Exploring AI in Oral Healthcare Through Interviews

2.1 Initiating Conversations with Industry Experts

The first phase of my placement involved conducting in-depth interviews with professionals at Haleon PLC. The goal was to understand the current landscape, perceptions, and future possibilities of AI in oral healthcare. I interviewed eight participants from various departments, including Innovation, Regulatory Affairs, and Medical and Scientific Affairs. Each participant brought unique perspectives based on their roles within the company.

2.2 Key Themes and Insights

The interviews were structured around several key themes:

  • Understanding of AI in Oral Healthcare: We discussed how AI is currently being utilised in dentistry and oral health, including diagnostic tools, patient engagement platforms, and personalised treatment planning.
  • Ethical Considerations: Participants shared their thoughts on the ethical implications of AI, such as data privacy, patient consent, and algorithmic bias. These discussions highlighted the importance of transparency and trust in implementing AI solutions.
  • Impact on Professional Roles: A significant topic was how AI might change the roles of dental professionals. While some saw AI as a tool to enhance efficiency and accuracy, others were cautious about over-reliance on technology.
  • Optimism vs. Skepticism: The interviews revealed a mix of optimism and skepticism. While there was excitement about AI’s potential to revolutionise oral healthcare, concerns were raised about practical barriers and the readiness of the industry to adopt such technologies.

2.3 Analysing the Data

After conducting the interviews, I performed a thematic analysis to identify patterns and key insights. Using Excel, I organised the transcripts and coded the data, which allowed me to draw meaningful conclusions that would later inform my thesis. This process was invaluable in understanding the multifaceted views on AI within the industry and provided a solid foundation for further research.

  1. Part Two: MRI Data Collection for AI Modelling

3.1 The Need for Dual-Modal Data

The second part of my placement focused on collecting dual-modal data to advance AI modelling in speech and oral movements. The aim was to create a dataset that combined internal views of the vocal tract (using MRI scans) with external facial movements (captured through video recordings). This data is crucial for developing AI models that can predict internal articulatory configurations based on external facial cues—a concept with significant implications for non-invasive diagnostics in oral healthcare.

3.2 Data Collection Process in Nottingham

3.2.1 Methodology

In the initial ethics application, we aimed to recruit 30 participants for the study. Each participant would undergo two recording sessions at facilities in Nottingham:

  • Session One: Participants were recorded speaking and chewing in front of a camera, capturing high-resolution videos of their facial movements as they articulated specific sentences.
  • Session Two: The same participants repeated the sentences while undergoing MRI scans. This provided real-time images of their internal vocal tract movements corresponding to the facial videos.

We later found that the upright MRI machine would allow us to simultaneously record the face and the internal view. We subsequently focused our efforts on this approach and did not implement session one; for the placement, we focused on performing an initial pilot study to refine the protocol.

3.2.2 The Pilot Study with Multiple MRI Machines

The pilot study involved two participants using two different MRI machines:

  • 1.5T Scanner: Offered a balance between image quality and participant comfort.
  • 0.5T Upright Scanner: Allowed participants to speak in a more natural, upright position, improving comfort and potentially leading to more natural speech patterns.

3.3.1 Adapting Procedures for Each Machine

Each MRI machine had unique requirements. For instance, the upright scanner necessitated adjustments in our data collection protocol to accommodate the participants’ posture. We also shortened the sentences used during the pilot to reduce the time participants needed to speak while being scanned, minimising discomfort and movement artifacts.

The pilot study was instrumental in understanding how different MRI technologies could impact data quality and participant experience. It highlighted the importance of selecting appropriate equipment based on the research objectives and provided valuable lessons for future large-scale data collection efforts.

  1. Reflections on the Placement Experience

This placement was a unique opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge in a practical setting. Working with Haleon PLC allowed me to see firsthand how AI concepts could be translated into real-world applications, particularly in oral healthcare.

Throughout the placement, I was constantly mindful of ethical considerations, such as obtaining informed consent and ensuring data privacy. The experience underscored the complexities of implementing AI solutions in healthcare, where patient welfare and ethical integrity are paramount.

Collaborating with professionals from various disciplines enriched my understanding and expanded my professional network. It was inspiring to engage with individuals who are at the forefront of innovation in healthcare.

  1. Conclusion and Acknowledgments

My placement with Haleon PLC in Nottingham was a great experience that significantly contributed to my doctoral research. The combination of conducting interviews and collecting dual-modal MRI data provided a comprehensive perspective on the challenges and opportunities of integrating AI into oral healthcare.

I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the team at Haleon PLC for their support and collaboration. Special appreciation goes to the participants who generously contributed their time and insights. This experience has not only advanced my research but also solidified my commitment to contributing to the field of AI in healthcare.

 

Posted on

My Placement at the Virtual and Immersive Production Studio

post by Callum Berger (2021 cohort)

1. Placement at the Virtual and Immersive Production Studio

I started my placement back in July 2023, working with my industry partner AlbinoMosquito Productions Ltd run by Richard and Rachel Ramchurn based at the Virtual and Immersive Production (VIP) Studio at King’s Meadow Campus. The VIP studio houses a series of high-end technologies for artists and developers to use in creating projects and artwork. Technologies include motion capture, volumetric capture, pepper’s ghost holograms, tesla suits, and virtual reality (VR) headsets. Being one of the only studios to allow this range within the midlands, this was a great opportunity for me to work alongside other creators to gain experience into design and creation using a variety of technologies.

Throughout the first month of the placement, I worked alongside Richard on a series of different development projects, including working with artists to capture their performances. These performances ranged from tightrope artists to dancers with disabilities. It was incredible to see the range of diversity that these technologies allowed artists to express themselves.

2. Filming a Virtual Reality Experience

As the placement progressed into the second month, I began working with Richard to develop a virtual reality experience using volumetric capture. This project, funded by Arts Council England, aimed to produce an experience that took an audience through a futuristic Nottingham engulfed in a climate crisis, raising discourse with the audience around the current situation of the climate that we live in today. Planning for this project had begun in the previous year when Richard, Rachel, and myself looked into potential applications of a VR experience that was adaptive using brain data as a real-time input. Having decided on a climate crisis experience and the basis for this, we used the placement as an opportunity to bring this to life.

Working alongside AlbinoMosquito for the creation of a VR climate experience presents a series of challenges and opportunities, including moving from 2D to 3D space, digital environments, presentation of actors, and user interaction. Going beyond 2D film into a 3D space requires an awareness of visual surroundings. Users within the experience will have a 360-degree view of the environment, and therefore capturing actors and environments within a single camera viewpoint alone is not enough.

We decided to split the experience into a series of different scenes that would allow you to embody an individual from their perspective and witness different events unfold over time. The journey of the experience begins with a series of refugees moving to a camp within Nottingham, before engaging in a series of dialogue around concerns for their safety before tragedy befalls the group. I worked loosely with the writers for this, helping shape the direction toward more fearful aspects, in hopes of using this experience as part of my PhD.

Once the scripts were complete, we began casting for the experience, focusing on local actors to support the growth of the industry within Nottingham and surrounding areas. Casting involved potential actors sending in short demo tapes of themselves playing the role of a particular character they had been selected to act. From there, we made final decisions on who would be cast in the experience and were ready to move on to filming.

2.1  Filming with Volumetric Capture

Through testing, it was shown that fewer cameras used for each render produced a smaller workload and storage space requirement for the use of the captures. Therefore, Richard and I settled on ensuring that each scene used the fewest amount of cameras possible for each capture. The fewest cameras were decided on a trial and error approach that tested each scene setup and would determine the minimum amount of cameras necessary to capture all actors within the scene. This approach involved placing cameras that captured actors from the viewpoint of the user as shown in Figure 1. As the experience embodies the viewer in a point-of-view (POV) position, actors needed to be aware of where this virtual camera would be throughout filming. Therefore, we placed an ambisonic microphone in the position of the POV, allowing the actors to work around the space with awareness of the viewer’s location.

However, this presented an issue with calibration, as to set up the 3D space to be captured, cameras are required to be calibrated with each other which involves the need for overlapping space between cameras. To overcome this, pairing cameras were used so that calibration could be done. This allowed the calibration to work but now with the requirement of more cameras within a scene. Having returned to our previous predicament of too many cameras, I developed a program within Unity that would allow the removal of any chosen cameras from a recording. This took the metadata of a volumetric capture as input, calculated which cameras were used, and displayed them to the user. This then allowed us to remove any pairing cameras not needed for the final render and would output a new metadata file that stored this altered capture as a new capture that could be rendered with the new camera setup.

Filming took place over a week. Using the limited budget we had to ensure that we minimised travel and accommodation for actors where possible, utilising every day to capture all scenes for when actors were in. This meant planning which scenes were filmed each day and how we could split scenes up based on separate dialogues. After finishing filming, we were able to work on bringing the volumetric captures into a virtual world and building the environments around the actors.

Figure 1: An example setup for volumetric capture from the point of view of the viewer. POV is the experience viewer’s position. C1, C2, and C3 are the cameras used for capture. P1 and P2 are the cameras used for pairing. A1, A2, A3, and A4 are the actors within the scene.

3. Post-production of the Virtual Reality Experience

The final month of my placement involved bringing all the captures into Unity and working alongside a 3D graphics artist, Sumit Sarkar, and a sound artist, Gary Naylor, to bring the experience to life. Although we are still adding to and refining the experience, we have a complete draft and have begun screening this experience for audiences.  The screenshots below show examples of the experience using the captures. We are now in the process of preparing this experience to be screened at film festivals in the summer.

Figure 2: A screenshot taken from one of the scenes known as Refugee.
Figure 3: A screenshot taken from one of the scenes known as Raid.

The placement allowed me to work in situations and on projects I’ve never had the chance to work with and has been invaluable to my PhD experience. I want to give a huge thank you to Richard and Rachel for their work throughout the placement, as well as all others involved with the projects to help me get the best out of my placement at the VIP studio.

Posted on

Navigating Imaginary Landscapes: My Placement with Makers of Imaginary Worlds

post by Pavlos Panagiotidis (2022 cohort)

My placement with Makers of Imaginary Worlds took place in various locations around Nottingham and remotely.

Starting date: 25/06/2023
End Date: 25/09/2023

During the past summer, I had the opportunity to participate in a three-month placement with Makers of Imaginary Worlds, a company that combines art and technology in innovative ways to create experiences for children and families. I worked on a number of projects during my time there, which helped me gain a better understanding of the practical implications of engaging audiences in mixed reality experiences, as well as the potential for research in the intersection of HCI and performance.

During my placement, I was presented with several opportunities to work on projects that involved immersive technologies, approaching audience engagement, and experimenting with prototype technologies for performance. These projects, located in various parts of Nottingham, posed diverse challenges that made the experience exciting and solidified my interest in the intersection of art and technology. This placement helped me refocus my research objectives towards areas likely to have practical impacts. These areas include developing innovative methods to assess audience engagement through computer vision and creating methodologies to evaluate the aesthetic implications of emerging technologies in performance-making.

One project I worked on involved the qualitative analysis of interviews with visitors to the “Home Zero” art installation. This installation was designed to encourage participants, mainly children and families, to envision a more sustainable future through a playful, interactive experience that used paintings from the National Gallery as a starting point. I cleaned the data and performed a preliminary analysis of interview transcripts to study how audiences interacted with and perceived the installation. My analysis showed evidence that visitors enjoyed engaging with tangible interfaces and hands-on interactions, which made the experience more engaging and effectively supported the learning process. Later that year, I co-authored a paper that transformed some preliminary insights into a study on the significance of tangibility in designing mixed reality experiences about environmental sustainability for children. I also had the opportunity to contribute to another academic paper based on “Home Zero”, which aims to provide bridges between the disciplines of theatre and computer science, exploring how these fields can converge to enhance participatory design.

An example of an interesting field observation was when a child participant in HomeZero used the “Imagination Scanner,” a device that supposedly measured the participant’s imaginative capacity. The child’s excitement was palpable when they scored higher than their parents, and the automated system rewarded them by opening the door to the next part of the installation. This moment highlighted how design and technology could invert typical familial hierarchies, providing a unique and empowering experience for the children involved.

During my placement, I also had the opportunity to engage closely with “The Delights,” an event that blended dance, sensory activities, and interactive installations to captivate its young audience at the Hoopla Festival, which was held in Nottingham’s local parks. My role involved interviewing families to document their experiences and synthesising this information into a detailed report for stakeholders such as the festival committee. This report not only showcased the high level of audience engagement but also underscored the event’s impact on community connection, child development, and the creative transformation of public spaces. I gained valuable experience in the process required by funders to collect and analyse data and report the outcomes of publicly funded events to justify subsidising an art-making company.

Evidently, the event transformed perceptions of local parks from mere recreational spaces to vibrant community hubs that facilitate child development, artistic expression, and community bonding. Interviews with parents revealed significant shifts in how these spaces are viewed and utilised, emphasising the parks’ new roles as sites for creative and interactive family engagement. Notably, parents appreciated how the event encouraged their children’s expressive skills and social interactions, with many noting increased confidence and communication in their children due to participating in the activities offered. The experience showed me the importance of audience insights in designing experiences. Understanding audience behaviour, expectations, and engagement can be crucial in creating successful events. My placement’s most technically challenging aspect was working on a computer vision-based audience participation assessing prototype. This project aimed to collect and analyse data regarding audience behaviour in interactive installations and explore the possibilities of using computer vision technology to refine interactive artistic experiences.

During my placement at MOIW, I gained a deeper understanding of how my backgrounds in theatre, physics, and computer science synergistically apply to mixed reality experiences. The diverse approaches include assessing audience engagement, designing for optimal user experiences, performing qualitative and quantitative data analysis, and exploring the potential of physical and technological prototypes in performance. While being a “jack of all trades and master of none” can pose challenges in pinpointing one’s exact skills, it also allows for unique involvement and contribution to artistic projects.

Further reflecting on interdisciplinary approaches, I recognised that while the potential for convergence between computer science and theatre is evident, the independent evolution of these disciplines has occasionally made collaboration challenging. However, this placement reinforced my belief in the value of interdisciplinary research and the potential to bridge gaps between these fields, making designing each mixed reality performance a valuable step toward this integration.

In general, my placement with Makers of Imaginary Worlds was a valuable experience that enhanced my understanding of immersive technologies and audience engagement in a real-world setting. It solidified my commitment to exploring the intersection of art and technology, paving the way for my future work in the field. Thanks to my placement, I developed a deeper understanding of the intersection of HCI and performance, both academically and practically. I learned that collaboration and interdisciplinary research are crucial in creating and studying mixed reality events. Mixed reality requires a blend of skills and knowledge, including art, technology, and design. Therefore, processes that support interdisciplinary collaboration are essential in creating innovative mixed-reality experiences.

Posted on

My Placement: Empowering Older Adults with Technology Through the ExtraCare Smart Market Initiative

post by Angela Higgins (2022 cohort)

Technology may help older adults maintain independence and live healthier lives, however there is a belief that this population is completely unable or unwilling to embrace these interventions. My work considers how we may empower people using technology, so when given the placement opportunity to work directly with older people trying out technology, I was eager to accept. My placement with my PhD industry partner, ExtraCare Charitable Trust, was split into several weeklong activities from autumn 2023 to spring 2024.

ExtraCare Charitable Trust is the UK’s leading not-for-profit provider of retirement housing, for people over 55. Their stated mission is “creating sustainable communities that provide homes older people want, lifestyles they can enjoy and care if it’s needed”. As such they encourage active and independent living and provide their residents with opportunities and activities to promote healthy ageing.

The Smart Market scheme is run by ExtraCare to allow their residents to try before they buy a range of technologies, along with set-up support. Older people may benefit from the use of appropriate technology to support independence and manage their well-being. However, there are many perceived barriers to entry, including usability, usefulness, and cost. To negate some of these factors, the Smart Markets allow residents to trial smart devices, including Amazon Echo and Alexa products, Ring doorbells, smart plugs, smart lights, sleep tracking mats, and Fitbits.

I ran Smart Markets at two ExtraCare sites, Lark Hill in Nottingham, and Reeve Court in St Helens, Merseyside (which just so happens to be my hometown). At both locations, the Smart Market was announced at the monthly village meeting, followed by a “Demo Day”, allowing the residents to drop in and ask questions alongside demonstrations. Then, to encourage further uptake, two “Market Days” were conducted where I set up a “market stall” in a common thoroughfare at the villages for two hours on subsequent mornings. At both the Demo and Market days residents could either take the smart device themselves, if they felt comfortable setting it up, or book an installation appointment. After 6-8 weeks I returned to collect the device they’d trialled. I also interviewed some of the residents about their experience with the Smart Market, and their use of technology more generally, to produce a report to assist ExtraCare with their future provision of technology services for their residents.

Through being present in the community, I was able to meet and chat with many of the residents at each location, and met a wide range of people, with different interest levels in technology. Some people already owned a full suite of gadgets, and some had no interest in technology whatsoever. However, quite a few were interested in trying things out but were either concerned about the cost or had no one to help set them up. These people were my main Smart Markets “customers”, and I was able to answer their questions and help them decide on some technology that was useful for them. If they required the help, I then booked them in for an installation appointment where I would come to their property and get them started. Finally, some people stopped by the Smart Market events not to try out a new product, but because they were having issues with technology they already owned. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the time to assist everyone who needed it, but I tried to help wherever I could.

I found installing the technology with residents a joyful and insightful process. Having spent some time in the communities, this gave me a chance to get to know the individuals a little better. Residents all had unique needs, challenges, and aspirations when it came to using technology, and I tried to work with them to set-up the technology. Examples include someone who wanted to try and Fitbit because her doctor had recommended it for health monitoring, someone else wanted a smart plug to avoid having to bend down to switch a light on and off, and another woman wanted to try and Echo Show to display photographs taken by her husband. Before I left, I handed residents a guide to the features of their device and asked them if they had any specific desires from using the device. If possible, I’d set up any services or systems they’d like, such as favourite radio stations, or connections to other apps. I believe that if we are to encourage people to use technology, it should be for purposes they find useful or enjoyable, so having sometime to spend with individuals was invaluable. I was even invited to speak at a retiree’s lunch club by one of the residents, which was a new experience for me, but a very pleasant one!

After the trial period, I returned to collect the devices, and setup the new devices if residents had bought replacements. Some residents agreed to an interview about how they’d found the device, and if they were buying their own. As well as providing direct feedback to ExtraCare about the Smart Markets, I could also provide insight into how residents used technology. Often more technologically competent residents would support their friends and others in the village with their devices. Additionally, many of my interviewees had extensive experience with technology prior to retiring, and did enjoy using it, even if there was the odd difficulty!

The main difficulty I encountered during my placement was with scheduling. As I split this research into separate sections (between sites, and between the different stages of research) often I could not achieve everything I wanted within the allocated time. Sometimes this was due to scheduling conflicts between myself and the residents, sometimes due to conflicts with other responsibilities I had, and sometimes just because life events prevented everything from going to plan. However, this emphasised to me the importance of flexibility and slack time when conducting research.

Overall, I found my time spent at Lark Hill and Reeve Court thought-provoking and inspiring, and will help me develop my future work with older adults. I was able to build relationships within the community, which is especially useful as I will be conducting more research at Lark Hill, and get in-person experience of how older adults were using technology. I especially learnt a lot about outdated and ageist stereotypes at work in the assumptions people have when designing for or researching with this community.  This work has proved valuable to my PhD and I hope ExtraCare have found my work beneficial to facilitate their residents to use technology to stay happy and healthy.

Posted on

My Placement Experience: Lessons and Triumphs

post by Kuzi Makokoro (2022 cohort)

Reflecting upon my placement, a key lesson around the most important decision to make before starting a placement, was to consider the specific skills and experiences I hoped to gain. This past summer, I had the opportunity to partake in a placement with my industry partner, Co-op, which turned out to be a remarkable and invaluable experience for my professional and academic growth.

Before finalising the arrangements for the placement, including setting the dates, duration, and defining the project, a series of discussions took place between my supervisors and me. We assessed the multitude of opportunities that this placement could offer. It was during these deliberations that the versatility of a placement’s benefits became apparent to me. One option is to align the placement activities with your ongoing PhD research, ensuring that the work is not only relevant to your academic pursuits but also meets the strategic needs of the industry partner. This synergy often results in a mutually beneficial outcome that propels your research forward. Another approach could be to take a break from academic work to gain a breadth of experience in the industry, thereby expanding your professional network and engaging in projects that are also of interest to you.

Having spent the last nine years in commercial roles within various industries and capacities, I was already familiar with the dynamics of industry life. This pre-existing industry experience informed my decision to select a project that complemented my PhD research. Once I made this strategic choice, the focus shifted to pinpointing a suitable project. After numerous consultations, we collectively decided to concentrate on the Healthy Start Scheme—a government- initiative designed to aid low-income families with children under four by providing them with essential foods like milk, fruits, and vegetables. This project was not only crucial to my industry partner but also resonated personally with me, as it underscored the meaningful impact of data-driven initiatives on societal well-being.

The research objectives for the placement were ambitious: to utilise predictive analytics to predict the uptake percentage of the Healthy Start Scheme using food insecurity measures and to apply machine learning techniques to identify and understand the factors that influence uptake significantly. Working in conjunction with an industry partner meant that the practical application of my research findings could potentially aid the partner in supporting and promoting the scheme more effectively.

Entering the placement, I had certain preconceptions about how the experience would unfold, the nature of the work I would engage in, and the interactions I would have with various stakeholders. However, the practical aspects of my placement differed from my initial expectations. I quickly realised that my chosen topic necessitated a more independent working style, with periodic contributions from my industry partner rather than continuous collaboration. This shift led me to a new understanding of the role of a researcher in a consultative capacity, working in partnership with an industry entity. The experience also allowed me to lead a research project autonomously and understand the nuances of impact work. My responsibilities included initiating regular meetings with my contact at Co-op, seeking input and assistance from the wider team when needed, and managing the project’s pace and milestones.

In hindsight, although the timing of the placement originally seemed appropriate, I later reflected on whether doing it later on in my PhD program might have allowed for a richer output. The project demanded proficiency in skills that I had not yet mastered at the time, necessitating a steep and rapid learning process. This included developing an understanding of predictive analytics methodologies, acquiring proficiency in programming languages such as Python, learning about digital data collection techniques, and interpreting complex model results.

Consequently, what was initially set out to be a three-month placement evolved into a five-month project, as additional time was required for me to learn, adapt, and then effectively engage in the research. I adopted various learning strategies, such as the accelerated learning techniques outlined in Jake Knapp’s book “Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days,” which aided me in assimilating new information rapidly, trialling different approaches, and breaking down the project into smaller, more manageable tasks. Ultimately, I was able to enhance my skill set and produce actionable insights from the project, though a better approach to defining deliverables within the given timeframe would have been advantageous.

The research outcome was insightful; we identified several strong predictors within the model, such as income deprivation and language proficiency, as well as intriguing variables like household spending on fish and the caloric density of purchases. We explored various ways in which my industry partner could leverage these insights to better support the Healthy Start Scheme in communities where it is most needed.

In summary, the placement was a journey of adapting to a different work environment, setting pragmatic goals, and scaling up professionally. This learning experience has been instrumental in advancing my PhD work. It reiterates my initial emphasis on the importance of understanding what you seek to achieve from a placement. Although I had not initially set out to acquire these specific skills through the project, they have proven to be of great value as I continue with my PhD journey. Looking ahead, I am excited about the prospect of converting this project into my first published academic paper.

Posted on

Exploring Children’s Interaction with Robotic Installations: Reflections on Placement with Makers of Imaginary Worlds

post by Victor Ngo (2022 cohort)

My placement ran from July to September 2023, with Makers of Imaginary Worlds (MOIW), and involved planning and running a two-part study that would help inform my PhD research on ‘Artificial Intelligence and Robotics in Live Creative Installations’. More specifically, how children interact and form relationships with the robotic installation, how children understand and shape their interaction in this context, what meaning children attribute to the robot and their interaction, how curious children are during the interaction and what motivates their curiosity.

NED (The Never-Ending Dancer)

To add some background to my placement partner, MOIW are a Nottingham-based art company, who aim to create interactive and sensory experiences where children can play, engage and explore. MOIW’s first live robotics project, Thingamabobas, is aimed at younger audiences and involves the use of a computer vision-equipped robot arm, called NED (The Never-Ending Dancer), which can detect audience members and interact with them autonomously. This installation also includes a series of mechanical circus-like creations that are designed to enable children to interact with them as imaginative, dynamic sculptures that provide novel, enjoyable, and empowering experiences.

Unlike social robots, industrial robot arms typically have a functional design, void of humanoid features or facial expressions. MOIW aims to transform the industrial robot arm into a playful kinetic sculpture that defies expectations, offering an inventive interpretation. By introducing variables such as costume design, musical accompaniment, and contextual storytelling, the artists aim to redefine the perception of the robotic arm. Demonstrating how fiction can facilitate a willing suspension of disbelief among audiences, allowing viewers to trust and immerse themselves in reimagining a new reality.

The Study:

The first half of the study, part 1, was completed at the National Festival of Making, Blackburn, with a tremendous number of people attending and in general a great event! This half of the study explored the audience’s understanding of the initial robotic system, with no changes to the system’s capabilities or functionality. This allowed for a base understanding of its performance, capabilities, and limitations in the wild for a researcher new to the system, this proved extremely useful and provided me with the knowledge necessary to complete part 2. The second half of the study, part 2, was completed at the Mansfield Museum, Mansfield, exploring the same audience understanding, however, the system was altered to allow for 360-degree motion around the robot’s base as well as a different method of detecting the audience, moving to body pose detection from facial recognition. Although a direct comparison between the two studies is not possible, insights into audience responsiveness, engagement, and enjoyment are all possible and valuable to the discussion, and future development of this system or similar systems.

Reflections:

Over the course of three months, this placement has provided me with the opportunity to develop key interpersonal and professional skills, as well as improve my technical aptitude.

My initial discussions with MOIW for the placement were straight away met with enthusiasm and sometimes whimsical imagination from Roma Patel and Rachel Ramchurn, the artists of MOIW. Despite MOIW being a relatively small company, I was fortunate enough to learn the ins and outs of art installation production and how artists like Roma and Rachel turn ideas and imagination into professional productions, and how they deal with issues, changes and unexpected setbacks. Shadowing them allowed me to observe how they manage large-scale projects and interact with professional organisations. This has enabled me to further develop and improve my own understanding of professional engagement and project management.

Throughout all stages of the placement, the artists from MOIW frequently discussed possible alterations and upgrades with me to improve the interaction capabilities of the robot. Here I was able to apply and improve my technical experience, developing solutions to enhance the robot’s interaction capabilities or increase the system’s audience detection accuracy and reliability. Despite the technical success of some of the solutions developed, it is important to highlight that not all of the artist’s ideas were technically feasible or within the scope of the project. Communicating this effectively and managing the artist’s expectations was key to ensuring that both the robot was functional and ready for the study, and the professional relationship with MOIW was maintained, without either party being let down or led to believe the system was any greater or less than what was agreed on.

During the study, I was not only the lead researcher on site but also a range of other roles that sometimes required me to step out of my comfort zone. These included in no particular order of social or imaginative intensity; Thingamabobas Wrangler, Storyteller, Imagination Guide, The Researcher from Nottingham University, Technical Support.

As part 1 of the study at the National Festival of Making was a two-day event over the weekend during the height of the UK summer holiday, I was left with little choice but to quickly adapt to these new roles or suffer being swarmed by the thousands of curious and enthusiastic visitors that attended the event. To my surprise, and with a little help from Roma and Rachel, I was able to help children and adults alike be transported into the whimsical world of the Thingamabobas, for about 20 minutes at a time.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and opportunity to work with MOIW to not only develop an art installation, but to also help run it was a great privilege. The skills I have learned and applied in both professional engagements as well as in the wild will be beneficial to my PhD research and to myself as an individual.

 

Posted on

Reflections on my placement at the Department for Transport

post by Phuong Anh (Violet) Nguyen (2022 cohort)

I began my placement in the Data Science team of the Analytic Directorate at the Department of Transport in April 2023 to gain access to datasets for my pilot research. However, I feel that my internship officially began in July, when I was able to become familiar with my work and knew precisely what was expected of me. I still remember the rainy afternoon when I went to the warehouse to collect my IT kit. It was quite a funny memory, and now it is quite emotional to pack and return my kit as my internship is over.

My project

My internship was an integral component of my doctoral research on “Using personas in transport policymaking.” I aimed to combine various data sources to investigate the travel behaviour of various demographic groups, and then use this understanding to inform transport planning and policy formulation.

I began by examining multiple DfT data sources, including the National Transport Survey, Telecoms Data, and Transport Data dashboard. I arranged meetings with several data team members to ask them about how they analysed these data in previous projects. I also had opportunities to discuss with members of other teams including System Thinking, Policy, Social Research, and Data administration… to learn about their work and the policy-making process at DfT.

Since the official release of the transport user personas report in July, I have collaborated closely with the personas team. I began with an examination of the methodology for developing personas. I also attempted to apply additional data science techniques to the same dataset (National Transport Survey) to cluster travellers into distinct groups and compare the results of the various methods.

DfT published transport user personas. (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/transport-user-personas-understanding-different-users-and-their-needs).

I worked with the Social Research team to organise workshops introducing the potential of using personas in DfT’s work, such as Road Investment, AI Strategy, and Highway… In addition, as part of my research, I utilised the Social-technical framework theory to structure the transport system and then gathered data to present and analyse the interaction between personas and other transport system components. On the other hand, I learned how policy is formulated and I will continue to work with the Policy team to investigate how personas can support their work.

Some lessons for myself

About work

Working on the Data Science team, which is part of the Advanced Analytics Directorate, was an excellent opportunity for me to improve my statistics, mathematics, and programming skills. Colleagues were very knowledgeable and supportive. Through the team’s regular meetings and project summaries, I got a general understanding of which projects are active and which models and methodologies are used to solve the problems. Sometimes I found myself bewildered by mathematical formulas and technical models. Although I have studied Data Science in the past, which has provided me with a foundation in Data analysis and Programming, in real work data looked more complicated. The assignments in the placement have taught me how to overcome the challenges of dealing with multiple data types.

Working in Civil Service, I had access to numerous training resources, workshops, and presentations, including but not limited to Science and Programming, this course covered user-centric services, artificial intelligence, evidence-based policymaking, and management skills. This is why I regard my civil servant account to be so valuable.

I received numerous perspectives and comments on my research proposal thanks to weekly discussions with my line manager and multiple team members. Importantly, I learned how to present and explain my ideas and academic theories to people from diverse backgrounds, as well as how to make the ideas clear and simple to comprehend. I believe this is a crucial skill in multidisciplinary research, communication, and public engagement.

About working environment

This was also my first time working in civil service, a “very British” working environment. Even though I have more than five years of experience in the airline industry, it took me a while to become accustomed to office work. It could be because the working environment in Vietnam differs from that in the United Kingdom, business differs from civil service, and full-time office work differs from hybrid work.

In addition to the knowledge and expertise I gained, I learned a great deal about time management and how to use Outlook professionally to organise my work, as well as how to spend concentration time between multiple meetings every day. This was extremely helpful when having to divide my time between multiple tasks, such as PhD research, placement, and meetings with supervisors from various institutions. In addition, I believe that working in person in the office is more beneficial than remote working, having access to a larger screen. being able to meet and discuss with multiple people, rather than being limited to 30-minute meetings and a small laptop screen. Thus, I travelled to London every week. These regular catchups with my line manager/industry partner proved helpful because the industry partner was able to provide a realistic perspective and I was able to update them on my work and interact with other DfT employees who supported my research.

About my personal development

Since I began my PhD journey, I have experienced many “first-time experiences”, including my first time working in Civil Service. This placement is not only an integral part of my PhD research, but also provides me with a great deal of experience and lessons for my personal growth. It was so unusual and sometimes difficult, but it forced me to leave my comfort zone. I was confident in my ability to perform well, having had the previous experience of being an airline strategist in the past, but the new experience of being an intern, learning something new, made me humble and enthusiastic as if I had just started school.

My principal lesson is to simply DO IT, JUST DO IT. I believe that the majority of my depression stems from my tendency to overthink. There were times when I examined the data set and had no idea what to do. I was even afraid to send emails or speak with others. However, when I actually did what I should do – WRITE something and ASK some questions – and I saw results, I realised that that work is simpler than I originally thought. Then I learned that sitting in a state of distress and worrying about the future is ineffective in resolving the issue. I must take action and be diligent to see myself become a little bit better and better every day.

The summer was very short, and most colleagues took vacation time. Honestly, the internship was not “comfortable” in the beginning, but now I believe everything is going well. This placement is also assisting me in developing a clearer plan for my PhD project. I am grateful for the support and lessons I have gained from this opportunity, and I am considering another summer placement next year.

Posted on

My Internship at Capital One

post by Edwina Borteley Abam (2019 cohort)

My internship at Capital One started mid-November 2021 and ended mid-May 2022.  Capital One is a credit card company originally situated in the US with two branches located within the UK in Nottingham and London specifically. I interned at the Nottingham branch over a period of 6 months, on a part-time basis.

The company has several departments and units. I was placed within the Data Science team which forms part of the wider Data group within the organisation. There are three main sections within the Data Science team namely Acquisition, Customer Management and the Bureau team. The Acquisition team concentrates on building models to score new credit card applicants. The Customer Management team focuses on managing and monitoring the behaviour of all existing credit card customers and credit line extensions and the Bureau team manages all data and information exchanged between credit bureaus and Capital One.  For my daily work, I was placed within the Customer Management team and collaborated on two related projects- (Onescore2 and Challenger Model).

The internship:

Onescore2 project involved creating machine learning models to manage the behaviour of existing credit card customers. I worked together with my manager to build models to predict customers likely to default on their cards over a defined period of time.  We used R (a statistical programming software) as the main tool for the project. The specific activities assigned to me on the project involved creating the R program files for executing the models, monitoring the progress of the models’ execution, collecting and interpreting model results, and updating the GitHub repository with project outputs. The previous knowledge and skills acquired from the Data Modelling and Analysis course in year two of my PhD helped me understand the technical details involved in the analysis and to carry out my assigned duties effectively on the project.

The second part of this project is the Challenger Model project and it involved building different models in Python to compare their performance with Onescore2.  The project was an exploratory study of different conventional models in predicting the likelihood of default. The Challenger Model project serves as a baseline to compare with results from my PhD work, which potentially could form part of my PhD thesis. As this phase of the project is linked to my PhD work, I benefitted from the guidance and input of my supervisor.  While working on the Challenger Models, I held periodic meetings with my manager, supervisors and other members of the Data Science team where I presented on progress and discussed possible directions for the project.  I also took part in weekly stand-up sessions where all associates within the Data Science team shared updates on ongoing projects.

My reflections:

Looking back on my internship, overall the experience has been insightful, an exciting journey and a time of personal development.  I have grown and evolved in several areas in terms of interpersonal and professional skills.

Upon arrival in the first week of the internship, my manager was deliberate to arrange informal meetings and chat sessions with other members of the Data science team.  These introductions and chats exposed me to a range of people in various roles and at different levels of leadership in the team. It helped to quickly integrate into the team to create new connections and meet new people. Despite being naturally reserved, I enjoyed the conversations much as everyone was friendly. I was encouraged to step out of my shell to interact with more people. During my interactions, I seized the opportunity to ask all the lingering questions I had on the topic of credit scoring which is also at the heart of my PhD research. Each person was friendly and particularly eager to answer all my questions and chat about the work they do.

Apart from the Data Science team, I had the chance to speak with other associates in other departments of the company and that experience was reassuring and enhanced my confidence at the workplace. I got first-hand experience in mixing with different people from different backgrounds in an office setting and learning to blend with them.   The conversations in the first couple of weeks opened up my understanding more on the details of credit scoring and credit cards. I got more understanding of how the different teams work together to make credit cards available to people and how customers are managed and credit lines extended. I had the opportunity to join major meetings and to hear updates on projects being worked on within the different departments of the organisation. This also gave me a wider view of other aspects of the business.    I was able to connect how the theory of credit scoring I had read in books and research articles played out practically in the real world through this experience.

During my internship, I worked both from home and the office.  Every week during the first few months, I worked three days at home and two days in the office.  I found commuting to work on time a discipline to develop as this was my very first time working outside of industry. Although challenging initially but got easier with time.  The regular catch-ups and progress updates with managers and my supervisor were sometimes strenuous and nerve-wracking, however, it trained my communication and presentation skills.

The work culture in Capital One challenges associates to give their best on the job but at the same time encourages relaxation and places such high priority on wellbeing.  Unlike other work environments, I was surprised to find several fitness and relaxation points like the gym, tennis and pool table strategically placed in the Capital One building to support associates. In addition, during my internship, the company observed a day of fun activities for its associates every quarter of the year just to have a break from work.  This shaped my perceptions about the working environment.

Capital One is the industry partner for my PhD and I was privileged to have access to their data for my PhD work. Through my connections with the team members, I was able to easily recruit participants for my first PhD study which I believe would have been difficult otherwise without the internship.  Overall, I enjoyed the internship and the experience has been beneficial not only for my PhD but for my personal development.