TESCI - Technology nEtwork for Social Care Innovation

TESCI is an EPSRC funded network which recognises technology can enhance the quality of social care services, making a real difference in the lives of individuals, their families, and the workforce providing care​.

Our vision is to build a network to foster a dynamic community where social care stakeholders, engineers, and physical scientists can come together to identify and address gaps within the social care sector.

This network will serve as a catalyst for change, breaking down barriers between disciplines and empowering diverse stakeholders to co-create solutions that truly matter. We will achieve this through:

  • Championing collaboration: We will facilitate meaningful partnerships between service users, social care professionals, researchers, and industry leaders, fostering a shared understanding and a collective drive for innovation.
  • Embracing engineering and physical sciences: We recognise the immense potential of technology to contribute to addressing social care challenges.
  • Capacity building, education, and horizon scanning: We will provide opportunities for learning, growth, and staying ahead of the curve, ensuring our network remains at the forefront of social care innovation.

We invite you to join us on this journey. By working together, we can enhance social care pathways, services, and technologies, ultimately improving the lives of those receiving and delivering care.

Sanja Dogramadzi, University of Sheffield

Human-Robot interaction: physical assistance in dressing
Monday 2 March 2026 10am 

Prof Dogramadzi’s research explores robotics and autonomous systems at the intersection of robotics, control, embodied intelligence, and machine learning. Her group develops intelligent sensing and control algorithms designed to operate effectively in dynamic environments and human-centred systems — research that is directly shaping the future of technology-enabled social care.

Recording

Clare Burgess, CEO Kyndi

Assistive technology to support independent living
Monday 13 April 2026 10am 
Claire Burgess discussed how they assess people's needs and how technology can help people to live independent for longer. The technology discussed in this talk included medication robots, circadian light bulbs with sensors, pendants with alarms and daily living assessment tools.
 

Cheryl Henderson, Education and Dementia Coordinator, Elder Homes

Technology to support pain assessment and management in care homes
Tuesday 26 May 2026 12 pm

In this session, Cheryl Henderson, Education and Dementia Coordinator, Elder
Homes, discussed the care home's experience of using Painchek to support
them in the assessment of pain in care home residents who find it difficult to
communicate their pain levels. The app is used on a phone or tablet to scan
residents' faces to develop personalised pain profiles. The insights
complement pain assessments conducted by staff and help to accurately
record pain levels and adjust medication when required.

Recording

Ellen Janssen, Lecturer, Fontys University, the Netherlands

Social robot support for people with autism and learning difficulties
Tuesday 2 June at 12pm

In this session, Ellen Janssen, a lecturer and researcher at Fontys University of
Applied Sciences in the Netherlands presented key lessons learned
regarding the implementation of social robots in autism care and share the
main findings and outcomes of her research.
Ellen is affiliated with the research group People and Technology and has, in
recent years, conducted research on the use of social robots for individuals
with autism. Her work focuses on examining the impact of the robot Maatje
on clients’ quality of life, as well as its effects on the work practices of care
professionals.

Recording

Dan Hinds, Senior Research Fellow, University of Leeds

Network weaving to characterise the state of technology in UK social care: the NIHR" HRC Network-funded SyNAPSE project
Tuesday 8 September at 12pm

Register


TESCI-partner workshops 

TESCI is planning to work with partner organisations across the UK to deliver four workshops in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England between June 2026 and May 2027

TESCI-University of Ulster-Workshop in Belfast 22 and 23 June

Registration for the Northern Ireland workshop is now open. 

Attendees based in Northern Ireland will be given priority for places, with financial support for NI-based Early Career Researchers. The remaining places will be allocated to others from outside Northern Ireland who registered interest.

Register

Day one offers a full day programme for all attendees and networking dinner. Day two offers a half-day programme focused on Early Career Researchers.

Programme of the TESCI workshop in Belfast.

 

On 27 March 2026 at the ENRICH conference in Stirling, we discussed three innovations in assistive technology with a group of care home managers, care home staff and researchers.

The following innovations were discussed:

Circadian lightbulb with sensors to reduce night wandering and falls

Mattress topper with sensors to prevent pressure ulcers

Social robot to assist with daily living tasks and reduce loneliness

 


TESCI news updates

If you would like to join the network and receive quarterly updates from the network please complete the registration form

Registration form


Contact 

For any further information please contact us

tesci@ed.ac.uk

Research Funding

Technology nEtwork for Social Care Innovation - TESCI EPSRC (2025-2027)

This article was published on