Andrea Taylor is a Research Fellow (0.8FTE) within the School of Design at GSA. She has a research and supervisory interest in user-centred/participatory design of technologies to support health and care. She has presented widely, including as invited speaker at the V&A museum on art, design, and technology for health. Andrea has worked in a research capacity on a number of funded projects, including the following:

• OptiMuscle (in progress). Development of a new technology for breathing pattern disorder to allow patients to better understand and be more aware of their breathing pattern; learn how to breathe more efficiently; learn how to use the correct muscular control for breathing; and integrate the new breathing pattern into daily life.
• On-organ Sensing (in progress). Development of a new technology to support people who experience bowel incontinence to better monitor and manage their bowel condition. The technology includes a sensor, which will be implanted in or on the colon, and a mobile phone application (app).
• 21st Century Telecare. A series of student projects with GSA Product Designing Engineering (PDE) to develop innovative telecare concepts that address current issues with adoption and use of telecare, and support people to live in the community safely.
• Transdisciplinary Research for the Improvement of Youth Mental Public Health (TRIUMPH) Network. Research to improve young people’s mental health across three thematic areas: social connections and relationships; schools and other education settings; and key groups at greater risk of mental ill-health, initially focusing on LGBTQ+ and care-experienced young people.
• CESAME: Culturally Engaged and Sensitive Approaches to Mental Health Education. Exploration of the experiences of young people from ethnically diverse groups during their transition from primary to secondary school to understand what mental health support young people from these groups need/aspire to during this transition, and to develop ideas and recommendations for future positive experiences.
• teleRehabilitation. Development of a videoconferencing system to deliver a pulmonary rehabilitation programme to a group of patients with lung disease (COPD) in their own homes via the Internet, improving accessibility, followed by two feasibility trials with patients.
• HasAnswers. Development of a mobile/web-based service to support young people to find and keep an independent home, particularly young people who experience challenges in managing the transition to an independent adulthood e.g., care experience or family breakdown, or who are at risk of homelessness.
• Virtual Hospice. A series of projects to support the development of an e-health system (virtual hospice) to improve access to care services provided by a hospice serving a largely remote and rural population.
• Ageing Population Attitudes to Sensor Controlled Home Energy (APAtSCHE). An ergonomic analysis of energy monitoring and home automation products, and development of design principles and concepts, to address issues of energy saving and fuel poverty for ageing populations.
• A series of exploratory projects on young people’s mental health, including a review and survey on digital technologies for promoting mental wellbeing, research and development of school resources, and a review of mental health education across a region of North East Scotland.

Andrea studied interaction design at the Royal College of Art and holds a 1st Class Honours Degree in visual communication design. Before joining GSA, Andrea worked as a Research Assistant at MIT Media Lab Europe. Other professional experience includes design and programming of interactive exhibits (London Science Museum) and multimedia learning materials (University of Strathclyde), teaching BA Graphic Design New Media (Surrey Institute of Art and Design) and BA Graphic Information Design (University of Westminster), and freelancing for various design agencies as an interaction designer and typo/graphic designer.