EASE-Arm: Sensor-informed Passive Upper-limb Support for Meaningful Activity in Advanced Cancer

Everyday activities such as eating, drinking, grooming and using a phone can become demanding for people with advanced cancer when pain, fatigue and weakness affect arm movement. EASE-Arm will develop a compact, non-wearable upper-limb support that uses passive mechanisms to provide adjustable weight relief while allowing users to move their arm freely.<br /> <br /> Aim: Develop and evaluate a sensor-informed passive upper-limb support that reduces perceived effort during meaningful everyday activities while preserving comfort and voluntary movement.<br /> <br /> Objectives: Co-design requirements with patients, carers and professionals. Design and build a compact table-mounted prototype with adjustable support and easy disengagement. Integrate load and motion sensing with activity and symptom information to generate interpretable recommendations for personalised settings through accessible patient, carer and therapist interfaces. Compare unsupported, standard-support and personalised-support conditions in laboratory testing using measures of movement, muscle activity and perceived effort. Evaluate feasibility, comfort, task completion, assistance needs, acceptability and usability in palliative care. Explore a chair-mounted proof of concept and requirements for later bedside use.<br /> <br /> Working across mechanical engineering and palliative care at the University of Leeds, the student will develop skills in co-design, prototyping, biomechanics, sensing and mixed-methods evaluation, and contribute evidence for future assistive technology in advanced illness.<br />

<p><strong>Background</strong><br /> People with advanced cancer may experience pain, fatigue and weakness that make everyday arm movements difficult, reducing independence and increasing reliance on carers. Activities such as eating, drinking, grooming and using a phone can become demanding, yet the level of support needed may vary with symptoms, activity and personal preference. EASE-Arm addresses this by exploring passive mechanical assistance that can be personalised while preserving comfort and freedom of movement. By combining engineering, palliative care and co-design, the project will develop evidence for a practical approach to supporting meaningful activity and informing future assistive technology for people with advanced illness.</p> <p><strong>Methodology</strong><br /> The project will combine co-design, mechanical design, sensing and mixed-methods evaluation. Patients, carers and professionals will define functional, comfort and usability requirements. CAD and iterative prototyping will produce a passive table-mounted upper-limb support with load sensing, while body-worn IMUs will measure movement. An interpretable personalisation method will combine movement, support, activity and symptom data to recommend settings. Laboratory testing will use motion capture and surface EMG to compare unsupported, standard-support and personalised-support conditions. A palliative-care feasibility study will assess perceived effort, comfort, task completion, assistance needs, acceptability and usability through quantitative measures and qualitative feedback.</p> <p><strong>Skills Required</strong><br /> Applicants should have at least an upper second-class honours degree (2:1), or equivalent, in mechanical engineering, medical or biomedical engineering, mechatronics, robotics, or a related quantitative discipline. We are looking for someone motivated to develop practical technology with and for people. Experience in CAD, prototyping, mechanics, sensing, programming or data analysis would be useful, but applicants do not need all of these skills and training will be provided. Clear communication, collaborative working and sensitivity when working with people affected by advanced illness are important. Experience in biomechanics, human-centred design or healthcare research would be welcome.</p> <p><strong>Industry/external partners</strong><br /> St Gemma’s Hospice is the clinical and patient and public involvement partner for the project, working with Professor Matthew Allsop and St Gemma’s Academic Unit of Palliative Care at the University of Leeds. The collaboration will inform co-design, help define user and clinical requirements, and support planning and delivery of the feasibility study. The project will also seek input from assistive-technology manufacturers, equipment suppliers and medtech SMEs on design for manufacture, usability, regulation and routes to adoption. These links will help ensure EASE-Arm responds to real clinical needs and has a credible pathway towards future implementation.<br />  </p>

<p>To apply for this project you will need to <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/research-applying/doc/applying-research-degrees">make a formal application for research degree study through the University's website</a>. You will need to create a login ID with a username and PIN. </p> <ul> <li>For <strong>‘Application type’</strong> please select <strong>‘Research Degrees – Research Postgraduate’. </strong></li> <li>The <strong>admission year</strong> for this project is<strong> 2027/28 Academic Year.</strong></li> <li>You will need to select your <strong>‘Planned Course of Study’</strong> from a drop-down menu. For this project, scroll down and select <strong>‘EPSRC DLA (Engineering, Biological Sciences, Medicine)’ </strong></li> <li>The project start date for this project is <strong>01/10/2027</strong>, please use this as your <strong>Proposed Start Date of Research</strong>. </li> <li>Please state clearly in the research information section that the research degree you wish to be considered for is<strong> ‘EASE-Arm: Sensor-informed Passive Upper-limb Support for Meaningful Activity in Advanced Cancer’</strong> as well as<a href="https://eps.leeds.ac.uk/mechanical-engineering/staff/384/dr-justin-f-gallagher"> Dr Justin Gallagher</a> as your proposed supervisor.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Please state clearly in the finance section that the funding you are applying for is EPSRC Doctoral Landscape Award 2027/28: Mechanical Engineering.</strong></p> <p>You will be required to provide a personal statement which outlines your interest in the project you are applying for, why you have chosen it and how your skills map onto the requirements of the project. </p> <p><strong>Please note that you must provide the following documents in support of your application by the closing date of 18 November 2026 or at the point you submit your application:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Full Transcripts of all degree study or if in final year of study, full transcripts to date including grading scheme</li> <li>Personal Statement outlining your interest in the project</li> <li>CV</li> </ul> <p>If English is not your first language, you must provide evidence that you meet the University's minimum English language requirements (below).</p> <p><em>As an international research-intensive university, we welcome students from all walks of life and from across the world. We foster an inclusive environment where all can flourish and prosper, and we are proud of our strong commitment to student education. Across all Faculties we are dedicated to diversifying our community and we welcome the unique contributions that individuals can bring, and particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to Black, Asian, people who belong to a minority ethnic community, people who identify as LGBT+ and people with disabilities. Applicants will always be selected based on merit and ability.</em></p>

Applicants to research degree programmes in the School of Mechanical Engineering should normally have at least a first class or an upper second class British Bachelors Honours degree (or equivalent) in an appropriate discipline. Applicants are advised to check with the relevant School prior to making an application. Applicants who are uncertain about the requirements for a particular research degree are advised to contact the supervisor or Admissions Team prior to making an application.

The minimum English language entry requirement for research postgraduate research study is an IELTS of 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in each component (reading, writing, listening and speaking) or equivalent. The test must be dated within two years of the start date of the course in order to be valid. Some schools and faculties have a higher requirement.

<p>A highly competitive EPSRC Doctoral Landscape Award (DLA) providing full academic fees, together with a tax-free maintenance grant at the standard UKRI rate (currently £21,805 in academic session 2026/27) for 3.5 years and rising annually, in line with standard UKRI rates. Training and support will also be provided.</p> <p>This opportunity is open to UK applicants only. </p> <p><br /> <strong>Competition funded  </strong></p> <ul> <li>"Competition funded" means that we advertise a larger number of projects than available awards. Not all projects advertised for this funding opportunity will receive funding. The selection panel will consider all applications received across the full range of advertised projects and select the awardee/s based on the strength of their application. </li> </ul> <p><br /> <strong>Eligibility Criteria </strong></p> <ul> <li>Applicants must be eligible to pay fees at the Home (UK) rate.</li> </ul> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /> <strong>Other Conditions</strong></p> <ul> <li class="MsoNoSpacing">Candidates who have previously been awarded a PhD or are currently registered on a PhD are excluded from applying. Those who were previously studying for a PhD but did not complete may be considered. </li> <li>Awards must be taken up by 1st October 2027.</li> <li>Applicants must live within a reasonable distance of the University of Leeds whilst in receipt of this scholarship.</li> </ul> <p><br /> If you are unsure whether you are eligible for UK fees/funding, please see our <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/undergraduate-fees/doc/fee-assessment">fee assessment page.</a></p> <p> </p>

<p>For further information please contact the PGR Admissions Engineering and Physical Sciences team on this email address: <a href="http://phd@engineering.leeds.ac.uk/">phd@engineering.leeds.ac.uk</a></p> <p>If you are interested in this project or have any questions, please do contact the project supervisor <a href="https://eps.leeds.ac.uk/mechanical-engineering/staff/384/dr-justin-f-gallagher">Dr Justin Gallagher</a> on this address: <a href="mailto:J.F.Gallagher@leeds.ac.uk">J.F.Gallagher@leeds.ac.uk</a></p>