Nicholas Smith

I am a PhD candidate at Open Lab and a Postgraduate Teaching Assistant. My research focuses on designing and developing immersive Virtual Reality Reminiscence Therapy (VR-RT) experiences, tailored specifically to individuals with dementia, the experience aligning with their unique background, interests, and additional idiosyncratic needs.

My overarching ambition is to improve the quality of life for people with dementia—an intrinsically marginalised group in society. I aim for this work to underpin and inform the development of safe and effective non-pharmacological interventions such as VR-RT, enabling classification as software as a medical device (SaMD) with demonstrable health benefits.

I previously completed my Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and my Master’s degree in Human-Computer Interaction here at Newcastle University. During my undergraduate studies, I designed a mobile smoking cessation app prototype aimed at increasing cessation rates through the intelligent pre-emptive structuring of nicotine-replacement therapy. For my Master’s, I developed a dedicated short-form vertical video testing platform for a mixed-methodological study, investigating how user quality of engagement is influenced by media quality of service, alongside a range of uncovered user factors.

I am also a keen software developer, continuously exploring novel applications of artificial intelligence, particularly generative AI, both within and beyond my direct research field.