Computer Science
Jake Stuchbury-Wass is a final year Ph.D candidate in Computer Science at the University of Cambridge in the Mobile Systems Group supervised by Prof. Cecilia Mascolo. He obtained an M.Eng from the same university in 2021 in Computer Engineering. His research focuses on wearable-based sensing for assessment of gait and impact with applications in health and sporting contexts.
What if the hearing aids millions already wear could detect Parkinson’s before symptoms become obvious? Jake's work leverages sensors in ear-worn devices like AirPods and hearing aids to create gait monitoring systems with applications spanning sports performance to disease symptom tracking. This method converts existing hearing aids into gait monitoring devices for detailed gait assessment. Vulnerable populations wearing hearing aids daily often struggle to notice gradual gait deterioration, one of the earliest warning signs. By repurposing technology people already use, the work enables earlier intervention when it matters most. Validation studies show promising results comparable to existing specialist gait-monitoring devices such as ankle bracelets or hip-worn pods. We also have prototypes of the system working on phone-earbud systems preserving user privacy and offering efficient computation
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