Newcastle startup develops UK’s first multisensory food menu for hospitals

Newcastle based startup Sensmart has developed the UK’s first multisensory food menu that can help combat malnutrition and dehydration for people in hospitals or care homes.

Founded by Aisha Purvis, Sensmart is working with regional partners across the health tech sector to fine tune her “innovative” interactive menu, Numenyu.

Using first-hand experience from working in care homes, and for caring for her daughter who has Rett syndrome, Aisha came up with the idea to create a menu for use in hospitals or care homes that empowers individuals to actively engage and have choice in their daily dietary needs.

Individuals who are unable to verbally communicate their needs rely heavily on staff interpretation and care planning. Numenyu combines visual, tactile, auditory and olfactory (or smell) stimulation to ensure the product is accessible to a broad span of people.

Sensmart is now working with a range of specialised partners who are supporting her to take her idea into practice. CPI, the Internet of Caring Things, which is led by the National Centre for Ageing in partnership with CPI and the Academic Health Science Network for the North East and North Cumbria, are collaborating to help Aisha develop and share her innovation.

Aisha commented: “I have first-hand experience of working with people experiencing communication challenges, and I wanted to create a more modernised approach to care planning. I included braille and aroma options on the menu which can help people with visual impairments or dementia.

“This helps give them a positive experience, stimulates their senses and can help them make better food choices, ultimately enhancing the both the patient carer experience.”

CPI specialise in working with innovative companies to develop new or improved products and processes, and help bring those products closer to commercialisation.

Through the ERDF PROSPECT programme, CPI helped Aisha develop a number of scents so they accurately represented the aroma of cooked food such as ‘chip shop’ fish and chips, or a chicken roast dinner. CPI is also supporting Aisha on the next phase of her product development through the ERDF Sonnet Programme.

Aisha added: “It’s been amazing getting all the different types of support from CPI, IoCT and the AHSN NENC. Each has different skill sets and expertise that as a start-up, I just don’t have in-house. They have all helped me to take my idea to a point where I am close to launching it. I can’t thank them enough for the expertise and guidance they have provided.”

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily

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