Ray Jones

Professor Ray Jones MBE is Professor of Health Informatics and Co-Director of the Centre for Health Technology at the University of Plymouth. With a PhD from Glasgow supervised by Tony Hedley, his 40-year career focuses on digital health innovations for vulnerable populations. His research empowers patients through technology access, combats digital inequality in rural/aging communities, and integrates sustainability into healthcare systems.

Research interests span:

• Development of patient-accessible health records and telehealth systems
• Implementation of companion robots and voice AI in care settings
• Digital skills training for health professionals through nursing curriculum innovations
• Cross-generational co-design of XR technologies for health promotion

Publication analysis reveals strong focus on extended reality applications (60% of recent works), voice AI systems (20%), and community co-design methods (20%), primarily targeting elderly wellbeing in restricted environments. Key application domains include dementia care, social isolation reduction, and cultural accessibility.

Awards and honors:

• MBE for services to digital health (2021)
• Inclusion in Universities UK's 'Nation's Lifesavers' (2019)

Supervised 28 PhD students across Glasgow and Plymouth. Secured £6M+ funding for EPIC project improving Cornish health innovation. Leads interdisciplinary teams at Centre for Health Technology developing solutions like Amazon Echo implementations in 150 care homes and Digital Health Champions student programs.