Research Projects

Safer Evidence

AIR SAFETY: A programme to prevent aerosol borne respiratory diseases using Artificial Intelligence

When people breathe, talk, or cough, they release tiny droplets into the air. The smallest of these, called aerosols, can carry viruses that spread easily indoors. Improving ventilation can reduce this risk, but it often requires expensive building work and uses a lot of energy. We need cheaper, practical solutions to keep patients and staff safe.

This project will develop the Artificial Intelligence air Safety Tool (AISaT), a computer program that helps hospitals choose the best low-cost ways to reduce airborne infection risks—for example, using air filters, fans, or screens.

The research will take place in several stages:
 

• Understanding NHS needs – working with infection experts, engineers, hospital staff, patients, and families to identify realistic and affordable solutions.

• Developing and testing the software – AISaT will start with simple scenarios like consulting rooms and progress to procedure rooms and hospital wards. Solutions will be tested first in the lab, using a “breathing robot” that mimics how people produce aerosols, and later in computer models.

• Clinical trials – testing AISaT in real hospital settings to see if it reduces infection risks, is acceptable to staff and patients, and offers good value for money.

• Rollout – exploring whether AISaT works in hospitals serving different communities, then creating guidance for NHS-wide use.

A diverse patient advisory group will be involved throughout, helping ensure the solutions are practical, fair, and acceptable. Young people will also be engaged through competitions and work experience, to inspire interest in science and patient safety.

The ultimate goal is to embed AISaT in NHS hospitals to reduce the spread of airborne infections, protect patients and staff, and allow hospitals to treat more people safely.