María Micó Amigo

Research interests

With over 12 years of academic and industrial experience, and a newly established research lab, I am committed to advancing the development, implementation, and analytical validation of algorithms for calculating biometrics using wearable technology. My journey reflects a growing leadership in this exciting field, driven by interdisciplinary collaboration and a deep passion for innovation in digital health.

My industrial PhD (competitively funded by Marie Curie FP7 Actions) and my Research Associate position with the leading team of a €50-million project on digital mobility (Mobilise-D, https://mobilise-d.eu/) focused on developing signal-processing-based algorithms to study neurological conditions. In 2023, I was honoured to be top-ranked at University College Dublin for a Horizon 2020-funded postdoctoral fellowship on digital biomarkers for Parkinson’s Disease. However, I chose to begin my independent academic career as an Assistant Professor in Biomedical Engineering at Heriot-Watt University.

I currently supervise four fantastic PhD students and lead the Sensors for Ubiquity and Physiological Engineering Research - Lab (SUPER Lab): https://super.site.hw.ac.uk/people/

Supported by a £30,000 start-up package, I lead two funded projects as Principal Investigator: an EPSRC-funded collaboration with Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology on real-world monitoring of prosthesis use (£46,000, 2025–2026), and a Heriot-Watt Research Culture award (£3,000) to promote science communication through art and teamwork. I also serve as Co-Investigator on a £115,000 Tay Health Tech-funded project developing wearable-based tools to monitor tremor and continuous health in people living with Parkinson’s disease.

I always welcome opportunities to support and supervise enthusiastic, motivated PhD students who share a passion for inclusive and impactful research.

Areas of expertise

• Digital Health
• Wearable Technology
• Mobility
• Gait Analysis
• Physical Activity
• Vital Signs Monitoring
• Parkinson's Disease
• Women's Health
• Refugees & Persons with Asylum Background
• Lower Limb Prosthesis Monitoring
• Maternal Digital Health
• Menstrual Health
• Biomedical Engineering