Most readers will have seen the results of the 2008 Research Assessment
Exercise (RAE), which showed ..... Honda R&D, who agreed to supply a Honda
Civic.
avoiding ruin in the rubble how chemical profiles can help save lives in urban disasters
the
loughborough university
setting the standard Loughborough University excels in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise
the eyes have it new technology that could considerably aid people with limited mobility
spring/summer 2009
the
welcome
loughborough university
research that matters
Welcome to the latest edition of ‘The View’, the magazine which highlights the outstanding research undertaken at Loughborough, showing just why we are one of the country’s leading research-intensive universities. Most readers will have seen the results of the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), which showed that world-leading and internationally-excellent research is being produced in all departments at Loughborough University. I am delighted that the excellence demonstrated in the RAE has been mirrored in the HEFCE research funding for 2009-10, which has seen Loughborough awarded an additional £5.97-million. This is the fifth largest increase in the UK and the largest increase of any UK university without a medical school. The RAE results confirm that we are now a top 20 research-intensive university, which is testament to the hard work
cover story
produced all across the campus in a true university-wide effort. In this edition of ‘The View’, we include a feature on our undoubted success in the 2008 RAE. The future of research at Loughborough University is very bright and we will continue
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to excel in a diverse range of research areas. The cover story in this edition focuses on the work of the University’s Chemistry department, and their contribution towards a Second Generation Locator for Urban Search and Rescue, through the analysis of chemical profiles. This device
avoiding ruin in the rubble
will help develop profiles of trapped and injured humans, and creates detection systems to enable rescuers to assess their
An insight into the research of the University’s Centre for Analytical Science, in the Department of Chemistry, which is currently working on the development of a rescue device to help find trapped people in areas of urban devastation.
presence and condition under destroyed buildings. As you will read, some extremely important work of profound social significance is emerging from the work of Professor Paul Thomas and his team. We also focus on the research of Dr Graham Wigley, from the University’s Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering Department, and his ‘Project Hotfire’ programme. With ‘green’ vehicles, sustainability and fuel economy becoming ever more important, Dr Wigley – along with colleagues from University College London and industry partners – has been developing research to help in all three of these areas. Other features in this edition include an examination of the Globalization and World Cities Network, which is leading world research into the international relations of ‘global cities’; an in-depth look at how computer-recognition and eye-tracking technology can help people with limited mobility; how Loughborough researchers are helping to reduce the distractions on car dashboards; and finally, how research is being undertaken to reduce the risk of back injuries in elite cricketers. I hope you enjoy this edition of ‘The View’, which presents just a small selection of the research excellence at
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redrawing the world map
18
extending the innings of future fast bowlers
8
the eyes have it
22
the future of motoring
12
driving down distraction
26
the view round up
14
setting the standard
Loughborough University.
Professor Peter Golding, Pro Vice Chancellor for Research
Front cover: Nicki Kaur, Researcher for the Centre for Analytical Science (Avoiding Ruin in the Rubble, page 2). To subscribe free to The View or request extra copies call +44 (0)1509 228697 or email
[email protected] For more information about Loughborough University visit www.lboro.ac.uk An electronic version of The View can be downloaded from www.lboro.ac.uk/service/publicity/publications/view/index.html The View is published by the Public Relations Office, Rutland Hall, Loughborough University, Loughborough, LE11 3TU T: + 44 (0)1509 222224 E:
[email protected] www.lboro.ac.uk/publicrelations Editor: Jo Lumani T: +44 (0)1509 228697 E:
[email protected] Design: Design and Print Services, Loughborough University T: +44 (0)1509 222190 E:
[email protected] www.lboro.ac.uk/designandprint Photography: Andrew Weekes T: +44 (0)7836 566295 and Nigel Farrow. Printed by Newnorth Print Limited. This publication has been printed on FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) paper by Newnorth Print Limited who hold the FSC environmental accreditation. T37846 DPS March09
No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior permission from Loughborough University’s Public Relations Office. The views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of Loughborough University.
avoiding ruin in the rubble Whether it’s a terrorist attack in the West or an earthquake in deepest Asia, mass devastation in urban areas is unfortunately no rarity. Jo Lumani speaks to Professor Paul Thomas, from the Centre for Analytical Science in the Department of Chemistry, about the development of a second generation search and rescue device which will help teams working against the clock in large-scale urban rescue operations.
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“There is normally a 24-hour window when people who are injured and trapped can be saved, followed by a three-day window, where people who are uninjured and trapped can be saved. Unfortunately, after three days, the chances of survival – unless you have access to water – diminish rapidly. “The project as a whole looks at providing the essential framework for command and control as well as the next generation technology to assist search and rescue crews to find survivors, as well as deceased casualties.
“It’s about a ‘complete’ approach. You need to set up the communication, the command, control and the facilities which are needed to get people out as soon as possible. The work of our team at Loughborough University is just part of this.” Professor Thomas is well aware of the emotional and psychological trauma of extreme search and rescue situations and hopes that SGL for UsaR will make difficult decisions less devastating.
and ammonia, as well as volatile compounds which come out in their breath, skin and sweat. Eventually you will get additional, and high concentration, chemical information from their urine and faeces. We need to know which molecules associated with a trapped casualty may be detected with the greatest sensitivity. Our role is to develop the chemical profiles associated with a trapped human. That is Loughborough’s contribution which will be exploited in a large number of ways.” Loughborough University’s involvement will include the development of collapsed building and void simulators, which will enable Professor Thomas and his research team to define the chemical profiles present in actual situations. “We have to develop these chemical profiles in the most ethical way possible. We need to simulate entrapped people in a way which is scientifically meaningful, but at the same time is ethical and safe. Volunteers must never be coerced, they must know exactly what is expected of them. They must be able to stop the experiments at any time, and their safety and welfare must be upheld at every stage.
“A major decision that must be made is, on what evidence do you stop searching for people? To be specific, we are told that trapped by themselves, children die quickly in collapsed buildings. When do you give up looking for children, when you have more chance of finding adults alive, especially when those chances of survival are diminishing by the hour? It hurts me to say it, but it’s live bodies, not valiant failures you want and signs of life are very important in this context.
say with assurance that there are no signs of life, you can move on to another area where you are needed. SGL for USaR should help to justify rational, humane decisions.” “If you can
We all recoiled in horror at the flooding in New Orleans and the images of the recent earthquake in China. We’ve seen relatives – desperately waiting for news of loved ones and frantic with worry. We’ve witnessed rescuers and search dogs, courageously working through the night in the hope that somewhere, there’ll be another miracle – someone who has somehow survived the disaster against all the odds. These are situations where crisis management is key and saved time means saved lives. Developing new technology has never been so important. Though many of us will have sat glued to TV reports, detailing every inch of devastation, few of us will have witnessed the carnage and destruction of an urban disaster first hand. A team of researchers led by Paul Thomas, Professor of Analytical Science, is working hard to increase the chances of survival in such situations. As principal investigator of the Loughborough University team, Professor Thomas and his associates are contributing to the development of a Second Generation Locator for Urban Search and Rescue (SGL for USaR), a rapid and integrated stand-alone device for the early location of entrapped or buried victims.
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This four-year project aims to construct the complete system, where cutting edge technology, such as video, thermal and image analysis, wireless communication, sonar, field chemical sensors and optical sensors combine to offer the optimum rescue package for the world’s worst urban disasters. With an overall budget of several million Euros, this is a project which aims to make a difference in the very best possible way. Led by the National Technical University of Athens, there are 21 partners across Europe working on one of eight segments to the SGL for USaR, with each offering their particular field of expertise. Professor Thomas’ team is in charge of investigating the chemical profiles of people trapped in such disasters and how through the development of specialist sensors, rescuers can determine if a person is still alive amongst all of the devastation. It’s certainly no small task and Professor Thomas is under no illusions about how important it is to develop technology for urban search and rescue situations. “They talk about a ‘golden hour’ in Search and Rescue, where people are usually found on the surface and often rescued by survivors,” says Professor Thomas.
“You know that if you see carbon dioxide in a ruin at elevated levels, something is respiring. That can only be good news. Unfortunately though, as well as signs of life, there are also signs of death and danger. One definite sign of death is carbon monoxide. If you have a collapsed building with a fire burning in it and high levels of carbon monoxide, there will be no-one alive in there. “If you can say with assurance that there are no signs of life, you can move on to another area where you are needed. SGL for USaR should help to justify rational, humane decisions. “Our contribution is to assist in the development of chemical sensors and detectors which look for these markers of life. Dogs are fantastic in this regard, but can only manage approximately 15 minutes work before they need, typically, to be rested for up to three hours. Once deployed SGL sensors run continuously, so you can place the chemical detectors onto or into a collapsed structure and these will start seeking out signs of life. They work by ionising different molecules – a little like a smoke detector in your house – and the ions then travel at different speeds through an electric field. Indeed, there are many types of detector including electronic noses, which use semi-conductors in the main whose electrical properties change when gases stick to them. “A human being trapped in a building will produce a large chemical profile. That profile will consist of carbon dioxide
“We have to create the atmosphere of a trapped environment and the volatiles released by a human in this environment. The simulator will have room to wriggle and it will be a bit like sleeping in a very small tent or in a survival bag. Except that a tent isn’t made from materials found in a collapsed building. “By the end of 2009, we’re going to be looking for heroes really to take part in this programme and volunteer to spend as long as they can in one of these simulators. I believe that people will be coming from all over Europe to help us with our research. “This is a challenging programme, but one we are relishing. It’s hard to predict what our final findings are likely to be but hopefully, we can make a difference in the best possible way.”
Want to know more? Visit: www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/cm/ Contact: Professor Paul Thomas T: 01509 222549 E:
[email protected]
the view | 5
When it comes to business, London and New York steadfastly remain at the top of the table of the most connected cities in the world. But, as Hannah Baldwin finds out, cities in China are rising rapidly up the league, and should be our barometers during the credit crunch.
redrawing the
world map Two thirds of the way through our interview, Professor Peter Taylor pauses briefly. “Of course if you want to be a pessimist,” he says with a slight smile, “the theory we use predicts that we’ll never get out of the current economic crisis. On this occasion I really hope we’re wrong!” Professor Taylor is the founder and director of the worldrenowned Globalization and World Cities (GaWC) network, which looks at the external relations of cities around the globe. He explains his theory. “Globalization has synchronised all the cities across the world. In the past when one hasn’t been doing so well, the other cities in its business network drag it back up. But if all of them go into decline at the same time, which is pretty much what we’re seeing at the moment, there’s no city left to pick them up. The only exceptions seem to be in China. Their cities are declining a little, but not as significantly as those in the rest of the world. We need China’s cities to remain relatively buoyant to help the rest of us climb out of the doldrums.”
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Centred in Loughborough’s Department of Geography, GaWC is the leading worldwide network for researchers seeking to understand cities in the era of globalization. Members are based in the US, China and Belgium, as well as throughout the UK, and contributions to the group’s online hub come from all four corners of the globe. “Generally when we talk about anywhere beyond our own country’s borders, we use the term ‘international’ which, as it suggests, refers to relationships between nations,” Professor Taylor says. “At GaWC we believe there are also relationships between cities across the world. With the onset of globalization these have become increasingly important, but traditionally there’s been no data on them because it’s only collected at country level – data on migration is available for the UK as a whole but not, for instance, between London and New York. That’s where GaWC comes in, we fill that city data gap.” Since the group’s inception in 1998, one of its key projects has been the examination of these relationships between key cities.
Grants from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) allowed the researchers to undertake their first two studies, and the latest phase has just been completed in collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Social Science (CASS) in Beijing and Ghent University in Belgium. “Originally we studied 314 cities. This time we’ve looked at 526,” says Professor Taylor. “We don’t compare the cities, we determine how they relate to one another. How does London relate to New York, not whether it’s better at this and worse at that.” The researchers looked at the location of various firms, including the top financial, legal and management consultancy names, and how they do business with each city. This enabled them to draw up a measure of connectivity – how intensely related one city is to the other cities – and allowed the researchers to rank the cities according to that connectivity.
nine are Beijing and Shanghai. Unlike London and New York, they don’t have many company headquarters based there, they have branches of firms, but they’re highly connected. “Sydney too has climbed up the table. It’s part of the expanding Pacific Asian market. Although Australia’s not big in state terms, Sydney is becoming more and more important.” Paris and Singapore complete the top-ranked group. To the casual observer it may be surprising that the list of top cities isn’t comprised solely of capitals. Professor Taylor says we should look to history for an explanation. “Most people who study cities think in terms of hierarchies – the capital city and then all the cities below. But historically people considered cities on a horizontal plane, in terms of their trading networks, and that’s how GaWC looks at them.”
London and New York always come out way ahead of the others, they’re the real global cities. Of the firms we study it’s very rare to find one that’s not in one or either of those places.”
“In every study we’ve done
“In every study we’ve done London and New York always come out way ahead of the others, they’re the real global cities. Of the firms we study it’s very rare to find one that’s not in one or either of those places. “The third city in our list has always been Hong Kong, which differs from other people’s rankings. They tend to place Tokyo after London and New York, generally because the US, the EU and Japan are the big trio of political areas. Hong Kong ranks third in our list as it’s the gateway to China, the biggest growing market in the world. Tokyo, incidentally, is seventh in our ranking.” But, says Professor Taylor, it’s slightly further down the table where the more surprising findings come. “In this latest phase of the project, the two cities that have risen rapidly into the top
Professor Taylor is hoping that GaWC will be able to continue measuring cities’ connectivity data every two years. “We’re some of the few people who think the credit crunch is wonderful,” he says, smiling. “We collected data at the beginning of 2008, before the real onset of the economic downturn, and when we collect it in 2010, we’ll hopefully have an ‘after’ set of data, providing us with a picture of how the credit crunch has affected cities’ relationships and therefore the world economy.” GaWC’s work is of enormous interest to city leaders and even governments around the world, each keen to discover where their key centres appear on the list and, perhaps most crucially, the reasons why. The group is redrawing the map, and perhaps even beginning to change the way the world is perceived.
Want to know more? Visit: www.lboro.ac.uk/gawc Contact: Professor Peter Taylor T: 01509 222790 E:
[email protected]
the view | 7
the eyes have it
There are many people who through injury or illness are so physically restricted, all they can move are their eyes. They have little independence and rely on others for the most basic of tasks. Now Loughborough University researchers have developed a system that can harness that precious eye movement and give severely disabled people back some dignity and control in their own homes. Alison Laing met Professor Alastair Gale who outlined his vision for the future.
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To a person with limited mobility, being able to use just their eyes to turn a light on or off, to open curtains, a door, or adjust a fan heater, could make a huge difference to their quality of life. That was the response Professor Alastair Gale and his research team received while developing their innovative eye gaze technology at Loughborough’s Applied Vision Research Centre.
In addition, users could even control objects out of sight in another room, simply by looking at live video footage of their environment, rather than directly at the object itself.
The team invited users, such as stroke victims, plus medical experts and rehabilitation scientists, to examine their unique kit and comment on its potential uses and benefits. Feedback was excellent. Some even described it as potentially life changing.
The system currently set up in the laboratory in Loughborough works through a series of infra red cameras mounted in front of an electric wheelchair. Several cameras measure the user’s eyes and track eye movements, another continuously monitors the user’s environment, detecting any controllable devices the user may look at. Everything is recorded and analysed in real time.
The system Professor Gale, and key researcher Dr Fangmin Shi, have developed is called Attention Responsive Technology Implementation For Independent Control of the Environment (ARTIFICE). The automated system allows users to control ICT devices, or objects, such as lamps or electrically operated doors, using eye movement alone. It is thought the technology would particularly benefit those with spinal injuries, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Cerebral Palsy or Multiple Sclerosis – conditions which can seriously damage mobility, but leave eye control unaffected. It has taken four years and £350,000 worth of funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and previously the PACCIT (People at the Centre of Communication and Information Technologies) Research Programme to develop.
On a commercial level, the cameras could eventually be miniaturised and fitted into a metal arm, attached to an electric wheelchair, which could easily be swung into place in front of the user and then pushed to one side when not in use. Professor Gale explained: “There are automated systems already in existence that enable users to interact with a computer using eye gaze, but they tend to restrict the user to being sat directly in front of a computer monitor. “With ARTIFICE, the user has much greater freedom to move about the home or work environment, without compromising the effectiveness of the system. The system works intuitively.
much greater freedom to move about the home or work environment... giving the user some independence, dignity and freedom. This system helps them become less reliant on carers and others. ...the user has
Now the research project is closer to becoming a commercial system and potentially helping a massive three million people with severely limited mobility, across the EU.
“It’s about giving the user some independence, dignity and freedom. This system helps them become less reliant on carers and others. That’s a key benefit.”
ARTIFICE works by using a combination of computer recognition and eye-tracking technology. It assesses the user’s eye gaze within a three dimensional room environment and uses this information to identify which ICT devices or objects the user wishes to control.
Professor Gale added: “Initially it will cost a few thousand pounds for each unit, and will probably be used in a hospital environment. But eventually we’d like it to be much more affordable, say a few hundred pounds, and available to all that need it, in the comfort of their homes.”
For example, if a user wants to turn on a television, they would stare at the TV for a short period until a simple ‘television on’ instruction becomes available for them to confirm. Upon confirmation, e.g. staring at a small screen device, or maybe a projection on the wall, the television would switch on via wireless communication.
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Professor Gale established the Applied Vision Research Centre at Loughborough in 2005. Before that, he studied Psychology at Durham University, gaining a degree and PhD there. He previously researched at the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham in the Academic Radiology unit, and then set up a research institute at Derby University before moving to Loughborough four years ago.
Professor Gale explained he’s always been fascinated by vision, what people do with their eyes and how people look at things. He said: “I’m an inventor. I have dreams and ideas and I chase them. I’m always seeking ways in which technology can be used in society and how it can help people. “Developing ARTIFICE at the University, a system which has the potential to improve the lives of millions, is certainly exciting. I’m very proud of what we’ve done here.”
Breakdown of Approximate Potential Users of Artifice in the EU Condition
Approx. number
TBI (traumatic brain injury)
916,000
Stroke
618,000
Rett Syndrome
68,000
SMA (spinal muscular atrophy)
41,000
SCI (spinal cord injury)
Want to know more? Visit: www.lboro.ac.uk/research/applied-vision/ Contact: Professor Alastair Gale T: 01509 635703 E:
[email protected]
18,000
CP (Cerebral Palsy)
1,140,000
MS (Multiple Sclerosis)
225,000
ALS/MND (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis)
Total
54,000
3,080,000
the view | 11
With in-car gadgets on the increase, and driver inattention one of the major causes of road traffic accidents, researchers from Design and Technology have utilised the sense of touch to help drivers control key systems and, crucially, keep their eyes on the road. Hannah Baldwin investigates.
driving down
distraction Every driver is guilty of it. You reach for the heating controls or lean over to retune the radio, just momentarily taking your eyes off the road. When you look back up the car has drifted, if you’re lucky not by much, but enough to cause you concern. Research by experts in America has shown that a staggering 93% of road traffic accidents can be attributed to driver inattention, and with ever more gadgets and complicated functions being built into cars, it’s not difficult to see why our attention can be so easily diverted away from the road. Steve Summerskill, a lecturer from the Department of Design and Technology, has spent the last few years working with partner organisations to address this issue. “I began looking at this as a research associate, with the late Professor Mark Porter,” he says. “We wanted to demonstrate that accessing complex technology whilst driving could be made safer by being less demanding on the driver, both visually and mentally. So we set about developing an ‘eyes-free’ prototype interface that would allow drivers to access secondary controls – for the heating and ventilation, sat-nav system and in-car entertainment – while minimising the need to look away from the road.”
Entitled BIONIC – Blind operatION of In-car Controls – the project was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Foresight Vehicle LINK Programme. Working with Dr Gary Burnett, an expert in driver distraction from the University of Nottingham, the team began by looking at how existing products are used by visually impaired people.
would be comfortable using an interface positioned in this place in the car, but not in this position.” The team’s lead industrial partner in the project was Honda R&D, who agreed to supply a Honda Civic for the researchers to use as a test vehicle for the interface. The unusual layout of the car, however, presented some issues for the team.
“We worked with them to see how they interact with products they’re unfamiliar with, looking at the kind of tactile cues they found useful, what constituted good and bad tactile coding. It really was quite a novel way of working – drawing on the experiences of non-expert users for a driving context.”
“The Civic has a dashboard-mounted gear stick, positioned in a location that would have been ideal for our interface,” Steve says. “We found we couldn’t place the controls above this, because it meant smaller users had to lean forward in their seat to reach them, so we eventually decided to locate the interface between the two front seats.”
During their research, the team discovered a direct link between the tactile and the visual senses. “If you’re using tactile coding on an object that involves orientation, you use the visual parts of your brain to form a picture of that object in your head, meaning your eyes might be looking straight ahead, but you’re not actually seeing what’s there. We needed to build an association between the visual and the tactile experience very quickly to reduce the chances of this happening,” says Steve.
A working prototype was then developed in conjunction with Visteon – a company that designs, engineers and manufactures a range of innovative products for car manufacturers – and installed in the demonstrator vehicle for a series of road trials. These revealed a 17 per cent reduction in the ‘eyes off road’ time when using the heating and ventilation system, and a 20 per cent reduction for the satellite navigation function. However, there was
accessing complex technology whilst driving could be made safer by being less demanding on the driver, both visually and mentally.” “We wanted to demonstrate that
For each control the team tried to associate the arrangement of the interface with an iconic layout people might recognise. “The structure of our in-car entertainment interface, for example, is similar to that of an iPod. Because most people already have a visual image of that, we believed they’d quickly be able to use our interface. In the same way that you don’t need to look at your buckle location when you’re putting your seat belt on, that ‘automatic’ processing would take over.” Once the team had determined the design of the interface, they needed to consider its positioning in the car. For this they utilised SAMMIE CAD – a computer-based Human Modelling tool, devised by researchers at Loughborough and Nottingham universities. “SAMMIE allows you to create digital mannequins that represent people of differing sizes. It can also evaluate people’s reach. So together with our data on how joints move, we were able to say a person of ‘this size’ with an elbow angle of ‘this much’
no real reduction in the glance duration for the in-car entertainment system. “It was located too far back and therefore users found it difficult to look at quickly,” explains Steve. “It showed us there’s a physical threshold beyond which people aren’t comfortable glancing. That’s something we’ll be exploring further in the future.” The results of the study have enabled the researchers to develop a set of guidelines for the motor industry on the design of ‘eyes-free’ interfaces, which could ultimately prove valuable in other industries. As Steve points out, it’s not only car drivers who need to interact with technology while on the move. “Those who operate machinery, the armed forces… any visual distraction could have serious safety implications for these people. The guidelines we’ve drawn up could ultimately have benefits beyond just the car industry. This initial research has shown us that people will interact with tactile designs. Now we just need to understand that even better.”
Want to know more? Visit: www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/cd/research/groups/erg/ Contact: Steve Summerskill T: 01509 228313 E:
[email protected] the view | 13
setting the
standard How Loughborough has excelled in the RAE
While many people across the country know Loughborough University for its excellence in several academic areas, fewer know about the sheer range and quality of world-leading research undertaken on campus. Jo Lumani speaks to Professor Peter Golding, Pro Vice Chancellor for Research, about the outstanding results achieved by Loughborough in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) and how every department across all three faculties is working hard to confirm the University’s status as a leading light among research-intensive universities.
It has certainly been a year where Loughborough University has again excelled itself. Named ‘University of the Year’ for 2008-2009 by the Sunday Times, the University complemented that success by being awarded ‘Best Student Experience’ for the third year in succession, a prize based on student votes across the country. Throw into the mix an outstanding national student survey, a sixth Queen’s Anniversary Prize and an excellent staff survey and you have a heady cocktail of success certain to make any Higher Education outfit in the country cast envious eyes in the direction of the East Midlands. Let’s face it – Loughborough University is on a high. And in a year where much is going right for the University, the excellence identified in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise is simply the icing on the cake for a university which is internationally recognised as a force in numerous areas of world-leading research. Professor Peter Golding, Pro Vice Chancellor for Research, is therefore a proud and happy man. The results of the RAE saw Loughborough named as one of ‘three rising stars’ by the Times Higher, noting just how much further the University has progressed even since the very good results in 2001. “I was delighted with the outcome of the Research Assessment Exercise as I thought it painted a really excellent picture of research quality at Loughborough University,” said Professor Golding. “For me, one of the most exciting things about being Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research is going around the campus and discovering all of the exciting, innovative and important research that people are doing. I learn something new about that almost every day. “The RAE provides us with a national endorsement of the quality of our work and I thought that was thoroughly welldeserved and also means that Loughborough’s research is now recognised as it should be, for being among the highest quality in the country.
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“I am also delighted that the research funding recently announced by HEFCE, sees us named as a top 20 researchintensive university.” In all, a total of 10 departments had 20 per cent or more of their research considered to be world-leading, with three of those departments – Design and Technology, the Ergonomics and Safety Research Institute and the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences – rated as number one in the country, according to calculations by the Guardian and Times Higher. “It is always pleasant to be rated number one,” adds Professor Golding. “I would always want to say to people that they should understand that it’s been true for some time that research excellence in Loughborough is to be found in many areas of work, outside those that people who don’t know us well traditionally associate with the University. “But I have to stress that the most important thing is the sheer range of academic excellence in research in all subjects. It really is a university-wide effort. Right across the campus you can see not just excellence, but recognised excellence, with outstanding research making a real input.” Much of Loughborough’s excellence may lie in the fact that the University submitted over 94 per cent of its academic staff for assessment as part of the RAE – a rise of 16 per cent from 2001 and one of the highest returns of any university in the country. “That’s very high compared with most universities and it reflects what we mean by ‘research-intensive’. Most of our staff – if not all staff – are research active to a very high quality level,” stresses Professor Golding. “The way the RAE works is that we are being judged by leading figures in each field – so I think that earning the respect, support and endorsement of these figures is exceptional. The data shows that 56 per cent of the outputs produced by academic staff at Loughborough were regarded as internationally excellent or world-leading. That is an extraordinary endorsement of the very high-quality work that people are doing.”
And while it would be easy to sit back and bathe in the success of the 2008 RAE, Professor Golding underlines that it is essential for all departments to push on and build on their current successes.
research councils and commercial companies. Loughborough is recognised as having research which is valuable and works for a whole host of external partners. I know that they will continue to want to work with us.”
“I think it’s very important to see progression and to build on it. We are undoubtedly far better placed than we were in 2001, and rightly take our place among the leading research universities in the country. We regard ourselves as a researchintensive university which is of course why we are a member of the 1994 group of universities.
With developing research making more and more of a difference across the world, Professor Golding reiterates that the boundaries of possibility for research at Loughborough University are endless.
“We are already improving the quality and range of research that we produce. Creating the research schools was a major step forward because it takes us into the area of inter-disciplinary and cross-disciplinary activity, and all
“Strength in research means very many different things. Above all it means research that influences and challenges the way that people think, that advances the disciplines and brings new knowledge and understanding, which is the primary mission of any university. Equally, it is research that can be immediately applied and change the world in which we live, or address
important thing is the sheer range of academic excellence in research in all subjects. It really is a university-wide effort
The most
of the research schools are thriving, and engaging more and more people across the campus in the kind of crossdisciplinary research they do. I have no doubt that this will be a major growth area for us over the next few years. In every department, there are areas of strength which have been recognised and commented on by the RAE and I know that all departments are working very hard now to see how they can grow those areas and develop new areas to help push the boundaries of their disciplines further. “The range of partners for research that Loughborough has externally is extraordinary, including Government departments, local government, the voluntary sector and charities, as well as
some of the most pressing issues that affect us, like climate change, sustainability, questions of poverty and inequality, the Economy, or of political stability. All of these – whether they be social, political, economic, science, engineering, or humanitiesbased – are being addressed by research at Loughborough. “The work being done here makes a difference, is of the highest quality, and is being recognised for the fact that it is research that matters.”
Want to know more? Visit: www.lboro.ac.uk/research/rae/index.html
extending the innings of future fast bowlers Home to England’s National Cricket Performance Centre, Loughborough University is already recognised as the country’s leading centre for player development. Now Dr Mark King, a sports biomechanics lecturer with an international reputation in cricket research, is working alongside the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to safeguard player fitness and influence fast bowling practice. Amanda Overend takes up the story.
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Injuries amongst England’s star bowlers are always big news, with the likes of fast bowlers Freddie Flintoff, Matthew Hoggard and Steve Harmison amongst those who have been put under the media spotlight following time out with injuries. For the danger men of cricket, who deliver balls at up to 90 miles per hour and are subject to forces of up to nine times their bodyweight through their body at impact, injury is considered par for the course, until now. Dr Mark King of the University’s School of Sport and Exercise Sciences (SSES), one of just a handful of International Cricket Council (ICC) human movement specialists in the world, has been working with the ECB since 2004 to look at the prevalence of lower back injuries in fast bowlers, with the ultimate goal of reducing the number of players affected.
A mobile testing lab is set up in the National Cricket Performance Centre on the University campus, with 22 cameras recording the bowler’s every move. By sticking reflective markers on the body the motion analysis system, known as Vicon, is then able to accurately track how the body moves during bowling. This motion data is used with force plate data to get a full picture of the effects of fast bowling on their bodies. “It’s all done in a computer environment,” explains Dr King. “For the coaches we provide some skeletal images, but we’re far more interested in what the real numbers are – from the positional data we can calculate angles and velocities.” To identify just how far a player’s back flexes during fast bowling, the range of movement is compared to a static test,
understand what’s happening within the body during a fast bowling action, what forces act at the various joints”
“We are now starting to
At any one time around five per cent of professional cricketers in the UK are injured, but for fast bowlers that number increases to 15 per cent. Lower back injuries are consistently the most common amongst these pace bowlers, with lumbar spine stress fractures accounting for the greatest loss of playing time.
“Over the last 20 years there’s been a fair amount of research carried out into cricket, mainly in Australia, but there was no conclusive evidence as to why fast bowlers were getting injured,” explains Dr King. “The ECB were keen to understand why and then find out what they could do about it. “The research started off analysing what bowlers actually did and it has progressed into a more substantial project with the ECB now funding a studentship over a four year period. “We are now starting to understand what’s happening within the body during a fast bowling action, what forces act at the various joints, and whether some techniques are better for you than others – are there techniques that a bowler could use where they’d be less likely to get injured?” Dr King and PhD student Peter Worthington have tested 20 to 30 players on average each year and to date have conducted close to 100 tests on England’s fast bowlers, from junior and county players to England’s elite senior squad.
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where bowlers lean and extend as far as possible in various directions from a standing position. “We’ve found that during bowling there can be up to 50 per cent greater side-flexion compared to side-flexion while standing, it’s an extreme position,” Dr King adds. “To bowl you need to side-flex your body so your arm can come over the top. This extreme position allows that but some bowlers side-flex more than others. The thought at the moment is that this is a crucial factor in injury issues. “Essentially we’ve identified this issue of side-flexion. Because we’re looking at forces going up through the back, we’re now working to identify the relationship between side-flexion and forces in the lower back. “Everybody side-flexes to some extent, but at what point does it becomes an injury issue? If someone is 20, 30 or 40 degrees side-flexed is that okay or not? If you can change that sideflexion angle by three degrees, by improving their technique for example, how much less force will go through the back?
Dr King is a member of the ECB’s fast bowling group which determines the guidelines and protocols for the players. England fast bowling coach Kevin Shine, who heads the group and is responsible for nurturing the players and sharing best practice with other coaches, has been impressed with the results so far. “We’ve already used quite a few of the findings and put those into coach education, training our coaches to use different techniques,” said Shine. “It’s actually really simplified everything we do with regards to teaching and coaching bowling. “The research has led to us being able to look at the mechanics in a lot more detail and understand that if we take pressure away from a particular area of the back we can actually clean up the bowlers’ technique as a whole and make them a lot more efficient. “It’s been a wonderful offshoot from a coaching perspective, and there are a few young England bowlers at the moment who’ve really benefited from the research and the coaching interventions that have come from them.
“There might be a bowler who has a dangerous technique from this point of view and you’d recommend they bowl less or
“We’re now trying to target our young bowlers coming through and making sure they’re screened properly in line with the information we’ve got from the research. In the long term that will make the biggest difference – to make sure that all the
change their technique. But for another bowler who has less side-flexion, their technique is more robust and they are less likely to get injured, so perhaps they can bowl a bit more and be safe. It’s that sort of relationship.”
young bowlers coming through are in a position to be what we call safe, even though bowling isn’t a particularly safe occupation, but it definitely does give them a better chance of making it through a long career.
“Obviously we have to be very mindful of the fact bowlers get injured but we also have to look at performance – the bottom line at my level is we’re here to win games of cricket and produce world-class bowlers, and this research is going a long way towards helping us do that.” As the project unfolds performance is becoming a more important factor of the research which, Dr King feels, has massive potential to advance England cricket as a whole and help achieve their goal of becoming the best in the world. “The project is only a few years old and so there are plenty of questions still to be answered. By undertaking this level of research not only can we try and quantify the relationship between technique and injury, but we can also start to understand how to perform better. “England are working to become the best team in the world, with the best support, and we’re trying to establish ourselves as the leading group for cricket research in the world, so we’re coming at it from all fronts. “It’s a unique opportunity to be involved in a project where you can actually make a real difference at the business end of a sport.”
Want to know more? Contact: Dr Mark King E:
[email protected]
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the
future of motoring
The automobile industry is under pressure. Governments are driving through legislation that demands cleaner, green vehicles, while motorists want fuel economy without sacrificing performance. But can you ever really satisfy green groups and the car buyer? Alison Laing talked with Dr Graham Wigley of Loughborough’s Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering department and discovered a high technology research project which claims to do just that.
Loughborough University’s Dr Graham Wigley is a great believer in teamwork – in bringing together the best brains and the cleverest kit, to create cutting-edge technologies. And his recent collaboration has certainly paid off. Working alongside colleagues and students at Loughborough, with University College London (UCL), and experts in the automotive industry, such as Lotus and Siemens VDO (now Continental Powertrain), Dr Wigley and the team have achieved award-winning results. Their three-year research programme, called Project HOTFIRE, produced a gasoline direct injection (GDI) engine with variable valve timing that reduces emissions, while delivering up to 15 per cent greater fuel efficiency. It cost around £500,000 to develop, and was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), plus cash contributions from industry. Project HOTFIRE involved Lotus Engineering building a pair of matched single cylinder engines. An optical engine was based at Loughborough and a thermodynamic engine, based at UCL. Complementary research programmes were performed at each university. Loughborough’s optical research engine had a unique, transparent silica cylinder liner and a sapphire ‘window’ in the piston. This allowed the in-cylinder combustion to be observed. Laser diagnostics were used to measure air/fuel mixing and combustion. It also enabled researchers to measure air motion and fuel spray injection characteristics.
work together they can produce ground-breaking results to address the urgent and very real issues facing global manufacturers. When academics and industry
The main areas of interest to the Loughborough team were the injection characteristics (the timing and duration of injection fuel), the variable valve timing (used to measure the impact of early intake valve closing on emissions and fuel consumption), and the ability to turn one of the engine’s two inlet valves off at low load. Comparisons between the fired optical and thermodynamic engine were possible at low loads where a given set of valve profiles, injection timings and ignition timings, produced the same engine load. The two engines were the same, so engine data from the two could be correlated with confidence. Dr Wigley explained why Loughborough’s optical engine was so important to the success of the project.
He said: “In the past, if you wanted to test an engine’s performance you would use different speeds and loads, and you’d rely on the instruments to give you data about fuel economy and CO2 emissions. You could plot trends if performance improved, and carry on with the research. However if the data indicated performance was getting worse, you’d have to back off. At Loughborough, using the key laser technology, we could continue to run the conditions and crucially, see why it was worse.” Lotus first began working with Loughborough University back in 1997. The Group Lotus Senior Research Fellowship, which is held by Dr Wigley, was later created in 2001. Lotus had been looking for a partner to help develop their automobile technologies, with the proviso that the partner had some knowledge of the industry, fuel spray technology,
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optical engines and the optical diagnostics to go with them. Lotus realised that the places with both the kit, and the expertise, were to be found at universities.
Dr Wigley said: “Our links with national and international universities, and with key players in the automobile sector are long, trusted and vital. We are happy to share our research and are willing to talk to industry and understand their needs. “When academics and industry work together they can produce ground-breaking results to address the urgent and very real issues facing global manufacturers. The technology behind Project HOTFIRE will easily find itself in the engines of the future, and will benefit both the car buyer and the environment too.” As a direct result of Project HOTFIRE, a combustion concept engine has been developed by Lotus Engineering and Continental Powertrain and installed in a low CO2 technology Opel Astra demonstrator vehicle. The car and engine have attracted interest from a number of large manufacturers. Project HOTFIRE has gone on to win prestigious awards, such as the 2008 Engineer Technology and Innovation Awards, for its ability to cut fuel consumption by 15 per cent, without sacrificing power. The national awards were set up to recognise the best examples of collaborative work undertaken by the UK’s most innovative companies and its world-class universities. Two PhD students from Loughborough gained exceptional experience during Project HOTFIRE, developing skills in optical diagnostics, engine cycle modelling, combustion system design and advanced experimental apparatus design and operation. And the project has stimulated a new research project with the same partners to investigate high-load, downsized boosted engines for low fuel consumption and emissions. But despite the positive results, the global interest, the awards and the training opportunities surrounding Project HOTFIRE, Dr Wigley knows the current economic climate will have an impact on the automobile industry and research. He said: “There is still a long way to go in the areas of fuel economy and emissions. With HOTFIRE we looked specifically at ‘part load’ or low revs at 2000-3000 rpm. We are now seeking funding to continue this research, looking at engines at ‘high load’. “The recent, dramatic downturn in the industry certainly limits research opportunities. However both the EU and American governments have strict timetables and demands on environment and emissions, which ensures projects such as HOTFIRE will always be of interest, and needed.”
Want to know more? Visit: www.lboro.ac.uk/service/publicity/news-releases www.grouplotus.com Contact: Dr Graham Wigley T: 01509 227271 E:
[email protected] the view | 25
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round up JCB engineer to mentor
Loughborough students A former Loughborough engineering student is returning to the University to act as an ‘informal mentor’ to current students. Alan Curtis, who now works for industry giants JCB after graduating in 2006 with a first-class degree in Mechanical Engineering, has been given the role of a Visiting Teaching Fellow, in a scheme which has been implemented by the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng).
Millie tackles anti-social
behaviour
A lecturer from Loughborough University’s Department of Social Sciences has had two books published on anti-social behaviour and its assumed impact on society. Andrew Millie, who teaches Criminology and Social Policy, has undertaken research over the last five years into anti-social behaviour, where it is allegedly found and how the social norms of behaviour sometimes need to be challenged. In the first book which was published in January, entitled simply “AntiSocial Behaviour”, Andrew uses lively case studies and examples, introducing the concept of anti-social behaviour and examining its implications for society in the 21st Century. In this book, he discovers that causes are not simply poor parenting or bored children and that prevention and support should be tried before enforcement. Andrew’s second book, which was published in April, is called “Securing Respect: Behavioural Expectations and Anti-Social Behaviour in the UK”. This book unpicks the political agendas surrounding perceived anti-social behaviour and contains a collection of essays on the subject, including contributions from the leading academics in this field. Andrew believes that people’s perceptions of anti-social behaviour need to be challenged. “There has been a big emphasis on antisocial behaviour of late, which the media has certainly picked up on,” says Andrew. “There seems to be a common concern as a result of this coverage that the country is in decline.
Alan, who has worked at JCB Power Systems for three years, will support engineering design teaching in the Wolfson School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at Loughborough University.
“My research has found that it’s true that some places – such as poorer or inner-city areas – are affected by anti-social behaviour. However, it does not affect as many people as it is perceived to. “For example, if there was a group of youths in a town centre, the common misconception could be that they were up to no good. However, this isn’t always the case and we have to break the stereotypes surrounding anti-social behaviour.”
The scheme engages engineers who are handson practitioners at industry leaders. A total of 15 Visiting Teaching Fellows will be placed by RAEng at universities around the UK.
Andrew is now continuing his research internationally and in April, he completed a Visiting Fellowship at Toronto University’s Centre of Criminology. Here, he built on his research on ‘respect’, exploring different behavioural expectations within urban Toronto, as well as looking at the place of aesthetics in determining what behaviour is deemed acceptable and what is not.
Since graduation, Alan has developed a good working relationship with Loughborough University by supporting several engineering design modules. In his role as a Visiting Teaching Fellow, he will act as an informal mentor to students, offering advice for academic and personal development throughout their degrees and in the early stages of graduation.
LEAP forward in the treatment of Photo (l-r) Alan Curtis (JCB, New VTF); Peter Willmot (Director of Undergraduate Studies, Wolfson School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering); Adam Crawford (Manager – Engineering Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (engCETL); Rob Parkin (Head of Wolfson School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering); Bob Pendlebury (Visiting Professor, Former JCB Research Director)
The appointments are only usually given to engineers with four years post Chartered Engineer qualification, however Alan’s exceptional application, which reflected the contribution he has made to date, was accepted – even though Alan has only recently been made a Chartered Engineer. Adam Crawford, manager of Loughborough University’s Engineering Centre for Excellence (EngCETL) said: “Alan will be a great asset and support to Loughborough’s staff and students. “Alan will be dealing with students and their design projects hands-on, preparing them for a dynamic future career in engineering.
“Industry-based input into the curriculum through alumni and industrial partners like Alan, along with companies like JCB, is invaluable to us here at Loughborough and we hope this will encourage other partners to engage in engineering teaching and learning.” Alan Curtis added: “I am thrilled to have received this appointment, in recognition of the work I have been doing with the department. “The students are all working on real projects and the results are outstanding. The mutually beneficial relationship for the University and JCB allows me to give something back to Loughborough and I hope the students will benefit from the industrial involvement in their degree.”
Anorexia Nervosa
Researchers at Loughborough University’s Centre for Research into Eating Disorders (LUCRED) have developed a new treatment for Anorexia Nervosa aimed at tackling the reliance on excessive exercise by patients. Under the supervision of Dr Caroline Meyer, LUCRED Director, the work of PhD student Lorin Taranis has led to a recent pilot trial of a new psychological treatment – LEAP, which stands for Loughborough Eating disorders Activity theraPy. LEAP is currently the focus of a large ‘Randomised Control Trial’ (RCT) funding bid in collaboration with the University of Sydney and Leicester NHS Eating Disorders Service. Dr Meyer said: “Current treatments for Anorexia Nervosa are limited in their effectiveness. Even the world’s most eminent clinicians, delivering the current best practice treatments only achieve a good clinical outcome with approximately 50 per cent of their patients. “One of the factors that predicts poor outcome is the reliance on exercise as a means of controlling weight, shape and mood.
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Patients for whom exercise is a characteristic of their eating disorder are more likely to require hospitalisation, have a longer length of inpatient treatment and are more likely to have poor therapeutic outcome or relapse. “Previous research suggests that up to 80 per cent of anorexic patients excessively exercise during the acute phase of their disorder. However, prior to LEAP there have been no focussed attempts at reducing an individual’s use of exercise.” In addition to their commitment to conducting research into clinical and sub-clinical eating disorders, LUCRED is currently undertaking numerous research studies aimed at understanding a broad range of eating-behaviours. Further information about these studies can be found at the LUCRED website, www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/hu/groups/lucred/ the view | 27
Barack Obama inspires
Loughborough student’s award-winning artwork A striking piece of artwork by Loughborough University Illustration student Simon Yewdall has won a national competition and is now being used in an advertising campaign for the new Ford Fiesta. In partnership with Ford, The Sunday Times’ Style magazine challenged its readers to create a work of art that represents the essence of ‘here and now’. Hundreds submitted their work, but the judges believed that Simon’s simple yet powerful interpretation of the election of Barack Obama, with its fresh, pop art, Andy Warhol-type feel, captured the spirit of the age. Simon’s work includes the words ‘Yes We Can’, positioned on a twocoloured background of homemade kaleidoscope patterns made using mirrored triangles.
“I wanted to represent the climax of Barack Obama’s victory speech,” explains Simon (24), who originates from Uppingham in Rutland. “I tried to make the text work almost as an abstract symbol, to reflect political power. The kaleidoscope background represents ‘new ways of seeing’, while the red and blue represent the two different political parties.”
Nissan refuel at Loughborough University Loughborough University was one of only three stops made by Nissan’s Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV) in a special trip to the Midlands in February. The custom-modified Nissan X-TRAIL, which is powered by hydrogen fuel cells, visited campus to use the University’s hydrogen refuelling station in a specially-arranged trip to see Loughborough’s ground-breaking facilities. The FCV has been in use in a number of Japanese cities, as well as undergoing real-world trials in Canada and the United States as part of the California Fuel Cell Partnership. Apart from a series of media workshops in 2008, it has rarely been driven on European roads. The march towards series production of the zero-emission fuel cell vehicle is an integral part of the ambitious Nissan Green Program 2010. The Program aims to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in all of the company’s endeavours with the ultimate goal of reducing the environmental effects caused by the manufacture and use of its vehicles. Professor Rob Thring (L) with Edwin Dunmore of Nissan
“The Fuel Cell Vehicle drove very well, it was very smooth and powerful and arguably better than a conventional vehicle,” said Professor Thring.
“We are delighted that Nissan visited Loughborough and decided to use the tremendous facilities we have here, which we feel really help to underline our status as a leader in the development of fuel cell vehicles. “Nissan have agreed to return in April and we would encourage other car manufacturers to bring along their vehicles for refuelling.” Loughborough University’s hydrogen refuelling station opened in October. It will enable the University to drive forward research in this area, as well as providing a refuelling service to non-polluting vehicles used by campus-based organisations. Based at Holywell Park, the facility is part of a cluster of hydrogen refuelling stations being set up across the region by the British Midlands Hydrogen Forum. Fuel Cell Vehicles aim to reduce CO2 emissions, which are believed to be a major cause of global warming. A typical FCV is driven by motors powered by the electricity generated on board by a fuel cell stack, using hydrogen as the reactant and oxygen as the oxidant. Performance is augmented by batteries which are used as an extra power source when accelerating, while energy generated under braking is stored in the battery.
Simon’s artwork was debuted in The Sunday Times’ Style magazine on 25 January and is also being used in the latest TV ad for the car. “I was extremely pleased to win the competition, and having my artwork printed in The Sunday Times was a huge thrill,” says Simon. “It was a real stroke of luck that the advertorial was released the weekend of Obama’s inauguration – I’m now a great believer in doing the right work at the right time!”
The visit emphasises Loughborough’s position as a green university. In 2008, the University was ranked 5th in The People and Planet Green League and was awarded a First Class degree for its solid environmental performance.
In addition to the advert, Simon received £2,000-worth of vouchers for Eyestorm, an online retailer of limited edition contemporary art by established and emerging artists and photographers, including Simon’s ‘Yes We Can’ work.
Loughborough University teams up with Leicester
Professor Rob Thring, Chair in Fuel Cell Engineering at the University, was on hand to fill the vehicle with hydrogen and also had the opportunity to take the X-TRAIL for a drive.
City Football Club
Loughborough University and Leicester City Football Club have initiated a ground-breaking partnership. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed in which both parties will work together in a broad range of research, consultancy, training and other areas of mutual benefit. The agreement is thought to be the most extensive of its kind between a football club and an academic institution – consistent with the Foxes’ vision of being at the forefront of technology in a cutting edge industry. Both organisations will draw on each other’s experience with one key area of collaboration being the Club’s rapidly expanding Sports Science operation. Leicester have this season employed the services of highly-qualified Performance Consultant Paul Balsom – the Swedish National team’s assistant coach, Data Analyst Andrew Blake, Power Coach John Cross and Loughborough University Sport and Exercise Science student Matt Reeves. The Sports Science staff work alongside the experienced Physiotherapy team. 28 | the view
City Chief Executive Lee Hoos is delighted to have teamed up with Loughborough University.
Professor Myra Nimmo added: “Loughborough University is delighted with this strategic alliance which will benefit both partners.
He said: “In this day and age the technological aids available are a big help on the tactical as well as medical front and Loughborough University’s knowledge will be of great benefit to us.
“It will ensure that the University’s staff and students are addressing issues relevant and current to football clubs.
“Hopefully, with their assistance, our Sports Science operation will continue to progress even further the excellent levels of performance and positive results for the Club which have already been achieved.”
The MoU will initially run for five years.
“For Leicester City Football Club it ensures that they have access to the world leading research and knowledge of Loughborough University staff.”
Picture l-r: Professor Mike Gleeson (Loughborough University), Jordan Milsom (LCFC Sports Scientist), Dave Rennie (LCFC Head Physio), Milan Mandaric (LCFC Chairman), Nigel Pearson (LCFC Manager), Dr Chris Cushion (Loughborough University), Matt Reeves (Loughborough University Sport and Exercise Science student)
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