Design press releases

Image of REACT by Joe Bentley.

Loughborough graduate wins James Dyson Award after designing life-saving device that rapidly stops bleeding from knife wounds

Recent Loughborough University graduate Joseph Bentley has been announced as the 2021 UK national James Dyson Award winner.
Woman sat in front of a fan

Urgent planning on heat and health needed to face climate change trajectory

An international team of leading experts, including academics from Loughborough University, caution that projections of a hotter future require urgent planning and more investment in research to reduce the risks of heat-related disease and death.
The components of AIDE

Student designs smart mobility aid to allow people with dementia to live independently for longer and reduce the strain on the care system

According to Alzheimer’s Research UK, one million people in the UK will have dementia by 2025 and this will increase to two million by 2050.

SERVITA rendering flying over water

Student designs compact lifesaving drone for beach rescue teams after witnessing teenage surfer battle dangerous waves

In 2017, while on holiday with his family in Cornwall, Loughborough University student Dominic Leatherland witnessed a teenager become detached from their bodyboard and pulled out to sea due to rough conditions.

Optic components.

Former competitive swimmer designs pool navigation aid for visually impaired athletes

Since its invention in the 1980s, the ‘tapping method’ has been used to guide visually impaired swimmers in the pool.
Illustration of a building with different energy supplies

New AI system predicts building energy rates in less than a second

At a time when the UK is trying to reach net zero by 2050, the timely, accurate calculation of energy efficiency is a vital component of the design process for new and refurbished buildings.
Illustration of a phone with a vaccine digital passport on it

Vaccine passports: what businesses need to know – and why they should have more say

Imogen, a night club owner from London, hopes that COVID-19 “passports” could help with the return of customers to her venue. But the 42-year-old told us she is not happy about subjecting her customers to additional checks, and has concerns over a lack of clear guidance on their use.

Image of REACT by Joe Bentley.

Student designs life-saving device that rapidly stops bleeding from knife wounds

In the year ending March 2019, 259 people were killed in the UK using a sharp instrument, including knives and broken bottles.

Breakthrough in 3D scanning means results are 4500% more accurate

Scientists have created a new method for increasing the precision of 3D body scans by 4500%.
Ella Tysome book

Loughborough students design children’s books tackling tough issues and asking big questions

Three Graphic Design students have created books for children that tackle topics including dementia, the importance of accepting people who are different to us, and why we should be encouraged to think outside the box.

Woman holding an ipad with illustrations above it that reflect futuristic manufacturing

Loughborough researchers part of £7.3m project that will create the first-ever manufacturing cyber-seed

The first-ever manufacturing ‘cyber seed’ which grows just like a plant and produces innovative designs for products ranging from aircraft parts to medical devices has been conceptualised by researchers – and now it is being brought to life.

Researchers create innovative products from used plastic water bottles in Rwanda, Kenya and Nigeria

This image shows a fruit picker in Kenya harvesting avocado with a 3D printed tool created from waste plastic water bottles.
Michael Shaw stood in front of a inflatable sculpture

[FEATURE] Meet the maker: Michael Shaw and his inflatable masterpieces

If you walk by The Majestic in Leeds today, not only will you be greeted by the beautiful architecture of the Grade II listed building, you will encounter an 80m-long fluorescent pink and yellow inflatable sculpture that worms its way around the triangular shapes of the well-known city centre building, transforming it into an almost Beetlejuice-equse wonderland.
An illustration of a COVID-19 vaccine passport.

Loughborough experts to lead £170k project that will explore how best to design COVID-19 immunity passports

Design experts at Loughborough University are to lead a £170,000 project that will explore how best to design COVID-19 immunity passports.
HCH-40 hood in box.

Loughborough design student helps develop ventilation hood that has the potential to save lives of COVID-19 patients

A third-year Loughborough University student has helped develop a ventilation product for coronavirus patients in intensive care.
living neuronal cell circuits grown in the lab

Stem cell AI: Loughborough part of £3m ‘brain on a chip’ project that aims to revolutionise computing power

Loughborough University scientists have started work on a project that will see human brain stem cells used to power artificial intelligence (AI) devices and bring about a revolution in computing.
Illustration of a family playing board games

Academics awarded £93k to develop novel board game that aims to improve children’s numeracy skills

Mathematics education research has repeatedly shown that children’s early counting abilities are an essential precursor to wider mathematical learning.

Loughborough awarded £1m to research alternatives to single-use plastic packaging

Loughborough University has been awarded around £1m to help tackle waste plastic in the UK.
Live streaming a theatre show

Electrophone: the Victorian-era gadget that was a precursor to live-streaming

As the battle against COVID-19 continues to rage, the plight of Britain’s theatres, which have suffered catastrophic financial strain thanks to lockdown, continues to rumble through the arts world.

Theia.

Student designs autonomous way-finding device for visually impaired people unable to home a guide dog

There are more than 253 million visually impaired people worldwide, yet only a small proportion use a guide dog to get around, the remaining majority rely on white canes.

Illustration of a woman with a prosthetic leg.

Prosthetic limbs affect our attitudes to disability – expressive design might change things for the better

Amputation can have a devastating effect on a person’s body image and sense of self. The use of prosthetic limbs may help, but when it comes to their appearance, options are often limited.

Women clinicians report significant difficulties with coronavirus PPE: “Apparently masks for smaller faces don’t exist!”

A new report which looks at how hospital PPE supplied to protect against the threat of COVID-19 has found that women experience significantly more issues than men.
Illustration of an older woman with a younger woman

New study further supports that age-related hearing loss in patients taking cognitive tests may result in misdiagnoses of dementia

The early and correct diagnosis of a cognitive impairment – such as dementia – is crucial as it allows interventions and treatments that may slow the progression of a patient's symptoms to be quickly put in place.

Water house and rendered images of the tech.

New study reveals water-filled windows could make a huge splash when it comes to saving energy and reducing global carbon emissions

Most everyone knows that heating and cooling buildings is not only expensive, but a massive issue due to the resulting carbon emissions.
spore-trap-tree.jpg

MEET THE MAKER: Student’s spore trap design aims to save UK trees and inspire the next generation of citizen scientists

The United Nations General Assembly declared 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health – an opportunity to raise global awareness on how protecting plant health can benefit the environment and other areas.