Next-Generation Wearables and Nearables for Health, Rehabilitation and Sport

Are you working on sensing, smart textiles, human movement, rehabilitation, digital health, digital biomarkers, or real-world data? Join colleagues from across the University for a half-day showcase and workshop to shape Loughborough’s offer in wearable and nearable health technologies, ahead of an industry-facing event with selected external partners. The Life Sciences Sector Group Forum will be focused on strengths in digital health, wearable and nearable technologies, smart textiles, sensing, rehabilitation, sports-health technologies, diagnostics, human performance and real-world evidence.

The event is hosted by the Life Sciences Sector Group, part of the University’s new Sector Groups aligned with the Government’s Industrial Strategy.

Why attend?

• Meet colleagues in other Schools with complementary expertise and find new collaborators
• Showcase your research or demonstrator and be considered for the follow-on industry event
• Explore routes to funding and impact: collaborative research, KTPs, contract research, sponsored studentships and joint bids
• See demonstrators in the NCSEM Street and Gait Lab
• Help set priorities on validation, evidence generation and adoption

Themes include: wearable and nearable sensing (worn devices, and sensors in the environment around a person); smart textiles and self-powered monitoring; rehabilitation and assistive technologies; physical activity and sedentary behaviour measurement; sports-health technologies; biomechanics and injury prevention; digital biomarkers and real-world data; diagnostics; product validation and adoption readiness.

The forum will be designed to connect complementary expertise and identify where Loughborough can offer distinctive, multidisciplinary solutions to challenges faced by the life sciences, healthcare, rehabilitation and sports sectors.

The event will aim to:

• Introduce relevant Loughborough research capabilities, facilities, technologies and demonstrators
• Build a clearer picture of the University’s collective strengths in wearables and nearables
• Identify areas of mutual interest across disciplines and with prospective industry partners
• Explore opportunities for collaborative research, consultancy, Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, contract research, sponsored studentships and joint funding bids
• Consider the evidence, validation and translation requirements needed to move promising technologies closer to practical use
• Agree a small number of clear and achievable follow-up actions

The intended outcome is a stronger and more coordinated Loughborough proposition for external engagement. Insights from the forum will help shape a future industry-facing session where University specialists and selected partners can examine priority needs, develop potential project ideas and establish practical routes to collaboration.