Design press releases

An image of Orbit, an interactive robot that aims to teach children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) about emotions and social appropriateness through storytelling, physical interaction, and visual communication. It is dome shaped, and has a smiley face appearance on a screen.

Meet Orbit, the interactive robot that looks to help children with autism spectrum disorders develop social skills

ā€œHey there. Allow me to introduce you to your new companion, Orbit, a robot you can play with and listen to. Not only can Orbit hear you, they can feel you too.ā€
a man swimming

Headset training system Jukes wins LUinc. Sports Tech pitching competition

A training system which enables coaches to communicate with athletes through a headset rather than shouting over distance has won the first Sports Tech pitching competition, hosted by LUinc, the Universityā€™s incubator.

New digital platform devised by 12-year-old will help schoolchildren organise their work

A 12-year-old schoolboy has co-created a digital tool that lets pupils catch up on their lessons and homework.
Images of 3D bones with implants on them

Bone-building cells favour different orthopaedic implant designs and this can be exploited to create devices that promote faster healing, new study finds

New orthopaedic implant devices that promote faster healing and ultimately reduce the strain on the NHS could be available in the future thanks to new research by Ā鶹ֱ²„ University engineering experts that reveals which structures best promote bone healing.

New Ā鶹ֱ²„ research will use Artificial Intelligence to help reduce maternal harm amongst mothers from black ethnic groups

Researchers from Ā鶹ֱ²„ University are to develop a machine learning system capable of identifying factors that contribute to harm during pregnancy and birth for mothers from black ethnic groups.

New hybrid 3D printing technique will add a fourth dimension to additive manufacturing

A new chemical process for additive manufacturing suggests exciting possibilities for 4D printed components ā€“ such as properties that change over time.
U-too by Michael Shaw

Ā鶹ֱ²„ artist creates striking giant inflatable sculpture that ā€˜breathesā€™

Much like a cuttlefish responding to its background, U-too, the latest sculpture by Ā鶹ֱ²„ Universityā€™s Michael Shaw, changes the closer visitors get to it, reflecting their outline and clothing colours.

Woman tying trainers with tech symbols around her

New study to develop smart textiles powered by body movement for remote health monitoring

The global population recently reached 7.8 billion, among which almost 15% suffer from disabilities mainly caused by ageing and chronic diseases.

Image of REACT by Joe Bentley.

Ā鶹ֱ²„ graduate wins James Dyson Award after designing life-saving device that rapidly stops bleeding from knife wounds

Recent Ā鶹ֱ²„ 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 Ā鶹ֱ²„ 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 Alzheimerā€™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, Ā鶹ֱ²„ 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 ā€˜tapping methodā€™ 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 ā€“ and why they should have more say

Imogen, a night club owner from London, hopes that COVID-19 ā€œpassportsā€ 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

Ā鶹ֱ²„ students design childrenā€™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

Ā鶹ֱ²„ researchers part of Ā£7.3m project that will create the first-ever manufacturing cyber-seed

The first-ever manufacturing ā€˜cyber seedā€™ which grows just like a plant and produces innovative designs for products ranging from aircraft parts to medical devices has been conceptualised by researchers ā€“ 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.

Ā鶹ֱ²„ experts to lead Ā£170k project that will explore how best to design COVID-19 immunity passports

Design experts at Ā鶹ֱ²„ University are to lead a Ā£170,000 project that will explore how best to design COVID-19 immunity passports.
HCH-40 hood in box.

Ā鶹ֱ²„ design student helps develop ventilation hood that has the potential to save lives of COVID-19 patients

A third-year Ā鶹ֱ²„ 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: Ā鶹ֱ²„ part of Ā£3m ā€˜brain on a chipā€™ project that aims to revolutionise computing power

Ā鶹ֱ²„ 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 Ā£93k to develop novel board game that aims to improve childrenā€™s numeracy skills

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