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Drivetrain noise and vibration refinement for automotive applications

Summary of the impact

Reducing vehicle noise and vibration is a key quality objective in the automotive industry. Historically, the approach has been costly palliation late in the manufacturing process; now a new approach applied earlier in the vehicle development cycle has been devised by Loughborough University and Ford and implemented at Ford that has led to savings of $7 per vehicle with respect to clutch in-cycle vibration (whoop). Ford has reported savings of $10M over 5 years, whilst reductions in transmission rattle have led to 5% fuel efficiency gains [5.1]. Ford has made an investment of £240M in its engine and transmission work at Bridgend, which includes aspects of work reported here and has created 600 new jobs [5.2].

Submitting Institution

Loughborough University

Unit of Assessment

Aeronautical, Mechanical, Chemical and Manufacturing Engineering

Summary Impact Type

Economic

Research Subject Area(s)

Mathematical Sciences: Applied Mathematics
Information and Computing Sciences: Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing
Technology: Communications Technologies

Understanding, screening for and reducing compulsive exercise among eating disorder patients

Summary of the impact

The Compulsive Exercise Test (CET) and Loughborough Eating disorders Activity Programme (LEAP) are the world's first clinical assessment tool and intervention designed to assess and treat compulsive exercise among eating disorder patients. These advances have changed the way in which services now assess their patients and deliver treatment. They are currently in use by in excess of 52 specialist eating disorder services globally, including the vast majority of specialist services in the UK (a minimum of 520 patients treated to date). As well as delivering an assessment tool and manual, the impact also includes training of circa 600 clinicians and sports specialists.

Submitting Institution

Loughborough University

Unit of Assessment

Sport and Exercise Sciences, Leisure and Tourism

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services
Studies In Human Society: Sociology

5: Impacts on Public Order Policing

Summary of the impact

The death of Ian Tomlinson during the 2009 G20 summit protests in London led to a crisis in British Public Order Policing. Gorringe and Rosie drew on their ethnographic work on policing before, during and after a number of protest events in the UK to contribute to ongoing public debates and devise ways to minimise the risk of violence in police-protestor interactions. They have been interviewed by, or their research has been reported in, newspapers, radio or TV in Australia, Brazil, Germany, Greece, India, Romania and the UK. They have achieved impact on police thinking and practices by:

  • disseminating knowledge via contributions to police training, workshops for police officers, the practitioner magazine, Police Professional, and the practitioner-oriented journal, Policing;
  • advising on policing operations in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Sheffield.

Submitting Institution

University of Edinburgh

Unit of Assessment

Sociology

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Studies In Human Society: Criminology, Policy and Administration, Sociology

Stability control algorithm research improves handling and safety for Jaguar Land Rover drivers

Summary of the impact

Drivers of more than 20,000 Jaguar supercharged cars sold worldwide since 2009 are enjoying handling and safety benefits as a direct result of research at Loughborough University. The active differentials control system in production on Jaguar's XF, XJ and XK vehicles is controlled by an algorithm developed at Loughborough. Funded by Jaguar Cars Ltd, the research from 2002 to 2006 was first adopted, after only minor changes, into the supercharged Jaguar XF programme released in 2009. The system is now also in the new F-type and is being extended, in a modified form, to Range Rovers, starting with the new Range Rover Sport.

Submitting Institution

Loughborough University

Unit of Assessment

Aeronautical, Mechanical, Chemical and Manufacturing Engineering

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Mathematical Sciences: Applied Mathematics
Information and Computing Sciences: Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing

Radiochemistry at Loughborough: Safeguarding the Environment, Shaping Policy, Training the Next Generation of Nuclear Specialists

Summary of the impact

Research at Loughborough University during the REF period (and extending back at least three decades beyond that) has had a significant impact on national and international policy decisions governing the management of radioactive waste, one of the Grand Challenges facing society. The Unit's research ranges from deep geological disposal to abatement of marine discharges and remediation strategies for industrial radioactive waste, the latter safeguarding the competitiveness of the oil & gas and mineral processing sectors. This input has been crucial for revising the new Environmental Permitting Regulations and International Basic Safety Standards. Many of the Unit's doctoral graduates occupy important decision-making roles at key organisations such as the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), Sellafield, Environment Agency, CEA (France) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Submitting Institution

Loughborough University

Unit of Assessment

Chemistry

Summary Impact Type

Political

Research Subject Area(s)

Chemical Sciences: Analytical Chemistry
Engineering: Environmental Engineering, Resources Engineering and Extractive Metallurgy

Shaping practices in the management of river sediments

Summary of the impact

Fluvial geomorphology research at Loughborough University has impacted on the approaches and procedures of practitioners responsible for characterising and managing river-bed sediments. Dr Graham's research has underpinned the development to commercialisation of an automated method for measuring river-bed sediment size. The associated cost-saving benefits have had an international reach into field practice, demonstrated by non-academic software sales across Europe, North America and Australasia. Professor Rice's research has underpinned strategies focused on managing river sedimentation problems, as well as the design of new tools and adoption of new approaches, especially in the USA, aimed at better managing fish populations.

Submitting Institution

Loughborough University

Unit of Assessment

Geography, Environmental Studies and Archaeology

Summary Impact Type

Environmental

Research Subject Area(s)

Earth Sciences: Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience
Environmental Sciences: Environmental Science and Management
Biological Sciences: Ecology

Changing communication skills training methods with the Conversation Analytic Role-play Method (CARM)

Summary of the impact

The impact claimed is the international uptake and successful commercialization (as www.carmtraining.org) across public, private and third-sector organizations, of a pioneering method for communication skills training called the `Conversation Analytic Role-play Method' (CARM). CARM's development was funded by the ESRC knowledge-exchange scheme and is based on research conducted at Loughborough University. It has reach and significance in attitude change in training culture: 130+ workshops have taken place at 60+ organizations since 2008. CARM's impact on training practice is evidenced by its accreditation by the College of Mediators for the Continuing Professional Development of mediators. CARM won Loughborough's Social-Enterprise Award (2013).

Submitting Institution

Loughborough University

Unit of Assessment

Communication, Cultural and Media Studies, Library and Information Management 

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Studies In Human Society: Criminology
Psychology and Cognitive Sciences: Psychology

Engineering elite footballs through high quality research

Summary of the impact

Research by Loughborough University academics has influenced the development of elite footballs used in numerous global tournaments including FIFA World Cups, UEFA European Championships and Olympic Games. Research findings have led to increased design freedoms that have allowed adidas to produce balls with improved commercial appeal resulting in a tenfold increase in sales whilst maintaining product performance in line with the highest certifiable level of FIFA standards.

Submitting Institution

Loughborough University

Unit of Assessment

Aeronautical, Mechanical, Chemical and Manufacturing Engineering

Summary Impact Type

Economic

Research Subject Area(s)

Chemical Sciences: Physical Chemistry (incl. Structural)
Engineering: Interdisciplinary Engineering
Built Environment and Design: Design Practice and Management

Preservation management: informing and developing policy and strategy for practice

Summary of the impact

Since 1993, the outcomes of preservation management research at Loughborough University have:

  1. contributed to the content and development of international and national policies for preservation of materials and data in information collections and memory institutions
  2. led to the development of a method and tool which has been widely applied for assessing preservation needs in these collections
  3. significantly improved disaster management procedures in libraries and archives
  4. influenced changes in cultural heritage-related laws including international agreements to facilitate preservation of digital material
  5. enabled the creation of a registry tool to support collection managers in decision-making on the preservation of journals.

Submitting Institution

Loughborough University

Unit of Assessment

Communication, Cultural and Media Studies, Library and Information Management 

Summary Impact Type

Cultural

Research Subject Area(s)

Information and Computing Sciences: Library and Information Studies
Language, Communication and Culture: Communication and Media Studies

Manufacturing systems for therapeutic human stem cells to improve health and quality of life

Summary of the impact

Since 2003 Loughborough University has worked with industry to create future manufacturing systems to enable large scale production of human stem cells. The research, development and demonstration of consistent, optimised, automated expansion in culture of human stem cells at Loughborough has led to the commercial sale by July 2013 of 47 systems worth £20.1M to companies developing stem cell-based and other therapies. Their use is contributing to the health and quality of life of patients, whilst creating a new industry sector with significant economic and employment benefits. Loughborough leads internationally and nationally in this emerging field with research at significant scale contributing new manufacturing and regulatory science and standards.

Submitting Institution

Loughborough University

Unit of Assessment

Aeronautical, Mechanical, Chemical and Manufacturing Engineering

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Biological Sciences: Biochemistry and Cell Biology
Information and Computing Sciences: Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing
Technology: Medical Biotechnology

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