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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.
This research has already saved the NHS in excess of £2.5 million over 3 years through bulk purchasing. It was used by the National Ambulance Fleet Strategy Group to develop a national specification of emergency ambulances to reduce costs and improve patient care with 6 of 11 Ambulance Trusts in England purchasing from the national contract. The design and testing of a second tier of vehicles and equipment has supported new systems of work through a Community Urgent Response Environment (for on-the-spot treatment) and has been used in a tender specification by NHS Supply Chain to purchase replacement portable equipment.
Loughborough University's (LU) research in the application of artificial intelligence techniques to enhance process safety since 1993 has resulted in novel computer tools that generated the following economic impacts through the creation of a University spinout company, Hazid Technologies Ltd, in 2002:
1) Raised over £1.3m shares capital from investors.
2) Developed research prototypes into state-of-the-art commercial tools for improving process plant safety.
3) Signed a global sales agreement with Intergraph Corporation in 2005.
4) Established a portfolio of major companies around the world as clients.
5) Employs two executive directors, three software developers and three chemical engineers.
Publically and industrially funded research at Loughborough University into the simulation, monitoring and control of electronics soldering has had significant impact in the development of new software and hardware technologies, which have delivered substantial commercial and economic benefits, with examples cited for at least two leading companies. One key commercial product is a modelling tool that optimizes reflow oven settings quickly, easily and accurately. It optimises oven settings each time a new product or solder paste is introduced, reducing set up times and scrap levels. More than 700 systems per year continue to be sold, with 90% exported.
A reduction in planning uncertainties and financial risks of photovoltaics has been achieved by developing internationally accepted standards. Non-standardised characterisation and unreliable energy prediction caused a performance gap between expectations and realistic yields. Loughborough University (Prof. Gottschalg, Dr. Betts) conducted a series of research projects since 1999 which reduced this performance gap. The team consciously transferred developed methods to international standards for energy prediction and device characterisation. Standardisation has, with significant contributions from this team, resulted in the reporting period in a reduction of at least 2% calibration uncertainty, which has a value at today's prices of $1.500,000,000 per year (J. Wohlgemuth [5.1]).
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].
The impact of the research at Loughborough University from 1999 to date has transformed informational processes in Leicestershire Police and has been adopted by other Police forces across the UK and internationally. Within Leicestershire it has led directly to [5.1]:
In 2008, Professors Martin Birchall and Anthony Hollander (University of Bristol) and a team of scientists and surgeons led from Bristol successfully created and then transplanted the first tissue-engineered trachea (windpipe), using the seriously ill patient's own stem cells. The bioengineered trachea immediately provided the patient with a normally functioning airway, thereby avoiding higher risk surgery or life-long immunosuppression. This sequence of events, which raised public interest and understanding around the world as a result of huge media coverage, acted as proof of concept for this kind of medical intervention. A new clinical technology with far-reaching implications for patients had passed a major test. This development demonstrated the potential of stem cell biology and regenerative medicine to eradicate disease as well as treat symptoms and has already led to the implantation of bioengineered tracheas in at least 14 other patients.
UCL's creation of ultra scale-down (USD) technologies has led to economic benefits by speeding to manufacture next-generation healthcare products. This has resulted in documented savings for pharmaceutical companies in pilot-scale studies (eg ~£280k for a protein therapy) and in manufacturing cost-of-goods (eg ~£200k pa for an antibody). Licensing values realised for USD-facilitated manufacturing processes range from a £10m early-stage payment for an antibody therapy [text removed for publication] to US$1bn for a therapeutic vaccine.
Since 2008 some 40 companies have used UCL USD technologies, which have now also facilitated the formation of a spin-out company and additional job creation. Patient benefits have emerged through the contribution of USD to better bioprocess definition, with USD technologies now helping deliver the US Food and Drug Administration's Quality by Design initiative for biopharmaceuticals, valued at more than US$20bn a year through a 25% reduction in time-to-market and more robust manufacture.
Seven patients with avascular necrosis of the femoral head and bone cysts have been treated successfully with skeletal stem cell therapy, developed by Southampton researchers, resulting in an improved quality of life. This unique multi-disciplinary approach linking nano-bioengineering and stem cell research could revolutionise treatment for the 4,000 patients requiring surgery each year in the UK and reduce a huge financial burden on the NHS. The work has been granted three patents and the team are in discussions on development of the next generation of orthopaedic implants with industry.