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Showcasing innovative design and research in Leicester

University of Leicester research highlighted in 'Design Leicestershire' book

The University of Leicester features in a new publication which forms part of a wider campaign funded by Leicester City Council to promote design businesses in Leicestershire. Launched in June 2009, Design Leicestershire raises awareness of the wide array of creative talent within the county’s businesses and showcases the innovative research undertaken by the University of Leicester and other universities in the county. The book offers a 20 page chapter (pp. 250-269) covering the activities and initiatives of the University of Leicester in particular, highlighting the way in which the University’s pioneering research is providing innovative solutions to modern design challenges and supporting organisations both in the UK and across the world.

The University of Leicester chapter contains details of a number of University projects, demonstrating the variety of research undertaken and how this has affected the development of engineering and design. Firstly, the book examines the work of the Space Research Centre (SRC) in creating the follower to NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), due to be launched in 2013, presents the SRC engineering team with a number of design problems. Providing interviews with SRC Innovation Fellow Guy Peters and Chief Engineer Tim Stevenson, the book reveals the demanding physical conditions which the spacecraft and its Mid Infra Red Instrument (MIRI) will experience in space and the challenge this has presented to the University’s engineers in researching suitable materials to withstand the mixture of extreme temperatures and violent forces.

The chapter also highlights the work done by the SRC in designing the BepiColombo Mercury Imaging X-Ray Spectrometer (Bepi MIXS). With Bepi MIXS planned for Europe’s first mission to Mercury launching in 2013, the book explains the technical challenges facing the SRC and its role within the development and calibration of the craft’s optical instrumentation. There are also further comments from Guy Peters on the University’s research into miniaturisation and how this is influencing the design of detectors by the SRC.

Aside from space research and technology, Design Leicestershire shows how the University has pioneered new instrumentation for forensic science with a ‘Universal Biopsy Tool’. Designed by University of Leicester scientists Professor Guy Rutty, Dr Eleanor Graham and Jim Strupish, the groundbreaking tool provides a new design solution to the difficulty of conducting forensic and pathological examination on a mass scale in the wake of disasters. The book describes the process of conceiving, designing and testing the new tool undertaken by the team, as well as providing insight from the inventors concerning its potential future use in both small and large scale operations across the world.

Elsewhere, the book outlines how research into embedded systems conducted by the Department of Engineering at the University has assisted spin-out company TTE Systems in developing RapidiTTy, a software tool built to improve silicon chip reliability for greater freedom and lower cost to hardware designers across the world. The book also shows how the University is working with TTE Systems to fund further research projects and develop innovative new course programmes for the future.

Aside from scientific and technological developments, Design Leicestershire also outlines how the University of Leicester has embraced the growth of digital media to support initiatives in Arts and Humanities. Featuring comments from University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS) director Richard Buckley, the book reveals how the University has implemented digital and online media to enhance the accessibility of its archaeological research to students and the general public, such as the design of an interactive map of ULAS digs and discoveries. It also explains how ULAS has collaborated with Leicester City Council to improve cataloguing and, with De Montfort University, to copy discovered material and even create a new educational computer game.

Similarly, this chapter reveals the design of a revolutionary new digital solution for museum environments by Dr Ross Parry and Dr Andrew Sawyer of the University’s Department of Museum Studies. LIVE!Labels, a digital version of the traditional paper labelling system which has been used for hundreds of years, provides improved flexibility for curators and the potential for uniquely tailored audience experiences at museum exhibitions. It also discusses the development of the Department’s ‘Digital Heritage’ degree course to educate in the use of digital technology for presentation.

Dr Lisa Stocks, Head of Business Services and Collaboration at the University, coordinated the University of Leicester’s input for Design Leicestershire.

“This is a very exciting project providing a great opportunity to showcase some of Leicester’s activities,” she said. “The book highlights a small section of the world-leading design capability Leicester offers across its range of expertise.

“The book, and its associated website, will reach new audiences across the world through its promotion activity and the involvement of UK Trade and Investment (UKTI). Opportunities to reach such a wide audience are relatively rare so this is a very exciting opportunity for Leicester.”

Further information about this book and the wider campaign can be found on the Design Leicestershire website at http://www.designleicestershire.com/.

By Darren Campbell