Sheffield’s Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre teams up with Toshiba in £1.5m deal

Sheffield Hallam University’s Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre (AWRC) and Toshiba are embarking on a new partnership in a deal worth approximately £1.5m.

As part of the new deal, AWRC will be provided with provision cutting edge equipment, which is being delivered with Legacy Park Ltd at Sheffield’s Olympic Legacy Park (OLP).

This announcement comes after the Government pledged £14m of funding to develop the AWRC as part of the March 2015 Budget.

The Olympic Legacy Park is a joint venture between Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Sheffield City Council. Located the site of the former Don Valley Stadium in Attercliffe, Sheffield, the park will house a range of world-class sports and exercise facilities, offering members of the public the opportunity to improve their health and wellbeing alongside elite athletes and sports men and women.

The AWRC is aiming to become the most advanced research and development centre for physical activity in the world, creating ‘innovations that help people move’ in sport, health-care, physical activity and leisure.

Collaborating with the private sector at the centre of the Olympic Legacy Park, Sheffield Hallam’s own engineers and researchers will design new products and services from initial concept all the way through to market.

Professor Philip Jones, Sheffield Hallam University vice chancellor, said: “This news represents another major step towards our vision of developing the most advanced research and development centre for physical activity in the world.

“Toshiba are an internationally renowned organisation whose involvement will be a major asset for the AWRC, the Olympic Legacy Park and Sheffield. Our partnership will also help cement Sheffield Hallam’s global reputation for putting the science into sport and physical activity, creating innovations that help people move.

“The AWRC is already showing how it will become an exceptional asset for the wider region, helping to attract new jobs, investment and new opportunities for local business.”

Mr. Masakazu Kakumu, corporate vice president of Toshiba Healthcare Company, added: “Today is a very important day for Toshiba’s healthcare business as we have established a framework with AWRC to deliver and collaborate in cutting-edge technologies and solutions, ranging from diagnostic imaging systems to wearable biosensors.

“In today’s context of healthcare, healthy living is an agenda of increasing importance. In addition to the traditional care cycle we will also focus on developing innovations and expertise that contributes to the overall quality, comfort and vibrancy of life – for the duration of people’s lives.”

Rt Hon Richard Caborn also commented: “We are delighted to announce Toshiba as the first major partner for the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre. The investment from Toshiba will support what is to become the most advanced research and development centre for physical activity, health and wellbeing in the world, and lies at the very heart of the new Olympic Legacy Park in Sheffield.

“Through this partnership, Toshiba is not only supporting ground-breaking studies into global health problems and healthcare, it is also backing the Olympic Legacy Park in revolutionising sport and physical activity.

“This is the start of a very exciting partnership to drive forward innovation in health, wellbeing and sport, and we look forward to working with Toshiba on this unique project.”

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