PhD Studentship: SuS-Tex Research Cluster: Biomechanical and User Requirements for Super-smart Textiles Systems

Background 
 
Access to healthcare is an ever-increasing global issue. Over 15% of the current global population require rehabilitation care, but the majority of them do not receive healthcare access. 

Remote monitoring of human movements and physiological parameters is critical for future healthcare, since this can enable pivotal solutions like telerehabilitation and telemedicine that can significantly increase healthcare access. Further, such technologies can facilitate remote training monitoring and performance enhancement for athletes. 

Developing accurate, low-cost, comfortable technologies for monitoring body movements and physiological parameters is extremely challenging. Existing technologies are often bulky, expensive, need recharging, contain limited range and are uncomfortable to wear. 

The SuS-Tex research cluster develops pioneering wearable technologies for accurate, unobtrusive, comfortable, self-powered and low-cost monitoring of body movements and physiological parameters. This brings together world-class expertise in textiles, materials, soft robotics, biomechanics, sports, healthcare, machine learning and AI, with globally leading industrial and academic partners. 
 
Your Project 

The project focusses on the healthcare and sports application development related to super-smart textiles and other wearable electronic technologies. This incorporates the user-centric design considerations, biomechanical aspects related to wearable sensing, and optimisation of sensors and wearable electronics for selected healthcare and sports applications. 
 
Your Group 

This project is part of the prestigious Loughborough University Vice Chancellor’s PhD Cluster – Super-Smart Textiles (SuS-Tex) for Healthcare and Sports. The Doctoral Researcher will join a cohort of five researchers belonging to the SuS-Tex cluster working on highly transdisciplinary topics in this area, and the wider wearable technologies research community at Loughborough University and beyond. The successful candidates will benefit from the world-class expertise and supervision, customised training programmes, networking, outreach and career development opportunities, in addition to the standard training and development opportunities of the University. 

Loughborough University has been ranked number one in the world for sport-related subjects for nine consecutive years (QS World University Rankings by Subjects 2017-2025). You will benefit from newly established state-of-the-art Smart Textiles lab facilities and work alongside a team of senior academics and doctoral researchers. Through our Doctoral College, postgraduate courses, group activities, and continuing professional development programmes, there are continual opportunities for building important research skills and networks among your peers and research academics. 

We strongly encourage applicants from a diverse range of backgrounds, cultures, genders or from people with a disability. 

Applicants are also encouraged to contact the primary supervisor, Dr Stuart McErlain-Naylor, to discuss the project or if you have any questions. 

Your Supervisors 

Dr Stuart McErlain-Naylor is a Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Biomechanics and is Vice President (Publications) of the International Society of Biomechanics in Sports. Professor Andy Harland is a Professor of Sports Technology and Director of the Sports Technology Institute. Dr Chetna Prajapati is a Senior Lecturer in Textiles in the School of Design and Creative Arts. 

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