ATiC’s work is primarily human-centred and design-led which enables researchers to apply creative interventions to improve health and wellbeing. ATiC has an established partnership with Cerebra, a leading research charity working to support children with neurological conditions. The team has developed a number of bespoke product design solutions to enable children to play, increase their mobility and to make family life easier.

When commercially available products do not fulfil the child’s complex needs, the Cerebra team designs and manufactures bespoke products for them in order to achieve their maximum potential and be included in mainstream activities. Over 10 years, the team has developed many bespoke products to aid the daily living challenges of children with a range of neurological conditions such as autism and cerebral palsy. ATiC works with Cerebra to provide industry focused academic support for research and innovation. This can include the development of prototypes and advice on manufacturing.

The products, when possible, are licensed to third party companies to generate a royalty fee for the partnership. They have included:

  • Triathlon equipment for two young girls. Cerebra made a stable canoe and a running/cycling wheel chair.
  • A horse-riding helmet for a boy with a unique head shape. Cerebra developed a scanning and moulding process to enable manufacture of a bespoke helmet to enable the boy to horse ride with his school friends.
  • Mobile supportive seating, an automated ramp to enable participation in sport and increase independence, products to enable ice skating and surfing, and help with sleep and sensory feedback.

ATiC is also part of Accelerate, the Welsh Health Innovation and Technology Accelerator, funded in part by the Welsh Government and European Regional Development Fund and led by the Life Sciences Hub Wales and including UWTSD, Cardiff University and Swansea University. Accelerate works with industry partners to speed up the translation of ideas into new technology products and services, and to speed up the deployment and adoption of new technology products and services into health and care, creating lasting economic value in Wales.