Centre of Excellence in emerging digital technologies opens in Liverpool

The facility includes state of the art laboratories featuring cutting edge equipment and highly skilled support to facilitate enhanced access for businesses and organisations that wish to collaborate with University experts across multiple technology areas including virtual reality, robotics, artificial intelligence, data science, simulation and data modelling.

Specialist labs in the DIF include a Mixed Reality Lab containing the latest in VR technology and equipment, an Extreme Environment Lab that simulates real-world hazardous conditions for testing robotics and autonomous systems and an Immersive Laboratory that focuses on developing sensory technologies in areas of smell and touch for future 'Tactile Internet' applications.

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, alongside tech entrepreneur and visiting Professor at the University of Liverpool, Sir Robin Saxby, offically openend the new facility.

Located on the University campus, the DIF provides a purpose-built environment to support collaborations and partnerships between academics, industry and organisations in the research areas of computer and data science, robotics and engineering where the University has world-class research capabilities.

The DIF is co-funded by the University of Liverpool and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s Local Growth Fund.

The University is a hub for digital research and innovation and Digital is one of its key research themes.  In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework, the University’s Engineering research was rated as 6th in the UK for outstanding impact and Computer Science and Informatics research was rated as 5th in the UK for world leading 4* research outputs and 100% of its research environment rated as world leading or internationally excellent.

Co-located in the DIF are the University’s Virtual Engineering Centre (VEC), the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s Hartree Centre and the Civic Data Cooperative.

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: “The pandemic accelerated the move towards a more digital world and proved just how important connectivity and technology will increasingly be in all our lives.

“For me, it’s a no brainer for us to invest in projects that marry intelligent businesses with local research excellence and help develop this into practical and lucrative new applications. Our region is home to world-class clusters of research, development and innovation. I truly believe that we have all the assets, capabilities – and the political will – to make our region the country’s innovation engine. The Digital Innovation Facility is a perfect example of that in a microcosm.

“It isn’t just a means of generating economic growth for our region either – but a duty we have to our residents to help deliver well-paid jobs and improved public services. This is a £12.7m investment that will help us do just that.”

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