Sport, Health and Rehabilitation Research Cluster (SHARRC)

The Sport, Health and Rehabilitation Research Cluster (SHARRC) is a multi- and inter-disciplinary research cluster, which combines domains of sports, health sciences, engineering, design, data science, life sciences, human-computer interaction, social and psychological sciences, business, and law.

SHARRC  provides access to sports engineering and rehabilitation technology solutions for sports performance, health, and active lifestyle solutions. The breadth of knowledge, experience, and translational research focus of the academics in SHARRC means that the team will be able to offer a one-stop-shop service for those looking for answers to research and service problems in the areas of sport, health, and rehabilitation.

Technological innovation is a powerful tool to improve equality of access, enhance sports performance, redesign equipment and apparel, reduce risk of injury, and improve outcomes for rehabilitation. We see an opportunity to foster physical activity, monitor and maintain performance, prevent injury, and improve rehabilitation through physical activity and sport using  technological innovation. We recognise a considerable impact potential of translating the research, practice and technology of elite sports to the general public enhancing peoples’ quality of life and well-being, and we also recognise the promise of rehabilitation tools to improve elite sports. Thus, the central theme addressed by the cluster is thus “Technology for Health and Well-being of Communities”.

Research Goals and Impact

SHARRC is at the interface between technology and humanity - using technology to find solutions in the sport, health, and rehabilitation domain aimed at enhancing well-being and performance.

With this goal to engineer sports performance, health and active lifestyles SHARRC dresses two main research delivery themes:

1. Sports and Health Engineering: sport and health research with a goal to incorporate engineering principles and provide solutions to engage and maintain safe physical activity, sport participation and performance across diverse groups of population.
2. Rehabilitation Technology: rehabilitation innovation for injury recovery, return to active lifestyle and regaining performance levels.

SHARRC delivers impact by providing research, enhancing services and developing solutions in the following areas:

• Sports Performance: Research and engineering for High Performance training, monitoring, assessment, and coaching as well as supporting injury prevention and rehabilitation. Clients: elite sports clubs, HPSNZ, Para Sport NZ, Crusaders
• Active Lifestyle Solutions: Engineering purpose-built, physical activity solutions for New Zealanders in their everyday lives
• Exercise Prescriptions: Working alongside clinicians and in partnership with CDHB to devise individualised exercise prescription programmes to enhance outcomes of patients during and after medical treatment
• Rehabilitation Solutions: Rehabilitation research and technology for return to healthy and active lifestyles
• Technology: Develop solutions for monitoring physical activity, well-being, and mental health, design devices and sport equipment for the general public, including app & immersive game development, and utilise the existing state-of-the-art capabilities at UC to perform cutting edge research in sport, health, and rehabilitation
• Mental Well-being: Researching and actively engaging the social and psychological sciences in regards to the role of sports and physical activity in well-being
• Vision Mātauranga: Research on the history and importance of sport in Māori culture, the health needs and inequities of our Māori and Pasifika populations, and the incorporation of bi-culturalism in our narrative when addressing sport, health, and rehabilitation in NZ