MARRC was established by a partnership of Advantage West Midlands and University of Worcester to provide a specialist biomechanics centre with the expertise and capability of addressing the issues faced by commercial, medical and sporting organisations. Opening in the summer of 2004 MARRC has already been involved in significant projects of different types . The relationship between AWM and UoW means that MARRC staff have access to the expertise of staff and facilities of the University, whilst combining the commercial experience and contacts of AWM.

By assessing movement MARRC is able to provide advice on reducing the risk to employees, optimising working practice and reducing costs. MARRC's research and consultancy capability means the analysis offered can have benefits to a wide range of companies and organisations. Having been commercially operational for over two years now MARRC has established a large and varied client list with work including:

• Manual handling assessments for a number of large shipping organisations;
• assessments of mechanical operations for machinery manufacturers;
• design assistance, for manufacturers of new products;
• assessment of sporting performance;
• job capability, to assist employers in determining whether a member of staff has fully recovered for return to work;
• equine analysis, both saddle mapping and movement analysis of horse and rider;
• motion capture for animation.

MARRC is based around a purpose built laboratory that will allow almost any conceivable workplace environment to be recreated, this allows a full range of biomechanical analysis techniques to be used:

• Kinematics - using high speed video or motion capture, allowing the activity to be scientifically measured to a high level of precision;
• Kinetics - measurement of force either by the subject using a state of the art isokinetic dynamometer which measures joint strength or using force platforms which measure the forces involved in the participants interaction with the ground. EMG also allows the muscle activation to be measured and considered as part of the analysis;

Additionally MARRC’s unique mobile laboratory is able to bring the motion capture and biomechanical analysis to your location. With both the laboratory and mobile laboratory able to perform complete kinetic and kinematic analysis MARRC is able to offer incomparable levels of flexibility in testing requirements.

Please contact either our sales team or technical staff to discuss any questions or potential projects that you have.