Ben Heller

Dr. Ben Heller is an Associate Professor in the Centre for Sports Engineering Research (CSER) at Sheffield Hallam University. His expertise lies in medical engineering and instrumentation, particularly for ambulatory monitoring of human activity. He holds a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Strathclyde and has extensive clinical experience in medical physics and rehabilitation engineering. His research focuses on wearable technology for sports performance monitoring, dynamic balance measurement (via the 'smartfloor'), running biomechanics, and functional electrical stimulation (FES) for neural rehabilitation.

Research collaborations include the EU Horizon 2020, Adidas, and the Department of Health. He leads the Sheffield Physical Activity Observatory and supervises multiple PhD students exploring topics like dynamic balance in sports, cyclist anthropometrics, and gait retraining. His work integrates biomechanical principles with cutting-edge technologies to enhance athletic performance, injury prevention, and rehabilitation outcomes.

• Education: MEng and PhD in Biomedical Engineering (University of Cambridge and Strathclyde)
• Research Themes: CSER Applied Computing, CSER Biomechanics
• Key Projects: LED pacing technologies, FES in neural rehabilitation (SheffStim), inertial measurement systems

Notable media appearances include BBC Breakfast and coverage of his LED pacing system for runners. His interdisciplinary approach bridges engineering, sports science, and clinical applications to drive innovation in physical activity measurement and rehabilitation.