Rehabilitation Engineering Unit

The Cardiff Rehabilitation Engineering Unit (REU) was established at Rookwood Hospital in the 1980s as part of the South Glamorgan Health Authority's Medical Physics and Bioengineering Department. From the beginning, our purpose has been to solve complex clinical challenges through engineering innovation and develop specialist devices and technologies where no suitable commercial solutions exist.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Cardiff REU became a recognised leader in rehabilitation engineering across the UK. The team pioneered therapeutic interventions to improve outcomes and reduce the risk of pressure ulcers and musculoskeletal complications for people with neurological and neuromuscular conditions. One of our most significant of several innovations, the Rookwood Bead Seat, revolutionised custom contoured wheelchair seating and was successfully commercialised. The success of the Cardiff service also helped establish rehabilitation engineering units in Swansea and North Wales, extending specialist expertise across the country.

In 2010, following the reorganisation of NHS Wales, Cardiff REU became part of the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board's Artificial Limb and Appliance Service (ALAS), bringing together specialist assistive technology services for Wales. While our organisational home changed, our commitment to research, innovation and patient care remained the same, alongside strong partnerships with Cardiff University and the wider healthcare science community. Today, Cardiff REU provides several specialist clinical services (including special seating, mobile arm supports, and clinical gait analysis) for people across South and South East Wales with the most complex needs.