As part of an expansion to its research programme in composition and electronic arts, The University of Manchester invested £2.2 million in a new cutting-edge studio infrastructure supporting research on Spatial Audio, Virtual Reality, Live Immersive Game-Audio, AR and interative Music. NOVARS was designed by Cruickshank and Seward. 

The i3HS lab was created to perform an evaluation of VR with over 300 staff and students in order to evaluate whether VR would be well received by staff and students if it were to be used for teaching.

The Digital Heritage Lab brings together academic staff, students and cultural partners to undertake collaborative and innovative research, teaching, and knowledge exchange in the use of digital technologies in cultural and heritage environments.

VR2 provides a state of the art Virtual Reality and Motion Capture facility in the Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology at the University of Manchester.