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Research carried out at the University of Aberdeen has directly resulted in a new therapy for stroke patients who have suffered partial sight loss. The sight rehabilitation device developed through the research has so far been used to treat around 300 UK stroke patients, who reported significant improvements in their quality of life. The therapy has been publicized by the UK Stroke Association and at national and international events. The research also led to commercial impacts through the creation of a spin-out company, Sight Science Ltd, which was later acquired by its only worldwide competitor, NovaVision Inc, protecting jobs and forging a long-term commercial partnership.
The specific impacts on commerce have been: substantial industrial investment in research and development, job creation and protection within UK industry, commercialisation of a new product, and long term partnership contract with industry with provisions for commercialisation of future products.
Professor of Film John Smith has completed over 30 films, videos and installations since joining UEL in 1984. The non-academic impact of this body of work arises from Smith's innovative narrative and filmic aesthetic, which combines carefully-crafted nonchalance with concerned political consciousness. Smith's videos use ordinary environments to raise awareness of and engagement with geo-political conflict, an approach exemplified by the consideration in his 2008 work Hotel Diaries of conflicts in the Middle East, Afghanistan and Iraq. His work's deceptive informality and casual, playful manner achieves broad public engagement, thereby enhancing UK film's innovative reputation and contributing to national artistic heritage. This achievement has been acknowledged by Smith's receipt of many international awards, notably the 2011 Paul Hamlyn Distinguished Artist Award and 2013 Film London Jarman Award.
Companies in the manufacturing, construction, courier, freight and airline industries have made use of Photometric Stereo based imaging technology, developed by the Centre for Machine Vision (CMV) at UWE Bristol, to capture 2D and 3D data simultaneously. This has enabled them to develop new products for large volumetric measurement, characterisation of aggregates, tile quality control and automotive wheel alignment. These examples have addressed hitherto challenging tasks or have extended functionality to new or poorly structured environments, for instance: (i) the robust capture of accurate 3D data from postal packages exhibiting complex shape and coloration; and (ii) a new capability for distinction between printing and moulding defects during fast moving tile quality control — previously impossible. In all cases ultra-low-cost equipment is used — underlining the attractiveness of the techniques developed by the CMV.