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Building on excellent computer science research, carried out in a number of applied research centres, the University has taken a leading role in the establishment and development of the software sector in the North East. This has resulted in a regional strategic approach, which has delivered significant social and economic benefits, with impacts including the creation of jobs, SME growth, cluster establishment and inward investment. Sunderland's applied computing research has also resulted in an increase in innovation and research in software SMEs and has impacted on the perception of Sunderland as the heart of a regional software cluster.
Mobile technologies and in particular mobile applications have become key drivers of the economy in many countries especially those that lack established communications infrastructures. Since 2003, the research team led by Professor Al-Begain has created both significant infrastructure and know-how that became the base for the creation of the £6.4million Centre of Excellence in Mobile Applications and Services (CEMAS) that is providing research and development to SMEs in Wales to increase their competitiveness. In the first three years since its inception 28 projects have been completed and 66 companies have received services.
A series of funded research projects have been completed by the University of Sunderland in close collaboration with BT Research Labs Ipswich. This research, which has resulted in a series of novel optimisation approaches, led to the development of suite of tools used for network planning. These tools are primarily based upon the application of evolutionary computing methods. Researchers produced intelligent network planning tools for the development of the national Internet. The tools have been used extensively since 2008, and the network for the Olympic games in London 2012 was designed and planned using these smart tools. A company specialising in vehicle tracking has also been formed as a direct result of the research.
Fundamental work on transmission and power management systems for electric vehicles has resulted in local and national impact with emerging international reach. Computer simulation and rig-based prototype modelling has shown that it is possible to improve overall energy consumption levels by around 5 to 12 % by using a variable ratio gearbox within an electric vehicle. A local company, AVID Vehicles Ltd have demonstrated the potential of this work in the conversion of a Nissan Note supplied by Nissan Motors UK Ltd into an electric powered car. This, and related, work on hybrid vehicles has gained international recognition and has been used as the basis for further developments, including regional impact with Sunderland Council, and influencing regional strategy.
Biocatalysts provide unique activities that facilitate chemical transformations that are simply not possible using abiotic methods. Northumbria University researchers with expertise in enzymes and biocatalysis have provided biocatalysis services to the pharmaceutical, fine chemical, food and biofuels industries through our business facing innovation unit Nzomics. This has generated significant contract research, collaboration and licence agreements to companies, including the pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline and the services-led company Almac. Biocatalysts produced as a result of Northumbria University research and technology transfer are sold worldwide and benefit business through their use in research and development activities, such as the production of intermediates in drug synthesis.
Low-cost wireless solutions beyond the technologies available previously and developed at Loughborough University since 2005 are used by IDC, and Sure, who integrate these technologies in several products and services so generating impacts in terms of:
The technologies have been deployed in a logistics distribution centre (ToysRUs), an automotive manufacturing process (Toyota), and a safety and security system (Sure).
UCL spinout company, Senceive Ltd, has established itself as an innovative provider of wireless enabled remote condition monitoring solutions. The company provides a robust, scalable, safe and highly cost-effective infrastructure monitoring capability for railway and construction industry applications, with customers including Amey, Costain, Network Rail and Tubelines. Recent deployments on projects such as Crossrail have been recognised by industry bodies as delivering significant product innovation and cost savings in excess of £1 million compared to use of a wired monitoring solution.
Fifteen years of research in advanced Lab-on-a-Chip technologies at the University of Glasgow has led to three spin-out companies: Mode-Dx, Clyde Biosciences and SAW-Dx. Since 2008 these companies have developed a range of products and services for the diagnostic screening of chronic diseases, for the detection of acute infections and for improving the drug discovery process. The three companies have secured a total of £2.3M in venture funding and secured key strategic collaborations with stakeholders including industry partners and the NHS.
Innovative research at Strathclyde University, embodied in its spinout Diagnostic Monitoring Systems (DMS) Ltd, has enabled the Glasgow-based company to become the premier supplier of ultra-high frequency (UHF) systems for detecting harmful partial discharge (PD) activity in high-value gas insulated substations and power transformers. Annual sales rose from £6.7M in 2008 to £11M in 2012, and its staff doubled to 56 employees. DMS' equipment is utilised in 27 countries, with total exports over 2008 - 2013 exceeding £45M. A sustained partnership with Strathclyde has yielded new sensor technologies and secured mainstream international recognition for UHF PD detection techniques, which are being incorporated within a new IEC standard. Economic value of Strathclyde's UHF technology was further emphasised in 2009 when DMS was acquired by Qualitrol, part of the US $46B Danaher Corp that owns numerous global engineering brands including Tektronix, Fluke, Leica Microsystems and Gilbarco Veeder-Root.
Reliable and timely measurements are vital for innovation, trade, environmental protection and quality of life. University of Bedfordshire work with measurement systems was already established in 1993 with commercially sponsored work to develop and patent sensors for rapid toxicity assessment in the water industry. Biosensor technologies provide approaches to development and application of cost effective devices for measurement at the point of need in many fields of application and the university's Sensor Research Group has continued to work with industry to develop robust (bio)sensor systems to address business and society needs — particularly with respect to environmental protection, health and wellbeing.