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Led by Professor Andrews, a computational method for real time mission planning, based on Binary Decision Diagrams (BDD), was developed in the Mathematical Sciences Department at Loughborough University (LU) from 1993-2003. This is fast and accurate and can be used to support decision-making on system utilisation in real-time operation, which has led to the ability to diagnose in flight faults for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) applications.
The research has changed the understanding and awareness of the advantages of BDD, resulting in integration into major industrial trials and proprietary software products, including at BAE Systems, one of the world's largest companies in an area of vital importance to UK security and economic development. The methodology has attracted significant research funding in collaborative programmes with industry.
Femtocells provide short-range (e.g. 10m) wireless coverage which enables a conventional cellular communication system to be accessed indoors. Their widespread and growing use has been aided by the work in UoA11 by the University of Bedfordshire (UoB).
In 2008, while the femtocell concept was still in its infancy, researchers at UoB with expertise in wireless networks recognised that coverage prediction and interference reduction techniques would be essential if the benefits of that concept were to be realised.
Collaboration with two industrial partners (an international organisation and a regional SME) resulted in tools that enable operators to simulate typical femtocell deployment scenarios, such as urban, dense apartments, terraced house and small offices, before femtocells can be reliably deployed by users without affecting the rest of the network (a benefit of the technology). These tools have been deployed by those partners to support their businesses. A widely-cited textbook, written for network engineers, researchers and final year students, has brought knowledge of femtocell operation to a wider audience.
Strong collaboration and associated technology transfer from ERPE have enabled SeeByte to stay at the forefront of technology, securing strategic partnerships including Subsea7, BAE SYSTEMS and the US Navy in the offshore and military markets. This has enabled sustained employment in the science and engineering sector growing to 50 staff and financial growth, 15 technology licenses from ERPE have directly or indirectly generated £11 million in revenues for SeeByte in the REF impact period. In October 2013 SeeByte was acquired by Bluefin Robotics Inc, a spin out of MIT owned by the Battelle group [text removed for publication].
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).
State-of-the-art radio systems require antennas that are a) able to cover an ultra-wide range of operating frequency bands, and b) compact and yet robust enough to be mounted in settings that range from satellites to the human body. Our pioneering work in this area has led to the significant contributions to the UK Ofcom Spectrum Framework Review and the developments of new products and business opportunities, new technologies for assessing the EM emission on the mobile handset and for smart meter deployment, and wearable antennas deployed in the battlefield to reduce the load and smart communications for dismounted soldiers.
In this case study, two specific examples of impact are reported. One is cost-effective and high-performance smart antennas for the offender tagging system and marine navigation system for Guidance Navigation Ltd (Guidance). This collaboration has resulted in new and leading products and also helped the company to win a range of contracts. The other example is the development of a novel intelligent drilling system_for Zetica Ltd. This system can detect deeply buried unexploded ordinance and other objects. It has given Zetica a unique new product to significantly improve operational safety and win business worldwide.
This case study describes how spin-out company, Antrum Ltd (founded in 2001) realises the commercial potential of Loughborough University's extensive antenna research. Antrum has been consistently profitable typically turning over between £150K - £300K. Examples of how research projects, through industrial partnership, have evolved to commercial products illustrate the success of Antrum's business model and the effectiveness of the partnership between the University and its spin out company. The Case Study describes how the University's wireless communications research, between 1998 - 2011, consistently challenged accepted antenna design to meet demand for products that are more efficient, robust, smaller and commercially viable.
This Keele University research into advanced signal processing and classification methods has led to novel algorithms capable of isolating subtle patterns in complex data. This has been applied in two highly significant application areas: first to the problem of image source identification and second to the problem of unobtrusive but highly secure authentication methods. In the first case this has enabled images captured by mobile phone cameras to be reliably and evidentially linked to source devices. This has huge applicability to those fighting terrorism, paedophile rings and civil unrest by extending detection capabilities to mobile phones in an era in which they are rapidly replacing dedicated cameras. It helps to prove, for example, that a photograph entered as evidence was captured by a specific mobile phone. As most phones can be tied to their user or owner this is extremely important to the successful detection and prosecution of offenders.
In the second case it has enabled criminal record checks to be carried out securely online where previous paper-based systems were both too slow for purpose (taking weeks or months) and inherently insecure, leaving key posts unfilled in the health care industries and education sector; so benefitting the public by solving a problem that was having a negative impact on the running of these public services.
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.
Research by Loughborough University academics has influenced the development of elite footballs used in numerous global tournaments including FIFA World Cups, UEFA European Championships and Olympic Games. Research findings have led to increased design freedoms that have allowed adidas to produce balls with improved commercial appeal resulting in a tenfold increase in sales whilst maintaining product performance in line with the highest certifiable level of FIFA standards.