Similar case studies

REF impact found 17 Case Studies

Currently displayed text from case study:

Practical Raman Chemical Analysis for Forsensic Applications

Summary of the impact

Techniques that can produce detailed chemical information rapidly and non-destructively for many forensic applications have been developed by Queen's University Belfast based on Raman analysis. The techniques have been adopted by the Forensic Science laboratory in Northern Ireland (FSNI) to trace the source of seized drugs, identify novel psychoactive substances ("legal highs") and study paint evidence. More than 2000 cases of supply/possession of ecstasy drugs, 947 paint casework samples and 100 'legal highs' have been analysed. Other law enforcement agencies are now adopting the methods developed at Queen's.

Submitting Institution

Queen's University Belfast

Unit of Assessment

Chemistry

Summary Impact Type

Legal

Research Subject Area(s)

Chemical Sciences: Analytical Chemistry, Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry, Physical Chemistry (incl. Structural)

Investigating Crime: Geoforensics at Work

Summary of the impact

Geoforensics in the School of Geography, Archaeology & Palaeoecology (GAP) has developed three principal avenues of inquiry for improving the application of Earth Science research in criminal investigations: (a) development of strategies for the search and recovery of buried/submerged items; (b) advancing the use of spatial sampling systems at crime scenes; and (c) furthering the non-destructive testing of trace evidence. The impact of our research is advising law enforcement organisations worldwide on improved procedures for collecting evidence at crime scenes and directly working with such bodies in gathering, analysing and testing evidence during criminal investigations. Evidence has been presented as expert witnesses in court cases for defence and prosecution (e.g. environment agencies, police forces, law firms), and training has been provided to professional forensic scientists employed by various law enforcement bodies including the UK and Irish police, Colombian Forensic Laboratory, Australian Federal Police and US Army/FBI.

Submitting Institution

Queen's University Belfast

Unit of Assessment

Geography, Environmental Studies and Archaeology

Summary Impact Type

Legal

Research Subject Area(s)

Law and Legal Studies: Law

Q-Technologies Limited (University of Liverpool Spin Out company)

Summary of the impact

Q-Technologies Limited is an award winning company spun out from the University of Liverpool (UoL). The company mission is to bring to market the novel, patented technology developed through research undertaken by Taylor and colleagues in the Mass Spectrometry (MS) research group in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Electronics from 1995. Impact is economic resulting from formation of a profitable business, currently employing 7 people, and via IP assignment generating £1.2M in 2013. Impact is also environmental via the realisation of a novel sensor with unparalleled monitoring capabilities providing improved water quality monitoring.

Submitting Institution

University of Liverpool

Unit of Assessment

Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Metallurgy and Materials

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Chemical Sciences: Analytical Chemistry, Physical Chemistry (incl. Structural)
Information and Computing Sciences: Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing

Changing Approaches to the Production of Cars

Summary of the impact

University of Bath research has contributed to a lean, `build-to-order' (BTO) production strategy for the European automotive industry. The study of `intelligent logistics' and supply chain configurations led to recommendations for building new production systems that are helping to address significant industry problems: global overcapacity, rising stock levels and low profitability. The research findings have been widely shared with vehicle manufacturers, suppliers, industry trade associations and government bodies, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and suppliers. The Bath research has had an impact on: the reduction of waste that is integral to the former `build to stock' production model; the development of an environmentally friendly manufacturing approach; improved profitability through the reduction of `inventory' (new cars losing value in large distribution parks); and on future innovation and growth challenges for the automotive industry. The research has influenced manufacturers and suppliers seeking to implement a more flexible automotive component supply chain across Europe.

Submitting Institution

University of Bath

Unit of Assessment

Business and Management Studies

Summary Impact Type

Economic

Research Subject Area(s)

Information and Computing Sciences: Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing
Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services: Business and Management

Improving Quality of Life for Hay Fever Sufferers

Summary of the impact

In the UK, 20-25% of the population (around 15 million people) sufferer from allergic rhinitis (hay fever) resulting in about 4 million `sick days' per year. Research undertaken by the National Pollen and Aerobiology Research Unit (NPARU) over a period of 20 years has resulted in the development of a national pollen forecasting system for the UK which has had direct benefits on the health and wellbeing of hay fever sufferers. This research has also raised awareness of the importance of pollen information for sufferers, fed into policy on allergy services (and subsequently practice of these services), underpinned training of health professionals, and informed clinical trials of anti-allergy products and devices.

Submitting Institution

University of Worcester

Unit of Assessment

Biological Sciences

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Biological Sciences: Genetics
Medical and Health Sciences: Immunology

P1 - The commercial applications and economic success of fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM)

Summary of the impact

Imperial researchers in Prof Paul French's photonics group demonstrated one of the first practical FLIM instruments in 1997 using a prototype gated optical intensifier (GOI) developed by Kentech Instruments Ltd and a home-built solid-state ultrafast laser. They subsequently pioneered the use of ultrafast supercontinuum sources (USS) for FLIM. Today wide-field time-gated FLIM is a commercial success and is being widely applied for biomedicine, including for imaging of diseased tissue [e.g. 5] and for FRET (Fluorescence resonance energy transfer) microscopy to assay protein interactions [e.g. 3, 4]. This research thus helped translate FLIM to a wider community, highlighting the potential for tissue imaging, cell biology and drug discovery. It stimulated about £5M of GOI sales for Kentech [section 5, source A], with whom they developed time-gated FLIM technology and applications, and millions of pounds worth of sales of supercontinuum sources for Fianium Ltd [B].

Submitting Institution

Imperial College London

Unit of Assessment

Physics

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Physical Sciences: Other Physical Sciences
Chemical Sciences: Physical Chemistry (incl. Structural)
Engineering: Biomedical Engineering

Uptake of Intelligent Microsystems by Multinational Companies through Assistance in On-Line Test and Reliability Modelling Technology Developed at Lancaster

Summary of the impact

The key impact is to have improved the economic performance of both multinational companies and SMEs through the introduction and performance enhancement of new electronic products.

Lancaster's research on reliability modelling technologies for use in the characterisation and optimisation of the reliability of MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) products such as accelerometers and gyroscopes has been used by ST Microelectronics to achieve mass market penetration of its MEMS. Specifically, the market share of ST (a French-Italian multinational electronics and semiconductor manufacturer) has doubled to $900M since 2008, with its MEMS accelerometers and gyroscopes now being found in, inter alia, Apple's iPhone, iPad and iPod.

Lancaster's test engineering research has also delivered a novel self-test technology that can be activated during normal operation of a MEMS based system. This capability has been integrated into an inertial device commercialised by QinetiQ for classified applications. Additionally, through assisting BCF-Designs (a UK SME specialising in electronic test systems for the military and civil aerospace sectors) in the development of its R&D portfolio and associated intellectual property in the area of on-line (in situ) testing, research conducted at Lancaster directly supported the tripling of BCF's turnover to £9M and more than doubling of its sale value to £12.5M (to ULTRA Electronics, 2008).

Submitting Institution

Lancaster University

Unit of Assessment

General Engineering

Summary Impact Type

Economic

Research Subject Area(s)

Information and Computing Sciences: Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing
Engineering: Materials Engineering
Technology: Communications Technologies

Biocatalysists for Industrial and Medical Applications

Summary of the impact

Queen's University Belfast has developed a number of biocatalytic processes for the production of pharmaceutical intermediates which have been applied commercially. The most significant involved Vernakalant, a new drug for treatment of the most common form of irregular heartbeat, now available in the EU, and currently awaiting approval in the USA and Canada. In addition, QUB has sold £300,000 worth of bioproducts and through the collaborations with Almac Sciences facilitated the initiation of their biocatalysis business which currently is a multi-million revenue earner for Almac Sciences and employs 30 staff, including 15 PhD graduates from the Queen's group.

Submitting Institution

Queen's University Belfast

Unit of Assessment

Chemistry

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Chemical Sciences: Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry (incl. Structural)

UOA09-11: Absolute distance measurement

Summary of the impact

The performance of absolute distance measuring systems has been improved in terms of accuracy, traceability, reliability and cost through the introduction of new methodology arising from research at the University of Oxford. This has brought commercial benefit to a German company making measurement systems, through the creation of a new product line. New capabilities for measurement have been delivered to a first customer in Germany. The research has also resulted in the establishment of new activity at the National Physical Laboratory, and influenced UK and European technology roadmaps for future manufacturing.

Submitting Institution

University of Oxford

Unit of Assessment

Physics

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Physical Sciences: Other Physical Sciences
Technology: Communications Technologies

Failure in Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors (MLCCs) for AVX Ltd

Summary of the impact

The provision of professional analysis and advice has created an economic impact of $0.6M with AVX Ltd, a leading supplier of electronic components within the Kyocera Group. This information was pivotal to AVX Ltd retaining a major contract, for multi-layer ceramic capacitor (MLCC's) supply through to the automotive manufacturer Volkswagen Group. Our intervention addressed a reliability issue in the MLCCs and allowed them to improve processes and revise manufacture protocols. The impact drew on previous collaborative research with AVX Ltd and innovative methodologies for preparation of micro and nanoscale samples of materials in capacitors in academic research.

Submitting Institution

Queen's University Belfast

Unit of Assessment

Physics

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Physical Sciences: Other Physical Sciences
Chemical Sciences: Inorganic Chemistry
Engineering: Materials Engineering

Filter Impact Case Studies

Download Impact Case Studies