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Increasing use of mobile phones and the consequent congestion of the original bands have meant that over the last decade, additional bands have been released, and all current mobile phones need to operate at up to five different frequency bands. Professor Hall's group supported by £160k from British Telecom Labs, showed how to design a multi-band planar inverted F antenna, using slots in the antenna top plate. The published papers have since been quoted in many industrial patents and widely acknowledged to be the first publications of the antenna. Nokia, who had the largest market share in the REF period, based their antenna designs on the slot concept, and hence a large proportion of the several billion phones in the world today use this antenna, with a financial value of many millions of pounds.
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.
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.
Antenova Ltd, a spin out company created to exploit University of Sheffield research, is a leading developer and supplier of high performance antennas and radio frequency (RF) antenna modules for wireless communication and consumer electronic devices such as smartphones, laptop computers and tablets. Significant commercial impact has been generated: Antenova has 6% of the global mobile antenna market (2 Billion units) and is a leader in the global antenna design market with a 15% share, employing 40 staff worldwide and with an annual turnover of about $8 million. To gain commercial advantage Microsoft Corporation bought out Antenova in 2013.
Small high dielectric constant chip antennas resulting from the underpinning research allow multiple wireless services to be provided on small devices such as smart phones and as these antennas are very efficient, save energy, extend battery life and so bring environmental benefit.
Research at the University of Cambridge Department of Engineering (DoEng) created a novel wideband active Distributed Antenna System (DAS). The research was commercialised by Zinwave, a DoEng spin-off company [text removed for publication]. Zinwave has developed a network of over 40 System Integrator partners to deliver DAS solutions to enterprises and building owners. It has also been selected by Verizon Wireless, one of the largest mobile operators in the world, to support its 4G network rollout in the USA. The first sales were recorded in 2009. Zinwave systems have been successfully deployed across the world. Zinwave's annual revenue has grown three-fold since first sales and was nearly GBP3M in the year ending December 2012.
Zinwave Ltd has introduced wideband distributed antenna systems (DAS) to the global marketplace, with systems deployed in Europe, the USA, Australia, China and the Middle East. Zinwave, a company founded to exploit the underpinning research, [text removed for publication] employs 25 staff. The first sales were recorded in 2008 and Zinwave's annual revenue has grown tenfold since then, [text removed for publication]. The Zinwave 3000 system is the only DAS on the market able to carry a wide range of wireless services on a single optical fibre and the company has built up a global network of more than 40 partners to integrate its systems, which are used in hospitals, stadiums, airports and power stations, among others. In 2012, Verizon, the USA's largest mobile operator, selected Zinwave to supports its 4G network rollout in the USA.
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.
The manipulation of electromagnetic radiation using novel materials by physicists at the University of Exeter has given rise to new technologies for military stealth applications, anti-counterfeiting measures and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) of pharmaceuticals, machinery and perishable goods. The research findings increased the global competitiveness of FTSE 250 defence and security company QinetiQ, driving innovation in its work with the MoD and leading to the creation of a successful spin-out, Omni-ID, that is meeting demand in the high-growth RFID market. Exeter's research underpinned the EPSRC decision to award the University and QinetiQ £3.2m to exploit applications of their patented technology.
Two decades of radar research at The University of Birmingham have had profound impacts on automotive radar systems. This is demonstrated by specific Jaguar LandRover products: adaptive cruise control (ACC); blind spot monitoring; and lane change merge aid. The first two of these are now available across the Jaguar and Land Rover ranges while the third is ready for launch in 2014. Wider economic and road safety impacts are occurring as the technology cascades down from the luxury vehicle market and achieves wider adoption. Automotive radar makes a significant financial contribution to Jaguar LandRover (JLR). Birmingham research has been vital to the development of this industry, in establishing fundamental scientific feasibility and technological viability and in solving deep technical challenges.
The international Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope, due for completion in the next decade, will be the world's largest astronomical instrument. It will be built by international industry at a cost of over €2B. The larger part will be sited in Africa (9 countries) with a complementary part in Australia. The impact to mid-2013 is on: i) international science policy and priorities (€26M); ii) multi-faceted human capacity building in Africa (401 bursaries); iii) business and employment involved in the construction of two large-scale SKA "precursor" instruments in South Africa and Australia (over €150M with 800 jobs in South Africa); iv) the local north-west economy (over €5M) where a new limited company to coordinate the SKA's design and construction has been established at Jodrell Bank.