November 2006

PPARC KITE Club - Technology and Industry News – November 2006

November is chilly, so time for some heart-warming news and toffee apples from the PPARC KITE Club Innovation Advisory Service.

1.      What science can be done on low-cost space platforms? Workshop 24th January 2007

2.      £7.5m for Sensors and Imaging for Medical, Security and Environmental Applications

3.       New £2.75m PIPSS Themed Call for defence and security projects

4.       Advanced Instrumentation Special Interest Group – Join now

5.      Can you help?  Company seeks skills in accelerometers and motion sensing   

6.      Can you help? Company seeks consultancy support in X-ray imaging

1. What science can be done on low-cost space platforms? – 24th January 2007

The PPARC KITE Club will be hosting a workshop on the potential science returns from low-cost space platforms.  The workshop is to be held in London on 24th January 2007.

We are all aware of the financial pressures on the ESA science programme.  It has often been argued that the key science goals of PPARC and NERC are only achievable on sizeable missions.  The UK has demonstrated strength in industrial capability for low-cost platforms together with both industrial and academic strength in low-cost or miniaturised instrumentation.  So how far could we achieve the science objectives of Cosmic Visions and future Earth Observation programmes with lower cost platforms?

The workshop will include briefing from key industry and academic players on their technical capabilities, perspectives on the international issues and plenty of chance for debate.

Registration is now open at http://www.pparc.ac.uk/In/SLCSM.asp - please register early as places are filling fast.  There are also a couple of spaces left for pitches by research groups with technology that they wish to share.  Please contact Nathan Hill to express your interest in this opportunity.

2. £7.5m for Sensors and Imaging for Medical, Security and Environmental Applications
In the Autumn Call from the Technology Programme, £7.5m funding is available to support Collaborative Research and Development projects that address innovations in the development and application of sensors and imaging technology.  Particular emphasis will be placed on projects that provide evidence of significant advances in the following application areas: medical and healthcare, security, crime detection and prevention systems and environmental monitoring (including atmosphere pollution monitoring).

 
Emphasis will be placed on projects that address clearly identified applications and specific user needs that can demonstrate commercial potential and also wider benefits. Project consortia should therefore include at least one end-user partner.

 
PPARC funding may also be available for projects exploiting technology developed within its programme or projects developing new technologies that will benefit its programme alongside other applications.  If you would like support or advice on how to apply, please contact Mark Littlewood.

3. New £2.75m PIPSS Themed Call for defence and security projects

We are pleased to announce a joint call for funding between PPARC and the Ministry of Defence (MOD) through the PIPSS programme in the areas of technology for security and defence.  This is supported by the MOD Joint Grants Scheme (£2m) and ring-fenced PIPSS funding of £0.75m.  Applications will be subject to the normal PIPSS review process and will be considered in the 3rd April, 3rd July and 2nd October 2007 quarterly calls.  This is an excellent opportunity to engage in technology development with dual (your research + security/defence) or triple (your research + industry + security/defence) application.

There are two main modes of operation; (a) academic / industry: in this case, both the MOD and the partner company will be customers for the project results and (b) academic only: in this case, the MOD will be the customer for the project results.

 
The MOD has also recently launched a £10m Competition of Ideas www.ideas.mod.uk and we can provide support for both funding methods and advise you on which is best suited to your proposed project (you may not apply for both funding streams for the same project).

For further information, please contact Glyn White.  General guidance on PIPSS is at www.pparc.ac.uk/in/sc/list/pipss.asp.

 
4. Advanced Instrumentation Special Interest Group – Join now

The Advanced Instrumentation Group of the Sensors Knowledge Transfer Network was established recently as the UK forum for industrial and academic innovation in instrumentation.  We have been visiting a number of companies to establish their needs and developing a programme of activities.  We are now inviting academic instrumentation groups to join this network (this is free of charge). 

 
Registration will allow you to be listed in the community directory and to receive information about events, partnership and funding opportunities relevant to instrumentation.  If you have interest in this field, please sign up at http://www.qi3.co.uk/sktn/registration.asp or email christine.pearce@qi3.co.uk.

5. Can you help?  Company seeks skills in accelerometers and motion sensing

The Sensors KTN has been asked by a member company to assist in finding alternative sources of technology for a specific sensing requirement. Essentially this is associated with tracking the movement and behaviour of animals for particular purposes. Traditional sensing and gyro methods have potentially significant power-drain implications, thus the company is looking to find expertise in digital accelerometers either in research, production or even looking at alternatives. From a research perspective they are looking for programmes that are targeting to deliver results within the next year. If anyone has an interest in this please contact Nigel Day at nigel.day@qi3.co.uk

6. Can you help? Company seeks consultancy support in X-ray imaging

A company supplying X-ray detectors has uncovered a problem in imaging through a test sample.  It is not known whether this relates to a detector physics phenomenon or to issues with the electronics / data acquisition.  Support is sought on a consultancy basis.  Please contact Nathan Hill or Glyn White if you have the skills to help this company.

Contacts: KITE Club Innovation Advisors, ESA and CERN UK Technology Transfer Officer.  Nathan Hill: email: nathan.hill@qi3.co.uk Tel: 01223 422405.  Also Mark Littlewood mark.littlewood@qi3.co.uk, Glyn White glyn.white@qi3.co.uk, Alex Efimov alex.efimov@qi3.co.uk, Sue Peffer sue.peffer@qi3.co.uk and Chris Appleyard chris.appleyard@qi3.co.uk.  For enquiries about the Sensors Knowledge Transfer Network Advanced Instrumentation and Research Facilities Special Interest Groups, please call 01223 422406.  Registration for events is available via www.qi3.co.uk/events.