June 12, 2006, Livingston, Scotland--CCTV security in taxis, transmitters for underwater communication, and 3D imaging for the dairy industry are just some of the technologies that will be developed in Scotland by the latest recipients of The Technology Transfer in Opto and Microelectronics (TTOM) awards.
Seven companies have been successful in the latest round of the awards, which are designed to encourage Scotland's small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) sector to work with Scottish universities and research institutes to develop new technology that will help them to boost their business.
The TTOM awards are managed by the Scottish Optoelectronics Association on behalf of Scottish Enterprise with funding from the Scottish Executive and the EU. The £5000 award (US$9200) enables the companies to undertake a feasibility study on how new technology being developed at these universities could be used to develop a new product or process that would help the company to grow or expand.
The seven latest recipients are:
* Cabtivate Limited with the Institute for System Level Integration (ISLI) to develop a prototype CCTV system for taxi security.
* Gigle Semiconductor Limited with the ISLI, recommending filter design methodologies for the rapidly growing market of home multimedia networks.
* Ice Robotics Limited with the University of Edinburgh considering CMOS 3D imaging architectures for application in the dairy industry.
* IRIS3D Limited with Edinburgh College of Art incorporating a haptic interface into high resolution 3D display workstations.
* LEMAC Limited with Heriot Watt University investigating sensorless control algorithms for low cost motor control.
* Microstencil Limited with the University of Strathclyde optimising novel photoresist processes for their stencil technology.
* Wireless Fibre Systems Limited with University of Edinburgh verifying transmitters and receivers for underwater communication.
Launched in 2005, the TTOM awards have helped more than 20 companies to date, many of which has resulted in new patents, products, processes and sales for the participating companies. CST Global Ltd was one of the first companies to receive a TTOM award to work with the University of Glasgow for the development of fabrication technology for Novel Quantum Cascade lasers. Since its feasibility study, CST Global has gone on to secure a substantial DTI Technology Programme Grant for its project.
"The SOA identified a gap in building relationships between SMEs and the universities during our roadmapping of the industry," said Chris Gracie, chief executive of the Scottish Optoelectronics Association. "The TTOM Programme is aimed at filling this gap. We are pleased with the early success of the programme and in particular the new relationships the programme has been able to encourage."
Applications are invited in optoelectronics and microelectronics in particular relating to the areas of imaging, semiconductor devices, displays, digital screening processing, sensors and lasers in markets such as bio-medical, security and defence, automotive and communications. Applications can be made at the end of September, December, March and June each year. For more information, go to
www.ttom.org.uk