This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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SMART firms seize funding
22/05/2006
A company developing new ultrasound technology to produce high-quality images of soft tissue and bones is one of nine research and development projects to receive a share of £450,000 under the Executive's SMART SCOTLAND innovation scheme.
The programme is designed to help new and existing small companies improve their competitiveness by developing leading-edge products or processes that have real commercial potential.
Deputy Enterprise Minister Allan Wilson said:
"Scotland's companies must continually aim to be at the cutting-edge of innovation and technology if we are to gain a competitive edge in the world marketplace.
"The SMART SCOTLAND grant scheme is helping ambitious small businesses do just that, by providing vital funding to help them develop new products with the potential to compete in global markets.
"Take just one company to benefit in this latest funding round, Kelvin Biophysics Ltd, which is pioneering new ultrasound technology for soft tissue and bone imaging. This significant development has the potential to offer a range of advantages over traditional X-ray based methods in terms of safety and image quality, benefiting both patients and medical staff alike.
"Another exciting project being supported is Glasgow-based Cascade Technologies, which is developing gas detection technology capable of identifying the presence of explosives and hazardous substances. This has potential benefits for the military, oil and gas and aerospace sectors.
"It is dynamic companies like these that will help to drive Scotland's economy forward and I would encourage other firms to consider how the SMART SCOTLAND scheme can help them."
The nine winning companies in the 2006 Round 1 SMART:SCOTLAND Competition are:
1. Cascade Technologies Ltd, Glasgow
A FIBRE-COUPLED QUANTUM CASCADE LASER-BASED GAS SENSOR
Cascade Technologies Ltd will use its SMART Award to develop a fibre-coupled Quantum Cascade Laser (QC-Laser) based gas sensor for industrial purposes. The proposed technology is aimed at market opportunities not currently available with existing gas measurement techniques, including detection and screening of explosives and detection of chemical weapons and toxic industrial chemicals.
Contact: Dr J William Buckie
Telephone: 0141 303 8223
Email: b.buckie@cascade-technologies.com
Website: www.cascade-technologies.com
2. Clyde Space Ltd, Glasgow
DEVELOPMENT OF A POWER SYSTEM FOR CUBESATS
Clyde Space Ltd will use its SMART Award to develop a highly capable, plug-and-play power system and battery solution for very small spacecraft known as picosatellites. This will meet the technical requirements of the 'CubeSat' platform, a miniature spacecraft standard that is set to become the most commonly launched satellite platform.
Contact: Mr Craig Clark
Telephone: 0141 946 4440
Email: craig.clark@clyde-space.com
Website: www.clyde-space.com
3. Gordon McAllister, Dundee
DEVELOPMENT OF COMMERCIAL 3D HUMAN MOTION TRACKING
The applicant will use the SMART Award to assess the feasibility of developing a commercial solution for automating 3D tracking using a single video camera. The technology will provide both marker-based and marker-free tracking.
Contact: Dr Gordon McAllister
Telephone: 01382 384146
Email: gordon_i_mcallister@yahoo.co.uk
4. Kelvin Biophysics Ltd, Rhu
DEVELOPMENT OF A NOVEL ULTRASOUND TECHNOLOGY FOR SOFT-TISSUE AND BONE IMAGING
Kelvin Biophysics will use its SMART Award to assess the feasibility of developing a new ultrasound technology for imaging soft-tissues and bones. The technology will have distinct advantages over traditional X-ray based-methods in terms of safety, image quality and the ability to assess the strength of bone healing.
Contact: Dr Duncan F Campbell
Telephone: 07801 568946
Email: duncan@zygomatics.net
5. Level E Ltd, Edinburgh
DEVELOPMENT OF A NOVEL HIGH FREQUENCY FINANCIAL TRADING SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATED DECISION-MAKING IN INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
Level E Ltd will use its SMART Award to develop CLEVER, a Continuous Learning Engine for high frequency financial trading that combines a novel set of artificial intelligence concepts and techniques that allow large numbers of virtual traders to adapt to new market regimes and learn continuously to develop successful market strategies, all in real-time. The technology will offer investment management firms a unique portfolio management solution that enables fast, reliable and high-performance automated multi-asset trading under a single platform.
Contact: Dr Sonia Schulenburg
Telephone: 0131 472 4807
Email: sonia@levelelimited.com
Website: www.levelelimited.com
6. Martin Energy Ltd, Edinburgh
DEVELOPMENT OF A SOFTWARE TOOL FOR ELECTRICITY SUPPLY/DEMAND BALANCING USING LOAD MANAGEMENT
Martin Energy Ltd will use its SMART Award to assess the feasibility of developing a live electronic link between Electricity Suppliers trading desks and their industrial/commercial customers equipment, allowing suppliers to automatically purchase reduction in their customers' consumption during periods of supply/demand imbalance.
Contact: Dr Alastair Martin
Telephone: 0131 225 8100
Email: alastair.martin@flexitricity.com
7. Mistral Ltd, Edinburgh
TO DESIGN, FABRICATE AND TEST A MID INFRARED TUNABLE FILTER COMPRISING OPTICAL WAVEGUIDES
Mistral Ltd. will use its SMART Award to design, fabricate and test a mid-infrared waveguide tuneable filter that will be used to implement a novel optical sensor. This development will be used in applications in large and growing markets such as pollution monitoring.
Contact: Dr Frank Tooley
Telephone: 0774 007 2393
Email: frank.tooley@blueyonder.co.uk
8. Plenoptics Ltd, Edinburgh
DEVELOPMENT OF AN AUTOMATIC 3D MODEL TEXTURE MAPPING TOOL
Plenoptics Ltd will use their SMART Award to assess the feasibility of applying optimisation technology to develop a tool for the automatic creation of highly efficient texture maps for 3D models. It is envisaged this tool will offer significant time and cost benefits for the creative and visual simulation industries.
Contact: Roy Middleton
Telephone: 0131 448 0718
Email: roy.middleton@plenoptics.com
Website: www.plenoptics.com
9. Wireless Fibre Systems Ltd, Livingston
DEVELOPMENT OF A SUBSEA RADIO FREQUENCY BROADBAND COMMUNICATION SYSTEM FOR USE WITH UNMANNED VEHICLES
Wireless Fibre Systems Ltd will use its SMART Award to develop a subsea radio frequency broadband communication system for use with unmanned vehicles. The system offers an innovative alternative technology for subsea wireless data communications and the only feasible technology for wireless broadband links.
Contact: Brendan Hyland
Telephone: 01506 407814
Email: brendan@wirelessfibre.co.uk
Website: www.wirelessfibre.co.uk
Entries for SMART:SCOTLAND can be submitted by individuals planning to start a business in Scotland, and by existing small firms/groups with less than 50 employees.
There are three rounds of judging each year with closing dates for applications in January, May and September. The Government meets 75 per cent of the project costs and the maximum award payable is £50,000. Projects last between 6 and 18 months.
Winners who successfully complete their projects and require additional assistance to develop a pre-production prototype can apply for further funding under the SPUR scheme. SPUR is a non-competitive scheme and grant is available at 35 per cent of the eligible project costs, subject to a maximum grant of £150,000. These projects should last between six months and three years.