Projects funded through EPSRC IAA - 2017

Standard IAA Projects

Dr Claire Miller (PI) & Prof Marian Scott, School of Mathematics and Statistics
River network case study to inform strategic monitoring review (£10,000)

Environment agencies invest a wealth of resource in monitoring river chemistry and biology in order to protect water quality and for compliance reporting to Europe for the Water Framework Directive. The Environment Agency is undertaking a strategic review of its water quality monitoring sites as a result of pressure to reduce the monitoring budget and to be more responsive. Advanced statistical models incorporating the river structure can provide predictions across the network, aid in the identification of clusters of sites displaying common spatiotemporal patterns, and thus inform modifications and re-design of the monitoring network that will provide efficiency savings in the monitoring budget.

Prof Ravinder Dahiya, School of Engineering
Hologram-like Displays with 3D gesture interface and Tactile Feedback (£40,000)

Interaction with real physical world with various sensory modalities comes to us naturally. But can we have similar experience with virtual objects? This will have far reaching impact (in some cases disruptive) on numerous applications, which include retail market, entertainment industry, education, medical imaging, engineering applications, public demonstration, tele surgery, virtual immersive systems, space and a significant leap towards creation avatar like remote feelings.

Dr Damien McGrouther (PI), Dr Dima Maneuski, Prof Val O'Shea, School of Physics and Astronomy
TEM-Pix II – Follow-on development of a fully retractable novel electron microscope detector (£40,000)

In partnership with Quantum Detectors Ltd., knowledge and technology from world-leading EPSRC funded research was applied to initiate product development of a novel imaging detector for electron microscopy. This imaging detector enables novel research by achieving noise free detection of single electrons; surpassing data quality achieved through traditional CCD routes, as well as through more expensive “direct” complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technologies. New imaging modes are also possible improving contrast for light atom materials and electric or magnetic fields.

Prof Anthony Kelly, School of Engineering
Secondment to Compound Semiconductor Technologies Global (CSTG) (£25,000)

A 6 month secondment, where Professor Kelly worked as a consultant for CSTG, focusing on next-generation, high-speed, optoelectronic technologies. By working on collaborative projects developing semiconductor lasers for telecommunications, primarily in the Fibre To The Home (FTTH) market, Prof Kelly helped increase the technological impact for CSTG’s business.

Prof Lee Cronin (PI), Dr Mark Symes, School of Chemistry
Proton Electron Buffers for Automotive Energy Storage (£15,000)

The Cronin team have developed the storage liquid concept such that it could be used to fuel electric vehicles in the same way petrol is drawn from petrol stations. This is potentially a game-changing technology if appropriate performance and supply-chain economics can be demonstrated.

This project funded a commercial with experience/network contacts in the automotive sector to secure funding to prove the ‘electric fuel’ technology.

Prof Asen Asenov, School of Engineering
Low power, high reliability transistors for IoT applications (£40,000)

Working with Semiwise Ltd., this project used ground breaking simulation technology developed in previous EPSRC funded projects to increase the commercial value of the SemiWise IP, as well as generating new, valuable, low power, high reliability CMOS transistor and technology IP for the IoT.

Dr Martin Lavery, School of Engineering
Development of Commercially Viable Free-space Optical Communications Technologies (FreeCOMM) (£35,000)

British Telecom (BT) has a strategic goal to provide 10 million homes across the UK with an optical internet connection by 2025. However, connection to 10’s of thousands of these residences cannot be achieved with fibre in a cost-effective manner. Free-space optical (FSO) communication systems are an ideal candidate for providing cost effective solution with fibre-equivalent network speeds without the complex and expensive deployment challenges of buried optical fibre (~£1200 per meter for urban deployment). This project developed an early stage prototype FSO system that could be deployed for less than £500 per residence.

Dr Matteo Clerici, School of Engineering
An alternative approach to quantum-enhanced THz generation (£31,000)

This project involved the development of a prototype THz time-domain spectrometer, which built upon previous concepts and technology co-developed through UofG and Chromacity Ltd. partnerships. Specifically, by combining a dual-wavelength high-power laser with large-area photoconductive emitter technology, a Ytterbium pumped THz time-domain spectrometer could be developed for applications in underdeveloped technologies in market niches such as THz Time Domain Spectroscopy (TDS). Traditionally, TDS is hindered by exorbitantly high costs and comparatively low power outputs: shortcomings that were hoped to be addressed with this technology.

Prof Andy Harvey, School of Physics and Astronomy
Hyperspectral Imaging System (£15,000)

Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) captures spectral signatures (fingerprints) of materials to provide highly accurate analysis of condition, colour, mix, etc. Today HSI is used in applications from agriculture and astronomy to defence however cost, data output complexity and sensitivity for low cost solutions remain a barrier to wider adoption. The Glasgow solution overcomes these barriers by enabling a small, low-cost and handheld HSI system with accompanying online/cloud-based data processing service which presents results in a manner relevant to the context. 

The proposed project engaged a Commercial Champion to evaluate and reach a recommendation on the viability of creating a spin-out company to exploit hyperspectral imaging solutions previously developed.

Prof Xiaoyu Luo (PI), Dr Hao Gao, Prof Dirk Husmeier, Prof Nick Hill and Prof Colin Berry, School of Mathematics and Statistics, MVLS/ICMS
Modelling of myocardial tissue changes during disease progression and amyloid-directed drug therapies in cardiac amyloidosis (£40,000)

Working with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), this project addressed a weakness in the treatment of heart disease, that of poor characterisation of myocardial tissues in vivo. This project has potentially a wider utility in the drug development paradigm for all types of non-congenital structural heart diseases which have an appreciable interstitial component.

Dr Andrew Jamieson, School of Chemistry
3D Structural Analysis of Native Conotoxins and Conotoxin Mimetics Using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (£39,000)

Developing the in-house capability to characterise the 3D structure of conotoxins and their mimetics using advanced 2D NMR spectroscopy (COSY, ROSY) with the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL). This will provide a new method for the characterisation of compounds of interest in the team's therapeutic research efforts, whilst facilitating future structure based medicinal chemistry efforts.

Dr Emily Draper (PI), Prof Dave Adams, School of Chemistry
Developing hydrogels for ophthalmic viscosurgical devices (£28,000)

This project was developed in conjunction with Hyaltech Ltd. It aimed to characterise and understand the properties of a number of multi-component gel-based materials in order to develop a product called Fermathron One; an osteoarthritic device (OAD) with the primary function of alleviating the symptoms of osteoarthritis.

 

Fast Track Projects

Dr Peifeng Li, School of Engineering
Attending two automotive/materials workshops (£650)

Attend two workshops organised by the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) at Warwick University:

  • Automotive Council’s Lightweight Technology Roadmap, Coventry, 12 April 2017
  • Preparing for the Grand Challenge, Royal Institution, London, 25 April 2017

Dr Caryn Hughes, School of Engineering
Tri-CDT Engagement Conference (£3,000)

EPSRC has outlined a need for Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) to interact with increased frequency and purpose. The EPSRC Impact Acceleration Account supported the delivery of a Tri-CDT conference, which aimed to provide extensive opportunities for explicit networking of ~100 delegates; allowing for collaborations across institutes to be fostered, and new relationships with industry and academic partners to be built.

Dr Kiran Ramesh, School of Engineering
Hydrobox (£1,200)

The basic conceptual design of the Hydrobox has been completed by Scotstream Ltd. This ESPRC-IAA project enabled a collaborative study with to assess its function and its performance characteristics to identify any problems and areas where efficiencies can be improved.

Dr Matthew Edgar, School of Physics and Astronomy
Augmented Reality Eye Safety (£1,000)

Many scientists and engineers work in conditions where their eyes are exposed to dangerous levels of radiation, for example in optical laboratories using lasers. The existing safety guidelines demand the use of appropriate eyewear, which block a particular wavelength of light, whilst transmitting other wavelengths.

This project supported the development of an Augmented Reality Eyewear proof-of-principal demonstrator, providing a physical barrier between hazardous radiation and the eye, improving laser safety, whilst enhancing productivity of scientists and engineers working in experimental optics.

Ms Jill Ramsay, School of Computing Science
Enterprising Culture – Tech Start-Up Meet-Up Series (£2,900)

This project constitutes a regular meet-up event series for those with or interested in creating technology-based businesses. The meet-up series brings together 50-70 staff, students (at all levels) and a few members of the wider business community on a monthly basis during term time to hear inspiring talks from fellow tech entrepreneurs and to network with like-minded people. The primary aim of the meet-ups is to encourage more people in all categories to start their own technology based business and to give them the confidence to do so. The meet-ups are designed to create opportunities for those with business ideas and ambitions to meet and form links with others that have complementary skill sets around which start-up teams could be formed.

Prof Konstantinos Kontis, School of Engineering
2017 Aerospace Symposium (£2000)

Supporting delivery of the 4th Aerospace Symposium, with the theme of Manufacturing for Growth.

Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) Conference 2017 Call

Supporting attendance at the 2017 ATI Conference: Realising Ambition, to engage with industry.

Awarded to the following academics from the School of Enginerring:

  • Dr Angela Busse
  • Dr Euan Wielewski
  • Dr Kiran Ramesh