INNOVATION IN NORTHERN IRELAND
did you know? —50% of the software used on Wall Street is developed in Northern Ireland —B/E Aerospace in Kilkeel manufactures and assembles business, premium economy and economy seating for the world’s leading airlines —50% of the UK & Ireland’s egg boxes are manufactured here by Huhtamaki in Lurgan
Welcome to The Here And Now, a showcase of some of the technological genius that’s happening throughout Northern Ireland today. It’s proof positive that when we put our mind to it, we can compete and win with innovation throughout the world. In years gone by, our country was famous for some pretty clever thinking. The tractor was innovated here; the pneumatic tyre, and portable defibrillator invented here and of course The Titanic, at the time the world’s largest man-made moving structure, was engineered and built right here in Belfast. This rich heritage of creative curiosity and inventive spirit lives on to this day. The Here And Now is a celebration of that genius and how our world class talent is creating wealth and profit on a global scale. But this is just the beginning of our journey, the genesis of an idea. We want The Here And Now to become part of YOUR journey too. So please let us know if you are an innovative company that should be included in the next edition. What innovative ideas or stories do YOU have that could make The Here and Now an engaging and compelling collection of everything that is truly brilliant about the science and technology being developed right here, right now. You can upload your thoughts here: thehereandnowni.com Or write to us here (and now): The Here And Now The Innovation Centre, NI Science Park, Queens Road Belfast BT3 9DT
ANDOR TECHNOLOGY Andor sCMOS cameras Andor’s 5.5 megapixel sCMOS cameras are unique in their ability to combine ultra-low noise, extremely rapid frame rates, wide dynamic range, large field of view and highresolution. The most common use for the sCMOS is scientific research resulting in new findings and breakthroughs that may help to improve humanity’s quality of life. Andor’s customer base studies diseases such as cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, with the aim of providing effective therapies. Andor sCMOS cameras also operate in the scientific astronomy community, facilitating several areas of ground-based observation that require rapid frame rate response.
About Andor Andor Technology plc is a global leader in pioneering and manufacturing high performance scientific imaging cameras, spectroscopy solutions and microscopy systems for research and OEM markets. Andor has been innovating the photonics industry for over 20 years and aims to continue to set the standard for high performance light measuring solutions that allow consumers to perform tasks previously considered impossible.
Did You Know? —Andor manufactures the most sensitive scientific cameras in the world. —Andor cameras help scientists see things that have never been seen before. —Many new exo-planets have been discovered by scientists using Andor cameras.
catagen Catagen – Setting the New Standard in Automotive Catalyst Testing Automotive vehicle manufacturers must meet emissions targets set by governments. When a new vehicle is launched, the manufacturer must provide test data demonstrating that the installed exhaust system and catalytic converter is fit for purpose. Traditional testing methods involve the use of an engine, as shown, that burns costly gasoline that in turn pollutes the environment with CO2. Catagen’s industry leading testing equipment performs the same necessary tests, however it is better, cheaper and cleaner to operate than any other methods available in the marketplace.
Did You Know? About Catagen Catagen is a spin out from Queen’s University. Since then, it has grown and recruited personnel to fully exploit the market opportunity. The company locally manufacturers and exports its patented test equipment to some of the world’s largest vehicle manufacturers.
—One Catagen Maxcat machine can displace the same amount of CO2 per year as absorbed by 75 acres of forest over the same period of time. —One Catagen Maxcat saves the same amount of energy per year as there is in around 1600 Barrels of Oil or 300 Tonnes of Gasoline!
Schrader Electronics
About Schrader Schrader Electronics designs and manufactures automotive and industrial electronics and is market leader in tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS). An innovative organisation, Schrader Electronics has leveraged its sensing expertise to develop a range of pioneering products. Employing over 1000 people worldwide, the company has world class manufacturing facilities in Antrim, Carrickfergus and Tennessee and a high tech R&D Centre employing 150 engineers across a range of disciplines at its Head Office.
The New Bus for London A 21st century successor to the iconic Routemaster bus, the New Bus for London delivers style, practicality, passenger appeal and excellent environmental credentials. It is set to become a modern day global passenger transport icon.
Tyre Pressure Monitoring System Schrader’s TPMS Sensor, attached to the tyre valve stem, measures pressure and temperature inside the tyre environment and transmits this data via Radio Frequency to a receiver located centrally in the vehicle. The receiver processes the digital data stream, sending status information and warnings to the vehicle display unit, alerting the driver of tyre under inflation and helping to reduce fuel consumption. Schrader has developed this product for passenger vehicles, motorbikes, off road and after market applications and is launching an innovative Tyre Mounted Sensor (TMS), where the sensor is mounted directly onto the internal tyre tread, for applications in trucks and passenger vehicles. Schrader has remained lead supplier of TMPS since initial launch in 1996 with over 50% global market share.
wrightBus
Did You Know? —Schrader Electronics serves the world’s top car brands including Mercedes, General Motors, BMW and Ford with a presence in 12 countries. —In 2012 Schrader Electronics celebrated production of 200 Million Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems. —The Company shipped 40 Million sensors in 2012 from its state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Antrim, Carrickfergus and North America to markets in Europe, North America and Asia.
The very distinctive double deck bus is powered by the latest in hybrid technology and as well as striking external styling, has a number of features including two staircases, a class leading wheelchair bay and priority seating with space for assistance dogs. It also incorporates a modern take on some of the best loved design elements of the Routemaster – such as grooved flooring on the stairs and entrances, light weight bench seating and, most importantly, the “hop on hop off” rear platform.
About Wrightbus The Wright Group, based in Ballymena employs 1,400 people and is one of Europe’s leading suppliers of accessible public transport vehicles. Founded in 1946 the Wright Group pioneered low floor buses in the UK and had earned a reputation for producing vehicles that are stylish, durable, high quality and packed with innovative features. In recent years the Group has focused increasingly on overseas markets and with contracts from Great Britain, Republic of Ireland, USA, Hong Kong and Singapore, the company has established itself as a leading global player.
Did You Know? —Established in 1946 as a family business and still in ownership of the third generation. —One in three buses in London is a Wright Group bus and the Company is scheduled to build 600 replacements for the iconic Routemaster bus. —Wrightbus International was set up in 2012 to further expand the Company’s business with a target of 50% of business to be generated from overseas markets.
warner Chilcott Asacol Ulcer Treatment Tablet Coating Ulcerative colitis is a debilitating disease of the colon of unknown cause, where chronic inflammatory reactions occur, resulting in ulcers. Mesalamine (the active ingredient in Asacol) was discovered to be useful against ulcerative colitis in the mid 1960s, but it wasn’t until the mid 1970s and early 1980s that medicine began to understand how this compound affects the disease. By 1980, we knew that Mesalamine acts locally on the ulcers in the colon so we realised our challenge was how to get the chemical to this difficult to reach part of the body. Solving this problem required a combination of chemistry, biology and physics. The product was formulated with a novel enteric coating around the tablet that means that the active drug is not released in the stomach and small intestine, but in the large intestine where the ulceration occurs. These innovations, developed in NI, turned Mesalamine into a treatment for a serious health condition.
About Warner Chilcott Warner Chilcott is a leading specialty pharmaceutical company that has its global Pharmaceutical Development unit based in Larne. The company is focused on women’s healthcare, gastroenterology, urology and dermatology segments of the branded pharmaceuticals market, primarily in North America. They are a fully integrated company with internal resources dedicated to the development, manufacture and promotion of a diverse range of products.
heartsine samaritan® PAD 500P Defibrillator From local sports grounds to The White House in Washington DC, HeartSine Technologies places life-saving technology in the hands of the public, presenting ordinary people with the means to deal effectively with Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA), which kills 270 people every single day in the UK. Many of these deaths could be prevented if a defibrillation ‘shock’ was administered to the victim within 5 minutes. HeartSine’s samaritan PAD with CPR advisor SAM 500P uses a patented technology to tell a rescuer if they should ‘push harder’, ‘push faster’ or ‘push slower’ when delivering CPR compressions as well as when to deliver the ‘shock’. HeartSine’s Automated External Defibrillators are among the smallest, lightest, innovative and most portable on the market.
Did You Know? About HeartSine Technologies Did You Know? —Asacol Ulcer Treatment generates annual global sales of $800M
Founded in 1997 by Professor John Anderson, HeartSine’s heritage goes back to the development of the world’s first out-of-hospital defibrillator at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast in the 1960s. Professor Frank Pantridge introduced the idea of mobile coronary care when he noticed that heart patients were not surviving long enough to reach hospital where they could be ‘shocked‘ back to life. Prof. Pantridge approached Prof. Anderson to lead biomedical engineering research into the development of a mobile defibrillator. The first mobile defibrillator weighed nearly 50kg and housed two 12V car batteries. Developments in technology reduced the size and weight. Prof. Anderson’s work led to a number of advancements which are now used in all kinds of defibrillator models.
—The process emergency departments use to treat cardiac arrest is known as ‘The Belfast Protocol’ —HeartSine samaritan PAD are produced in 26 languages and are used in to save lives in more than 40 countries around the world.
BomBardier Aerospace Bombardier Aerospace has over 40 years’ experience in the field of advanced composite technology, which in layman’s terms is reinforced carbon fibre, and has developed its own unique process. It has developed and patented this innovative technology, known as Resin Transfer Infusion (RTI) to produce the wings for Bombardier’s CSeries aircraft. It is different to the composite technologies used in most other aircraft programmes, where the material is supplied pre-impregnated with resin. The resin basically binds the fibres together to create the hard durable structure when it is ‘cured’ under high temperature and pressure in an autoclave. However, with RTI, Bombardier uses ‘dry’ carbon fibre fabrics to create the structure and then the resin is injected into the structure after it is placed in the autoclave. In summary, the results are the most technologically advanced composite aircraft wings in the world.
Evolve
Developed in partnership with NHS clinicians and managers, Evolve is much more than an Electronic Document Management solution. It is a sophisticated workflow, e-forms and reporting platform, providing the foundation for transformative improvements in healthcare. The award-winning solution is being used extensively across a range of high profile UK Trusts and and is one of the leading EMR solutions in the UK NHS.
Evolve ® for iPad Did You Know?
With some 5,000 employees, Bombardier Aerospace, Belfast (Short Brothers plc) is one of the largest aircraft companies in the UK. It is a centre of excellence for the design, manufacture and support of large aircraft structures, including fuselages, nacelles and wings in both metal and advanced composites. It plays a major role in all of Bombardier’s aircraft families, as well as producing components for other international manufacturers, such as Rolls-Royce and General Electric.
iPad
—Bombardier Aerospace, Belfast is the world’s oldest aircraft manufacturer, having built six aircraft for the Wright brothers in 1909. —As Short Brothers, it developed the first aircraft to take off from a moving ship; the first aircraft to transition from vertical to horizontal flight; and many flying boats. —Every three seconds, a Bombardier aircraft takes off or lands somewhere in the world.
Evolve for iPad is an ultra portable clinical EMR solution that has been optimised for the UK Healthcare market. The application enables clinicians to take advantage of the portability of the iPad, while providing secure, instant access to patient medical records during a ward round or out in the community. More at www.kainos.com
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Dr Simon Glouster
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Evolve is the flagship Electronic Medical Records (EMR) solution in Kainos’s comprehensive suite of healthcare solutions, which costeffectively automates the creation, capture and handling of medical case notes and operational documents and records.
Advanced Composite Wing Technology
About Bombardier
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Briieffcase Briefcase 6 0
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Access your patients anytime, anywhere. Briefcase allows you to make patient documents and editable forms available for offline use.
Setup
Setup.
Setup the document types and form types you would like to download each time you begin a download.
Download.
Tap the download icon on a list of patients, then choose patients you want to download. Patients only download over Wi-Fi.
Queue.
Patients are added to the download queue then download one at a time.
Patient Lists
To Do
Briefcase
Settings
Work.
Once a patient is downloaded they will be accessible from all areas of the app when offline.
Sync.
Patient documents and eForms are automatically synced to the server when you are connected to a network. Keeping everything in sync.
Manage.
Patients will be auto removed from offline storage according to system policy. You can also manually remove patients.
About Kainos
Did You Know?
Kainos is a thriving technology company with particular expertise in three core markets – healthcare, financial services and public sector.
—Evolve has been selected by 13 Trusts, equating to 27 hospitals. —Evolve is licensed for 40,000 Trust staff.
For more than 25 years we —There are 5 Evolve have worked with an extensive for iPad customers. base of global and local brands integrating IT applications and delivering solutions that offer measurable business and cost efficiencies. Our solutions are optimised and deployed using the latest portal, mobile and cloud technologies. But what we really do is make organisations work smarter, faster, better. Our 350+ people are true professionals, combining deep engineering and design skills with business brains and a work ethic that our customers tell us is unique. When we say that our employees are one of our core differentiators, we absolutely mean it.
Seagate Disk Drive Recording Heads
Casual Gaming Tournament Platform
At Seagate Springtown, recording heads for computer disk drives are engineered in cleanroom conditions because dust particles are huge in comparison to the heads’ working parts. The processes are very much like those used in the manufacture of integrated circuits or silicon chips. Layers of conductors, insulators and magnetic materials are built up and patterned on a highly-polished ceramic wafer to form structures so small—the most critical parts of the head are only a few nanometres (billionths of a metre) across—that they are only visible using sophisticated microscopes that use electrons rather than light. In this way, tens of thousands of identical heads are made on each wafer. The patterns are created using lithography—a process similar to photography, using lightsensitive materials, but on a miniature, nano-scale.
Goprezzo is a casual gaming tournament platform that drives monetisation and retention for games developers by allowing gamers to compete for exclusive, brand-sponsored prizes. The platform gives gamers the ability to use their casual gaming scores to compete in online tournaments for valuable, real world prizes including Broadway tickets, luxury fashion accessories and electronics. Through goprezzo’s proprietary score normalising algorithm, gamers can compete to win regardless of their game or platform preference and gives exclusive brands a completely frictionless way to engage with the highly sought after gamer demographic.
About Seagate Seagate came to Northern Ireland in 1993 with the establishment of a wafer fabrication facility at Springtown Industrial Estate in Londonderry. Today, the facility employs some 1,400 people—out of the Americanbased company’s worldwide workforce of 55,000—in the development and manufacture of read-write heads for hard disk drives. The Springtown facility is the largest factory of its type in the recording head industry. It supplies over a million heads every day for Seagate disk drives and uses some of the most advanced technology in existence. The facility is an integral part of Seagate’s supply chain that extends on a global basis.
GopreZZo
About Goprezzo Did You Know? —Seagate makes about 40% of all the world’s disk drives and over two-thirds of them contain heads from Springtown.
Goprezzo is a global company with offices in New York City and Belfast, Northern Ireland. At a high level, their plan is to first fill out the team in NYC with marketing and business development resources, then set their sights on building their business in Asia, using the Belfast office as a key strategic outpost.
creative composites Compression Moulding
Pure Marine DUO Wave Energy Converter
Creative Composites is at the forefront of the composites industry and manufactures market leading glass reinforced components using a range of processes. The company leads the industry in compression moulding using a material called SMC (sheet moulding compound). SMC is suited to high volume applications where a manufacturer is seeking a well-designed product incorporating additional features such as bosses, ribs, alignments, locations and inserts that would normally use extra metal components.
Following research into new design concepts, Pure Marine has developed a new wave energy converter called the DUO, which captures power from both the heave and the pitch/surge motions induced by wave action. The multi-mode power capture features of the DUO mean that the system can generate more electricity from a given wave environment than existing design concepts with similar production and maintenance costs – which translates directly to an equivalent reduction in the cost of energy produced by the DUO.
About Creative Composites
About Pure Marine
Creative Composites is the UK’s most advanced composites manufacturer and are leading the way in what can be achieved. They supply solutions for a wide selection of clients in many different industries including transport, automotive, high fashion furniture and food and beverage with over 60% of its production exported to Europe, USA and Brazil.
Pure Marine Gen Ltd. (Pure Marine) was formed in 2007 by Paul Brewster as a vehicle for the development of wave energy technology. The business is focused on addressing the key challenge facing the wave energy sector – how to produce more energy at a lower cost. There are massive untapped energy sources in the world’s oceans and the UK & Ireland are particularly well placed to exploit them. Recent reports concluded that there is potential to deliver over 75 TWh/y (over 8 times Northern Ireland’s needs) from the UK’s marine energy resources alone.
World leading facilities include advanced compression moulding presses, 5-axis CNC trimming centres, robotics and automated painting. This technology coupled with experienced and knowledgeable staff, enables the company to manufacture high quality innovative composite products.
Did You Know? —Creative Composites customers include world leading luxury sports car manufacturers, one of the world’s largest forklift truck manufacturers and a UK leading bus manufacturer to name but a few.
Did You Know? —One of the first commercial wave energy systems to be deployed anywhere in the world was designed and developed at Queens University, Belfast. —The Wells Turbine is the most widely deployed wave energy technology in the world today. It was invented by Prof. Alan Wells at Queen’s University Belfast in the late 1970s. —The Seagen turbine deployed in Strangford Lough is the largest operating tidal turbine in the world today.
cIti
tactilit y factory
Citi VELOCITY Foreign Exchange Trading Platform
Textiles and Concrete blended architectural surfaces
Recognising the leading role electronic trading plays in the success of their Foreign Exchange business, Citi recently rebuilt their flagship dealing platform, Citi Velocity, from the ground up. They put intuitive customer experience top of the agenda, and used the latest technology to deliver a flexible and space-efficient interface, with a tremendous amount of customisation capability. They also redesigned their infrastructure to deliver marketleading speed in pricing and dealing, along with unparalleled resilience.
Tactility Factory blends the technologies and cultures of textiles and concrete to create unique, tactile and beautiful ‘skins’ that can be used in luxury, high-end interiors delivering unique surfaces with a crafted artisan experience. Their technology can also be integrated into other precast products and used in a variety of applications. By manipulating textile technologies to design the fabrics specifically for combining with concrete technology they have created patented Tactility Factory surfaces. These surfaces have high aesthetic qualities driven by creative innovation, plus acoustic and thermal potential.
About Citi Citi, the leading global bank, has over 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services. Citi first invested in Northern Ireland in 2005 and employs approximately 1,200 people in Belfast, the majority working in technology. The company recognises that this region offers the skills, infrastructure and support necessary to develop its presence here and support growth in key global markets.
Did You Know? —The platform out-performs other trading systems with 60% faster deal times, lower costs, information delivered in realtime and increased desktop efficiency. —Billions of pounds of Citi’s transactions are overseen in Belfast every day
By gaining patents on the technology they have joined the very exclusive group of ‘women inventors’ and although linen and concrete is a slightly odd marriage, the technology is truly ground breaking, as the perfect tactile combination of materials has never been achieved before.
About Tactility Factory Tactility Factory is an innovative, award winning company started in 2005 by the collaborative practice of Trish Belford (textiles) and Ruth Morrow (architecture). It has expanded the potential of concrete from a cold, grey, acoustically harsh and unappealing substance to something that is warm, colourful, acoustically soft. Their unique technologies articulate the surface of concrete without the need for expensive moulds or post-demoulding processes whilst the Tactility Lab encourages collaboration, diversity and experimentation between designers, artists and technologists to bring about innovative products, not just surfaces.
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