Pathways to Impact Award : University of Nottingham

Lead Research Organisation: University of Nottingham
Department Name: Div of Materials Mech and Structures

Abstract

Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.

Publications

10 25 50
 
Title The University of Nottingham - Impact Time Capsule 
Description The Time Capsule project was developed as a tool to encourage researchers to share their experiences of impact in any of its form. The Time Capsule was used to capture 11 stories of impact from a range of academic staff across engineering and physical sciences. Each story comprises a physical object relevant to the academic's research and a video of them telling the story - including their hopes and dreams for how the full impact will one day be realized. The video stories were captured by Brady Haran - a long time collaborator with the University of Nottingham. The Time Capsule tours the University - being placed in public spaces for passing traffic to view and explore. 
Type Of Art Artefact (including digital) 
Year Produced 2014 
Impact The series of 11 YouTube videos published on this project have had combined views of more than 223,000 (to November 2014, 266,000 to March 2016 with no additional marketing). A further set of stories from new contributors is being planned. March 2016- the exhibit is now a part of the current Technology Demonstrator showcase. 
URL http://www.test-tube.org.uk/capsule/
 
Description Pathways-to-Impact funding was provided to institutions to catalyse a step-change in academic behaviour and better embed impact-related activities, provide inspiration and generate best practice for full integration of impact activities into future funding applications.

The University of Nottingham response to this was to support underpinning activities delivered by two principle initiatives to support the impact agenda, the Technology Demonstrator (a part of the Technology Transfer Office) and Shanghai EXPO.
Exploitation Route A number of the sub-projects facilitated with this institutional level funding have acquired further development support or have been commercialized or moved towards a self sustaining footing.
Sectors Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Chemicals,Environment,Healthcare,Other
 
Description A number of distinct project level activities were supported under this institutional grant. Specific outcomes include critical work that underpinned a spin-out company formation in 2014 (Heartlight Systems Ltd) and a commercially delivered training course that is co-delivered with the Design Council (Design for Technology Transfer). Unique engagement activities supported by this grant include activities at Shanghai EXPO during 2010, the operation and expansion of the Technology Demonstrator showcases and the ongoing Impact Time Capsule project.
First Year Of Impact 2011
Sector Chemicals,Construction,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Energy,Healthcare,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology,Other
Impact Types Cultural,Economic
 
Description InnovateUK/MRC Biomedical Catalyst
Amount £1,400,000 (GBP)
Funding ID HeartLight: Heart-Rate Monitoring for Neonatal Resuscitation 
Organisation Innovate UK 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 03/2015 
End 08/2017
 
Description Intellectual Property Office - Fast Forward awards - Design for Technology Transfer toolkit and training course
Amount £100,000 (GBP)
Organisation Intellectual Property Office (IPO) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 11/2011 
End 11/2012
 
Description Assessment of antimicrobial coatings for medical devices 
Organisation MicroPort Medical
Country China 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution The PIA project supported an academic team to work with Microport, a leading Chinese developer of medical technologies. Samples of Microports products were obtained and coated with proprietary University materials to assess their potential to improve the microbial resistance of the Microport products and medical devices in general.
Collaborator Contribution The partner company assessed the coated products and provided advice and guidance on future developments to the UK academic team.
Impact Outcomes included the preparation of commercial medical products complete with proprietary antimicrobial coatings.
Start Year 2011
 
Description Exploration of design techniques for Technology Transfer 
Organisation Design Council
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution The Technology Transfer team shared projects in it's commercialization portfolio with design professionals provided by the Design Council to explore how traditional design techniques could be used to accelerate the commercialization process of University Intellectual Property.
Collaborator Contribution The Design Council provided an experienced Design Mentor to review portfolio projects and identify commonly applied design techniques that could be used to accelerate commercialization.
Impact The activity led to the collaborative bidding and winning of the Intellectual Property Office grant of £100k (fast forward awards) to develop a new training course to educate technology transfer professionals in the use of design. The training course runs twice per year to paying delegates.
Start Year 2010
 
Description Exploration of new high performance insulation material 
Organisation Building Research Establishment
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution The researchers had developed a unique cellulose based aerogel material that had the potential to provide very high levels of thermal insulation but for a fraction of the thickness associated with existing insulation materials.
Collaborator Contribution The partner provided a platform to showcase the technology to the construction industry and provided general advice and guidance on appropriate routes to commercialisation.
Impact A full market assessment was produced that was used as the basis for downstream investment funding. March 2016. Further testing developed with support of BRE revealed significant flaws in the technology performance. The original concept is not being developed further but parallel and offshoot opportunities are still being explore by the research group.
Start Year 2011
 
Title Heartlight heart rate sensor - development of path to market toolkit 
Description The principal clinical application of the Heartlight heart rate sensor is as a tool to monitor the resuscitation of newborn babies in the delivery room. The device enables constant reliable heart rate information to be provided to the clinician so that accurate decisions are made on the resuscitation of a newborn without the delays associated with the use of a stethoscope. This activity involved the detailed assessment of the patented Heartlight heart rate sensor and a full regulatory and commercial review to define the optimum route to market for the technology. 
Type Diagnostic Tool - Non-Imaging
Current Stage Of Development Early clinical assessment
Year Development Stage Completed 2011
Development Status Under active development/distribution
Impact The path to market toolkit directly contributed towards the formation of Heartlight systems Ltd - a new university of Nottingham spin out company in 2014. 
 
Company Name HeartLight Systems Limited 
Description HeartLight Systems was set up as a joint venture between the University of Nottingham and Tioga Ltd to develop neonatal monitoring systems based on novel detection sensors. 
Year Established 2014 
Impact The company have recently received a TSB Biomedical Catalyst award to further develop the HeartLight monitors; the total project value is £1.74M. The Path to Market toolkit developed with support from EP/I500588/1 was critical in making the case for the Biomedical Catalyst Funding and also in securing initial pump priming investment for Heartlight Systems Ltd.