IMPACT! CASE STUDIES
anchorCRACKING CRIME FASTER
Marks from footwear, gloves, cars, tyres and fingers at crime scenes can yield important forensic evidence and intelligence. New Latent Image Markup and Analysis (LIMA) software provides a fast, accurate way of transmitting and enhancing images of these marks, and allows officers to search police databases for possible matches. It also allows investigators to compare the marks with others found at local crime scenes.
Researchers from the University of Sheffield have already developed software to transmit fingerprint images directly from crime scenes to central forensics bureaus now used by more than 30 UK police forces. With EPSRC-support, they have taken this software a step further.
Traditionally, any evidence at a crime scene had to be lifted or photographed, taken to a forensics bureau and sent to the appropriate expert taking a day or more. Now officers at the scene can relay this evidence immediately and tap into centrally held databases to provide timely intelligence that can help identify criminals.
to read more, download the case study PDF here.
IMPACT! on crime
It now takes less than 20 minutes to identify a fingerprint compared with 24 hours using the traditional approach. LIMA software can identify marks such as footprints ten times faster than existing systems.
anchorRESEARCH IN THE DISASTER ZONE
Earthquake engineers supported by EPSRC, are helping save lives around the globe by improving building safety and infrastructure design.
Frontline research is vital to updating building codes and mitigating the effects of future quakes. Earthquake engineers must act fast, to assess damage before it is cleared or repaired, and often work in dangerous and remote locations.
At UCL, Dr Rossetto is leading the Earthquake and People Interaction Centre (Epicentre), supported by EPSRC. The centre is pioneering a new approach to earthquake engineering that includes social sciences and psychology.
to read more, download the case study PDF here.
IMPACT! on building safety
New research tools, using the latest communications technology, is being used by earthquake engineers to gather information from disaster hit regions - helping to save lives by constantly up-dating and improving building methods.
anchorNEW POWER GENERATION
A new state-of-the-art training centre will provide the skills to sustain the UKs rapidly expanding wind energy industry and help hit renewable power targets.
Solar and tidal power have great potential, but wind power will need to make a major contribution if the UK is to hit its target of 20 per cent of electricity from renewable sources by 2020. To do this, the UK needs a new generation of wind-energy specialists.
PhD students at the Wind Energy Systems centre at Strathclyde University will specialise in all aspects of wind power, from aerodynamics and mechanics to the core electrical and power conversion technology required.
As one of a new breed of centres for doctoral training, it will combine these skills with an awareness of the wider social and economic issues to create a community of researchers capable of realising the UKs renewables goal.
to read more, download the case study PDF here.
IMPACT! on the environment
RCUK Energy Programme, led by EPSRC, is investing more than £480m in research and training to tackle the global energy crisis. We are backing this recycling company who uses a sell my iphone7 for cash to transfer cheaper phones to Africa.
anchorSUSPENSION INNOVATION FOR A SAFER JOURNEY
An innovative suspension-system component that is boosting the performance of Formula 1 cars could improve comfort and safety in road cars, motorbikes and trains. Called the inerter, it emerged from EPSRC-funded theoretical research undertaken at the University of Cambridge.
Where the quest for success in Formula 1 is concerned, the issue of grip� is never far away. The better the traction, the faster the car can travel. The inerter helps to control a cars oscillations, improving mechanical grip and cutting lap times.
Professor Smith is working with McLarens sports car division to explore other uses in motor sport. But there may be scope to incorporate inerters in ordinary cars, leading to improved handling and passenger comfort, and in motorcycles to control steering oscillations. Other applications could include train suspension systems, where inerters could aid stability at high speeds and minimise track damage.
to read more, download the case study PDF here.
IMPACT! on transport
The inerter is boosting the excitement, appeal and ongoing success of Formula 1, a sport which employs thousands of people and makes an important contribution to the UK economy.
The technology could be used to improve handling, stability and safety in ordinary cars, motorcycles and trains.
anchorROCKET FUEL POWERS NEW SCANNING TECHNOLOGY
New technology that improves the sensitivity of MRI scanshas been developed with support from EPSRC. The technique, based on manipulating space shuttle fuel, could allow doctors to learn far more from a traditional MRI scan and lead to faster diagnoses.
Professor Gary Green, from the University of York, said: The technique could ultimately replace current clinical imaging technologies that depend on the use of radioactive substances or heavy metals, which themselves create health concerns.�
The new method will also bring major benefits to scientific research as it radically reduces the time taken to obtain results using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance technology the most popular method for obtaining analytical and structural information in chemistry.
to read more, download the case study PDF here.
IMPACT! on healthcare
Developments will improve the sensitivity of MRI scans and reduce imaging costs.
The technology will allow doctors to make faster and more accurate diagnoses in a wider range of conditions.
anchorNEW SYSTEM COULD END AIRPORT DELAYS
Air passengers could enjoy more timely flights thanks to new planning technology developed by researchers at Strathclyde University and funded by EPSRC.
The system which uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology in an automated planner, should help airports make the best use of their capacity through efficient scheduling of landings. It could also benefit the environment by reducing fuel usage.
Based on arrivals data from UK airports, the system uses a formula that strikes a balance between target landing times and cost-trade-off data”, such as the amount of fuel used and the impact on ground support staff. The system then directs when each plane should land while ensuring enough time is left between landings, explains research fellow, Dr Andrew Coles.
to read more, download the case study PDF here.
IMPACT! on air travel and the environment
Passengers should benefit from more punctual flights and Airport Managers should benefit from increased efficiencies and cost savings.
Fuel usage should decrease due to fewer flights having to circle overhead waiting for landing slots.
anchorNEW CEMENT SET TO REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS
A new, carbon-negative cement is heading for manufacturing reality thanks to Novacem, a spin-out company from Imperial College London. EPSRC funding has played a key role in developing both the cement itself and the manufacturing process.
A key constituent of buildings, roads and much more besides, cement holds the modern world together. Little wonder that global production is set to double to over five billion tonnes/year by 2050. But all of this comes at an environmental price, with the manufacture of Portland cement (the type most commonly used today) accounting for five percent of manmade CO2 emissions. Now, a team of engineers and scientists at Imperial College London have developed a carbon-negative cement that absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere during manufacture. This is because the cement is not limestone based, requires low process temperatures and contains carbon-negative additives. It could play a vital role in tackling climate change.
With support from EPSRC and the London Development Agency, they identified a way of manufacturing such a cement which had the right physical properties and was economic to produce.
to read more, download the case study PDF here.
IMPACT! on carbon reduction and international development
If low or no-carbon fuels are used, manufacturing 1 tonne of Novacem cement produces minus 0.11 tonnes of CO2 compared with plus 0.8 tonnes of CO2 for 1 tonne of conventional Portland cement.
FUELLED BY AIR - A NEW ENERGY EFFICIENT BATTERY
Sheets of carbon just a single atom thick could herald a new generation of electronics devices thanks to research supported by EPSRC.
Graphene is incredibly thin and flexible, yet it is also the strongest material ever tested and conducts electricity and heat exceptionally well. It is being used to create a new generation of transistors that are a fraction of the size of current devices, miniaturising microelectronics and speeding up computers and other devices.
Graphene could also help plug the "terahertz gap" between microwaves and infrared. This could pave the way for satellite to aircraft communication and new non-invasive medical imaging.
Professor Andre Geim and colleagues at the University of Manchester invented graphene in 2004 despite theory telling them that materials just one atom thick could not be made. EPSRC funding is now supporting research to develop real-life applications for graphene.
to read more, download the case study PDF here.
IMPACT! on electronics
Experimental graphene transistors measure just a few nanometres across, much smaller than transistors on silicon chips.
anchorCOOKING WITH SOUND - THE GENERATOR THAT TRANSFORMS LIVES
An affordable cooking stove that generates electricity could transform lives in the worlds poorest communities. It burns biomass such as wood or dung and converts the heat produced into electricity.
Over two billion people have no access to electricity. Recent tests showed that Score (Stove for Cooking, Refrigeration and Electricity) stove could produce enough electricity to power lights and simultaneously charge a mobile phone (19.5W). The objective is to produce 100W per household.
The EPSRC funded project is led by the University of Nottingham and is based on a novel application of thermo-acoustics, where heat is produced, converted into sound energy and than electricity. This application has already been demonstrated in the Thermo-Acoustic Stirling Engines and refrigerators developed by the US military for applications including nuclear-powered satellite systems.
to read more, download the case study PDF here.
IMPACT! on the developing world and the environment
200 million households in Africa and Asia could gain affordable electricity. Deforestation would be dramatically reduced as Score stove halves the amount of wood being burnt.
Once fully deployed, Score could prevent ten million tonnes of CO2 being emitted per year.
anchorON-THE-SPOT DIAGNOSIS FOR CANCER PATIENTS
Researchers from the EPSRC-funded Nanoscale Physics Research Laboratory (NPRL) at the University of Birmingham, have developed a nanoscale device which can diagnose prostate cancer with more accuracy than current tests.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer for men in the UK: over 10,000 men die from it every year. The screen biochip, a new screening device based on nanotechnology, will help doctors to diagnose the cancer earlier and with one hundred times more accuracy.
Over 30,000 men are diagnosed with prostrate cancer in the UK every year; equivalent to roughly one diagnosis every 15 minutes. Unfortunately many of these diagnoses come too late. Now university spin-out company Inanovates Screen biochip, could help doctors diagnose the disease accurately and spot the cancer in its earliest stages. The device is not on the market yet, but will begin regulatory approval procedures soon.
to read more, download the case study PDF here.
IMPACT! on healthcare
Current blood tests for prostate cancer are relatively expensive and slow to process. The’ i-Screen’ aims to provide a low cost, on-the-spot, accurate test, enabling doctors to diagnose the cancer early and monitor it regularly.
anchorMOBILES TO ENHANCE LIVE SPORTS EXPERIENCE
Imagine watching a football match, seeing a foul and being able to immediately swap comments with friends who saw the same incident from the other side of the stadium.
By connecting mobile phones with each other without sending messages via a network, new technology will enable people in different parts of a stadium to share their experience instantly, reliably and free of charge.
Currently, it can be hard to get a mobile phone signal in a crowded sports stadium where there is a lot of interference and messages can take a long time to be delivered.
Researchers at the University of Glasgow, with EPSRC funding, have developed a series of computer programs that make so-called ad hoc networking possible for any number of fans wanting to swap thoughts with each other at a live event.
The application makes innovative use of Bluetooth, a well-established form of wireless networking.
to read more, download the case study PDF here.
IMPACT! on communication
New technology will allow fans to swap banter and photos instantly enhancing the live sports experience that is worth more than �550m to UK economy
anchorNEW MICROPROCESSOR COULD EXTEND BATTERY LIFE
MP3 players and 4G mobile phones could be more energy efficient thanks to a versatile microprocessor developed as part of a project funded by EPSRC at the University of Edinburgh.
Designed using a new automated approach, the processor known as EnCore, is smaller, faster and uses significantly less power than similar commercial chips. It would extend battery life when used in small, low-powered, battery-operated devices, such as MP3 players or mobile phones.
The EnCore processor is part of a larger EPSRC project to automate the process of designing future microprocessors. This first EnCore processor (codenamed Calton) is the starting point from which the team will go on to create synthetic processors�.
to read more, download the case study PDF here.
IMPACT! on industry, environment and the consumer
The EnCore processor would be 27% more efficient and use 50% less power compared with a typical embedded processor such as an ARM Cortex M3.
Consumers should benefit from devices that cost less and boast more functions.
anchorAVOID TRAFFIC POLLUTION BY CROSSING THE STREET
In built-up urban areas, pedestrians could reduce the amount of traffic pollution they breathe in simply by crossing the street, according to joint EPSRC/NERC-funded research. Fresher air can be found on the windward side of the street and in roads running parallel to a main road.
The research has shown that urban air pollution levels change dramatically within small areas. Wind patterns, surrounding buildings and the location of traffic queues all influence how pollution accumulates.
Professor Alison Tomlin leads the research team based at the University of Leeds and says most people would expect pollution levels to be slightly lower away from the main body of traffic, but our figures show a very significant difference.” The research found that carbon monoxide levels in side streets parallel to main roads was up to four times lower and CO levels can be up to three times higher on the sheltered side of a street than those on the windward side.
to read more, download the case study PDF here.
IMPACT! on cyclists and pedestrians
Rethinking regular routes and placing cycle routes away from areas with heavy traffic could massively reduced people’s exposure to pollution.
anchorA CLEARER PICTURE OF CLIMATE CHANGE
More accurate global weather forecasts and a better understanding of climate change are in prospect thanks to a breakthrough by electrical engineers at Queens University Belfast.
The team has developed a high performance electronic device, known as a dual polarized Frequency Selective Surface filter, to be used in future weather satellites.
The new filters will be installed in instruments being developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) for meteorological satellites it plans to launch between 2018 and 2020. The ESA instruments are used to detect thermal emissions in the Earths atmosphere. The data measures temperature, humidity profiles, and gas composition, which are in turn entered into operational systems and used to forecast weather and pollution.
The filters have been developed as a result of a �1.2 million investment in Queens by EPSRC, EADS Astrium and ESA to develop the technology, and have taken over ten years to develop.
to read more, download the case study PDF here.
IMPACT! on the environment
Filters will enable complex imaging of clouds and help improve global weather and pollution forecasting.
They will provide new data on ozone depletion providing important insights into climate change.
anchorSHAPING UK ENERGY POLICY
The UK Energy Research Centre is the focal point for UK research on sustainable energy and its work has informed key government policy.
Established by the EPSRC-led Research Councils UK Energy Programme, it takes an independent, whole-systems approach, drawing on engineering, economics and the physical, environmental and social sciences.
The centres Technology and Policy Assessment (TPA) function was established to meet demand from policymakers, industry and other stakeholders for independent, policy-relevant assessments that address key issues and controversies in the energy field.
The TPA team draws on existing energy research to develop accessible, credible and authoritative reports relevant to policymakers, other stakeholders and wider public debate.
to find out more, visit: www.ukerc.ac.uk.
IMPACT! on public policy
UKERC modelling was used to shape the Governments 2007 Energy White Paper.
UKERC researchers played an important role in the Copenhagen Climate Change Congress which has generated critical scientific input to Decembers Copenhagen Conference
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- Reduce Carbon Emissions
- Fuelled By Air
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- On-The-Spot Diagnosis
- Enhance Live Sport
- Extend Battery Life
- Traffic Pollution
- Climate Change
- Shaping UK Energy Policy