From 2006 – 2010, Qi3 successfully led the Advanced Instrumentation activities of the Sensors & Instrumentation KTN – SIKTN. Today, under the newly merged Electronics, Sensors, Photonics KTN – ESP KTN, which was formed in July 2010, we continue to run the Advanced Instrumentation Group.
The ESP KTN Advanced Instrumentation Group is active in brokering partnerships and collaborative R&D projects and supporting and stimulating innovation by encouraging enhanced linkages throughout the supply chain, and between organisations and industry. Advanced Instrumentation accounts for approximately £9 billion of business for the UK economy and indireectly underpins £125 billion of trade in other sectors including Healthcare, Life Sciences, Defence and Aerospace.
Qi3’s key domains in the KTN have been research instrumentation, life sciences, environmental monitoring, space instrumentation & payloads, security applications, deployment of instruments in hostile environments and more recently remote sensing.
Since beginning the programme, Qi3’s team of instrumentation professionals – with expertise in security, space, life sciences, environmental monitoring, scientific research and oil & gas – have worked as part of the wider KTN to bring companies up to speed on advanced instrumentation across a large range of component and instrument technologies, via networking, marketing and events. With over 50 events completed and hundreds of events supported Qi3 has received some excellent references along the way.
“Within GSK, Qi3 has had a real impact on image analysis in drug discovery and the process analysis for reactors by introducing the company to excellent scientists who are not in our normal fields of expertise.
Malcolm Skingle
GlaxoSmithKline“I am a new member to the KTN and didn’t realise the opportunities that it gave. The light sources meeting I felt was very positive. As a member of the UK research community I felt it can only be good to liaise with industry. Thanks for all your efforts.
Jonathan Hares
Kentech InstrumentsKnowledge Exchange with its associated workshops and brokering activity is no mere talking shop. We are entirely focused on increasing the rate of technological and business innovation within the instrumentation sector, and promoting novel applications of instrumentation. We have supported businesses and research groups in generating over £40m of new innovation finance in Advanced Instrumentation projects.
“The centre for NanoHealth (CNH) at Swansea University would like to acknowledge the support of the Sensors KTN for its invaluable help…
“The information resulting from this survey was used as part of our business plan for CNH. The outcome of our bid was the support of the CNH by the Welsh Assembly Government through WEFO. The £22M project received £10M funding from WEFO.
Steve Conland
Centre for NanoHealthSome highlights of the KTN’s activity include:
- Securing £97m of funding for members. This works out at a ratio of funding secured for members compared to the original public sector investment in the KTN of 22:1
- Over 152 events organised in total
- Substantially supported 948 member organisations
- Published 46 roadmaps and reports.
- In the 12 months to June 2010, 1,298 member organisations were active in the KTN
- As at June 2010, the KTN was in touch with 2,366 organisations: 91% of the estimated market size.
We are proud of our business-focused approach to Knowledge Exchange and the success that this has delivered for members of Electronics, Sensors, Photonics KTN. We look forward to continuing our efforts to stimulate innovation in instrumentation through the Advanced Instrumentation Group. The Advanced Instrumentation Group helps companies to accelerate their innovation through access to expertise, novel research, and supply chain partners. This is achieved through membership of the _Connect web platform, support from theme coordinators and networking workshops.