Labels: Advanced Computing

Founded in 2006, Ausra is a technology company which focuses on solar-thermal electrical (STE) power production. STE power is an advanced form of solar power generation that utilizes heat rather than light (the method more commonly found in solar panels). Based in Palo Alto, California, this relatively young company has already netted over $40 million in investments from firms such as Khosla Ventures and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. The attraction of investors to Ausra is that their approach to solar power focuses on utility, large-scale, and cheaply produced panels which are also able to generate more power than other designs. This improved approach utilizes compact linear fresnel reflectors (or CLFRs). According to IeeeSpectrum.com, “The mirrors appear to be solid but are actually made up of many smaller, movable reflectors, each with a slight curve. The system uses nearly flat mirrors at ground level that focus the sun's light onto water-filled steel tubes. When the water boils, it directly drives a steam turbine to generate electricity.”

Ausra’s innovations are based on technological designs by the company’s CEO, David Mills. Mills has been a researcher since 1975, and from 1980 to 2006, he conducted solar energy research at the University of Sydney in Australia. Although Fortune reports that solar power only represents roughly 1% of the power grid in the U.S., it is a booming field. In July, 2008, Ausra opened its first factory in Nevada to begin production of its thermal solar panels and mirrors. The demand for land, particularly in the ‘sun rich’ American southwest has increased dramatically in recent years. Companies such as BrightSource Energy are making a grab for acreage to get a share of what is estimated to be a solar power market worth 45 billion by 2020. With immense national and international attention being paid to the development of green technologies and renewable energy sources, it can be expected that investment in the development of solar-energy will increase. An economically viable and productive method, Ausra’s solar-thermal electrical (STE) approach is on the cutting edge of innovation for solar-energy technology.

There are numerous economic and political implications that go along with the wide-spread implementation of solar-thermal power in the United States. Ausra claims that it would only require about 8500 sq. mi. (92x92, specifically) of its CLFR panels to reduce United States green house gas emissions by 50 percent. Going further than that, it may be possible for Americans to get a majority of their power from solar energy, particularly from solar-thermal electricity, because solar-thermal is capable of being stored, and generated on demand during day or night. Such a shift towards solar-thermal and away from dependence on foreign oil would have dramatic impact on U.S. political relations with various countries around the world, particularly members of OPEC. Austra’s innovative technological foundations paired with the emerging clean-energy market (and the demand for that energy) give Ausra the potential for a strong, successful future.

Labels: Advanced Energy

NovaWave Technologies is a designer and manufacturer of advanced chemical sensors for both the military and commercial industries. The company’s proprietary technology revolves around its use of laser and photonic optical technologies to enhance sensor sensitivity, precision, and accuracy. According to NovaWave, the company’s core competencies include optical spectroscopies, laser physics, chemical detection, and microfluidics. Moreover, its staff has “pioneered numerous developments in absorption and fluorescence spectroscopies, non-linear spectroscopies, and optical scattering methods.” Given the extreme accuracy and sensitivity of NovaWave’s laser-enhanced sensors, the technology has numerous potential applications including: chemical/biological agent detection, trace explosives detection, greenhouse gas/pollution monitoring, for homeland security, metrology, biomedical applications and applied research. NovaWave offers its customers high scalability, low-cost, customizable products with rapid time-to-market. Not surprisingly, the US government, specifically the Department of Defense, has taken great interest in NovaWave’s optical technology. From 2000-2007 NovaWave has received just over $5.1 million in defense contracts and research funding. While the military certainly represents a huge market potential for NovaWave, the commercial sector is also rife with opportunities. Given the highly adaptive nature of NovaWave’s products and the vast number of potential applications of optical sensors in various industries, assessing the market value proves difficult. However, according to the-infoshop.com, by 2012 the value of the chemical sensor industry in the US will reach $5 billion. Moreover, “Demand for chemical sensors based on emerging technologies, such as optical sensors, will see the fastest gains.” Clearly, NovaWave has a long-term market lush with opportunities for investment and development.

NovaWave Technology is an advanced photonics company based in Redwood city, California. Founded in 2002, the company’s mission is to develop optically-based chemical detection instrumentation, primarily for the military but also for civilian markets. Recently NovaWave expanded research into microfluidics for biomedical applications in clinical diagnostics. NovaWave is in the process of securing partnerships with key industry leaders in order to streamline its manufacturing processes and best serve its customers.

Established in 2002 in Milpitas, CA, Grandis is applying the theories of spintronics to advanced computing to produce a revolutionary second generation MRAM platform. Spintronics examines the motions of electrons and the ways that spin can be exploited for various applications. When applied to the semiconductor industry, spintronics has the capability of drastically increasing the amount of memory that can be stored in increasingly smaller spaces. Grandis’ core technology is its non-volatile Spin-transer Torque Random Access Memory or STT-RAM, which it claims has a faster read/write speed than SRAM, same capacity and low cost as DRAM, and has virtually unlimited endurance. Additionally, the process by which STT-RAM is manufactured is simpler and cheaper than that of first generation MRAM. Furthermore, as the industry continues to push towards 45 nm standards, companies will be forced to adopt new manufacturing processes. Grandis’ innovation operates with high scalability beyond the 45 nm node and as such operates on extremely low power. STT-RAM is backed by more than 80 issued and pending patents worldwide, including 30 US patents. Grandis’ innovation is truly a breakthrough technology as it is derived from Grandis’ own cutting-edge research in spintronics. Since STT-RAM overcomes the limitations of other RAM designs, the technology has an array of possible applications including: automotive applications, consumer electronic applications, and commercial semiconductor applications. Moreover, according to OneSource, in 2006 the semiconductor industry was worth $45 billion in the US alone, up 4.6% from 2005. During the same time period, integrated circuits accounted for 90% of all US semiconductor sales. It seems evident that Grandis has a huge market potential in the near and long-term future. In addition, according to Grandis, STT-RAM “…has the potential to create new sectors in the semiconductor industry and enable entirely new products not yet envisaged.”

In March 2007 Grandis was awarded about $700,000 from the National Science Foundation for the development of its STT-RAM technology. More recently Grandis received about $15 million in venture funding to commercialize its product, demonstrating the commercial and technological value of STT-RAM.

Labels: Advanced Computing

CoreMedia is implementing innovative solutions for bridging communication gaps within and between companies, their clients, and their partners. The company employs a vast portfolio of disruptive enterprise 2.0 software in order to cheaply and efficiently network staff, clients, and partners to deliver true synergy to its customers. CoreMedia has three web-based software innovations that comprise its enterprise solution package: Content Management Systems (CMS), WebTV, and Digital Rights Management (DRM). CoreMedia’s CMS software is capable of company-wide applications and is designed to easily integrate into existing systems; thus, maximizing interoperability with existing databases. As such, the software proves applicable in intranets, public/high traffic media portals, and e-government portals. Moreover, the software is able to interface with a company’s preexisting Customer Relationship Management (CRM) databases, allowing for a cheap way to share vital data among employees, partners, and clients. CoreMedia also offers its customers a WebTV platform designed to smooth communications and both vertical and horizontal operations. The IT behind CoreMedia’s WebTV is designed specifically for business applications and as such is designed to be easily installed and operable with an extremely user-friendly interface. WebTV may be used for various applications including: inter/intra-company networking, advertising campaigns, and press/investor relations. The final item included in CoreMedia’s enterprise package is its DRM content protection software. Designed to be highly flexible, the software is applicable in both home and professional settings, on multiple devices, with three levels of security. As disruptive technology, these software applications do not necessarily revolutionize the industry, nor do they suggest broad technological or political impacts. However, these applications do offer companies effective, inexpensive enterprising solutions. Moreover, according to Gartnet Inc. in 2007 the enterprise content management market was worth $2.9 billion in the US alone. With that in mind, there is undoubtedly a strong market potential for flexible, inexpensive, easy-to-use enterprising systems. This is evident in the vast portfolio of technological awards CoreMedia has earned in recognition of its innovative approaches to enterprise software. In fact, since the company was founded it has received 13 international awards.

CoreMedia was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Hamburg, Germany. Since its inception, the company has established itself as a leader in web technology and intranet solutions. Although the enterprise content management industry is chalk-full of potential competitors, CoreMedia offers highly innovative, personalized solutions. Additionally, CoreMedia maintains a global network of implementation partners to provide its customers quality products for low prices. The company serves public, private, and government bodies worldwide.

Labels: Advanced Computing

Cavendish Kinetics is a fabless semi-conductor company founded in 1994 in Holland. As a fabless company, Cavendish simply designs its products and outsources the physical production of those products. Since 1994, the company has been developing embedded non-volatile memory solutions. The company’s core technology, Nanomech, is the product of extensive research at the University of Cambridge Cavendish Laboratories. Cavendish’s patented Nanomech technology is a process module that supports various types of non-volatile memory. Cavendish advertises the module as a breakthrough innovation that is highly flexible and adaptable to the individual client’s needs. Specifically, Nanomech is sold as a complete IP package with seamless integration into a chosen CMOS facility. Because the module uses standarad CMOS technology, no new investment in equipment or materials is necessary on the part of the client. Nanomech also operates on ultra low-power, just 25 PicoJoules, enabling it to operate on native voltage without any conversion. However, the module is programmable to operate on higher voltages should the need arise. Additionally, Nanomech is designed to operate efficiently in extremely harsh conditions. So far the module has proven itself capable of operating normally in 200+ degrees centigrade with an extremely high tolerance for radiation. The flexibility and efficiency of Nanomech proves the technology suitable for various applications including: automotive, medical, aerospace, military, and industrial applications. Since Nanomech is an embedded apparatus, it has the potential to drastically improve the operations of any device to which it is applied. By extension, Nanomech has the potential to revolutionize any industry in which it is implemented. For this reason, Cavendish’s innovation may have extensive technological impacts. In reference to Cavendish’s Nanomech Rich Wawrzyniak, Senior Analyst at Semico Research Corporation, says that “With the trend towards increasing numbers of CPU and DSP cores, the demand for embedded memory is going to do nothing but grow. The major hurdle is to find memory technologies that can be applied to popular processes and if these technologies don't require exotic materials and are in themselves relatively low cost, and if they give the memory densities at the right speeds, then the growth potential for this technology is very high.” In fact, according to OneSource, by 2012 the global semiconductor market is expected to grow 53.6% to be valued at approximately $434.8 billion. Consequently, Cavendish will find itself in a market saturated with potential customers, each of whom it will offer a cheap, easy to install, solution to enhance their processes.

Labels: Nanotechnology

Since its formation in 1997, FotoNation has become a world leader in providing embedded imaging and communication services for various industries. The company’s core competencies lay in its ability to provide its clients with improved digital connectivity software. Specifically, FotoNation has developed advanced technology to: identify and correct red-eye phenomenon, track and recognize facial features, detect and remove dust, and correct motion blur. These innovations improve the efficiency and operability of the devices in which they are embedded. Moreover, this technology is backed by several US patents and is currently the basic industry standard. In fact, in 2005 FotoNation authored the PTP-IP Specification which is the international camera connectivity CIPA-005/2005 standard. In addition to manufacturing products for the digital camera industry, FotoNation is active in several other markets including: imaging chiplets, printers, internet service providers, cell phones, PDA’s, and computers. As a participant in the global commercial services industry, FotoNation has a vast market potential. According to Onesource, this industry was valued at $2.2 trillion in 2007 and is forecasted to be worth $2.6 trillion by 2012, a 3.9% growth rate. As such, FotoNation will continue to see increased opportunity for advancement. In fact, in 2006 the company was awarded the DIMA Innovative Product Award, as well as the European IST Award for their red-eye detection software. These awards demonstrate industry confidence in FotoNation’s potentially groundbreaking approach to embedded imaging.

In February, 2008 FotoNation was acquired by Tessera Technologies Inc. Tessera is a developer and licenser of miniaturization technologies for the micro-optics industry with a focus on chip packaging solutions. While FotoNation is now subsidiary of Tessera, the company will keep its brand name and control of its operations. Furthermore, FotoNation will benefit from Tessera’s extensive industry experience as well as its vast resources. In 2007 Tessera reported revenues of $195.7 million.

Labels: Advanced Computing

Based in Scotts Valley, CA, Add-Vision Incorporated is a hardware technology development company which specializes in printed electronics. Add-Vision utilizes polymer organic light-emitting diode display technology, or P-OLED. P-OLED displays are low-information content displays that are potentially useful in a wide variety of areas including consumer and military applications due to their adaptability, low-resolution and low production cost. Idtechex.com explains that Add-Vision Inc. intellectual property and innovation represents a ‘truly disruptive P-OLED display technology’ whose product is a highly robust, flexible structure, ‘fabricated using high-speed printing techniques.’

Add-Vision Inc. is a mid-start age company which began researching P-OLED in 2001 and now controls most of the intellectual property related to P-OLED display technology. This gives them a strong competitive advantage in that field. Add-Vision technology is disruptive specifically because of its low-cost approach and innovation with regards to manufacturing P-OLED displays. Low cost of production and mass application will impact ‘intelligent’ media products, electronic wearables, control panels, and smart labels to name a few. A recent NanoMarket report estimates that by 2015 the market may approach $21.6 billion due to the, ‘growing demand for flexible, large area electronic circuitry from packaging, displays, smartcards, sensors and other industry sectors.’ However, because it is a relatively new technology and only a few companies are involved in its development, a lack of diversity may create potential risks which are as of yet, unknown.

Add-Vision Inc. presents an innovative and highly adaptive approach by cheaply producing printed electronics and in particular, polymer organic light-emitting diode displays. The low-cost, mass application and mass production aspects of P-OLED innovation represent significant technological advancements. Societal implications are also large, as P-OLED panels may be used in/on any number of surfaces which otherwise would be unable to support a display/computer panel. Environmentally speaking, P-OLED’s are carbon-based (organic), making their disposal green-friendly. It can be expected that the military and civilian application of Add-Vision products and printed electronics as a whole will expand well into the foreseeable future.

Labels: Advanced Computing

Based in Alameda, CA, Aurora Biofuels is a renewable energy startup company which uses algae generated oils as a source of biodiesel fuel. Founded in 2006, Aurora explores new sources of biofuels which are designed to come from a non-agricultural source. The company’s genetically engineered microalgae are able to rapidly produce bio-oil in large quantities. Unlike other biofuel sources such as corn or soy, using algae does not reduce feedstock for human consumption. As a result of photosynthesis, the algae remove carbon-dioxide from the air while it grows, further contributing to reducing green house gases. Algae produce more bio-oil per acre than traditional biodiesel crops and Aurora plans to utilize open-pond systems for bio-oil production, which are large and relatively inexpensive to construct but may be subject to intrusion by ‘weed’ organisms.

Aurora Biofuels energy solutions are based on technology previously developed by microbial biology professor and hydrogen fuel pioneer Tasios Melis, a professor at the University of California at Berkley. Since it is such a young company and the market for biofuels is constantly changing, it is difficult to estimate the exact market value for Aurora Biofuels research or innovation. However, investors are clearly taking an interest in the future prospects of algae-based biofuels. Aurora recently received 20 million in investment from several firms including Oak Investment Partners, Gabriel Venture Partners, and Noventi. It is estimated that the Compound Annual Growth Rate (or CAGR) for the biofuel market will grow by 12.3 percent between 2007 and 2014, which is very attractive to investors. The fact that algae produce 125x higher yield bio-oil than corn (ethanol) at 50 percent of the cost makes the future of algae generated biodiesel look promising. Currently, there are only a few other companies such as Solix Biofuels and Synthetic Genomics, which are also developing algae based bio-oils.

Reducing American dependence on foreign oil and finding sustainable, renewable energy sources is currently a key area of interest and investment. The benefits Aurora Biofuels presents through the harvesting of bio-oil from algae is a positive contribution to this effort, and helps to solve contemporary energy needs. There are numerous potential implications from the utilization of Aurora Biofuel technology including political, environmental, and economical. A successful reduction in national dependence on oil could have significant political impact on U.S. relations with oil producing nations. Algae based biodiesel production would help reduce carbon dioxide, thus lowering green house gases while also producing oxygen; both are positive for the environment. Economically, algae require less space and resources (e.g. water) while producing more bio-oil than other crops which gives it a potentially high profit margin and low cost-benefit ratio. Aurora Biofuels research and technology offers a potentially profitable, environmentally beneficial renewable energy resource which is at the leading edge of biodiesel and clean energy development.

Labels: Advanced Energy

Digital Imagery has grown exponentially in recent years followed closely by a mass of created and stored images. PiXLogic software introduces a breakthrough technology used to analyze, index, and search the contents of both video and image files. PiXLogic software lays claim to: “mimicking human sight to mine image content”. PiXLogic provides a visual search engine identical to a web-based search engine, instead using image and video files as the query and the results instead of solely text. The pioneering technology is automated and can be extracted from the content extremely fast. The application has the unique capability to “see” objects as well as text. The piXLogic application compacts trend data from the objects which is then stored as data. The piXLogic search feature allows the patron to use a full image or a portion of the image to search the cataloged images. The visual search capacity can complement the existing audio and text search. The software can identify traits such as color, position, shape, orientation, size etc. in the image. The previous problem of a lack of space can be eliminated as the database typically represents less than 1% of the original image file. Following analysis and identification the automated software compacts a mathematical format to store of the objects and images in a much smaller form.

PiXLogic generates the majority of its revenue through its two flagship products, the piXserve and piXsearch SDK web based interface applications. Based in Los Altos, California, the privately owned piXLogic aims to target consumers on an international level. PiXLogic boasts compact and multi-threaded software which supports multiple configurations, and promises to provide real time analysis for video feeds to aid security and surveillance exercises. The market for these products can range from private enterprise to government security agencies. PiXLogic, however, sees the biggest opportunity for implementation of their technologies in the media sector, where they deal with new material that is manually labeled daily. With the onset and swell of the digital imagery market, this software will become more practical. The breakthrough technology will spread its impact across all sectors as a revolutionary tool, while the visual imagery world turns digital.

Genomatica is a leader in the fields of bioengineering and computational modeling. Based in San Diego, CA, the company was founded in 2000 by Christophe Schilling and Bernhard Palsson with a mission to enable bio-manufactured chemical technology. With experience and expertise in the fields of computational modeling and chemical manufacturing, the company creates biological and metabolic models with predictive capabilities. This technology allows the company to adaptively evolve living cells to become biological factories capable of sustainably producing a variety of chemical and biological products. According to Genomatica’s President and Chief Science Officer Christophe Schilling, “This technology and others that are rounding out our platform, are now enabling us to unlock large market opportunities for biologically-derived products including small molecule chemicals and fuels, as well as protein-based therapeutics." Genomatica’s approach is not a new innovation, rather, an improvement upon current technologies by combining advanced modeling techniques with biological and chemical manufacturing. According to Mark Burk, Genomatica’s senior vice president for research and commercial development, “Genomatica is developing processes for the clean, sustainable manufacture of industrial chemicals and fuels from renewable feedstocks…” The company will be joining the city of San Diego’s initiative to become a center for green technology innovation. As a consequence of this initiative, several other companies have begun to invest in bioengineering. Specifically, Amyris, LS9, Synthetic Genomics, Novomer, and Segitis have all invested in developing similar technology. All of them, however, incorporate some amount of chemical processes in the development of their final products. Genomatica is the only company exclusively using biological processes and according to VentureBeat, of the firms receiving funding for biofuel R&D, Genomatica has received the most funding to date; approximately $24 million. Moreover, Genomatica’s IP puts it well ahead of the rest of the pack as the company’s core technology is based on its US Patent 7,127,379 entitled “Method for the Evolutionary Design of Biochemical Reaction Networks.” To further consolidate its position as an industry leader, Genomatica has signed exclusive licensing agreements with both the University of California – San Diego and the Pennsylvania State University. The licensed technology is a core part of Genomatica’s Integrated Metabolic Engineering Platform.

Given the recent “green” drive by San Diego and indeed the rest of the world, Genomatica has a large market potential that will only grow with time. This innovation will undoubtedly affect the environment in a positive way since biofuels are both sustainable and clean. The technology has already made an impression on the US government as is evident by the research funding provided to Genomatica by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This funding will be used to expand Genomatica’s research capabilities as currently the company has no plans to reach a large-scale production capacity. According to VentureBeat, the company is in the process of developing “bolt-on” facilities to existing, multi-billion dollar plants owned by larger companies.” This partnership model allows Genomatica to invest more heavily in R&D while licensing its technology for production and sale. In short, the biological and chemical outputs produced by Genomatica’s proprietary technology are cheaper, cleaner, and more abundant than conventional energy products.

Labels: Advanced Computing

GreenPeak Technologies was formed in 2007 with the merger of Ubiwave and Xanadu Wireless with the goal of being the foremost provider of green wireless networking services. The company’s core technology combines existing technologies in the fields of wireless networking, alternative energy, and advanced programming to produce a truly breakthrough innovation. The Lime CM-09 module, GreenPeak’s main product, combines advances in hardware and software to best serve the customer. With a retail price of $1390 for the Starter Kit and $6950 for the Development Suite, the Lime CM-09 is relatively cheap considering the technology. The module, less than 1 square inch in size, has three particularly innovative features: an advanced mesh networking protocol patented by GreenPeak, an energy harvesting-capable interface, and an ultra-low-power operating system. Wireless mesh networking allows for long range communication by utilizing several nodes to transmit a message along the most efficient path possible. GreenPeak’s mesh network protocol is similar to traditional mesh networking architectures but was cleverly adapted to operate without batteries. However, GreenPeak does produce variants of the Lime CM-09 that are compatible with traditional power sources. Moreover, all of GreenPeak’s products are compliant with Zigbee and IEEE 802.15.4 standards. The module was designed using GreenPeak’s radio silicon to be extremely energy efficient. As such, incorporated in the software is a network clock that switches nodes on only when they are receiving or transmitting a packet. Finally, the Lime CM-09 includes software capable of interfacing with various energy harvesting technologies. While the module itself does not harvest energy, its ability to interface with such technology means customers may utilize energy harvesting if they desire.

If adopted on a broad scale this technology may very well have a ripple effect on the world of wireless networking. The energy conserved makes GreenPeak’s products more environmentally friendly than those of competitors. The technology also proves extremely cost efficient since battery replacement and cabling is not an issue. GreenPeak’s revenue model is based on the adaptability and efficiency of its core technology. For this reason, the company’s products may be applicable in various deployments. GreenPeak primarily targets four main industries: building automation, safety and security, healthcare, and asset management. Each of these industries is rich with market potential for low-power wireless sensors. Moreover, GreenPeak offers its customers the ability to completely customize their chips and modules. For example, OEM companies can integrate GreenPeak’s modules into their products for monitoring and control and can retrofit the modules with virtually any type of energy harvester. Additionally, companies can add their own applications to the modules, thus reducing overall cost to the companies using Green Peak’s technology. While there are some well-established companies (Ember Corp., Freescale, TI) currently operating in the same space as GreenPeak, according to GreenPeak’s CEO Cees Links "We are coming at this from a different perspective—focusing on end nodes—and not as a means to sell unit volumes of MCUs or processors.” Therefore, GreenPeak has little competition to hinder its progress as a lead provider of innovative and clean wireless sensor solutions.

Labels: Advanced Energy

Fast Soft, Inc., a corporation founded in 2006, markets the technology known as FastTCP. Transmission Control Protocol, known as TCP, is the protocol which governs more than 90% of internet traffic. TCP can dramatically slow down the speed at which data is transmitted during high volume periods. FastSoft, Inc. attempts to reconcile this reduction in transmitting capability. They do this through FastTCP, a high performance content delivery system created through research by Professor Dr. Steven Low who, with his Caltech research team, invented the technology in 2005 and founded the corporation in 2006. This technology is not only unique in the speed of data transmission that it provides, but also in that it has a “one-to-many” acceleration capability, meaning that the product requires no hardware or software on the receiving end. “FastSoft’s one-to-many acceleration products improve transfer times up to 30x, helping companies that rely on the Internet to transfer large files to remote places” (FastSoft.com). FastSoft’s creators found that they could retain a high throughput of data by removing the conditions introduced when standard TCP reacts to packet loss. This is possible because FastTCP allows for a constant number of data packets in queues throughout the network, resulting in smoother data flow. This is done through the installation of a hardware system at the data-output end and is not needed by the receiving end. The market in which FastSoft’s technology operates, the wide area network (WAN), reported a market size of $202 million in 2007 according to Gartner’s.
This new technology has created “a stir in the world of networking,” according to one blog site, because it allows for increased data transmission (Vizard 2007). FastSoft’s E-Series product is desirable to its consumer market due to its ability to increase productivity, enhance collaboration between partners in different areas, and utilize existing infrastructure. All of this is important in connecting a business to its partners or clients outside of the office. For example, FastSoft found that the E-Series was able to transfer a DVD file in nine minutes, down from two hours without FastSoft (FastSoft.com). The potential social and technological impacts stem from the speed at which business can now be done. This could be revolutionary in the business sector as well as other sectors where speed in communication is of the utmost importance.

The technology area of “Printed Electronics” offers promise for a new line of foldable, rollable, edible, stretchable, biodegradable and paper-thin electronic devices. Printed electronics is an innovative technology area that uses established commercial printing techniques (such as ink-jet, and screen printing) with conductive inks to print electronic circuits on paper, plastic, and textile materials. The technique of printing electronic circuits, as opposed to manufacturing them, allows engineers to input and alter specifications of devices directly into a computer, which in turn prints them onto a thin and flexible substrate. A series of current projects are utilizing traditional silicon technology for their conductive inks, like the Silicon Valley startup Kovio, Inc. which is developing advanced R.F.I.D. and smart-display technologies. Others are using organic (carbon-based) compounds like those used in Organic Light-Emitting Diodes (OLEDs). The Dutch company Polymer Vision has used organic conductors to develop the world’s first rollable display, their Readius® pocket reader. The technology sector promises to be a highly disruptive one, drastically driving down the cost of electronics that use traditional manufactured silicon electronic circuitry. By mechanizing and standardizing production the world may see electronics with exponentially more applications than, and at a fraction of the cost of, current consumer products. Printed Electronics also has a slew of potential breakthrough applications. Self-adjusting text (like that used in Polymer Vision’s Readius®) could produce a line of self-changing advertisements which could revolutionize the field of advertising. Avanced Radio Frequency Identification, R.F.I.D, could lead to smart I.D. cards for next-generation building or home-security. And edible and wearable electronics could lead to a line of non-invasive diagnostic tools for doctors.

The printed battery is one of the most exciting applications of the printed electronics ecosystem. These paper-thin and eventually inexpensive energy-storing devices have the potential to affect the entire consumer electronics market, a $135 billion market in 2006, and projected to reach $158 billion in 2008. Thin Battery Technologies, Inc., is a leader in the field in the creation of a reliable printed Battery. An Ohio company founded in January 2003 to commercialize and progress printed battery research, Thin Battery Technologies was funded by private investors led by Early Stage Partners. The company was built upon acquired intellectual property, the result of 5 years of R&D at Eveready Battery company. Thin Battery Technologies uses Carbon-Zinc electrolyte solutions for their battery printing, which is more resistant to extreme temperatures and more environmentally safe than competing magnesium alloy solutions. The use of printed batteries offers the promise of cheaper and smaller devices than have ever been produced, and could change the face of the entire $158 billion consumer electronics market.

Contributors: Nicholas A. Martin

iPLATO is a mobile and wireless application developing firm based in the UK that has had multiple successes in the space of healthcare middleware applications, recently reporting a full roll out of its system across 10 Primary Care Trusts in the first quarter of 2008 reaching 2 million patients. Increasingly industry and government alike have sought innovation in electronic management systems; in the healthcare market this move towards eHealth is projected to reach upwards of $8 billion by 2012, according to AMD Telemedicine. The mobilization of clinical systems has recently become a prominent area of interest for many and has seen market deployment of various mobile versions of clinical systems, among the most well known being PAS, PACS, and EPR systems. These deployments have made great strides in providing physicians and healthcare professionals with direct access to patient records, drugs- and disease databases, lab reports, e-mail, etc. on a functional device during patient consultation resulting in drastic improvement in the quality of personalized patient care. Given these undisputable benefits, the 1.2 billion-dollar market for electronic medical records is expected to grow nearly 400% in the next eight years, according to Kalorama Information’s experts. While these solutions have opened the door for middleware products to improve diagnostics and patient care, the current technology offerings are largely point solutions and are reliant on a single device, which is where iPLATO’s portfolio of systems promises to build upon.

iPLATO’s Mobile Clinical Access (MCA) is a middleware platform allowing different healthcare professionals to access their clinical systems in a secure manner from a mobile interface not tethered to a particular PDA device. In an effort to address the high rates of patient non-compliance with prescribed medical therapies (especially problematic among elderly patients with chronic illness) and missed appointments the system also allows for simple, automated reminder text-messaging. While these middleware offerings are by no means disruptive, their simple interface and deployment has greatly increased the efficiency of already deployed network architectures. Physicians currently using MCA have reported patient response rates of 30% (versus a response rate of 5% using letters) iPLATO has made headway in other middleware markets as well by utilizing the same MCA architecture including distribution of web and video content for the International Herald Tribune to mobile devices, increasing their online readership subscriptions.

iPLATO is a privately owned limited company founded in London in the autumn of 1999. In 2003, iPLATO was awarded a SMART Feasibility Grant by the Department of Trade & Industry to study the feasibility for national implementation of their middleware architecture and now provide successful healthcare solutions to NHS organizations throughout the United Kingdom. The European Venture Contest, organized by the European Commission, recognized iPLATO as one of the top ten early stage technology ventures.

Labels: eHealth, healthcare, middleware