St. John�s company receives assistance to market "red-eye" reduction software

A St. John�s company has received government funding to market software for reducing "red-eye" in digital photographs. Intelligent System Solutions Corporation (iSYS) has received $15,000 from the Department of Industry, Trade and Rural Development�s Business and Market Development Program to help market its new software internationally.

iSYS was established in 1999 by members of Memorial University�s Centre for Cold Ocean Research and Engineering Intelligent Systems Group. Intelligent systems allow machines to replicate human reasoning, providing them with the ability to perceive, reason, make decisions and act in a predictable and consistent manner.

iSYS prides itself on creating solutions to real world problems. "One problem faced by the mass photo-finishing industry is the number of photographs that are spoiled by "red-eye," a condition in which a subject�s eyes appear bright red rather than their natural colour," said Industry, Trade and Rural Development Minister Judy Foote. "iSYS has developed software to automatically detect and correct this problem before the images are printed. The market for this technology is world wide."

iSYS demonstrated its software at Germany�s Photokina, the world�s largest photo imaging show, where it generated interest from a number of companies.

The marketing support to iSYS is provided under the department�s Business and Market Development Program. This program provides funding to new entrepreneurs and expanding small businesses to help them acquire the necessary expertise to pursue new business ideas and markets in growth areas of the economy. Government funding must be matched by an equal amount by the business.

Media contact: Tansy Mundon, Communications, (709) 729-4570.

2003 04 08                                      10:45 a.m.