The Research & Development Corporation (RDC) today announced $775,000 in research and development (R&D) funding for nine Newfoundland and Labrador business enterprises. The investment supports industrial-led R&D in key sectors including ocean technology, fisheries, marine communications, manufacturing, and information technology.

The RDC is funding R&D projects with the following companies: Afinin Labs Inc., Dynamic Air Shelters Limited, Marport Canada Inc., Oceans Limited, Quinlan Brothers Ltd., Rutter Inc., Virtual Marine Technology Inc., Vónin Canada Ltd., and WYSE Design and Development Inc.

"We recognize that local industry is in need of R&D funding so companies can increase their level of innovation and work toward developing new ideas, R&D capacity, innovative products, and services," said Glenn Janes, Chief Executive Officer of the RDC. "Investing in R&D projects in sectors that are important to us as a province is imperative in order to achieve long-term economic growth."

To assist local companies with their R&D performance, the RDC developed two targeted investment programs for industry called R&D Vouchers and R&D Proof of Concept. Both programs provide companies with an R&D investment enabling them to increase their R&D expenditure and develop cutting-edge technologies. These programs are open to applicants year round that meet the programs' criteria.

R&D Proof of Concept
The R&D Proof of Concept program helps companies reduce the technical and financial risk of pre-commercial R&D projects through direct investments in activities such as applied R&D, prototype development, performance testing, field trials and demonstration projects, and technical validation of components or systems in a laboratory, simulated, or real-world operating environment. This program funds up to 75 per cent of the eligible "out-of-pocket" costs of R&D projects, to a maximum non-repayable contribution of $250,000 per project.

R&D Vouchers
The R&D Vouchers program provides companies with vouchers for up to 75 per cent of eligible project costs to a maximum of $15,000 per project. These vouchers can be used to access and establish collaborative relationships with academic researchers, research facilities and other R&D performers.

One of the companies supported today is Rutter Inc., which has become a world leading marine equipment supplier through its voyage data recorder product line, developed using local technology and innovation. The company has diversified its product offering and is achieving global recognition for its radar signal processing and display technology.

Through the support of the RDC, the company is undertaking a radar validation project which will enhance its radar R&D program and accelerate the development of new radar products and features.

"This funding is critical in assisting Rutter to collect and analyze the scientific data necessary to test new signal processing and tracking concepts that it plans to implement in the further development of its advanced radar technology," said Byron Dawe, President, Business Development and Innovation, with Rutter Inc. "The resulting developments will allow Rutter to maintain technological leadership in its current markets as well as address new markets."

Virtual Marine Technology Inc. (VMT), developers of simulators for survival craft, fast response craft and high speed electronic navigation training, is further expanding its simulation training.

It will work with the Centre for Marine Simulation, at the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University, to conduct a preliminary investigation to determine if enhanced visualization techniques, developed for the gaming industry, will work in a maritime simulation.

"The R&D Vouchers program is a great vehicle for strengthening relationships with research partners, advancing Intellectual Property, and increasing the commercial value of Virtual Marine Technology's products," said Randy Billard, Chief Technical Officer. "Both VMT and Memorial University benefit from the outcomes of commercially-directed research funded by the R&D Vouchers program."

Additional information on the nine companies receiving R&D funding is available in the backgrounder of this document.

There is a need for increased investment in research and development in Newfoundland and Labrador. In 2007, R&D expenditure in Newfoundland and Labrador was equal to 0.90 per cent of GDP. In contrast, the Canadian average is 1.88 per cent and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average is 2.29 per cent.

About the Research & Development Corporation
The Research & Development Corporation is a provincial Crown corporation responsible for improving Newfoundland and Labrador's R&D performance. The RDC works with R&D stakeholders including industry, academia and government agencies and departments. For more information about the RDC, go to www.researchnl.com.

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While the RDC is investing $775,000 in the following nine projects, the total project costs add up to more than $2 million. This overall R&D investment is supported by the Research & Development Corporation and the companies themselves, as well as by other partner organizations.

Afinin Labs Inc., R&D Proof of Concept program, $112,703 from the RDC
Afinin (Automated Financial Intelligence) Labs is a financial algorithm startup company housed at the Genesis Centre, Memorial University of Newfoundland's business incubator. The company was founded by two researchers at Memorial: Dr. Garnett Wilson, a researcher with the Department of Computer Science, working with Dr. Wolfgang Banzhaf, a professor with the department. The company has developed an artificial intelligence algorithm that will form the basis of a service to signal subscribers, on their Blackberrys, or other smartphones, of predicted profitable buys and protective sells for the stocks in their portfolios. The RDC's investment will help Afinin Labs complete the Proof of Concept for the technology, which is critical prior to bringing the product/service to market. The company hopes that individual stock market investors who make their own trades will soon have access to this powerful analysis tool. The RDC's investment is $112,703 of a total project cost of $216,024. For additional information, visit www.afinin.com.

Dynamic Air Shelters Limited, R&D Proof of Concept program, $249,978 from the RDC
Dynamic Air Shelters Limited is a world leader in inflatable blast shelters. Dynamic has the lead in this market and must maintain it by demonstrating constant improvement and validating the improvement through rigorous and controlled testing. The goal of this R&D project is to prove the performance of a production-model prototype of a fully upgraded blast shelter system that includes components and assemblies not yet tested. Expanding the blast resistant market and repelling competition is the most critically important feature of this product development. The RDC's investment is $249,978 of a total project cost in excess of $1 million. For additional information, visit www.dynamicairshelters.com.

Quinlan Brothers Ltd., R&D Proof of Concept program, $144,502 from the RDC
Quinlan Brothers Ltd. is one of the largest processors of snow crab in Newfoundland and Labrador. Since 2007, the company has been investigating butchering machinery technology in an effort to improve product quality and yield and has developed a prototype that has demonstrated positive early stage results. The development of this innovative technology should help the company process crab at a faster rate and provide increased operator safety. The more efficient operation of the process will also assist in improving productivity. Through the support of the RDC, Quinlan Brothers will work with the Fisheries and Marine Institute to carry out industrial Proof of Concept testing of the prototype to finalize design criteria and identify integration issues. The RDC's investment is $144,502 of a total project cost of $400,136.

Rutter Inc., R&D Proof of Concept program, $211,900 from the RDC
Rutter Inc., (TSX: RUT) is a recognized world leader in advanced marine technology. Since its inception, the company has developed a voyage data recorder (VDR) product line based on local technology, established a distribution network in 70 countries, and captured 20 per cent of the world-wide VDR market. Under this project, Rutter will be undertaking a radar validation project to augment its Radar R&D Program and accelerate the development of new radar products and features. The project consists of data modeling, collection of field data, and the validation of new and existing radar products. The project will enhance the company's understanding of the theoretical detection performance of radar, and forms a key element of Rutter's radar product strategy. The RDC's investment is $211,900 of a total project cost of $423,800. For additional information, visit www.rutter.ca.

Marport Canada Inc., R&D Vouchers program, $11,475 from the RDC
Marport Canada Inc. is a marine technology company with its headquarters located in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. The company has developed an autonomous and untethered Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) optimized to generate a high degree of passive hydrodynamic stability, making it ideal for ocean floor search and survey applications using imaging sonar. The proposed testing and evaluation work at the flume tank of the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University will enable the designers to define more precisely the performance capabilities of the UUV in a variety of ocean current regimes. The development work is being done in collaboration with the National Research Council and its Institute for Ocean Technology, and the Autonomous Ocean Systems Laboratory in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science at Memorial University. The RDC's investment is $11,475 of a total project cost of $15,300. For additional information, visit www.marport.com.

Oceans Limited, R&D Vouchers program, $8,175 from the RDC
Oceans Limited was incorporated in Newfoundland and Labrador in 1981 in order to carry out applied research and services in oceanography. Since that time, the company has grown and diversified substantially into specific work categories with the ocean as the common link. The company has been investigating the bioactivity of seaweeds from which they have collected and prepared extracts, some of which have demonstrated anti-cancer, wound healing, anti-oxidant, anti-microbial and radio-protective properties. This project enables the company to work with Dr. Sarah Sallon, Director of the Natural Medicine Center of Hadassah Medical Organization in Israel, on the development of cosmetic, neutraceutical and pharmaceutical products from Newfoundland and Labrador seaweeds. Dr. Sallon will carry out an evaluation of the significance of the discoveries and provide scientific advice on further testing and clinical trials. The RDC's investment is $8,175 of a total project cost of $10,900. For additional information, visit www.oceansltd.com.

Virtual Marine Technology Inc., R&D Vouchers program, $12,300 from the RDC
Virtual Marine Technology Inc. is a St. John's-based company which develops simulators for survival craft, fast response craft and high speed electronic navigation training. In order to be effective, the simulation training experience must impart "presence", in the mind of a student. In other words, a student must have the experience of being in the scene of the operations while physically being located at a safe training facility. Research into presence indicates that the degree of control a student has over the virtual environment is one of the key factors to induce presence. In this project, the company will work with the Centre for Marine Simulation at the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University to conduct a preliminary investigation to determine if enhanced visualization techniques, which were developed for the gaming and simulation industry, have the ability to enhance presence in maritime simulation. The RDC's investment is $12,300 of a total project cost of $16,400. For additional information, visit www.vmtechnology.ca.

Vónin Canada Ltd., R&D Vouchers program, $12,947 from the RDC
Vónin Canada Ltd. is one of the North Atlantic's largest designers, developers and manufactures of trawls and purse seine nets. With design, development, production and repair facilities in the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Newfoundland and Labrador, Vónin offers products and services for fishing vessels of every type, as well as for the fish farming industry and offshore industry. The overall objective of this project is to work with the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University to conduct a performance evaluation of a new trawl design that was developed and designed by Vónin Canada. The RDC's investment is $12,947 of a total project cost of $17,347. For additional information, visit www.vonin.ca.

WYSE Design and Development Inc., R&D Vouchers program, $11,250 from the RDC
WYSE Design and Development Inc. is a company that is dedicated to finding solutions by designing and developing innovative new products for present-day concerns. This has been accomplished by creating a patented designed mid-span winch system. It is now the intention of WYSE to develop a hand-held portable winch that will combine the benefits of a high-speed (mounted) manual winch and similar capacity of a low-speed portable winch such as a Come Along. For WYSE, this again will represent a new style or generation of winch products that will fill a need in the marketplace. The company will work with the Industrial Engineering Outreach Centre at Memorial University. The RDC's investment is $11,250 of a total project cost of $15,000. For additional information, visit www.wyse-design.com.