Executive Council
June 22, 2010
The following is being distributed at the request of the Research &
Development Corporation:
Research & Development Corporation Invests $775,000
in R&D Funding in Local Companies
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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Media contacts:
BACKGROUNDER
Industrial R&D projects
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.
2010 06 22
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