OPTICON FP7 (2013-2016) WP9 - Innovation
WP leader: Colin Cunningham (UK ATC, Edinburgh) and Local Manager: Phil Rees (UK ATC, Edinburgh)
Optical and Infrared Astronomy has both fed off new technologies coming from industry and acted as a stimulus for industrial innovation. An example of this ‘cycle of innovation’ is the adoption of infrared detectors developed for military applications for the first array-based IR cameras and spectrometers in the 1980’s. The strong push for higher performance in astronomical applications, particularly for wavefront sensing in adaptive optics, has recently stimulated Selex-Galileo to improve the performance of these detectors, thereby improving their competitiveness for other markets. Within the Opticon programme, there is an excellent example of the application of the OCAM high-speed camera, developed for adaptive optics, but now being evaluated for debris detection on airport runways.
The ‘Innovation Network’ will build on the success of the earlier Opticon Key Technology Network (KTN), but will extend the remit to include much more direct knowledge exchange with industry. The Innovation Network is coordinated by the UK ATC Innovations Group (STFC), which has many years experience of engaging with industry, both for economic and scientific benefit. It will access skills in similar organisations, such as ASTRON in the Netherlands and the IAC in Spain.
Our objectives are to facilitate this process, by:
- Running technology focussed workshops that will bring together scientists, engineers and technologists from the astronomy community and in particular the OPTICON R&D work packages (WP1-6) with their peers from industry, knowledge transfer professionals and other relevant science sectors
- Further developing the technology roadmap that has been a fundamental tool of the previous Key Technology Network, and using this to encourage academic/industrial consortia to bid for further technology development funding
- Setting up an Industry Club to bring together companies that wish to bid for contracts and develop technology in Optical and Infrared Astronomy, and to exploit our technology in other fields.
Outputs from this WP can be downloaded from the Outreach & Downloads page (see sidebar menu item).
