New projects launched to showcase technology

The NTAILS and Innovation 1st projects aim to help regional businesses to embrace the latest technologies and be more competitive.

Around 100 business people and stakeholders attended the launch event at the Telford Campus on Tuesday, 29 November 2011.

Businesses were invited to an Innovation Open Day, where they could see for themselves the new technology on display.

Professor Ian Oakes, Pro Vice-Chancellor Research and Enterprise at the University, said: “The University is committed to supporting regional businesses to increase their productivity and be more competitive in the global market.

“These two new projects showcase how technology can transform the way a business operates. The University has a key role in the regional economy and we are delighted to offer advice, consultancy and other support to companies as part of our Innovation and Enterprise strategy.”

The Innovation 1st project aims to help businesses raise the level of technology they use, and examples of this in use are on display at a new state-of-the-art Visualisation Centre at the Telford Campus. This showcases and advises how companies can utilise cutting edge technology such as touch-sensitive plasma screens, interactive whiteboards and presentation recording facilities to conceptualise business problems and formulate innovative solutions.

The New Technologies for Automatic Identification Location and Sensing (NTAILS) project, managed by IT Futures at the School of Technology, promotes awareness and adoption of new technologies such as Quick Response (QR) codes, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) barcodes and sensors.

As part of the project, a Demonstration Centre has been built on campus which includes a walk-through interactive scenario to illustrate to businesses how they could adopt the technology. The scenarios include a shop, warehouse, library and pharmacy.

Both projects are part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Visitors to the launch event were also able to sample the University’s new Conference Centre, which is available for use by internal and external clients.

More about the Innovation 1st project

The Innovation 1st project is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and aims to assist SMEs in using advanced technologies to conceptualise their business problems and formulate new solutions.

The project will provide two days of fully funded business assistance* for SMEs to implement innovative solutions to boost the performance of their business. Companies will be encouraged to adopt the most appropriate solutions for their business through the creation of a business implementation plan.

A wide range of cutting-edge technologies will be demonstrated at a programme of events scheduled to commence over the next few months.

One of the support facilities is the Visualisation Centre at the Telford Campus of the University of Wolverhampton. This unique facility has the potential to revolutionise the way companies do business.

Equipped with the latest technology including:

• Single or multi-point video conferencing
• Desktop sharing capability
• Interactive whiteboards and touch table
• Presentation recording facility
• Connectivity to import live video
• Touch-sensitive 70-inch plasma screens

This presentation and communication suite uses internet connections to deliver presentations or enable conferences and discussions anywhere in the world. The Visualisation Centre holds the key to a wealth of opportunities to work more innovatively, smartly and effectively.

*subject to eligibility

More about the NTAILS project

The NTAILS Project is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and aims to facilitate collaboration between the University and West Midlands businesses looking to adopt new technologies.

The project will also provide two days of fully funded assistance * for SMEs looking to adopt RFID and sensor technologies into their business.

The project will also offer equipment loan, graduate placements and a range of free to attend technology seminars.

*subject to eligibility

ENDS

Picture (L-R): Vice-Chancellor Professor Geoff Layer, Dean of the School of Technology Professor Rob Moreton and Pro Vice-Chancellor Research and Enterprise Professor Ian Oakes at the launch of NTAILS and Innovation 1st.

For more information please contact Vickie Warren in the Media Relations Office on 01902 322736