Press releases
Loughborough-based company win award for innovative passenger detection technology
18 May 2007
A company that has developed a pioneering system that uses infra-red technology to automatically count the number of passengers in moving vehicles has won the IET East Midlands Innovation in Engineering Award.
Laser Optical Engineering (LOE) is a technology company based in Loughborough, which specialises in innovative and bespoke laser products and services. The vehicle monitoring system, called Cyclops, is designed to accurately count occupants in moving road vehicles in all weathers, day or night.
The technology was originally designed to enforce car sharing priority lanes which help ease road congestion but is also used in road tolling and to monitor vehicles entering high security areas.
Cyclops can instantly differentiate between humans and “decoy” passengers and is designed to detect human skin behind all types of automotive glass at a range of 10-100 metres, meaning that it will not mistake a hand for a face or a dog or dummy for a human.
The technology is the result of a three year research program and has been trailed in major trunk roads in the UK and successfully tested on the A647 in Leeds.
The IET already runs a highly successful national Innovation in Engineering Awards and has extended the scheme to the East Midlands to promote innovation projects in the region.
The awards formed part of East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and Innovation East Midlands’ (InnEM) innovation Festival (iFestival) Gala Dinner.
Paul Jackson, director of professional operations at the IET, said: “These awards clearly show that innovation is thriving in the East Midlands and I would like to congratulate Laser Optical Engineering on being the first recipients to win the award.”
Dr John Tyrer, managing director of LOE, said: “We are very honoured to receive this award. It is an exciting new award which demonstrates that engineering innovation is being taken seriously in the East Midlands. We are very proud to be the first recipients.”
Phillip Tasker, emda Board member, said: “This event is a celebration of innovation in action - innovation in business, innovation in our research institutes, and the innovation that stems from collaboration between business and our centres of education and learning. We are delighted that The Institution of Engineering and Technology Awards are bringing their expertise to the benefit of businesses and individuals in the region through the inaugural East Midlands IET Innovation Awards.”
The awards were presented by Barry Stickings, Chair of Innovation East Midlands (InnEM), on 2 May at the East Midlands Innovation Gala Dinner at the Henry Ford College, Loughborough.
Shortlisted finalists were Geodesics Unlimited who developed a new type of geodesic dome and Race Technology who developed software that can improve GPS data for a lower cost than usual, to be used in a racing environment.
Tony Henderson
T: +44 (0)20 7344 8403
M: +44 (0)07974 457565
Email: tonyhenderson@theiet.org
Notes to editors:
About The IET Awards
For more information, please visit
http://www.theiet.org/careers/awards/innovation/index.cfm
The Institution of Engineering and Technology
The Institution of Engineering and Technology is the largest professional engineering society in Europe and reflects the interdisciplinary, global and inclusive nature of engineering and technology.
With a worldwide membership of more than 150,000, the Institution aims to lead in the advancement of engineering and technology by facilitating the exchange of knowledge and ideas at a local and global level and promoting best practice, ensuring that its members are thoroughly equipped to meet the needs of today's rapidly changing technological world.
Membership comprises of individuals from a diverse range of technical backgrounds including IT, communications technology, electronics, electrical, power engineering, software, control, informatics and manufacturing and range from students to leading figures in industry, research and development and education.
The IET was formed in 2006 by the Institution of Electrical Engineers and the Institution of Incorporated Engineers
For more information about the IET please visit www.theiet.org.
About East Midlands Innovation Festival (iFestival)
The first region-wide innovation festival (iFestival) is taking place across the East Midlands between the 9th March and the 17th May. This coincides with the start of National Science and Engineering Week and the final day of Nano Expo in Nottingham. The iFestival is an inspiring, inclusive programme of events, designed to help foster a culture of innovation in the region with activity targeted at young people, businesses, communities and organisations, supporting or involved within an innovation environment.
The iFestival is a component of the Regional Innovation Strategy, developed by InnEM. It is supported by the East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and Innovation East Midlands (InnEM).
For schedules, updates and news stories on the iFestival please visit: www.innovationem.org.uk
About emda:
East Midlands Development Agency (emda) was set up in 1999 to bring more jobs and skills to the region and to make the East Midlands a better place to live and work.
The new Regional Economic Strategy - ‘A Flourishing Region’, co-ordinated by emda and launched in July 2006, sets out priorities for the region until 2020. Its publication follows the most comprehensive consultation ever undertaken in the East Midlands where more than 1,400 stakeholders and partners, and thousands of members of the public had their say on the future of the region. The RES highlights the themes of productivity, sustainability and equality and is underpinned by ten priorities. The new RES builds on the previous two strategies ‘Prosperity Through People’ and ‘Destination 2010’. For more details visit www.emda.org.uk
About InnEM:
Innovation East Midlands is the name for the regional Science and Industry Council. Its aim is to grow a long-term, sustainable, innovation led economy. InnEM was launched in 2004 following extensive consultation by emda. The council is business led and is made up of 12 representatives from a range of public and private sector organisations.
For more information visit www.innovationem.org.uk