Top innovators honoured at IET awards

14 November 2007

A battery that can be recharged using USB connections, a showpiece village which is helping set the standards for homes of the future and a “digital plaster” which monitors the wearer’s vital health signs using wireless technology are among the winners at the prestigious third annual IET Innovation in Engineering Awards, announced today (Tuesday 13 November 2007).

The winners across 15 categories were unveiled at an award ceremony held at the Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square, London, hosted by TV personality and science enthusiast Johnny Ball.

The IET Innovation in Engineering Awards recognises and celebrates excellence in engineering innovation across a range of industry sectors and engineering disciplines. Winners were selected from hundreds of entries from around the world by a distinguished panel of judges.

Presenting the awards Johnny Ball said: “What makes a great innovator? Perhaps a little eccentricity, a desire for improvement, plus vision and the determination to see it through. All that equals the type of projects recognised through these awards. Innovators always ask ‘Why can't it be better?’ If it wasn't for innovation we would still have black and white television and mono radio.”

He continued: “Innovation is at the heart of business and wealth creation. It is right that we acknowledge those who push the boundaries of science, engineering and technology and it will be exciting to see how the innovations awarded this year will make their mark in the future. “

Robin McGill, CEO of the IET said: “These awards recognise the vital role that innovation in engineering plays in the global economy. On behalf of the IET I would like to congratulate all the winners who have displayed outstanding innovation in their respective categories.”

He added that because of the huge interest in the awards this year details of the 2008 awards would be available immediately on the IET web site at: www.theiet.org/innovationawards

The awards have been supported by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and Make Your Mark in Manufacturing & Engineering.

Photographs of the winners with Johnny Ball are available from the IET press office, along with further details of the winning entries and contact details of the winning organisations.

Asset Management (sponsored by National Grid)

United Utilities Electricity Ltd.
"Condition Based Risk Management"

Built Environment (sponsored by Halcrow Yolles)

The University of Manchester and Barratt Development plc
"Barratt EcoSmart Show Village"

Control, Instrumentation & Robotics (sponsored by National Physical Laboratory)

Artesis LLP
"Simplifiying predictive maintenance"

Electronics (sponsored by Cadence)

Toumaz Technology
"Ultra low power wireless body monitoring digital plaster”

Emerging Technologies (sponsored by RS Components)

Akubio
"Acoustic detection technology for drug discovery"

Information Technology

BT
"Real Time Business Intelligence"

Power / Energy (sponsored by RS Components)

Moixa Energy
"USB rechargeable batteries"

Product Design (sponsored by BT)

Active Power
"Energy efficient UPS systems"

Project Team

BBC & Advanced Terrestrial Televsion Study Group
"MIMO"

Security (sponsored by ARM)

Masabi Ltd.
"Java cryptography for e-commerce on mobile phones"

Software in Design (sponsored by The MathWorks)

I&E Systems
"Use of software model to produce design documentation"

Start-Up (sponsored by Cre8Ventures)

TVonics
"Design and manufacture of digital TV’s, receivers and recorders"

Sustainability (sponsored by ABB)

Halcrow
"Wave Hub"

Telecommunications (sponsored by Orange)

Ubiquisys
"The invention and development of femtocell"

Transport

Vehicle Occupancy Ltd.
"dtect"

The aims of the IET Innovation in Engineering Awards are to recognise and reward innovative organisations; to raise the profile and the importance of innovation; to recognise and reward successful innovation; and to provide an indirect method of improving business, by providing a framework to encourage organisations to invest in innovation.

IET Press Office:
Tony Henderson
Tel: 020 7344 8403
M: 07974 457565
E: tonyhenderson@theiet.org