University academics collaborate with firms on 15 mini partnerships in a year

Academic experts at the University of Huddersfield have lent their knowledge to a variety of businesses across a number of short-term partnerships in the last year to great success.

The University has collaborated on ten Accelerated Knowledge Transfers (AKTs), which are designed to deliver a targeted intervention to boost the development of an innovation project.

Part-funded through the Innovate UK programme, the AKTs had a total value of £320,000 and were spread across two different schools within the University.

There were 9 involving academics in the School of Computing and Engineering and one in the School of Applied Sciences.

The AKT programme has been designed to create short-term collaborations between a business partner and a UK knowledge base to rapidly inject innovation. It follows on from the successful Knowledge Transfer Partnership programme, which is also part-funded through Innovate UK.

In addition to the ten AKTs, an additional five projects were funded by the University, following the same model of supporting project delivery.

Professor Parik Goswami, Director of Research Innovation and Knowledge Exchange (RIKE) at the University of Huddersfield, commented: “We are extremely proud of the many and varied links with businesses that the University of Huddersfield has been able to foster through both the Knowledge Transfer Partnership and the Accelerated Knowledge Transfer programmes from Innovate UK.

“It has been particularly pleasing that the number of AKTs successfully awarded to the University in this latest round has been at an unprecedented level. This is a testament to the dedication and hard work from both the University’s RIKE team and our expert academics within Schools.”

The 2023/24 AKTs funded by Innovate UK were as follows:

• Professor Hyunkook Lee worked with Audioscenic on its AI-powered, listener-adaptive loudspeaker arrays which reproduce immersive 3D audio using only a small soundbar.
• Professor John Allport worked with Bladon Jets on a project to adapt an existing Micro-Turbine Generator to integrate bio-methane combustion technology.
• Dr Faheem Khan worked with Hebron Systems to design and implement RF transceivers for deep space applications.
• Dr Mohammad Jafari and Professor Rakesh Mishra worked with Resomation on improving the efficiency of a flame-free approach to cremation in which water is utilised to break down a corpse.
• Dr Ann Smith worked with Linkam Scientific Instruments on innovations in cryoelectron microscopy to create optimal ice later thickness for visualising biological samples.
• Professor Rakesh Mishra and Dr Faisal Asfand worked with Trillium Flow Technologies on new approaches to applying 3D printing to additional valve trims for specific applications.
• Dr Hamza Aagela worked with U-Energy on tackling the intricate challenges surrounding the integration and optimization of renewable energy sources within the grid.
• Professor Rakesh Mishra and Dr Shirsendu Sikdar worked with CityFibre on a project to optimise airflow and cooling of network equipment in digital exchanges through rigorous designing and modelling.
• Professor Rakesh Mishra and Dr Shirsendu Sikdar worked with Koso Kent Introl on the development of a zero-emission control valve to support net zero targets for operators of oil, gas and hydrogen systems.
• Dr Kofi Asare-Addo worked with GSK on the use of ultraviolet dissolution imaging technology in the firm's research and development site in Stevenage.

The 2023/24 projects funded by the University were as follows:

• Dr George Bargiannis and Dr Emmanuel Papadakis worked with SP Crowthers to create an intelligent system to assist accountants in carrying out audits, which are notoriously complex, time-consuming and error-prone processes.
• Dr Tianhua Chen worked with Dedalus to utilise Artificial Intelligence techniques for automated identification of mental wellbeing patients who may require early intervention.
• Dr Karl Walton worked with Waterloo Business Management to demonstrate the feasibility of producing marketable FDM polymer filament from a range of recycled polymers from print industry consumables.
• Dr George Bargiannis worked with Woodcock and Wilson to create a bespoke AI chatbot to enhance customer service and industrial fan troubleshooting by seamlessly guiding users through queries.
• Dr Thanos Angelis-Dimakis worked with Calder Textiles to assess the firm's environmental impact, to benchmark their current performance and to support its short- and medium-term decision-making process.

Dr Jacob Hollebon of Audioscenic, said of the AKT project with Professor Lee: “The project has aided the R&D team significantly by defining a complete set of subjective attributes to be used when evaluating the end-user experience of Audioscenic’s products. The results demonstrating the benefits of using more loudspeakers have also helped justify new POC projects and the overall value of Audioscenic’s 3D beamforming technology.”

Last year, the University of Huddersfield saw seven AKTs with a value of £200,000 part-funded through Innovate UK’s AKT pilot scheme, supporting the following companies: Simplifai Systems, Creative Minds (part of South West Yorkshire Partnership Foundation Trust), Trust Electric, HR Blowers, Aware Technologies, The Visual System and Sign Company, and Holtex.

Innovate UK is the country’s national innovation agency, which supports business-led innovation in all sectors and technologies, helping businesses grow through the development and commercialisation of new products, processes, and services.