Licencing Opportunities
An efficient catalist for Pregabalin
Pregabalin is a blockbuster anticonvulsant drug, marketed as Lyrica, used to treat neuralgiac pain. A difficulty in its synthesis is ensuring that the correct drug enantiomer is formed with both high enantiomeric excess and chemical yield. Trinity researchers have developed a new method to selectively synthesise the appropriate enantiomer of an immediate precursor to the drug using a highly efficient and readily prepared catalyst. The product yields and enantioselectivity of the new process are uniformly excellent and the catalyst can be used under very mild and scalable conditions. Non-confidential flyer.
A facetless tunable laser suitable for monolithic integration
Researchers at Trinity College Dublin, and Tyndall National Institute, Cork have developed a novel facetless tunable laser diode platform based on a single epitaxial processing step. The laser is realized by etching reflective slots into the ridge of the laser waveguide which provides all the necessary reflectivity for laser operation. Without the need for cleaving, the laser can be easily integrated with other photonic components such as an SOA (Semiconductor Optical Amplifier) or MZI (Mach Zehnder Interferometer) providing greater on chip functionality. The laser wavelength and output power is controlled by current injection into electrically separate regions of the laser. The laser has been shown to achieve good output power, SMSR and wavelength coverage over the entire C band. Non-confidential flyer.
The Eternal Candle
Two billion people live without electricity and use expensive battery operated devices or kerosene fuel lamps for illumination at night. This device works by harnessing the difference in daytime to nighttime temperature in dry, desert-type, climates such as sub-Saharan Africa and large regions of India, China and central Asia. This is achieved by storing the heat from solar electromagnetic radiation in a phase change material during the day and directly converting a portion of it to electricity - using simple thermopile technology - to drive an efficient and low powered WLED at night. It’s a lamp that is affordable and requires zero running costs.. Non-confidential flyer.
Photodetector for optical monitoring of telecommunications networks
Researchers at Trinity College Dublin and Dublin City University have developed a novel detector/receiver which is capable of operating in a two-photon absorption (TPA) dominated regime with less than 1% of the optical power than would be the case without the microcavity. This reduction in optical power requirement facilitates the use of a TPA detector as a cost-effective means of monitoring the performance of optical networks. TPA has been demonstrated as being extremely useful for monitoring numerous properties of optical signals which can be used to detect impairments and improve network performance. Also due to properties of the TPA process a low speed (<1 kHz) cost-effective detector is capable of monitoring properties of high speed optical signals (> 100 Gb/s). This information can then be used to meet quality of service agreements and service level agreements with network operators. Non-confidential flyer.
Magnetic Barcode Sensor
This platform technology is a novel recognition system for identifying biomolecules in a liquid environment (e.g. blood or serum samples). The system works by detecting two unique magnetic signals. Signal 1 identifies the target biomolecule and Signal 2 identifies the quantity of the target biomolecule. This detection is possible via an integrated magnetoresistive spin valve sensor on the bio-chip. The system can be scaled up to detect multiple target biomolecules, and can be integrated into commercially available microfluidic systems for controlled detection. Non-confidential flyer.
New Nanoscale Additives for Polymer Reinforcement
Researchers at Trinity College Dublin have developed a novel process for the preparation of polymer composites reinforced with nanoclays modified with carbon nanotubes or nanowires. The clay modification process in this invention is used as a method to ‘open up’ nanotube bundles before compounding. This makes the dispersion of nanotubes in polymers much easier and efficient than today’s existing processes. These modified clays can reinforce a wide range of polymers in conventional processing techniques such as injection-moulding, blow-moulding and extrusion. The invention is expected to be applied to wide range of products requiring improved material properties in injection-moulded components, thin films, coatings and fibres. Typical uses span from specialty plastics in disc drive to the automotive industry. Non-confidential flyer.
A Fibre-Based Interferometer for Measurement of in-band OSNR.
Researchers at Trinity College Dublin and Dublin City University have developed a novel scheme for measurement of OSNR that does not require any prior knowledge of the signal or noise. Optical signal to noise ratio (OSNR) is a key measure of the health of optical networks and will be a key parameter for future high speed and transparent optical networks. Our fiberized scheme overcomes limitations of previous interferometers in which the signal must be turned off to determine the noise value. Non-confidential flyer.
Gravity Flow Waste-Water Distribution Device.
In rural areas where houses are not on a centralised sewer network, wastewater is disposed on-site through a process of septic tank treatment followed by discharge to the subsoil. An even distribution of the effluent across a percolation area is critical in order for such systems to successfully operate. The novel tipping-bucket distribution device described here has proven, through a series of on-site trials, to provide sustainable even distribution of gravity flow effluent with no pumping or regular maintenance required. Non-confidential flyer.
High Resolution Optical Photogrammetry
Grinding wheels are used to cut and shape objects in manufacturing. The roughness of the wheel gives an indication of its grinding efficiency. HIROP measures the roughness of the surface of the wheel by creating a virtual 3D surface model using principles of Stereo Photogrammetry which exploits the apparent motion of an object when viewed from different angles. This platform technology informs when the wheel becomes too worn, allowing it to be sharpened or replaced. This technology can potentially be used for many other applications. Non-confidential flyer.
Highly Sensitive Point of Care Sensor
Using Graphene for cost-effective, high-throughput diagnostics.Non-confidential flyer
Porous Polymer Surfaces
Novel technique that allows users to create porous films with micron to nanoscalepores whose depth, shape and function can all be controlled in a simple, robust, single step process.Non-confidential flyer
High Throughput Drug Screening Device using Ultrasonic Energy
Novel Ultrasound Standing Wave Trap (USWT) technology allows rapid, reliable and reproducible generation of uniformly shaped and sized 3D aggregates that retain cell-specific properties-this enables more accurate results from drug screening of 3D cultures.Non-confidential flyer.
Unique Optical Signal to Noise Ratio Measurement Device
Novel method for measuring the Optical signal to noise ratio (OSNR) in optical networks that does not require any prior knowledge of the signal or the noise. Our dual interferometer, fiberizedscheme, overcomes limitations of previous single interferometer-based systems in which the noise must be turned off to determine the signal value, something that is very difficult to do in a functioning network.Non-confidential flyer.