BIPVT (Building Integrated Photovoltaic Thermal)
A solar energy capture solution that provides both electricity and hot water, and eliminates the need for unsightly solar panels.
Technology Description
BIPVT is an exciting new technology that merges photovoltaic (PV) and thermal systems to simultaneously provide electric and thermal energy. This combination of systems enables you to acquire both solar electricity and hot water using one integrated solution. As green energy solutions become more popular, it will be important for solar panels to complement the design of a building. With this in mind, BIPVT was created as an alternative to conventional “bolt-on” solar panels. The building-integrated solar panels are designed to join seamlessly with metal roofing, producing an aesthetically-pleasing finish to any roof. The BIPVT technology forms the foundation for one of WaikatoLink’s seed companies, Solenza.
Applications
- Industrial, commercial or residential renewable energy installations.
Unique Features
- A building-integrated alternative to unsightly "bolt-on" solar panels
- Simultaneous electricity and water heating outputs
- Increased electrical performance due to cooling of PV cells
Project is currently: Active Contributing Partner: WaikatoLink Limited
Blood Plastics
A process for producing biodegradable plastic products from a renewable biological resource.
Technology Description
The Blood Plastics technology offers environmentally-friendly bioplastic products as an alternative to traditional plastics, which can destroy the environment. While the bioplastics market is currently in early stages of adoption, there is an increasing demand for recyclable and biodegradable plastics. Blood Plastics is a process technology that uses sustainable waste animal protein sources, such as dried blood or feather meal, to produce biodegradable plastic products. The process is a cost-effective method for utilising an existing waste stream to produce higher value products. Blood Plastics is the underlying technology behind WaikatoLink’s seed company, Novatein.
Applications
- Industrial plastic products
- Agricultural plastic products, such as pot plants
Unique Features
- Inexpensive to manufacture
- Bioplastics are easily composted
- Use of sustainable resources instead of the finite resource petroleum
Project is currently: Active Contributing Partner: WaikatoLink Limited
Tamper Sensor
A vibration detection system for security applications that reduces false alarm events.
Technology Description
Tamper Sensor is a security system designed to reduce false alarm events resulting from non-threat sources such as noise in the environment. The system successfully differentiates between vibrations caused by tampering, in comparison to those caused by environmental noise. WaikatoLink is currently seeking expression of interest in licensing or purchasing the Tamper Sensor technology.
Applications
- Perimeter security (i.e. fences, borders)
- Building security (i.e. doors, windows)
- Physical property (i.e. statues, service infrastructure)
Unique Features
- High accuracy reduces false alarms
- Compact structure makes the system ideal for discrete installations
- Low manufacturing costs
Project is currently: Complete Contributing Partner: WaikatoLink Limited
Monitoring Buoys
An automated and easily-deployed buoy for real-time water quality monitoring.
Technology Description
The Monitoring Buoys technology utilises robust, lightweight buoys to provide remotely accessible date on climatic conditions and water quality at variable depths. The monitoring buoy units are solar powered and regularly transmit data via cellular networks. Each unit integrates sensor technologies covering a range of conditions, including water temperature, dissolved oxygen, ambient temperature, humidity, rainfall and wind speed. Monitoring buoys are designed to produce cost-savings by enabling better informed and timely decisions around environmental management. The technology is currently being trialled in lakes around New Zealand.
Applications
- Monitoring of pollution levels in lakes, rivers, etc
- Monitoring weed build-up and fish populations
- Analysing waste discharge from industries
Unique Features
- Continuous, real-time data
- Easy to deploy due to compact lightweight structure
- Robust heavy-duty housing protects from harsh environment
Project is currently: Complete Contributing Partner: WaikatoLink Limited
UPS Surge Blocking
A surge blocking technology that protects sensitive electronic devices by isolating the power supply.
Technology Description
The UPS Surge Blocking technology was developed to overcome dangerous power surges and protect sensitive electronic devices from damage. The technology is designed to be applied to UPS surge devices to increase protection provided and improve the battery life of the UPS system. The technology is designed to withstand any power surge, which could be as powerful as a lightning strike.
Applications
- Data centres
- Large businesses
- Broadcasting and communications organisations
Unique Features
- Power surge protection
- Improved battery life of surge protection devices
- Low cost alternative to expensive surge blocking transformers
Project is currently: Complete Contributing Partner: WaikatoLink Limited
OBodies
Obodies are small, stable affinity proteins that can be utilised in many areas of human therapeutics.
Technology Description
The Obodies molecule is a small, stable, high affinity protein that competes with traditional monoclonal antibody technologies. Obodies are less than 10% of the size of monoclonal antibodies, which means they have many advantages and broader applications over antibodies. Major diagnostic and therapeutic companies are hungry for new and innovative technologies that will out-perform the 50 year old antibody technology. The small size and specificity of Obodies molecules make them a prime competitor in biotechnology’s fastest growing segments.
Applications
- Medical therapeutics
- Point-of-care diagnostics
- Clinical diagnostics
Unique Features
- Significantly smaller than traditional antibodies and antibody fragments
- Broad range of applications due to small size
- High stability meaning Obodies don't require refrigeration like antibodies do
Project is currently: Complete Contributing Partner: WaikatoLink Limited
Gen3 Platform
An intelligent predictive modelling software platform that uses machine learning to forecast probabilities and trends.
Technology Description
Gen3 is an intelligent predictive modelling software platform that can be applied to a range of industries for improved business practices. The Gen3 platform uses machine learning to achieve a level of automation in predictive modelling, meaning that algorithms and models can update and manage themselves without human instruction. Gen3 is a software tool that fully automates the process of data acquisition, data integration, data processing and performance testing. The result is more accurate predictions and improved business efficiency and productivity.
Applications
- Customer relationship management
- Industrial manufacturing processes
- Pharmaceutical discovery
Unique Features
- Ease of use due to increased automation and software intelligence
- Improved performance as the software learns from data to optimise predictions
- Easily implemented into many applications
Project is currently: Complete Contributing Partner: WaikatoLink Limited
RNA Extraction
An RNA extraction and purification kit that improves RNA yields and decreases contamination risks.
Technology Description
The RNA Extraction technology comprises of unique closed-tube RNA extraction and purification kits that use novel mixes of thermostable enzymes. The kits can be used to extract RNA from a range of RNA substrates. The RNA Extraction technology is positioned in the rapidly expanding life science market. The technology is designed to improve biosafety with the use of closed tubes, which avoids contamination risks. The kits can work with all downstream processes and improve RNA yields.
Applications
- Pathogen screening
- Applied diagnostics
- Medical research
Unique Features
- Decreased contamination risk by using closed tube systems
- Maximisation of yields across a range of sample types
- Simple and easy to use with any automated platform
Project is currently: Complete Contributing Partner: WaikatoLink Limited
Voltage Regulator
A low-dropout voltage regulator designed to maintain a constant voltage level and improve electrical efficiency.
Technology Description
The increasing demand for modern power-consuming mobile devices has led to increasing demand for advanced power management technologies. The Voltage Regulator technology uses a shunt transistor to offer faster transient response and higher overall efficiency. Voltage Regulator offers benefits such as improved efficiency and performance of devices. The technology also has size advantages, being much smaller the alternatives. This would be useful in applications such as mobile phones and laptops, where battery consumption and component size could be reduced.
Applications
- Mobile phones
- Laptops
- Other mobile devices
Unique Features
- Increased efficiency in devices
- Faster transient response
- Low noise
Project is currently: Complete Contributing Partner: WaikatoLink Limited
Dried Fruit Technology
A new dried snack food product
Technology Description
There is a world wide need for fruit and vegetable products to provide human nutritional requirements. In wealthy countries, ready to eat snack or drink products are sought after to satisfy this need. The production of high value, dried food that both overcomes the issues noted above and which matches the world-leading quality of New Zealand’s fresh food products would enable a substantial increase in economic return from their export.
Applications
- The global premium snack food market.
Unique Features
- Vastly improved texture and taste sensation compared with existing products
- Low fat, low salt
- Safe to plants, insects, animals and humans
Project is currently: Active Contributing Partner: Lincoln University
Added-value Biopesticides
Two biocontrol products: A bionematicide and a plant propagation enhancer.
Technology Description
Pesticides are agents that kill plant or animal pests. Pesticides for protecting plants include fungicides, nematicides, herbicides and insecticides. The vast majority of plant pesticides currently on the market rely on synthetic chemical agents. Bio-pesticides on the other hand use natural bio-control agents. Lincoln University specialises in the development of biopesticides based on its extensive collection of Trichoderma fungi known as the Trichobank. In this project the research and development targets are a bionematicide and a propagation enhancer.
Applications
- Agriculture
- Horticulture
- Plant nursery industry
Unique Features
- High efficacy
- Added-value which enhances competitive position with conventional (synthetic) alternatives
- Safe to plants, insects, animals and humans
Project is currently: Active Contributing Partner: Lincoln University
TDRI Moisture Sensor
An instrument to non-invasively measure sub-surface moisture content and moisture content profiles.
Technology Description
TDRI is a new and patented concept for non-invasive and potentially non-contact probing of moisture content of a range of materials. It uses a very low power signal to generate the transverse field of a parallel transmission line which probes the material. The effective frequency range is from approximately 1 to 5 GHz. While scalable in measurement depth from a few cm to 50 or so cm, dependence on the texture of some materials increases as penetration depth increases. The technology has particular relevance to applications where penetration of the material is a disadvantage, eg. the food industry where non-contact and hence non-contaminationg measurements are essential.
Applications
- The first application that has been targeted for the instrument is measuring the moisture content beneath roads for maintenance purposes, but the applications and the materials in which measurements can be made, are broad - from timber to basecourse, food products to building materials.
Unique Features
- Non-invasive
- Non contact
- Moisture profile
- Quantitative measurement
Project is currently: Active Contributing Partner: Lincoln University
FielderView
A camera-based system for live tracking of cricket players.
Technology Description
Fielderview is a portable, single-camera player-tracking system for use in cricket matches. It outputs real-time player position information around 10 times per second, allowing for moving animations of fielder positions to be overlaid as a birds-eye graphic for broadcast television. The system is completely non-invasive and can be set up and operated by a single person. Fielderview has been developed by Lincoln Ventures Ltd, and has been used in live broadcast of Twenty20 matches by Sky Television NZ Ltd.
Applications
- Broadcast television graphics (cricket)
- Post-match fielder analysis
Unique Features
- Single camera system
- Portable; quick to setup and remove
- Requires a single operator only
- Updates position data 10 times per second
- Operates in both daylight and artificial lighting conditions
Project is currently: Complete Contributing Partner: Lincoln University
Impression
Software that allows users to navigate for specific ideas/words within a text.
Technology Description
Impression is a piece of software that intelligently extracts information from text documents that is related to the users’ interests/queries. The extracted information is then structured into a coherent piece of text to convey the gist of what that article has to say for what the user wants to know. Unrelated information is removed and users can instantly ask for a different focused output. In short, one gets a different impression of a document depending on one’s interests
Applications
- Impression is a platform suitable for launching a number of different applications. Some examples include:
- Forming impressions of articles derived from the news media;
- Forming impressions of files downloaded from special databases such as Microsoft Sharepoint;
- Forming impressions of e-books in libraries;
- Forming impressions of articles for specific groups such as lawyers, bio-sciences, government agencies, etc.
- Forming impressions for results obtained from search engines such as Google and Yahoo!
Unique Features
- The ability to extract rich information from the text is unique in this application. It does not utilise a statistical parser.
Project is currently: Active Contributing Partner: AUT
Mussel Spat
Chemical compunds that promote muscle spat setltment in aquaculture.
Technology Description
Marine aquaculture of the green-lipped, or GreenshellTM, mussel (Perna canaliculus) by the mussel industry in New Zealand provides export revenues of nearly NZ$200 million per annum (as of 2007). The mussel industry relies primarily on the collection from the wild of mussel spat to seed mussel farms. In New Zealand the industry collects over 160 tonnes per annum of wild mussel spat. Wild spat are collected attached to certain species of drifting macroalgae, as well as spat-collection ropes, before being transferred to growth substrates in mussel farms where they mature into harvestable mussels. The rate of attachment and retention of spat to the collection substrates, and subsequently to the growth substrates, is an important economic factor in the aquaculture of mussels in general, affecting both the time required for spat collection using ropes, and the loss rate during the transfer of the spat to the growth substrates. The ability to increase attachment rates would significantly reduce the time and costs associated with mussel aquaculture. Dr. Alfaro and her team have identified a substance which was demonstrated to increase green-lipped mussel spat attachment rates in-vitro by 4-5 times. The use of this substance in the aquaculture of green-lipped mussels has recently been patented by AUT. It is expected that the substance can be applied to collection ropes to increase their efficiency and otherwise used in the aquaculture of green-lipped mussels to reduce costs and time-lines.
Applications
- Markets for such a product would include all practising mussel farms and hatchery facilities within New Zealand.
Unique Features
- The ability to promote a settlement event for a particular species of mussel.
- The technology promises a significant cost and time savings in the aquaculture of green-lipped mussels.
- The technology is complementary and cumulative to existing technologies designed to improve mussel spat attachment through structural features in mussel spat collection ropes and mussel growth substrates.
Project is currently: Active Contributing Partner: AUT