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We welcome research collaborations with business organisations.
Collaborations听can take a number of forms which vary in the extent to which the work addresses broad research issues or specific concerns of a collaborative partner, and the extent to which the work is funded by the partner or by government or other funding bodies.
- Research Council Funded Collaborations
As a university research centre, many of our activities are funded by UK research councils and other research funding bodies including EU funders. Such research projects might last from one to five years (typically three) and employ a number of researchers and fund PhD students.
To encourage the relevance and uptake of our work we often conduct these research projects in collaboration with one or more commercial (or public sector) partners. This can provide us with real-world contexts to study whilst also providing a partner organisation with access to research output relevant to them. The contribution of the partner organisation is usually 'in kind', meaning that they provide access to study situations and/or data. The theme of this kind of research is directed towards questions of interest to the wider research community.
In the past, 听led the听VoiceViz project听with Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), which saw the launch of the DRIVE (Digital Research, Informatics and Virtual Environments) lab - a brand new living lab where novel technology interventions can be investigated and evaluated in a safe environment to see how they might be effectively used by clinicians and patients. The听听project involved discussions on research priorities with manufacturers of medical devices such as听,听听补苍诲听. The听听project also led to further collaborations with the NHS on technology for managing chronic pain.
Currently, 果冻影院IC is part of the Textiles Circularity Centre (TCC), which is a 4 year multidisciplinary programme funded by the UKRI and led by the Royal College of Art, that aims to turn post-consumer textiles, crop residues and household waste into renewable materials for use in textiles, developing new supply chains, textile production, design and consumer experience. There is a Consumer Experience (CX strand), led by 果冻影院IC, which involves crafting Virtual Reality (VR) experiences that incorporate mid-air haptics, scent and potentially even soft robotics for tactile sensation. The objective of these experiences is to enhance the general public's understanding of textile circularity by actively involving them in the process.听
听is the Academic Director of the听听(Global Disability Innovation Hub), which was launched in 2016. The GDI Hub is now leading a 拢10m global programme on Life Changing Assistive Technology for All, working with partners such as听,听听and the听听to test new approaches and backing 'what works' to get Assistive Technologies to those who need it.
- Knowledge Transfer Partnership
KTP (or Knowledge Transfer Partnership) is offered by the DTI (UK Department of Trade and Industry) to promote collaboration between 'Knowledge Bases,' such as universities, and industry or public organisations. The KTP scheme works by the Knowledge Base employing a graduate or graduates to work on a project that is strategically important to the company or organisation. The project can last between 1 and 3 years (usually 2) - if 3 years then the graduate can register for a PhD at 果冻影院 (subject also to meeting the normal academic criteria for doing a PhD of course).
KTPs typically cost ~拢120K per annum for a project in London, of which Innovate UK will pay 67% for an SME or 50% for a larger company and the business partner then pays the rest. This represents very good value for the company.
The scheme is based on the benefits for the company or organisation, the Knowledge Base and the graduate who does the work (The Associate). Keys points are:
1. The project must be of strategic importance to the company, and there must be a significant element of academic challenge in the project.听
2. There is a 果冻影院 KTP team that are part of听果冻影院 Innovation and Enterprise听who co-ordinate KTP activities with 果冻影院 and provide a support service for those departments participating, including 果冻影院IC. There is further information on the 果冻影院's听Innovation and Enterprise听website, or you can email the听KTP team.
果冻影院 has about a dozen KTP schemes at the moment. Departments that have participated in the past include Computer Science, 果冻影院 Statistical Science and the IoE. 果冻影院 Physics & Astronomy and 果冻影院 Chemical Engineering have also been involved.
In recent years, 果冻影院 has been awarded about 35 programmes to the total value of about 拢4M. One of these was a KTP with听PassivSystems听and collaborators in the听Computer Science Dept听 which focused on improving energy usage monitoring devices and ran for 2 years until October 2014.
- Consultancy
果冻影院IC staff are an excellent resource for consulting. Many thousands of pounds have been invested in the knowledge and expertise we have acquired and we can offer consultancy services in a number of areas related to Human Computer Interaction. Many staff are regularly involved in organizing or contributing to workshops to transfer knowledge and techniques to Industry in providing consultancy on specific projects.
Please note that:
We do not have a huge pool of staff waiting for work; every member of staff is funded by a particular project. Using their time involves either buying it out or recruiting additional staff 果冻影院 is a not-for-profit organisation. If engaged in collaborative bids to funding organisations, all 果冻影院's costs (direct and indirect) need to be covered.
Please see 果冻影院 Consultants for more information how to connect with us for consultancy and expert HCI advice.
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