Vin Technology Services has been designed as a business face for the wide range of technology and expertise that the University of Birmingham can offer as a leading centre of industrial research
Some of the most advanced imaging and visualisation technologies in the world are being made available for the first time to small and medium sized medical technology businesses through a new initiative launched by the University of Birmingham.
Vin Technology Services has been designed as a business face for the wide range of technology and expertise that the university can offer as one of the UK's leading centres of industrial research.
The services can help businesses involved in biomedical, life sciences, diagnosis, pharmaceutical and cosmetics to tackle a wide range of issues relating to product and process design.
They include technologies that can visualise and interact with 2D and 3D data in life-size active stereo, or accurately capture data in 2D and 3D from the microscopic to a landscape scale.
Extensive software tools and expertise are available to model problems, and analytical expertise is provided to interpret results and advise on potential solutions.
With funding support from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Advantage West Midlands, these services can be made available to eligible small and medium sized (SME) businesses in the West Midlands region.
Head of Vin, Gino Bellavia, said: "The idea behind Vin Technology Services is to take advantage of the wide range of technology and research expertise at University of Birmingham and create a way for businesses to access many of these for the first time.
"Many of the truly cutting edge technologies we are able to provide through Vin are not even available to the world's largest businesses.
"These can provide businesses with a real competitive advantage in many different ways.
"Visualisation and imaging systems are used by modern medical technology companies in a wide variety of circumstances, from analysing materials for use in medical devices and dentistry through to the inspection of bacteria and viral specimens.
"Vin is also involved in the optimisation of pharmaceutical processes, such as mixing and blending, agglomeration and coating, and colorimetric analysis for the cosmetics industry.
"The range of applications for today's visualisation and imaging technologies is almost endless, whether you are developing new processes, testing, developing or analysing materials, or simply carrying out feasibility studies on new ideas.
"The key is being able to harness this technology in the right ways to make your business better.
"We hope that by making these services easily and freely available to smaller businesses in the West Midlands they will be encouraged to get involved and discover how this enormous power can be unleashed to their benefit".
