Overview of Technologies for Embedded Computing (TEC) Centre
In January 2006, CIT was awarded an EI Applied Research Enhancement (ARE) grant to establish the Technologies for Embedded Computing (TEC) Centre in order to strengthen applied research on embedded systems technologies. The objectives of the Centre are to enhance existing regional industry, to create new start-ups with international potential and to build industry-led programmes to sustain growth in the Irish embedded systems industry. The Centre’s main objective is to create a one-stop-facility for Industry R&D support in the region. This is being achieved by communicating state-of-the-art in research to industry, creating partnership activities, engaging researchers in industry relevant initiatives and providing effective prototyping facilities. The main areas of interest include wireless systems, wireless sensor networks, miniaturised hardware, software development and intelligent user interfaces.
The Centre has been focused on building up successful models of operation with SMEs (and MNCs) that bridge the gap between their development requirements (and timeframes) and those that would be typical of Applied R&D projects. Our approach, which employs a multi-strand R&D Work Programme built upon the companies critical development requirements, has been quite effective. To date we have contracted over fifty industry projects. This industry programme frames the partnership around the development of prototypes, at least initially, and grows the scope of the work in phases towards the key innovation targets; these are defined through prioritizing an ongoing dialogue.
The development of valuable intellectual property (IP) is essential to the sustainability of the Centre. We have won funding from numerous agencies, including in particular Enterprise Ireland, to develop IP in areas of energy management, smart facilities management, smart sensors and novel electronic systems. In this context the Centre is also part of a larger institutional picture. CIT already has significant knowledge transfer activities. The Genesis Programme, an industry start-up programme, was established by CIT, UCC and EI in 1997 and has supported 95 start-ups. In 2006, CIT opened its Incubation Centre, the Rubicon, which hosts and currently supports over 40 start-ups; it is now the second most successful such Centre in the country. The determination and exploitation of intellectual property (IP) is being actively leveraged within this setting.