A group of Scottish scientists have been awarded a £3.7 million Basic Technology Award to develop groundbreaking computer technology with the potential to shape the future of modern technology for generations to follow.

The Speckled Computing Consortium, comprising of physicists, chemists, electrical engineers and computing scientists from the Universities of Glasgow, Edinburgh, St Andrews and Strathclyde, has been given the award from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

The research involves the development of tiny "Specks" for low power sensor applications, which are very small self-powered sensors that are embedded in various objects. The benefits of this in the long-term are dramatic savings made to power, energy and resources.

Examples of the applications of Specks include: local lighting and temperature sensors in buildings that modify the heating and lighting dependent on who is in the building, potentially saving billions of pounds on energy per year; sensors being placed in aircraft wings to detect any failures; and sensitising medicine bottles to ensure that people take their prescribed medication at he correct times saving the medical profession billions of pounds in the process on previously wasted drugs.

Scientists are even considering the idea of a computer network in a spray-can, allowing more bandwidth or processing power, by spraying a coat of paint containing Specks onto a wall. This idea is developed from the concept of "ubiquitous computing", where the computer is embedded in a person's clothing so that information can be sent wirelessly for them to read either in some kind of display, or electronic paper that can rolled up and tucked into a pocket.

The Ultrafast Systems Group at the University of Glasgow, who have been rewarded £700k from the Basic Technology Award, is contributing ultra-low power radio and high efficiency solar cell technologies to the Consortium. Professor Iain Thayne, leader of the Glasgow group stated: "The Consortium is one of the most exciting projects in which I have been involved as we have experts from different Universities and diverse backgrounds working together to realise these incredibly small Specks. In my view, this is a wonderful example of a successful multi-disciplinary collaboration in action."

"For us, there are huge research challenges in designing and producing such small radios, so the sensor only consumes tiny amounts of power in operation and increases the life expectancy of the battery by years. When people are asked what the most important thing to them is in a mobile product, be it a phone or MP3 player, the answer is usually battery life. The whole lower power issue is very important, not only for radio, but for all electronic devises."

The four year award adds to £1.3M funding secured by the Consortium from the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC) in July 2003.

Media Relations Office (media@gla.ac.uk)

For more details please contact the University of Glasgow Press Office on 0141 330-3535. Further details of the Consortium can be found at www.SpeckNet.org.

First published: 24 October 2005