Insights

Spinverse and ObservatoryNano release the Wireless Communications Report

Devices using wireless communication range from TV receivers to RFID tags, and mobile phones to satellites. Internet access from mobile phones and tablets is growing exponentially, which puts increasing demands on the performance of mobile devices and networks. Radio frequency (RF) electronic components use a lot of passive components, like capacitors and inductors, which cannot be miniaturized as fast as transistors and digital electronics circuits. It is foreseen that within the next 10‐15 years the current RF technologies will not be able to meet the ever increasing performance requirements of mobile handsets. Wireless sensors for health and sports monitoring have already become commonplace, and wireless connections are used extensively between household devices, in security systems and in monitoring and logistics systems in factories and warehouses. The development of smaller, cheaper, less power consuming and more efficient wireless sensor devices is expected to have considerable impact on these areas and enable new solutions for services, healthcare, environment monitoring, and logistics.

Opinion leader with long experience in energy sector

CTO Petra Lundström at Fortum Corporation has been chosen as 2012 Chief Technology Officer of the Year. Technology Academy Finland (TAF) gives the award in recognition of the work of a CTO who has made a significant contribution to the performance and growth potential of their company through technology. The winning CTO is an inspiring leader and is actively involved in professional organisations and discussion on the role played by technology in society. The CTO of the Year award is held in partnership with Spinverse Oy, Confederation of Finnish Industries EK and Sitra.

Finnish CTOs don’t plan drastic cuts in 2012 R&D budgets, but will recruit less

Over 70 Finnish companies participated in the CTO Survey 2012, which was run for the second consecutive year. The study was conducted by technology and innovation consultancy Spinverse, with Sitra, the Federation of Finnish Industries EK and Technology Academy Finland. The survey is launched at today's CTO Forum, which will also see the announcement of the 2012 CTO of the Year.

Agenda

Accessing new ways of innovation funding and technology transfer services

On Wednesday, 25th of May 2011 in Lappeenranta, Finland, in the framework of the second EU-Russia Innovation Forum, Spinverse announced that it is seeking partners for the Finnish-Russian Nanotechnology Innovation Alliance project.

Sharing application needs and fresh research results

The workshop on ”Printed Intelligence – Towards Applications” arranged by Spinverse Functional Materials coordination team brought together the key Finnish companies and research groups in the field and a multidisciplinary audience of altogether 100 experts.

Improving quality and cost-efficiency of training in nanomaterials world-wide

At the Moscow RUSNANOTECH 2011, ETU and TEKLAB announced their partnership in commercializing the NanoLab, a highly cost-effective nanotechnology education laboratory for trans-disciplinary training of nanomaterials synthesis and analysis at universities.

Aurubis Finland Oy (former Luvata Pori Rolled Products) has developed a novel solution for energy efficient buildings. Their Nordic Solar concept now demonstrated in full scale in the Pori swimming hall opened September 24th, 2011 comprises solar thermal collectors embedded directly within the prepatinated copper façade elements. Their development on new absorption coatings made in the Tekes Functional Materials Programme guarantees effective heat transfer, but more widely it shows how target-oriented material R&D combined with understanding of the application needs opens new business opportunities in a short time frame, says Dr. Markku Heino, Spinverse, Coordinator of the Functional Materials Programme.