New innovators

Kidspotter

LOSING A CHILD in a public place is every parent's nightmare but even with parental vigilance it happens. New to market is the second generation of Kidspotter, a tracking system that keeps tabs on kids in busy places and provides parents with more peace of mind on a day out. The device clips onto the child's wrist and works in indoor and outdoor environments such as theme parks and shopping centres.

Kidspotter is based in Dublin and owned by Andrew Dunne, Liam Darling and Klaus Brohl. "The original product was launched in 2008/2009 and, while we looked after the software ourselves, the hardware production was outsourced. As a small company we found it very difficult to be listened to and there were issues with the device," Dunne says. "We have now linked up with a small UK company which is making the device exactly as we want it. This gives us total control over all aspects of the product, which is very important. GPS technology has also really come into its own now and we have made the most of this."

Raising the finance to develop the hardware took 16 months and the project was assisted by Enterprise Ireland under its high-potential start-up programme. The funding of around €400,000 was secured last July and the new device is now in production. Dunne says the aim is to have it available in eight venues in Europe and the US by the summer.

Venues rent out Kidspotter to parents who text its unique pin code to a designated number to activate it. From then on the device is constantly tracked via an integrated network of satellite and wireless technologies. If the child goes missing the parent texts "help" to the designated number and the child's location is identified and reported simultaneously to the parent and venue's security staff.

"The engine behind Kidspotter is our software. The real intelligence (which has been patented) lies here," Dunne says. "Initially we have chosen to apply it to safeguarding children but it has applications in many other fields, for example the medical environment where it could be used with Alzheimer's patients. But for now our focus is on Kidspotter and on the US market where about 75 per cent of our sales will be concentrated."

JLizard

MANAGING AND analysing log data is a challenge, especially for organisations with a large IT infrastructure. Problems can take days to resolve as data is usually produced by multiple sources and stored in many locations.

Managing log data effectively can help prevent software system crashes and speed up the resolution of issues when they arise.

There are already systems that do this but they are costly, in-house and require a considerable amount of management. This puts them out of the budget of many organisations.

New to market is logentries.com, a log management service from fledgling Irish software development company, JLizard.

The firm is a spin-out company from UCD's School of Computer Science and Informatics, which recently won the NovaUCD 2010 Start-Up Award.

"Log data is currently the fastest growing data source in large organisations and is a particular problem for those using cloud-based systems," says Dr Trevor Parsons who founded JLizard with Dr Viliam Holub (both pictured) last year.

"Many organisations may produce up to 10,000 events per second across their IT infrastructures. Our product reduces the amount of analysis time from days to minutes and, by detecting system problems earlier, organisations can make significant savings and increase the detection of bugs in their systems."

Log data management systems first came to prominence in response to a tightening of the regulatory framework for large organisations such as financial institutions. "In theory the big software companies that developed the original systems could do what we've done but they would be playing catch-up," Dr Parsons says.

"We both have considerable expertise in the area of large enterprise systems and have been working on this project for three years. What we have achieved involves a high degree of innovation and we have the first-to-market advantage."

In February logentries.com goes live and the entry level cost will be €70 a month, with big users paying more based on the volume of log data they produce.

"The product is aimed at systems administrators and is suitable for organisations of all sizes. I suppose you could sum it up as an easy, cost-effective solution that provides log management to the masses," Dr Parsons says.

Clearsight

CATARACT SURGERY makes a huge difference to people's lives by replacing cloudy vision with clear sight. During surgery the damaged lens is removed and a customised intra-ocular lens of the correct strength is inserted in its place.

To decide the appropriate strength, eye surgeons take measurements from the front and back of the eye. Collecting data from the front is not a problem but measuring inside is.

Up to now it has not been possible to take these measurements accurately. Surgeons have had to use a combination of formulae based on historical data, coupled with their knowledge and experience. This is more difficult in the case of patients with previous refractive (laser) eye surgery.

Clearsight, a measuring device developed by a team of Irish ophthalmic surgeons and scientists, aims to overcome these issues. It combines software algorithms with cutting-edge hardware to provide an accurate measurement of the internal optics.

Ophthalmic surgeons Eugene Ng and Arthur Cummings took their idea to the National Digital Research Centre. It invested in the project and created a three-way collaboration with the surgeons, itself and the Applied Optics group at NUIG.

"The team has developed a sophisticated algorithm for number crunching the data and has combined this with a unique hardware design to produce a device that will be easy to and quick to use," says Ronan Byrne of the National Digital Research Centre who leads the commercialisation of the technology.

"There are around 18,000 cataract surgeons around the world and the device will be of interest to many of them. Those leading the Clearsight project have significant experience in the field of ophthalmic research and this has been brought to bear on the development of this device. Protecting the intellectual property involved is crucial."

The two-year project is in its final pre-commercialisation phase and will be spun off into a start-up company in about six months' time. At present about 30 per cent of those who have had cataract surgery will still need either glasses or laser correction to maximise their vision. With Clearsight it's hoped to cut this to below 10 per cent.

Silvercloud

ONE OF THE main problems facing health professionals using technology to deliver therapeutic programs is a high drop-out rate.

Patients often fail to engage for the long term, making it difficult to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of programs that are expensive and time-consuming to develop.

Silvercloud is a new technology platform that enables mental healthcare professionals to create and deliver a broad range of computerised programs to clients.

What makes Silvercloud different is its level of engagement. It is a highly interactive system that combines cutting-edge technology with best clinical practice to keep its users coming back.

It also allows therapists considerable flexibility in terms of tailoring client specific content.

"Clients tend to stop using online systems because they feel isolated," says Ken Cahill of the National Digital Research Centre (NDRC) which is working with the project's promoters to commercialise this new technology.

"Silvercloud provides a rich content environment with the capacity to retain clients because it addresses this sense of isolation, albeit in very subtle ways. For example, clients can see how many people have viewed a certain video. This tells them they are not alone and is critical in keeping them engaged."

Silvercloud is a collaboration between Trinity College Dublin, Parents Plus at the Mater Hospital and the NDRC.

"What gives us the edge is that we are a small, agile team with technological, clinical and commercial expertise all in one place," says Cahill.

"One of the big advantages of the system is cost effectiveness. At a time when health budgets everywhere are under pressure it allows organisations with big waiting lists to provide high levels of support and treatment while reducing contact hours."

Silvercloud can be delivered via the web or a client's server and it comes with or without content as required. Content packages are already available to treat depression and eating disorders.

A number of clinical trials have been conducted which have had promising outcomes. The project is well on the way to market and its first two contracts are due to be signed soon.

To ensure the project does not get wiped out by bigger players, discussions are underway with two of the major companies already in this space.

"Silvercloud has global potential so we are talking to them with a view to licensing the technology," says Cahill.