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18 March 2009
Antenna work picks up award
Source: Sheffield Star, 18 March 2009
Researchers from the University of Sheffield’s Department of Engineering Materials have won an award for helping a British telecommunications specialist develop a tiny aerial for mobile phones.
Researchers, led by Professor Ian Reaney from the University's Department of Engineering Materials, teamed up with Oliver Leisten, technical director of Wellingborough telecoms company Sarantel, to make a better aerial – or antenna – that is easier to manufacture and uses cheaper materials.
The aerial will be used in a new generation of mobile phones and hand-held devices, to enable them to work out where they are by using the Global Positioning System (GPS) network.
Now, the partnership has been named the best Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) making use of research funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.
Professor Reaney said: "We are extremely pleased to receive this award. KTPs provide the ideal platform for businesses to engage with the academic community, on a mutually beneficial basis.
"During the KTP our relationship with Sarantel went from strength to strength and we were able to develop an understanding of each other's needs."
The partnership will allow Sarantel to reach a much broader section of the antenna market and increase its market share and profits in the long term. The company and the University have now won funding for a new partnership to improve the process used to manufacture the aerials.
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