Analytical NanoTechnologies (ANT)

ANT, formed in 2004, has strategic focus in the research, development and manufacture of realtime and near real-time diagnostics to detect biochemical discharges in manufacturing and environmental situations. The company currently concentrates on the following biochemical detection systems: Enzymes, Dioxins and Estrogen Steroids.

ANT can provide real- time/near real-time detection of the above biochemicals via: Air Monitoring Systems using patented bioreactor technology and micro engineered 'sniffers' in either a manufacturing or environmental setting, i.e. stacks. Dip Strip Technology can detect biochemical discharges in the environment via personal monitors within 15/20 minutes. Laboratory Services using ANT Technology and thelatest MALDI-TOF-MS technology the company can analyse Enzyme, Dioxin, Estrogen Steroid and Anti Infective samples; and including analysis of drugs, drug metabolites and biomarkers. Considerable time, cost and real-time / near realtime analysis can be gained by companies orenvironmental authorities who utilise ANT's patented technology.

Durham Scientific Crystals

Durham Scientific Crystals (DSC) is uniquely placed to address billion dollar world markets in medical imaging, security screening and industrial inspection. The Durham University spin-out company is set to benefit from the current transition to x-ray digital imaging which is forecast to be as revolutionary as the shift from film to digital photography.

DSC has developed breakthrough vapour-phase production processes for the Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) family of semiconductor materials.The outstanding properties of these crystals make them the preferred materials for digital x-ray detectors. Their use until now, however, has been limited by severe cost and quality constraints, but DSC's process fundamentally addresses these problems, transforming commercial viability and driving the development of new applications. International application markets are large and growing, driven by a strong demand for instrumentation in all the market sectors of interest. Various x-ray based techniques remain the most important form of medical imaging, with world markets of more than $10 billion in devices alone.

Thorn Lighting

Organic light emitting diodes: Lighting technology of the future Organic Light Emitting Diodes are flat, thin light- emitting devices made from organic semiconductive materials. As lighting panels, they offer completely new options in lighting technology, such as windows as transparent light sources or credit card sized flashlights. In addition to the obvious packaging opportunities made possible using this technology, researchers have calculated that in their current form OLEDs are likely to consume less than half as much power as conventional fluorescent lamps which means that they provide a route to meeting many of the worlds future energy conservation targets.

Thorn Lighting has launched a project "TOPLESS - Thin Organic Polymer Light Emitting Semiconductor Surfaces" together with a partner from industry - Cambridge Display Technology and the academic world - Professor Andy Monkman of Durham University. The goal of the project is twofold: