[WIRELESS FIBRE1] OLD AND NEW: A team from Wireless Fibre takes to the Alexandra Dock to test trial their latest under-water wireless communications technology. In the background lies HMS Caroline – when the light cruiser was launched in 1914 wireless radio and semaphore represented the heights of naval communications technology.
Wireless Fibre Systems Ltd (WFS), a global leader in wireless communications and new tenant at Northern Ireland Science Park, has been trying out its sea legs in Belfast Lough in an effort to finalise their latest piece of underwater communications technology.
The Scottish-owned company, which also has two US operations, has been test-trialling advanced concepts in through-water communications technology in Northern Ireland Science Park’s Alexandra Dock and in the channel feeding into Belfast Lough.
WFS’s products can penetrate the surf zone ice, harbour walls, and hitherto impenetrable materials. Some of the products being trialled in Belfast could be used by emergency crews responding to natural disasters or accidents at sea.
Brendan Hyland, CEO and founder of Wireless Fibre, said: “The Alexandra Dock offers a great test zone for our products and can simulate a number of tough communications environments. Our research hub here at Northern Ireland Science Park will be critical in developing new advanced concepts and ensure the new products can be taken to market as soon as possible.
“Concepts developed here can be applied in a range of areas such as environmental monitoring, communications with unmanned vehicles and under ice operations. These robust, secure communications are ideal for use in emergency situations occurring in the world’s most demanding and challenging environments.”
Invest NI offered almost £400,000, including support provided by the European Regional Development Fund, towards a total investment by WFS of just under £750,000 to establish a research hub in Belfast. A further £315,000 has recently been offered to the company towards an investment of over £520,000 in R&D activities.
Carol Keery, Invest NI’s Director of Innovation, Research and Technology, said: “The research into frontier communications technologies being undertaken by WFS in Northern Ireland is exactly the kind of activity that will help generate future economic success. The Belfast R&D centre is enabling the company to develop advanced specialist products to support its global growth in the high value energy, environmental, oil, gas and security sectors.”
NISP Director of Facilities and Corporate Real Estate Mervyn Watley, who also facilitated access for WFS to the dock and surrounding waterway, said: “WFS has seen tremendous growth since first arriving here in May. Our flexible office solutions mean that this innovative company has been able to grow from a single desk into a full unit within a comparatively short space of time.
“We are very pleased that WFS has selected NISP to site their R&D hub and I’m sure concepts developed in Belfast will assist the company is achieving further growth.”
With the only commercially available through-water product available, WFS is positioning itself to continue growing within an industry that promises to exceed $1bn within 10 years. WFS technology can also be used to monitor coastal erosion or act as an early warning system in the event of emergencies (such as pollution incidents).
In 2006, the company was recognised as the Overall Winner of the UK Ministry of Defence’s top innovation award. In total, WFS has filed over 50 patent applications in Europe and North America.
[WIRELESS FIBRE2] CREST OF A WAVE: A Wireless Fibre Systems engineer monitors the performance of the company’s latest hi-tech underwater communications system. The team took to the Alexandra Dock for a series of intensive test trials.
About Wireless Fibre (www.wirelessfibre.co.uk)