Newsletter 1: Spring 2009
Welcome to the first newsletter of the Wellness and Health Innovation Project. If you have any articles, events, case studies, information or anything you think may be appropriate for future newsletters, please email them to ross.mclennan@innovationcentre.org.
Wellness and Health Innovation Project Update
The Wellness and Health Innovation Project was commissioned by Scottish Enterprise and awarded to Innovation Centres (Scotland) on 10 October 2008. It is tasked with assisting both existing and new-start companies to exploit significant opportunities in the major emerging global market of wellness and health. The Project is Scotland-wide and provides specialised support services – market intelligence, product, technology and innovation support and business development advice – to Scottish SMEs supplying, or interested in supplying, innovative products or services to the wellness and health market. Our ultimate mission is to develop a growth pipeline of robust Scottish SMEs in the global wellness and health market.
The core team of Janette Hughes, Ross McLennan and Katie Sillars started in November, bringing together a wealth of relevant, complementary, expertise. In addition, the team are supported by a network of experienced associate advisors, brought in to meet the specific needs of companies.
In the 6 months since our launch, the team have made significant progress: we have met with 75 companies, supported 50 clients and delivered intensive support to 15 of these companies. We look forward to working with many more over the coming years: if you feel we could assist your company please do not hesitate to get in touch at wellness@innovationcentre.org.
Textiles for Wellness Event
This inspiring event took place on Thursday 2 April at Hillington Park Innovation Centre. A dynamic mix of companies was represented, bringing together a wealth of expertise in textile applications for wellness. There was a great deal of enthusiasm for the topic and many stayed around long after lunch to discuss their issues and ways in which these could potentially be addressed through collaboration. Janette Hughes, Project Manager of Wellness and Health Innovation, said, "We were delighted with the response to this event and the presentations given. We carefully targeted a number of companies with technologies in this field and they certainly seemed to have a lot to talk about!"
Click here to access the podcasts of this event.
Upcoming Wellness and Health Events
Innovation for Success in Wellness, Tuesday 21 April 2009, Aberdeen
Convergent Technologies Showcase and Conference, Wednesday 13 May 2009, Stirling Management Centre, Stirling
Web 2.0 for Wellness and Health, Friday 12 June 2009, Edinburgh
Did you know?
17.5 million UK adults are living with a chronic disease. By 2030 the incidence of chronic disease will double.
Source: NHS Lothian and Napier University Edinburgh
Hot Stuff – How heated mitts helped Matt recover movement in his hand
Matt Atherton (22) was planning an evening out with friends one night in January. His plans were shattered, however, when he fell from a height, breaking his neck at C6 level with damage to the spinal cord. He was airlifted to the Queen Elizabeth Spinal Injuries Unit in the Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, and started on treatment right away. His right side began to show signs of movement quite early, but the left was much slower. This pattern continued after surgery, with the right side growing stronger, and the left responding only slowly to therapy. Matt explained, "The physio thinks that the left arm was stretched in the fall, which has damaged these nerves."
It was at this point that James Laing of Exo2 heard of Matt and sent a pair of Exo2 Heated Mitts.
Exo2 technology is based around a unique polymer-based element that heats up when low voltage is passed through it. By regulating the voltage, the material can be heated to a pre-defined level to create a uniform area of heat with no hot spots. The material is powered by either rechargeable batteries, a mains power adaptor or from the accessory socket of a car or motorcycle. It has a wide range of potential uses including sports clothing, warm clothing for elderly or disabled and can even be incorporated into furniture or buildings as a cost-effective source of heating. In Matt's case, the material had been built into mitts that can be used for outdoor sports such as skiing or motorcycling. They have also been worn by people with Raynaud's Condition to help keep their fingers warm.
The mitts have an additional health benefit as they emit infrared (IFR) heat. Unlike ordinary heat, which is mostly absorbed at skin level and raises the skin temperature, IFR rays easily penetrate the skin up to a depth of 4cm. This has a range of effects on the body:-
- q It expands blood vessels and capillaries, improving blood flow and promoting faster tissue regeneration;
- q The oscillation that occurs naturally reduces the ion bonds of the atoms that are holding together the molecules of water, resulting in a release of toxins (one of the main benefits of the IFR saunas);
- q Some studies have even shown that there is improved angiogenesis (growth of new blood vessels) following repeated application of IFR.
After the first session with the mitts, Matt noted a very positive response. "I had the mitts on for a good hour", he said. "And when I took them off I found I could open my hand, which I couldn't do before". He has been wearing the mitts for three weeks now, and is not seeing any dramatic improvement, but he recognises that this is likely to be because recovery is in a very slow phase. Exo2 has now developed a blanket for Matt and he is keen to use the mitts and blanket for longer periods each day. He's not finished with healing yet!
Boots Centre for Innovation & Interface New Product Innovation Seminar
This event will take place on Thursday 14 May 2009 at the Surgeons Hall, Edinburgh. It will cover:
- Boots' approach to open innovation
- Funding for spinouts
- University pitches
Google to Invest in Innovative Healthcare Start-up Companies
Google has launched Google Ventures, a new venture capital fund that will invest in innovative start-up companies, including healthcare, IT, consumer Internet products and biotechnology firms.
Rich Miner – co-founder of Android, a mobile platforms company acquired by Google in 2005 – and Bill Maris, who founded Web hosting pioneer Burlee.com, will serve as Google Ventures' managing partners.
Miner and Maris, wrote on the Google Blog, "This is Google's effort to take advantage of our resources to support innovation and encourage promising new technology companies."
They added, "Economically, times are tough, but great ideas come when they will. If anything, we think the current downturn is an ideal time to invest in nascent companies that have the chance to be the 'next big thing,' and we'll be working hard to find them" (Merrill, Healthcare IT News, 3/31).
Lothian NMAHP Healthcare Innovation Awards
Are you a nurse, midwife or allied health professional working in the NHS, academia or privately? Do you have an idea that could improve healthcare? Then you should enter the NMAHP Healthcare Innovation Awards for your chance to win funding to develop your idea and win cash prizes.
The Lothian NMAHP Healthcare Innovation award aims to recognise those with ideas and encourage innovation among the Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions. All entrants will receive expert advice on how to develop their idea further with the top entrants receiving up to £10000 in business development support.
For further information please contact Helen Corner at helen.corner@shil.co.uk or visit http://www.shil.co.uk/.
£50,000 Prize for Innovation – Call for Entries
Scotland's top award for innovation carries a cash award of £50,000. The Gannochy Trust Innovation Award of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) is presented annually to a young innovator whose work benefits Scotland's wellbeing. The closing date for entries is 8 May 2009.
Targeted at a new generation of Scottish innovator, any individual aged 45 and under, working in Scotland is eligible to compete for the award. The award carries a valuable cash prize of £50000 to an individual, and a prestigious specially commissioned gold medal.
Established 7 years ago, past winners are Dr Barbara Spruce from Ninewells Hospital and Medical School in Dundee, Dr Ian Underwood of MicroEmissive Displays Ltd, Edinburgh, John Harrison of Surfactant Technologies Grangemouth, Dr Marie Claire Parker of XstalBio Ltd in Glasgow, Dr Andrew Mearns Spragg, CEO of Aquapharm Bio Discovery Ltd, based at the European Centre for Marine Biotechnology in Oban and Dr Colin Urquhart, CEO of Glasgow based Dimensional Imaging Ltd.
Following an open competition for the innovation award, run by The Royal Society of Edinburgh, a distinguished judging panel chaired by Lord Cullen of Whitekirk, will select and assess the entries. Application forms are available from The Royal Society of Edinburgh at gannochyaward@royalsoced.org.uk or http://www.royalsoced.org.uk/.
Social Innovation Camp – Healthier and Happier
Social Innovation Camp is an experiment in creating social innovations for the digital age. It is all about working out what people really need and starting to build technology that can help. This summer, the Social Innovation Camp will be coming to Scotland, bringing together talented software developers and designers with social innovators. They are looking for 6 back-of-the-envelope ideas that could change the world, their mission is to turn them into social start-ups in 48 hours.
In particular, they are looking for ideas that make people healthier or happier: in the last 150 years, health care has improved thanks to advances in drugs and medical procedures, greater state provision of services like the NHS and a better understanding of why we become ill.
But what makes us sick is changing.
Recent figures show that over 64 per cent of men in Scotland are over-weight, whilst 22 per cent are obese – and the numbers are growing. Similar trends can be seen in poor mental health, alcohol-related harm, loss of well-being and a rise in sexually-transmitted diseases.
Scottish life expectancy is below most of Europe, but the country still has an aging population: in 2004, 63 per cent of people were of working age, whilst 19 per cent were pensioners. By 2041, it's predicted that 57 per cent of the population will be of working age and 28 per cent will be pensioners.
We're no longer dying from infectious diseases: we're faced with chronic, long-term conditions which are often the result of behavioural and lifestyle choices, as well as an aging population.
So what could you do to help people make small changes to be healthier or live more comfortable lives with long-term conditions? We've had ideas focused on mental health and supporting those caring for aging parents before. What else could you do? Click here to find out more.
