TECH INNOVATIONS

We showcase some of the coolest technological innovations from across the region

There’s something intrinsically cool about technology. Maybe, in part, it’s seeing gadgets once considered little more than fantasy becoming a reality. There may also be an element of imagining how the latest idea might enhance your day-to-day life, or even just make it a little easier.

By Nicky Godding and Sam Pither

Reaction Engines Oxfordshire

Reaction Engines is developing more sustainable jet engines for space. Its SABRE engine eliminates the need to carry on-board oxidizer during air-breathing flight segments, enabling aircraft-like horizontal take-o and landing. This reduces cost, infrastructure and mission timelines while increasing responsiveness and system reusability.

Open Bionics Bristol

Open Bionics is developing revolutionary low-cost bionic prosthetics by combining 3D scanning and 3D printing to reduce the cost and improve the fitting process of robotic prosthetics.Its first product, the Hero Arm, is a myoelectric prosthetic for children and adults with below elbow amputations and limb di erences.

Osler Diagnostics Oxford

Osler Diagnostics is a medical diagnostic company aiming to transform global healthcare by providing lab-quality diagnostic testing to anyone, anywhere, at any time. Its Osler Origin is a portable diagnostic capable of performing a wide range of high-performance testing at lowcost. The company says it represents a step-change in portable diagnostics, going beyond existing solutions.

McMurtry Automotive Gloucestershire

What’s cooler than a really fast car? A really fast car which doesn’t guzzle fossil fuels. This is what Stonehouse, Gloucestershirebased McMurtry Automotive has created. In 2022, the firm’s Spéirling set the Goodwood Festival of Speed’s outright record in an electric car capable of 0-60mph in less than 1.5 seconds.

The Spéirling uses twin fans and can generate up to 1,000 brake horsepower with a driving range of up to 300 miles.

Aurrigo Warwickshire

Coventry-based Aurrigo’s Auto-Pod is designed to transport small groups of passengers. It has also built a 10-seat passenger vehicle which can operate fully autonomously or be driven as a conventional EV shuttle, with the potential to provide public transport in under-served or previously less cost-e cient parts of the country.

The company has also designed a range of autonomous cargo and utility vehicles, with applications from airport baggage handling to security patrols.

Duku Gloucestershire

Designed in Cheltenham, Duku EV’s e ortless EV charger incorporates a groundbreaking automated cable system that eliminates the chore of carrying cumbersome cables and makes it fully accessible to all EV drivers.

RootWave Warwickshire

RootWave is a Kineton, Warwickshirebased firm with a cool new solution to controlling weeds without the need for harmful chemicals. Its technology uses electricity to kill weeds, helping nature restore soils, water and biodiversity.

From smaller, handheld devices used by growers, gardeners and groundskeepers to industrial-scale machines for the agriculture industry (including an autonomous weeding robot under development by Salisburybased Small Robot Company), RootWave’s technology was first thought up in the 1970s, but is only now becoming cost-e ective.

Plinx Worcestershire

Malvern-based Plinx is a construction site safety system. It restricts access to zones with a high potential of danger based on role and purpose and works by equipping each worker with a helmet-mounted sensor, known as a team tag, which gives audible, visual and haptic feedback.

These work together with MachineTags on machinery and HazardTags in dangerous zones to warn workers when they’re in danger and avoid accidents before they can unfold.

Changemaker 3D Worcestershire

Changemaker 3D is the Malvern-based firm behind Printfrastructure – 3D concrete printing. Components, from walls to water tanks, are designed and digitally modelled, then printed on-site using low-carbon mortar to an exact specification.

Because everything is printed to a precise design, this cuts down on waste, delivering carbon savings of between 10 to 25 per cent. Because it’s quicker and more laboure cient, this can also save money and it’s safer, as it reduces the need to work at height or in confined spaces.

Kitt Medical Box Cheltenham

Designed and prototyped in Cheltenham, this is a great idea born from personal experience. During his final year at university, founder Zak Marks – who lives with a severe nut allergy – decided to work on a potential solution to the many problems he faced as a result of his allergies. The idea? To make something that could store, monitor and provide training for emergency anaphylaxis medication in public places. Something just like a defibrillator, but for allergies.

Zak lives in London, but the design and prototyping has been done by Cheltenham-based product design company Duku, which also set him up with a UK manufacturer.

Never give up - the world’s greatest inventors are models of perseverance

“The only real mistake is one from which we learn nothing”, said Henry Ford. And lots of successful entrepreneurs have su ered multiple failures before they found success.

James Dyson created more than 5,000 prototypes before he succeeded in building his DC01 bagless vacuum cleaner.

Thomas Edison, the 19th century inventor of the light bulb, didn’t give up either. A famous saying from him was: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

For the 20th century’s most famous Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, determination is the answer. He said: “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”