KTN-iX is a cross-sector program supporting innovation transfer by matching industry challenges to innovative organisations from a wide range of sectors.
It does this through putting large businesses with technical needs in contact with organisations who have innovative technology, for faster development of novel solutions.
Innovators get the opportunity to work with large corporates on a commercial basis via a simple submission of their ideas. The challenge owner selects the ideas that best fit the challenge and then looks at how they might collaborate on a commercial basis.
5 new challenges have been uploaded to the KTN-iX website
We’re hoping some of our tenants, members and wider networks might have ideas capable of solving the challenges, so please read the below to see if you have some innovative tech that could be just what they’re looking for.
The new challenges are:
Automatic document processing
As part of critical daily operations the organisation has a need to access a large number of legal and/or policy documents. Currently this is done using a standard electronic form on which people are asked to complete a combination of tick boxes and free text to demonstrate their compliance.
As there may be 200 or more access requests to check per day, there is often a queue for a suitable person to review them. Therefore, the client is looking for an automated process to review documents.
Please see the challenge page here.
Topic detection on the phone
As part of its operations the business conducts a large number of meetings and one-to-one conversations using Voice Over Internet Protocol systems. To minimise the risk of security breaches the Challenge Owner is looking for an automated system to flag potentially sensitive topics of conversation.
Please see the challenge page here.
Voice based query
As part of operational activities, engineers and other staff are required to access technical information such as manuals, operating procedures, safety standards, group policies and technical guidance. Currently this information will be held on a laptop, requiring the operator to manually enter information searches. This detracts from performing the tasks, therefore the Challenge Owner is looking for a system with which an individual can verbally ask a question and be provided with a spoken or visual response.
Please see the challenge page here.
Immutable audit trail of a component or device
The challenge owner has a very large and diverse supply chain. In order to prevent non-compliant parts entering the organisation or to trace the origin of parts on the introduction of new compliance regulations, which affect legacy parts, it is necessary to establish irrefutably the origin and history of a part and associated documentation. Any technology or system must be able to be implemented by a wide range of organisations. Ideally it should be an approach that can be integrated with existing systems, however stand-alone solutions will be entertained.
Please see the challenge page here.
Component recognition and tracking
As part of operational activities, it is often necessary to relocate multiple pieces of equipment and associated tools, for replacement or maintenance. Parts range in size from those that are easily carried by hand by a single person, e.g. pumps, valves, wrenches, flexible hoses etc., to those that require machinery to lift, such as control cabinets and generators. In order not to misplace those objects, it is critical that the movements and whereabouts of each asset is recorded and stored securely. Due to the harsh environments and robust handling that many parts experience, solutions that involve the addition of ‘tags’ (QR codes, RFID tags) have proven not to be sufficiently reliable. It is therefore necessary to implement a system that does not rely on adding devices to parts or equipment.
Please see the challenge page here.