The Abstract

Issue 2

THE ABSTRACT

A research publication from the Innovation Launchpad Network+

Innovation &

Integration

Tranche 2 of the Researcher in Residence scheme

takes on AI, Phage Therapy & Climate Displacement +

much more!

innovationlaunchpad.ac.uk 2

Contents

Innovation

LaunchPad

Network+

4

12

Healthcare

& Wellbeing

4-5 ILN+ Marketing and

communications officer Paul

Stimpson kicks off the second

issue of The Abstract with a nod

to the inspirational Researchers in

Residence in the network.

6-7 A gallery from our Induction

Event in February 2024.

10-11 Research impact, just what is it

we’re talking about here?

14-15 Find out why Dr Libby Duignan’s

Phage Therapy presentation caused

a stir at a recent ILN+ event.

15-16 Read about Dr Astrid

Werkmeister’s project on climate

displacement and why it’s is a

particularly poignant piece of work.

18-19 A roundup of the research

projects that sit within our Healthcare

& Wellbeing theme.

Net Zero

20

40

Resilience


projects that sit within our Net Zero

theme.

22-25 Yes the space industry may be

looking into a non-earth habitable

planet but should that mean we

should continue to harm this one in

the meantime? Dr Andrew Wilson

explains why the entire space

industry needs a radical rethink in

terms of sustainability.

42-43 Artificial Intelligence is being

investigated for a whole range of

different use at the moment. The

University of Bristol’s Dr James

Gopsill reveals how he is tackling

the supply chain’s ‘Big Demand’ with

his ‘Aiagents’.


projects that sit within our Resilience

theme.

3 The Abstract

Editor’s Letter

WELCOME TO THE

INNOVATION LAUNCHPAD

NETWORK+

Network+ Marketing, Comms and Events officer Paul Stimpson kicks

off the second issue of The Abstact

Welcome to the second issue of The Abstract,

the journal of the Innovation Launchpad

Network+.

As a non-academic, I am routinely inspired

and quite frankly, gob smacked at the work that

our Researchers in Residence are doing. It feels

like there’s a genuine aspiration to instate (or

re-instate, depending on how you view our

country) the UK as a global hotbed of academic

talent.

My role in the Innovation Launchpad Network+

team is to help disseminate these projects and

their outcomes in ways that aren’t conventional

for academics. We launched a podcast in 2023

called LaunchPod (available on Spotify and

YouTube, please check it out!), where we have

utilised our resources within the Network+ and

beyond to create what I would like to think are

very useful tips on topics like impact, writing

research applications and intellectual property.

Once our RiRs were up and running, we

launched a second podcast, It’s Not Not Rocket

Science, where I interview our RiRs about their

project and aspirations. I’ve spoken to Dr Andrew

Wilson from Glasgow Caledonian University about

space and how his project aims to essentially

revolutionise the entire industry in terms of its

sustainability practices. I also spoke to Dr Libby

Duignan from University of Liverpool who, with

support from two Catapults in HVMC (CPI) and

Medicines Discovery Catapult is advancing phage

therapy in the UK with the aim of reducing excess

deaths related to antibiotic resistance. Those two

projects couldn’t be further apart from each other,

but highlight the diversity in our RiR portfolio.

Those are just two examples of the inspirational

work within this network and I hope I can at least

attempt to do a decent job in getting the layman

(which is me, in these cases) excited about the

level of research going on here in the UK.

Another way we can disseminate these RiR

projects is in this magazine right here, in your

hands. This is just the second issue and it’s full of

exceptional science and cutting edge ideas. I am

but only one man, though. If you’re reading this,

take this magazine with you. Take me back to your

office, your lab, your place of work and share the

stories told in these 40+ pages. Let’s continue to

inspire and innovate.

Paul Stimpson

paul.stimpson@amrc.co.uk


THE TEAM

Network+ Director: Pete Osborne - p.osborne@amrc.co.uk

Network+ Manager: Kristina Parry - k.parry@amrc.co.uk

Network+ Marketing, Communications and Events: Paul Stimpson -

paul.stimpson@amrc.co.uk

Network+ Officer: Carlos Brambila - c.brambila@amrc.co.uk

“

AS A NON-ACADEMIC, I

AM ROUTINELY INSPIRED

AND QUITE FRANKLY,

GOB SMACKED AT

THE WORK THAT OUR

RESEARCHERS IN

RESIDENCE ARE DOING.

”

5 The Abstract


TRANCHE 2 INDUCTION DAY

After a successful first Induction event

in Birmingham in 2023, the Innovation

Launchpad Network+ hosted an even

larger event in Sheffield in February

2024 as successful applicants to the

Researcher in Residence scheme

descended onto the Steel City.

Tranche 2 RiRs were invited to a two

day event to meet fellow academics, the

Innovation Launchpad management team

and Catapult representatives in person.

They were also challenged to create a

PechaKucha-style presentation which

summarised their research proposal,

offering a unique insight into these

projects.

Nicola Coxon from the University

of Sheffield delivered a session on

research impact, whilst the University of

Nottingham’s Dr Peter Craigon delivered

an enlightening workshop on inclusivity

and diversity.

7 The Abstract

RiR

RESEARCHER

IN

RESIDENCE

The third round of academics

for the Innovation Launchpad

Network’s Researcher in Residence

scheme have been confirmed, with

27 world class projects poised to

make a huge impact to industry and

to the UK’s strategic goals.

Across all three phases of the

Researcher in Residence scheme,

the ILN+ team have been inundated

with enquiries from academics from

institutions up and down the UK.

Since launching the Innovation

Launchpad Network+ and opening

the call for the RiR scheme in October

2022, more than 350 enquires

have been sent, 275 Expressions of

Interest and eventually, 107 world

class research projects spanning

three themes: Net Zero, Resilience

and Healthcare and Wellbeing. All

9 Catapults from the Innovate UK

Catapult Network are represented in

a fascinating portfolio of applications.


RiR

Following an intensive reviewing process with the ILN+

Investigators reviewers team, the Innovation Launchpad Network+

can reveal the awarded Researcher in Residence proposals on the

website here: tinyurl.com/ILNRIRT3

Paul Stimpson, Communications Lead for the Innovation

Launchpad Network+, said: “Working with the Innovate UK

Catapult Network, EPSRC and some of the UK’s leading universities,

we had high hopes for this scheme but our expectations have

been exceeded over the last two years.

“The potential impact and the outputs we are already seeing

from these projects is game-changing. You will be hearing more

about this as our ‘It’s Not Not Rocket Science’ podcast gathers

pace.”

Innovationlaunchpad.ac.uk

9 The Abstract

Impact

“Ultimately it’s just the good the

research is doing. It’s improvement in

society and it’s real-world benefit.”


WHAT IS IMPACT?

At a recent event, University of Sheffield’s Impact Officer Nicola Coxon Nicola ran a session on

Impact. Paul Stimpson caught up with Nicola after the event to continue the conversation.

You ran a session for our Researchers in

Residence. How did that go?

It was really interesting. It was great to have an

opportunity at the end of the session to chat

with you a bit and the researchers there who

had a few extra questions. I can only talk about

Sheffield but there were discussions on effective

ways of evidencing impact and if I had any top

tips. There isn’t always tips and like everything,

there isn’t always a one size fits all when it comes

to impact.

Impact is a pretty important word in research.

Can you sum up what is it?

Yeah and I think that’s where it gets tricky. I use

the word impact a lot, meaning different things.

But really it’s just the benefit, just to give a really,

really simple definition. It just means the benefits

or the real world benefit or change that has

happened as a result of research. The key thing

is that it’s the benefit outside of academia. It

can be a benefit to individuals, groups, different

businesses, society but I think the key thing is

that it’s demonstrable. You’ve got to be able to

demonstrate a measurable change or a benefit

that’s happened as a result of research.

What are the types of impact?

Yeah, again it’s very broad. It can be so wide

ranging and vast because, understandably, you

can have completely different types of impact for

different types of research. If you’re in the social

sciences, it’s completely different to natural

sciences. Generally impacts are grouped. It

might be policy, a law change to economic health

and wellbeing, societal level or environmental.

They’re your key umbrella terms and as well, it’s

not an exhaustive list, but more specifically it

might be to enhance wellbeing of a certain group

of people or a population. In the UK we tend

to categorise them into economic impacts. The

benefits that are happening is wealth generation,

job creation and skills – that’s economic impact.

Then there’s societal impact – whether that’s

influencing health or policy or culture. And then

environmental impact, which is on the increase

and that’s all to do with the benefits and changes

to the natural world. It’s a very broad area and

it’s a very interesting area because when people

think about research, they probably don’t think

about impact. They’re probably just thinking

about the research side of things. But it’s a hugely

important part of it.

Why is it important? And that’s kind of a big

question. So I guess the floor is yours!

Yes, it is! And perhaps I’m not qualified to do

that. Ultimately it’s just the good the research

is doing. It’s improvement and in society and it’s

real-world benefit. That’s the sort of baseline.

But then if you’re looking at it in more detail for

institutions and universities, it has a real impact

(!) if you’re looking at university rankings or

national – or even international – reputation, I

think being able to demonstrate strong impacts

on an institution is key. And for the individual

researcher, in terms of publicity, engagement

and your own career development, again, being

able to source evidence that the work that you

have done has led to that to strong impact is

very important. Obviously we can’t ignore the

financial element of it. Most funding applications

now…most of the UK research councils and

funding bodies really want to see that impact is

embedded into a project. It’s a key consideration

when reviewing applications.

Thanks Nicola, any final thoughts?

I don’t know the infrastructure for every university

but there will be teams and resources available

at each institution. Making use of those and

just off the top of my head, there’s the National

Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement

which has loads of good resources on there like

templates and tools.

Scan the QR code to listen to the full

interview on YouTube or Spotify.

11 The Abstract

HEALTHCARE

& WELLBEING


13 The Abstract

Healthcare

“There is so much research into phage therapy

in the UK. My work with CPI and MDC we will

be paving the way for phage manufacturing and

enabling the start of phage therapy clinical trials

which are critical to getting them to market.”

As antimicrobial resistance continues to

rise, the exploration of alternative therapies

becomes increasingly crucial. Bacteriophage

(phage) therapy, harnessing viruses to combat

bacterial infections, emerges as a promising

solution.

Recognising its potential, the UK Parliament’s

Science and Technology Committee initiated

an inquiry into the safety and effectiveness of

phages. Another person who has recognised

its potential is Dr Liberty Duignan from

the University of Liverpool who

has been awarded a grant from

the Innovation Launchpad

Network+ to advance her

research on this area in

collaboration with Medicines

Discovery Catapult and

High Value Manufacturing

Catapult’s Centre for Process

Innovation (CPI).

Recent clinical data revealed

promising results, with 87%

of patients achieving bacterial

eradication, prompting countries like

Belgium and Australia to adopt phage therapy

clinically. However, in the UK, regulatory

classification as a biological medicine and

lack of a regulatory framework has hindered

their manufacture and clinical use, leading

to compassionate use cases sourced from

overseas. At the University of Liverpool,

researchers have been studying well

characterised phages targeting Pseudomonas

aeruginosa, a priority pathogen according to

the World Health Organization. This project,

in collaboration with CPI and the Medicines

Discovery Catapult (MDC), aims to overcome

manufacturing barriers in the UK by fostering

knowledge exchange and expertise.

Currently, the UK lacks a robust phage

industry. Through this work, the country

could bolster its resilience against antibioticresistant

bacteria and pave the way for the

emergence of phage-based industries. By

establishing expertise and facilities for phage

manufacture, the project aims to propel the

UK to the forefront of phage therapy

research and development.

Libby said of the project:

“There is so much research

into phage therapy in the

UK, against many different

bacterial species and within

a large number of infection

niches, the two things that

are holding this extremely

useful therapeutic back is the

lack of regulatory framework

and a manufacturing process to

GMP. My work with CPI and MDC,

we will be paving the way for phage

manufacturing and enabling the start of phage

therapy clinical trials which are critical to

getting them to market.”

liverpool.ac.uk

uk-cpi.com

md.catapult.org.uk

Scan the QR code to listen to a full

interview with Libby on YouTube or

Spotify.


FOR THE

LOVE OF

PHAGE!

CLIMATE

DISPLACEMENT


Healthcare

“By understanding and addressing the factors that

drive migration and looking at how these push

factors are influenced by climate change, we can

help people remain in their communities and build

a more resilient future.”

Dr Astrid Werkmeister, a researcher in

the Earth Intelligence Observatory at the

University of Strathclyde, will conduct a

feasibility study into monitoring community

resilience from satellites to enable

identification of the most vulnerable

communities affected by climate change.

Satellite Applications Catapult, a world-class

research hub based in Harwell (UK), will be

hosting Astrid’s activities.

As environmental crises escalate

globally, comprehensive analysis

and strategic interventions are

essential to address these

challenges. This project

leverages satellite technology

to monitor and evaluate

environmental changes

resulting from extreme

weather events such as

hurricanes, floods, and droughts.

A unique aspect of this

approach involves observing nighttime

lighting in affected areas, which is

believed to indicate infrastructure damage

and recovery speed. By integrating satellite

data with resources like the Migration Data

Portal, the project aims to uncover the ‘push’

factors behind climate-induced displacement,

revealing the intricate relationship between

environmental degradation and human

migration patterns.

The project will also analyse weather events

in regions that did not result in displacement,

aiming to identify factors contributing to

resilience and recovery. By quantifying the

health and economic impacts and examining

various challenges faced by affected

communities, the project seeks to deepen

understanding and identify high-impact

interventions to enhance resilience and mitigate

impacts on vulnerable populations.

Ultimately, the goal is to establish links

between environmental changes, health,

economy, and migration, aligning with the

Sustainable Earth mission to catalyse change

and foster sustainable futures.

Astrid said: “We are exploring the

requirements necessary to develop an

innovative satellite data product that combines

existing satellite data with other data

sources to monitor vulnerable

communities. Our goal is to identify

and assist these communities

early, potentially preventing

migration. I strongly believe that

the vast majority of people do

not want to leave their homes

and migrate. By understanding

and addressing the factors that

drive migration and looking at how

these push factors are influenced by

climate change, we can help people

remain in their communities and build a

more resilient future.”

Will White, Sustainable Mission Lead at Satellite

Applications Catapult added: “We are thrilled to

welcome Dr. Astrid Werkmeister on board as

our Researcher in Residence. Her expertise will

be an invaluable asset as we tackle this pressing

issue of climate displacement. This is not just a

research effort; it’s a mission to address one of

the most pressing challenges of our time. With

Dr. Werkmeister on board, this project is crucial

in developing innovative solutions to support

those affected by climate change, and we are

looking forward to significantly enhancing our

capacity to make a meaningful impact.”

strath.ac.uk

sa.catapult.org.uk

17 The Abstract

Healthcare

Early diagnosis and intervention, advanced

personalised therapies and the integration of digital

technologies are key enablers of cost-effective

healthcare and wellbeing to support a growing and

ageing population.

The Catapult Network is energising healthcare

and wellbeing through breakthrough capabilities,

increasing the flow of innovative medicines, and seeks

to do more in diagnostics and digital therapeutics

products. Catapults also work strategically with the UK

health, wellbeing, social care and regulatory systems

to channel UK innovators into a supply chain of new

approaches, capabilities and models that can help

manage costs and optimise outcomes.

Project title: Building new analytics and formulation capability

for the Cell & Gene Therapy Catapult’s adeno-associated virus

good manufacturing practice platform

Robin Curtis

University of Manchester

Cell & Gene Therapy Catapult

This project aims to develop high-value analytical data,

predominantly using light scattering technologies, for

identifying pathways involved in aggregate formation. From

the mechanistic understanding, mathematical models will be

proposed to guide manufacturers for developing methods to

minimize loss of AAV potency during formulation, fill, packaging,

and storage steps. The project is timely and high impact given

poor understanding of AAV stability despite the importance of

AAV therapies in treating disease.


Project roundup

Project title: Pioneering conformalised regression models in

downstream pharmaceutical manufacturing

This project seeks to revolutionise the production of

biologics by using advanced computational and statistical

techniques to optimise a key step in their manufacture,

known as downstream purification. The research focuses on

optimising the process of chromatography, a key method

used in purifying biologics that currently requires extensive

time and resources to perfect. By employing computational

models that can predict the optimal conditions for

chromatography, this project aims to significantly reduce

the time and resources required for optimisation.

Rui Carvalho

Durham University


Catapult (CPI)

Project title: Phage therapy for antibiotic-resistant bacteria:

Overcoming manufacturing barriers in the UK

Libby Duignan

University of Liverpool


Catapult (CPI)

This project aims to address the manufacturing barriers

within the UK through exchange of knowledge and expertise

between the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI), the Medicines

Discovery Catapult (MDC) and University of Liverpool to enable

the manufacture and scale-up of high-quality novel phages.

Currently, industry associated with phage is limited in the UK.

This project will enable the UK to be more resilient in the fight

against antibiotic resistant bacteria and potentially support the

emergence of phage-based industries by creating expertise

and facilities in phage manufacture.

Project title: Decoding climate-induced displacement: A

multi-dimensional analysis using satellite technology

The human impacts of climate change, particularly amongst

the most vulnerable communities, are the focus of this

study. The displacement induced by environmental crises is

an escalating global issue, and the intention is to address

it through in-depth analysis and strategic interventions.

Satellite technology is to be utilised in this project, where

the monitoring and evaluation of environmental changes

caused by extreme weather events, such as hurricanes,

floods, and droughts, will be undertaken. A unique method

has been incorporated into the approach, involving the

observation of night-time lighting in affected areas.

Astrid Werkmeister

University of Strathclyde

Satellite Applications Catapult

19 The Abstract

NET ZERO

GREEN

SPACE

In a uniquely paradoxical situation, the UK’s

space industry is in need of a dire rethink in

terms of sustainability, according to Researcher in

Residence Andrew Ross Wilson.

Thanks for joining us Andrew, please introduce yourself!

So, my name is Andrew Wilson. I’m a lecturer at Glasgow Caledonian University. I

recently moved there from the University of Strathclyde. My work really revolves around

space sustainability. I’ve been working for the last decade or so, particularly on life cycle

assessment and eco-design of space systems, which essentially looks at the environmental

footprint of a space mission across its life cycle. From the minute you extract resources

from the ground and start designing, through production, testing, transportation, and

the launch campaign—even though it’s in space, you still have ground stations, which are

energy-intensive. Then, ultimately, the end of life. That’s something I’ve been working

on for about a decade now.

At the moment, I lead various working groups, such as the European Space Agency’s Life

Cycle Assessment and Eco Design working group. I’m also looking into carbon accounting,

which is very similar to life cycle assessment but with slight variations, particularly to

understand the space sector’s contribution to global warming or climate change. Often,

when you see figures discussing aerospace, you’ll find that the space part itself is actually

missing. So, that’s what I do in a nutshell.

What attracted you to that corner of research? It’s fascinating to see how people end

up in these niche areas.

It actually goes all the way back to my undergraduate days. I was at Glasgow Caledonian

Net Zero

University, so I’ve kind of gone full circle

in that sense. The course I was on as an

undergraduate is now the one I’m teaching.

During my third and fourth years, we had

to propose a dissertation topic. One thing

that caught my fancy was whether space

technology could be used to address climate

change, but from a more practical point of

view.

Rather than the traditional

use of space data to inform

our decisions, I wanted to

explore whether practical

technologies like space

sunshades or solar power

satellites could be utilised.

While doing my research, I

found that although those

technologies claimed

environmental benefits,

they couldn’t quantify

their own environmental

footprint. This wasn’t just

limited to the technologies

I was looking at—it was

a sector-wide problem.

My dissertation got a lot

of interest, and after I

graduated, I worked for

the United Nations for a while. But in the

background, the dissertation was gathering

momentum. Eventually, Alphabet put funding

on the table for a PhD to explore the topic

further, and that’s what I did. I came back to

Glasgow, went over to Strathclyde, did my

PhD there, and continued working on it after

the PhD concluded.

How did the space industry get to the

point where these considerations were

overlooked? I read that there are some

exemptions for the space industry.

The space sector has been overlooked by a lot

of key legislation. You can trace this back to

when the Montreal Protocol was implemented

to phase out chlorofluorocarbons after the

“When it

comes to

sustainability

in the space

sector,

there’s just

nothing

substantial in

place.”

ozone hole was discovered.

The space industry was actually missed out,

despite the fact that rocket launches are the

only form of man-made pollution that directly

injects ozone-destroying compounds into the

stratosphere, where the ozone layer resides.

So, it’s been overlooked in that sense. You’re

right that there have been key exemptions in

various bits of legislation,

even at a European

level. For example, the

Restriction of Hazardous

Substances Directive grants

exemptions to the space

sector. This has meant that

the space sector hasn’t

had to care much about

sustainability, and as a

result, it has fallen – in my

opinion - quite far behind

other sectors. The space

sector only started looking

into life cycle assessment

recently, around 2009,

which is decades behind

other sectors.

Even the terminology

we use in the space

sector is misaligned with

other sectors. For instance, the term “high

performance clean propellant” essentially

means that the propellant is not toxic. It

doesn’t mean it’s environmentally friendly

or green, as it would in other industries.

In fact, the European Space Agency did a

comparative analysis in 2018, comparing

traditional propellant hydrazine, which

they’re trying to phase out, with a highperformance

clean propellant. They found

that the high-performance green propellant

actually performed worse in 13 out of 16

environmental impact categories, except

for toxicity. So, even our terminology is

misaligned, and the space sector is still trying

to find its feet because of how far behind it

has fallen due to a lack of legislative oversight.

Net Zero

I suppose it’s becoming more important now

with more commercial entities involved. It’s

not just NASA—it’s Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and

others. This is going to be more important as

the years go on.

Yes actually I was in Edinburgh at a meeting

this week where we were discussing space

sustainability but mostly from a policy context

and one of the topics was on space launch. Of

course we haven’t had any space launches from

the UK yet but there are space ports opening

up all over the place. The danger, which I voiced

on this panel, is that people are getting too lost

in the impact of launch. Don’t get me wrong,

the impact of launch is going to be great but if

you’re only focusing on reducing emissions from

that particular part of the lifecycle, you could

potentially have an upwards and shifting effect.

Yes you might lower your emissions from the

exhaust products that come from the launch

event but you might have higher impacts for

production of manufacturing, the storage, the

decontamination and the general handling.

I think there’s another really interesting concept

as we’re seeing a lot more reusability for

launches which is of course a good thing, but

it’s not as inherently better as you may think.

In order to land the stage again, you need more

propellant. The propellant needs to be stored

and they can be quite toxic. You then need to go

and recover the rocket. Then rebuild it. It’s not

the golden solution that everyone thinks it is.

The space sector is moving fast, and we’re now

in uncharted territory. Last year, for example,

we broke the record for the most launches in a

calendar year, and we’re on track to break that

again this year. This could eventually lead to a

situation where the space sector can’t justify

the good it’s doing anymore. We call this the

“space sustainability paradox,” where the more

we try to positively contribute to sustainability

through space, the less sustainable we actually

become, both on Earth and in orbit.

With all this in mind, can you tell us about

your current research project and how it aims

to address these issues?

Sure. My current project aims to baseline the

carbon footprint of the UK space sector for

the first time. The idea is to create a carbon

footprint report for specific companies in

different clusters across the UK. This is important

because, simply put, carbon footprinting hasn’t

really been done at a sectoral scale for the


space sector at all. There were some proposals in France that

fell through, and a few companies have done it here and there.

In Scotland, we’ve done this for a few companies as part of the

Scottish Space Sustainability Roadmap, which I was fortunate

enough to be the science lead on. The project will involve

extracting and extrapolating data to estimate the carbon

footprint of the UK space sector and identifying potential areas

for decarbonisation. Hopefully, this could inform politicians

and possibly influence policy. Right now, we’re concluding the

literature review stage, looking into the UK’s Net Zero context

and the policy landscape for space. In the UK, it’s complicated

because when we’re talking about space, it is a power held by

Westminster whereas when we talk about the environment,

it’s devolved. One of the biggest findings so far is that while

the UK has been good at setting targets for climate change, it’s

been bad at implementing the transformative policies needed

to meet those targets. When it comes to the space sector,

there’s just nothing substantial in place. The next steps will

involve reaching out to companies, especially with the help

of the Satellite Applications Catapult, to gather interest and

project data. The benefit to companies will be a free carbon

audit report that tells them about their emissions and provides

recommendations on how to decarbonise at low or no cost.

It sounds like you’re quite established in your work. How has

the scheme helped you?

The funding has allowed me to continue this project, and the

collaboration has been invaluable. It has essentially allowed us

to continue what we’ve learnt in Scotland and offer it across the

UK. I’ve really enjoyed working with the Satellite Applications

Catapult and it has been beneficial, especially in accessing their

network. Up here in Scotland, I could probably get enough

companies to run a study, but in other parts of the UK, I might

not have as many connections. Leveraging their network has

been really helpful and also hearing from experts in other areas

makes you think about things from a different perspective.

To lighten things up, what is one scientific discovery in the

space industry that you wish you’d made?

That’s a difficult one! I wish I’d done the first life cycle assessment

(LCA) study in 2009, but that wouldn’t have been possible

since I was still in high school at the time! But it would’ve

been nice to have done that because now, as one of the first

researchers in this field, I’ve become one of the go-to people

for it. I remember halfway through my PhD, I wondered if I was

specialising in something nobody cared about, but just as I was

finishing, there was this explosion of interest, which got me to

where I am today.

gcu.ac.uk

sa.catapult.org.uk

Listen to the

full interview

with Andrew

on the It’s Not

Not Rocket

Science

podcast by

scanning the

QR code below

25 The Abstract

Net Zero

Each Researcher in Residence awarded by the

Network+ will have to align to at least one of the

key thematic areas. Those areas are Net Zero,

Healthcare and Wellbeing and Resilience.

Meeting the government’s target of Net Zero by 2050

will require transformation across many areas.

The combined capabilities of the Catapults across

multiple sectors creates a unique opportunity

to enable a ‘whole systems approach’ to energy

generation, management, distribution and use to help

the UK achieve its clean growth ambitions. As well as

driving development of innovative capabilities, the

Catapult Network’s decarbonisation strategy looks at

geography, building types and urban growth plans,

amongst many more.

The second Tranche of RiRs were exceptionally strong

in the Net Zero area. Here is the full list of awarded

Researcher in Residence projects in alphabetical

order.

Project title: Investigation of fuel bunkering and electric vessel

charging operations at UK ports

Dr Arijit De


Connected Places Catapult

This project aims to study fuel bunkering and electric vessel

charging operations at various UK ports. The specific objectives

to achieve this by developing two optimisation models

focussing on bunkering and vessel charging operations as

well as building an agent-based simulation model addressing

both operations simultaneously. The models developed would

be deployed to UK ports as digital tools which would facilitate

the decision-making process and ensure that UK ports better

plan their bunkering and vessel charging operations while

maximizing the operational efficiency and service level.


Project roundup

Project title: A control centred approach for off-grid green

hydrogen production from wind energy

This project will help reduce the levelised cost of green

hydrogen by modelling, implementing and demonstrating

novel control of green hydrogen systems. The necessary

integration of renewable energy with hydrogen electrolysis

requires system-wide control solutions to drive down the

levelised cost of hydrogen and make it economically viable.

The project will create novel models of, and system-wide

controllers for, green hydrogen systems that demonstrably

improve performance in order to make progress towards

cheap green hydrogen to support the UK’s Net Zero

ambitions.

Dr Adam Stock

Heriot-Watt University

Offshore Renewable Energy

Catapult

Project title: Integrating industry and academic perspectives

for advancing hydrogen technology: A roadmapping approach

Dr Dawei Wu

University of Birmingham


The project aims to bridge the gap between academic

research and industrial application for hydrogen technology

development. By integrating industry’s future technology needs

(industry ‘pull’) and forthcoming research from universities

(academic ‘push’), the project will enhance understanding

of expertise and technology gaps in the UK. This will highlight

opportunities for public and private investment in hydrogen

technology innovation in the UK, helping to grow and strengthen

the UK’s hydrogen sector.

Project title: Zero-waste design – rapid physical/digital

synchronisation and XR to reduce and remove lifecycle

impact during design and prototyping

This project will focus on Immersive Reality (XR) design tools.

These tools allow simultaneous interaction with synchronised

physical and digital designs. They are highly accessible to

diverse personnel, allow tangible interaction and flexible

low-cost exploration of early designs, with information

overlay to better understand performance. This project will

focus these tools on sustainability, creating accessible XR

design tools for cross-stakeholder engagement with the

environmental cost of their preferences.

Dr Chris Snider

University of Bristol


Catapult (AMRC)

27 The Abstract

Net Zero

Project title: Multi-scale energy systems modelling

Dr Fadi Kahwash

Edinburgh Napier University

Energy Systems Catapult

Energy systems modelling is an important tool in the energy

transition process. It can be used for many purposes such as

virtual testing of new technologies, grid expansion planning,

and designing new policy prescriptions. One of the main

challenges in developing energy systems models is the wide

range of time scales involved, from micro-seconds to decades.

This project will develop an efficient multi-scale model that

can study the interactions between the different scales of the

energy systems. This will be achieved by using a ‘super cycling’

algorithm. The main novelty is in adapting this algorithm from

the field of heat transfer to energy systems modelling.

Project title: Automation enabled scale-up of advanced

Li-ion battery cathode coatings

The main activity of this collaboration will be to evaluate and

validate a 10 mL lab-scale process from UoL and demonstrate

the viability of this process up to 1 litre scale at CPI. This is

required to enable testing of the coated active materials

focusing on industrial product development. The project

will aim to validate that the process parameters optimised

within UoL are transferrable to a production scale as well as

demonstrate that the process developed is transferrable

for a wider range of battery coating chemistries. Finally, the

project will evaluate the performance of lithium-ion batteries

manufactured using these coated cathode materials.

Dr Filipe Braga

University of Liverpool


Catapult (CPI)

Project title: (RECYCLENS) Enhancing confidence in the use of

recycled polymers and composites via electrical sensing

Dr Han Zhang

Queen Mary University


Catapult (WMG)

Recycled materials such as recycled carbon fibres (rCF) plays

a crucial role in achieving Net Zero goals. Using recyclates is

often hindered by non-visible defects and difficulties in rapid

and cost-effective quality inspection during the manufacturing

stage. To overcome these challenges, this project aims to

enhance confidence in the structural applications of upcycled

materials by developing a novel method based on Electrical

Impedance Tomography (EIT), providing a cost-effective

and rapid method to visualise the structural integrity of the

components made from recycled composite wastes.


Project roundup

Project title: Towards component-based testing and

modelling of power magnetics under power electronics

excitation

As fundamental passive components, magnetics exist

in almost all power electronic converters. However, the

testing and modelling has become the bottleneck for

pushing the performance boundaries of converters. This

project aims to create a paradigm shift in how power

magnetics are tested and modelled towards a higher-level,

component-based approach, which accounts for the

geometry-related behaviour mechanisms that cannot be

accurately predicted just from the material properties.

Dr Jun Wang


Compound Semiconductor

Applications Catapult

Project title: Public procurement for a just, Net Zero transition

Dr Katherine Sugar



Following Brexit, new forthcoming procurement legislation

provides increasing opportunities for local authorities to access

low-cost capital for Net Zero investments, while creating jobs

and generating higher level social value for communities. The

overarching aim of this project seeks to explore the ways in

which innovative public procurement can support a just, Net

Zero transition at the local level. Using cross-sector examples

(such as electric vehicles and social housing retrofit), it will

examine how urban governing bodies are using innovative

public procurement practices at the UK’s local level.

Project title: Tailor made – 100% recycled Concrete Railway

Sleepers (CRS)

Sleepers have been used as part of the railway structure

for over 200 years. They are an essential component of

ballasted railways, which transfer vertical loads from rails

to foundation and maintain rail gauge. However, there are

drawbacks associated with using concrete sleepers in

railway production as they produce c.10 to 200x more CO2

than timber sleepers. With a firm understanding of the

underlying science, this project looks at techniques and

advanced understanding of concrete technology to prepare

railway sleepers from 100% recycled material.

Dr Kirthika Subramanian Kala



Catapult (MTC)

29 The Abstract

Net Zero

“BIO-CYCLE is the future of sustainable composites,

merging advanced 3D printing with eco-friendly

materials and latticing strategies to meet industry

standards while championing environmental

responsibility.”

In industries like automotive, aerospace and

logistics, composites have been widely adopted

due to their remarkable strength and lightweight

properties. However, their conventional

composition brings along environmental

concerns, marked by non-sustainability and

significant waste generation.

Enter Dr Mahdi Bodaghi

(Nottingham Trent University) and the

National Composites Centre’s (HVMC)

BIO-CYCLE (Bio-Inspired Organic Composites

for Yielding Circular Lifecycles through Efficient

Manufacturing) project, poised to revolutionise

the composite materials landscape with

his Researcher in Residence project.

“BIO-CYCLE is the future of

sustainable composites, merging

advanced 3D printing with ecofriendly

materials and latticing

strategies to meet industry

standards while championing

environmental responsibility,”

said Mahdi. “At its core, this

groundbreaking initiative is

focused on crafting Continuous

Natural Fiber-Reinforced Bio-

Composites (CNFRC). Leveraging

natural reinforcements such as flax fibre

and bamboo charcoal/chitosan/wheat/mussel

micro particles, they will be seamlessly integrated

with a bio-based matrix for 3D printing. The

result is an ultra-lightweight and resilient

lattice composites poised to redefine industry

standards.”

The project’s objectives are crystal clear: to

elevate the mechanical performance of CNFRCs,

positioning them as formidable competitors to

traditional composites while meeting stringent

industry demands for flame-retardancy,

durability, and sustainability. Achieving this feat

entails harnessing advanced computer modelling

techniques to design optimised lattice structures

boasting exceptional strength and energy

absorption. Additionally, a comprehensive life

cycle assessment will quantify the environmental

impact, ensuring sustainability is at the forefront.

Through robust collaboration with the

esteemed National Composite Centre and

industrial partners via the Researcher in Residence

scheme, this transformative technology will

undergo real-world validation across diverse

applications. From interior car door modules to

impact-absorbing helmet liners and packaging

pallet boxes, the potential applications are

boundless.

Dr Callum Branfoot, Research

Engineer at the National

Composites Centre, said:

“This project is an excellent

example of how materials and

manufacturing innovation

can help pave the way to a

green economy. Advanced

manufacturing techniques,

lifecycle analysis, and functional

materials—BIO-CYCLE is exactly the

sort of industry-focused research that

the NCC loves to engage with.”

In perfect alignment with the UK’s sustainability

goals, the BIO-CYCLE project will use resource

efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions,

and promoting a circular economy. With its

sights set on a greener, more sustainable future,

BIO-CYCLE paves the way for positive

transformation across industries, propelling the

UK towards a Net Zero carbon future. Stay tuned as

BIO-CYCLE reshapes the landscape of tomorrow’s

composites, one innovative step at a time.

ntu.ac.uk

nccuk.com


ON YOUR

BIO-CYCLE!

31 The Abstract

Net Zero

Project title: Advanced resource efficiency strategies for

manufacturing systems

Dr Konstantinos Salonitis

Cranfield University


Catapult (MTC)

Manufacturing is responsible for more than 30% of UK resource

consumption. The need for more efficient, lean, green

manufacturing solutions is evident. This project will focus on

developing integrated solutions for manufacturing systems on

different scales: from the manufacturing process to the supply

chain level and will include modules allowing the identification

and classification of major hot spots in a manufacturing

system, multiscale modelling, and the scenario testing of

clean, green, and smart manufacturing solutions.

Project title: Embedding circular economy principles into

public procurement of Net Zero solutions

Significant changes in public procurement are underway

in the UK to achieve the 2050 Net Zero commitment. From

September 2021, prospective suppliers bidding for contracts

above £5 million a year are required to commit to the

government’s Net Zero target. This proposal explores how

local authorities can embed circular economy principles

into procurement of Net Zero solutions. Luis’ focus is on the

development of an implementation framework that aids

local authorities in the East Midlands region to understand

and follow circular economy principles to foster industry

innovations in the transportation sector.

Dr Luis Torres-Retamal

University of Nottingham


Project title: Bio-inspired organic composites for yielding

circular lifecycles through efficient manufacturing (BIO-CYCLE)

Dr Mahdi Bodaghi

Nottingham Trent University


Catapult (NCC)

This project will focus on developing Continuous Natural

Fiber-Reinforced Bio-Composites (CNFRC) using natural

reinforcements like flax fibre, bamboo charcoal and biomass

chitosan. These eco-friendly materials will be combined with

a bio-based matrix using 3D printing technology to create

ultra-lightweight and resilient lattice structures. The key

objectives are to enhance the mechanical performance of

CNFRCs to compete with traditional composites and meet

industry requirements for flame-retardancy, durability and

sustainability.


Project roundup

Project title: Advancing hydrogen maritime confidence

The objective is to disseminate learnings and collect

information from all parts of the UK marine sector to develop

a portfolio of guidance for industry and government, which

will assist the transition for the maritime sector towards

sustainable practices and fuels. The work will involve holding

a series of workshops, sharing the learning, asking the sector

to consider the questions, challenges and opportunities

which arise. Information will be collated and used to develop

a portfolio of required actions and recommended support

mechanisms with a view to supporting the UK high value

manufacture and service sector.

Dr Martin Smith

University of St Andrews


Catapult (NMIS)

Project title: Closed loop manufacturing of large, low cost fibre

reinforced thermoplastic composites

Dr Michael Johnson

University of Nottingham


Catapult (NCC)

The aim of this project is to reduce the need to landfill or

burn fibre reinforced polymer composite components by

creating a sustainable manufacturing process that reuses the

material. The process takes a fibre reinforced thermoplastic

(FRTP) sheet material and forms it into a structural composite

component. When the component reaches the end of its

product life, the process returns it back to its original sheet

form so it becomes the feedstock for a next generation FRTP

component. Applications include rail vehicle bodysides,

automotive floorpans and airplane cargo doors.

Project title: Efficient and cost-effective system to produce

and utilise offshore green hydrogen

This project aims to investigate the technical and economic

feasibility of a power-to-power system that integrates

offshore wind turbines, on-site green hydrogen generation

using electrolysers, hydrogen storage, and hydrogen fuel

cells. The system incorporates innovative elements, including

an efficient and cost-effective method to produce pure

water for the electrolysis process and novel flow channels

for enhanced fuel cell performance. The project aims to

contribute to the UK’s hydrogen production goals, enhance

efficiency, and promote green hydrogen as a sustainable

energy solution.

Dr Mohammed Ismail

University of Hull


Catapult (AMRC)

33 The Abstract

Net Zero

Project title: ChatOSW – A feasibility pilot for natural languagebased

decision support in offshore wind

Dr Nina Dethlefs

University of Hull

Offshore Renewable Energy

Catapult

The aim is to gain an understanding of the human factors that

need to be considered to establish natural language as an

effective medium of AI-expert communication; develop a pilot

AI-system (ChatOSW) from domain documents that avoids

the dangers of general-purpose models through explicit

knowledge representation, and establishes the feasibility of

a domain-focused AI for information-access and decisionsupport

in OSW; and finally, create a comprehensive framework

to gauge the cost-effectiveness of a ChatOSW tool, especially

relating to future OSW projects in the UK.

Project title: Core temperature and residual stress

measurement using laser ultrasound for sustainable additive

manufacturing

This project aims to create a novel non invasive, nondestructive

method of measuring Additive Manufacturing

parts’ internal temperature and residual stress using laser

ultrasound. Currently, this method does not exist for the

intended use. Ultrasonic thermometry can be utilised for

internal material temperature measurement rather than

surface measurement obtainable in existing measurement

systems. This will lead to more accurate control of the AM

process parameters, reducing material waste and time lost

to rework.

Dr Olaide Felix Olabode

University of Huddersfield


Catapult (MTC)

Project title: AI and data in design

In partnership with the AMRC, Saeema and Ji Han propose

to develop: 1) A data-driven design framework to support

designers in the use of data to design products tailored for

the manufacturing sector; 2) A set of requirements for AI

tools for manufacturing and; 3) A toolkit encompassing the

data-driven framework and requirements for AI tools,

translating academic research to industry.

Prof. Saeema Ahmed-Kristensen

University of Exeter


Catapult (AMRC)


Project roundup

Project title: An investigation in decarbonising a typical

general aviation airfield in the UK

This project involves mapping carbon footprints, exploring

carbon reduction measures, analysing pathways, refining

Net Zero targets and developing a transition roadmap;

followed by delivery and reporting. One of the primary

goals is to bring together a cross-functional project team

in a number of key areas such as sustainability research,

carbon reduction toolkits and digitalisation. The aim is to

show that exploiting Science-Based Target initiatives (SBTi)

methodology can serve as insight for other small-mediumsized

aviation organisations wanting to adopt similar

measures.

Dr Soodamani Ramalingam

University of Hertfordshire

Digital Catapult

Project title: Enabling reuse of high value tools for sustainable

manufacturing

Dr Tahsin Opoz

Liverpool John Moores University


Catapult (MTC)

Polycrystalline Diamond (PCD) based tools are vital

components in high-value manufacturing, enabling the

utilisation of advanced materials such as ceramics and

composites across the engineering sector. The synthesis

of PCD requires an energy-intensive process. This project

aims to develop the technologies for enabling the reuse

and refurbishment of high-value PCD tools, demonstrating

their techno-economic performance to the wider industrial

community and thereby promoting sustainability within the

manufacturing sector.

Project title: Energising sustainability: collaborative leap

towards energy efficiency using AI and data-driven decisions

(Co-LEAD)

Co-LEAD aims to analyse energy consumption patterns and

provide personalised, energy-saving recommendations

using AI and user-centred design. Central to this project is

an innovative platform that optimises energy usage at the

individual and household level, significantly supporting the

UK’s Net Zero strategy. Instead of disrupting customers’ daily

routines, Co-LEAD turns energy efficiency into an achievable

goal. It provides a platform for effective energy usage and

budget management, without compromising resident

comfort.

Dr Yang Lu

York St John University

Energy Systems Catapult

35 The Abstract

Net Zero

Dr Yasir Ali

Loughborough University


Project title: Unravelling the barriers

to the uptake of shared electric

micro-mobility in India

Transport emissions significantly

degrade the environment, and

this problem exacerbates in

low- and middle-income countries

like India, where motorised transport

is considered a status symbol and

used even for short distances.

Electrifying transport modes would

mitigate this issue, but its uptake has

been slow in these countries, and the

reasons for this need to be thoroughly

investigated. This project aims to

understand the barriers to the uptake

of shared electric micro-mobility

in India using the well-established

‘Theory of Planned Behaviour’ and the

‘Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use

of Technology’, which characterise

intentional behaviour using

Attitude, Subjective Norm, Perceived

Behavioural Control, and the use of

technology. Leveraging the Connected

Places Catapult’s trial in Kolkata, India,

about 1000 road users will be surveyed

to understand their willingness to

use a shared micro-mobility mode

(i.e., two-wheel electric scooters).

Survey data will be used to develop

two models: a structural equation

model, examining the relationships

between sociopsychological factors

underlying users’ acceptance and/or

technological adoption, and a choice

model to estimate the willingness

to use two-wheel electric scooter

micro-mobility modes. The

models will be used to unravel the

moderating effects of socioeconomic

characteristics and psychological

factors in accepting and adopting

shared electric micro-mobility modes.

Through analysis, the project aims to

elicit determinants that discourage

use of shared two-wheel electric

micro-mobility modes for short

distance trips, provide guidelines

for increasing their uptake, and

suggest pathways for scaling up

and transferring the findings to other

similar cities in India and beyond.


Project roundup

Prof. Yingli Wang

Cardiff University

Digital Catapult

Project title: Blockchain-powered

digital material/product passport:

Accelerating supply chain Net Zero

goals

This project aims to leverage

blockchain technology, specifically the

implementation of a digital material/

product passport (DPP), to drive circular

practices and contribute to supply

chain Net Zero goals. DPPs, powered

by blockchain, provide an immutable

record of a product’s lifecycle,

enabling verification of authenticity,

sustainability, and ethical practices.

This fosters trust, responsible practices,

and meets consumer expectations.

Embracing this technology reshapes

supply chain management for a

transparent, circular, and sustainable

marketplace.

The European Commission’s recent

proposal to establish an EU DPP under

the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products

Regulation highlights the importance

of DPPs. However, DPP adoption in the

UK is rather limited, with initiatives

mostly at pilot stages. From a

socio-technical perspective, this

research tries to understand how to

scale up DPP adoption in supply chains

via comparative studies.

By collaborating with Digital Catapult’s

existing projects on critical mineral

tracking and industrial partners,

the study further explores how the

integrative use of blockchain and other

digital technologies such as IoTs and AI

supports the establishment of a truly

end-to-end supply chain digital twin

– crucial for lifecycle assessment and

supply chain optimisation ultimately

leading to reduced environmental

impact.

The main outcome would the

development of a comprehensive

roadmap, guiding organisations

in the successful large-scale

implementation of DPPs, therefore

leading to sustainable social and

environmental outcomes.

37 The Abstract

INNOVATION +

INTEGRATION


Net Zero

“It’s not just about innovation; it’s about

integration. Our goal is to transition Net Zero

from a national policy to a personal mission

for every household, making sustainable living

both accessible and actionable.”

In a world increasingly focused on

sustainability, Dr Yang Lu (York St John

University) and Energy Systems Catapult’s Co-

LEAD Researcher in Residence project aims to

revolutionise energy consumption patterns

and provide personalised, energy-saving

recommendations.

Co-LEAD is a project which will create a

transformative platform, optimising energy

usage at the individual and household levels

whilst playing a pivotal role in supporting the

UK’s ambitious Net Zero strategy.

Unlike traditional approaches that disrupt

customers’ daily routines, Co-LEAD

takes a different path, turning

energy efficiency into an

achievable goal. By providing

a user-friendly platform

for effective energy usage

and budget management,

Co-LEAD ensures that

resident comfort remains

uncompromised. Embracing

collaboration, it brings together

a diverse range of stakeholders—

including energy consumers,

suppliers, government bodies, and

local authorities—in a joint pursuit of

sustainability and energy efficiency.

“At the heart of the Co-LEAD initiative, in

collaboration with Energy Systems Catapult,

is our commitment to redefine how energy is

consumed and managed in the UK,” said Yang.

“Our aim is not just about innovation; it’s about

integration—integrating advanced AI technology

within a network of smart homes to personalise

and optimise energy use, without disrupting

daily lives. Our goal is to transition Net Zero

from a national policy to a personal mission

for every household, making sustainable living

both accessible and actionable. By fostering

cooperation across a spectrum of stakeholders,

from energy suppliers to local governments, Co-

LEAD will look to set a new standard for how

we address energy efficiency and sustainability,

underscoring our potential to lead globally in this

crucial sector.”

In partnership with the Energy Systems

Catapult, Co-LEAD will leverage a vast

network of smart homes to test and refine its

AI-driven platform. Beyond being a practical

tool for managing energy consumption,

Co-LEAD will transform distant governmental

objectives into personalised missions for

every UK household, whilst stimulating

new business opportunities in the

digital economy and fostering

enhanced interactions between

energy providers and consumers.

Jon Saltmarsh, Chief

Technology Officer at Energy

Systems Catapult added: “We’re

delighted to be able to draw on

our Living Lab network of over

4000 homes to support Yang Lu on

this exciting RiR project. People are

at the heart of the energy transition,

and we need to make it easy and desirable

for them to decarbonise their homes if we are to

accelerate the journey to Net Zero.”

In summary, Co-LEAD represents an innovative

solution to reduce carbon emissions, manage

energy costs, and boost energy-saving literacy.

As a vital contribution to the UK’s sustainability

journey, Co-LEAD holds the potential to set

global standards, demonstrating how AI and

user-centred design can effectively pave the way

for a more sustainable future.

yorksj.ac.uk

es.catapult.org.uk

39 The Abstract

RESILIENCE

Resilience

AI goes

BIG

Bristol University’s Dr James Gopsill checks in as his Researcher in Residence

project with the Digital Catapult attempts to negotiate Big Demand

The emergence of Big Demand,

characterised by a surge in the variety,

volume, velocity, veracity and value of items

across production, spare parts management,

and recycling, has necessitated innovative

solutions, such as AI, to address complex

supply chain challenges. In response to this

phenomenon, the University of Bristol’s Dr

James Gopsill is collaborating

with the Digital Catapult

to pioneer the use of an

AI agent (‘AIagent’) to

tackle Big Demand.

Driven by a

convergence of

global events such as

market fragility, masscustomisation,

supply

chain uncertainty,

corporate social

responsibility, and

sustainability, Big Demand

presents a multifaceted

challenge that traditional supply

chain approaches struggle to address

efficiently. AIagents offer a revolutionary

solution by enabling rapid negotiation across

a multitude of suppliers in a decentralised

peer-to-peer manner, uniting supply chains to

effectively meet Big Demand.

Through physical and digital demonstrations

of AIagent supply chain networks, James’

project will showcase proof-of-concept

solutions at Catapult events, workshops, and

interaction studies. These demonstrations

will provide insights into adoption challenges,

value propositions, and opportunities for

integrating AIagent technology into supply

chain operations.

James said of the project: “The

Researcher in Residence is

an exciting opportunity to

pull-through our blue-skies

numerical modelling and

laboratory experiments

through to industry

innovation. Working closely

with the Digital Supply Chain

Hub within the Digital Catapult

is the perfect place to identify

and overcome the challenges of

adopting AIagents for Supply Chain

negotiations.”

bristol.ac.uk

digicatapult.org.uk


Watch a demo

of James’

AIagents by

scanning the

QR code below

43 The Abstract

Resilience

Within an increasingly interconnected, complex and

rapidly changing world, resilience is a measure of

robustness to environmental, political, societal and

technical impacts. A high level of resilience affords

a nation with ‘freedom of independent action’ and

increased security against these challenges, which

has been highlighted by recent events and current

affairs.

Increasing national and global resilience is both

necessary and offers tremendous opportunities

to capitalise on changing global conditions. The

combination of expertise in UK academia and the

Catapult Network can be used to drive the UK towards

the required advances to ensure a secure, resilient

future.

Through this opportunity, we are looking to support

academics to explore their research ideas and

develop the beginning of a pipeline through to impact

in emergent and rapidly developing new science

areas, ultimately decreasing the timescales between

discovery research and delivery of economic impact

and social prosperity.

Project title: Improved models for the impact of floods on

transport infrastructure assets

Dr Enrico Tubaldi

University of Strathclyde


The project aims at developing novel methods for quantifying

the vulnerability of transport infrastructure to floods. Roads,

bridges, culverts, and retaining walls are critical assets required

for the functioning of transport infrastructure. There is an urgent

need to identify the assets that are likely to fail due to floods

and whose failure has the most severe consequences for the

functioning of transport networks and other interdependent

networks. The project aims to answer this need through the

development of fragility models to quantify the probability of

failure of transport assets given the intensity of the flood event.


Project roundup

Project title: Improving the reliability and resilience of train

fleet maintenance (TFM) – virtual maintenance depot and

operations optimisation

Hassna will integrate the tools created at the University of

Huddersfield’s Institute of Railway Research (IRR) and AMRC

to create a process that can optimise TFM operations

considering depot resources, depot capacity, train

movements, and component degradation over time.

The main objective is to reduce maintenance cost while

maximising the system reliability and components’ life

span. The aim is to establish a long-term collaboration

between the IRR and AMRC through the joint development

of innovative tools.

Dr Hassna Louadah



Catapult (AMRC)

Project title: Accelerating software development and

Improving test quality using Gamification

Dr José Miguel Rojas Siles

University of Sheffield

Digital Catapult

In this project, Jose will leverage his experience to develop

a gamification approach to integrate effective unit testing

practice into the modern, fast-paced software development

workflows of the Digital Catapult. The project will have a positive

impact on developer productivity and will accelerate product

development at the host Catapult. The resulting gamification

framework will be tailored to the software development

practice of the Catapult yet configurable enough for reuse

within different workflows.

Project title: A deep learning approach to adaptive digital

information structures for enhanced product life cycles

The manufacturing world is filled with constraining

uncertainties, distortion, and unknowns, yet functional

digitisation can benefit product life cycles. This proposal

addresses this issue by adopting an alternative worldview

of manufacturing, where information is structured to be

relatable by quantity, and where recently discovered rules

make it possible to relate smaller packets of information to

larger packets.

Dr Keith Davey



Catapult (NMIS)

45 The Abstract

Resilience

Project title: Scientific machine learning analytics for resilient

additive manufacturing

Dr Nick Polydorides

University of Edinburgh


Catapult (NMIS)

Quality control in Additive Manufacturing (AM) continues

to pose significant operational challenges to the adoption

of the technology with adverse effects on the resilience of

the manufacturing sector. Online Artificial Intelligence (AI)

is fast and scalable but variable performance on detecting

defective parts. This project aims to advance AI performance

by introducing agile physics-constrained modules in the

data processing pipeline to enable better detection and

classification of the defects.

Project title: Supply chain resilience: A resilience model for

responsive additive manufacturing systems

In recent times spare parts supply chains have been

hampered by disruptions, hindering their ability to deliver

spare parts on time and in the right quantity to their

customers. Additive manufacturing (AM), an emerging

production technology, has the potential to enhance the

organisation’s ability to respond flexibly. The aim of this

project is to translate and advance the research from the

Responsive Additive Manufacturing to Overcome Natural

and Attack based disruption with the Digital Catapult spare

parts supply chain testbed.

Dr Philip Davies


Digital Catapult

Project title: Automated integration of external metrology for

enhanced industrial robotic performance in manufacturing

environments

Dr Seemal Asif

Cranfield University


Catapult (AMRC)

The proposed idea aims to develop a framework for

automated connection between robotic cells and shared

laser trackers, streamlining measurement efficiency and

accuracy. The framework leverages the advantages of the

robot-cell-reference, establishing a unified coordinate system

that aligns with the metrology equipment and the workpiece

under scrutiny. This alignment ensures precise and accurate

measurement of workpiece features, facilitating seamless

communication between the robot and the metrology devices.


Project roundup

Project title: Robust connectivity for robotic swarms and

satellite constellations

Modern and future wireless communication standards, such

as 5G/6G and Non-Terrestrial Networks are realised mainly as

point-to-point, high data rate links, often in a star topology.

Implementing mesh networks on top of these technologies

can offer improved performance and adaptability for these

communication systems and their users. This project will lay

the foundations for such mesh networks by collaborating

with Satellite Applications Catapult staff and using their

hardware and software facilities to work on design and

prototype activities. These will focus on exploring the relevant

differences between satellites and drones.

Dr Viktor Doychinov

University of Bradford

Satellite Applications

Catapult

Project title: On-machine surface measurement for ultraprecision

5-axis machines

Dr Wenbin Zhong



Catapult (NMIS)

The integration of On-Machine Surface Measurement (OMSM)

with ultra-precision 5-axis machines is a huge challenge due

to the complexity of data synchronisation and processing. This

project aims to develop a comprehensive solution comprising:

1) hardware for synchronising sensor measurement data and

machine coordinate data; 2) software algorithms for data

acquisition, scanning path planning, surface reconstruction

and characterization; 3) strategies for calibration and error

map generation. The outcomes of this project will enhance the

resilience of UK high value manufacturing and its associated

industry sectors.

Project title: VIM: Towards a vision-based system for

inventory management with deep learning

This Researchers in Residence project will work on developing

and demonstrating vision based inventory management

with deep learning. The first step will be to design deep

learning models for object detection and the associated

model compression methods. The next step is to build an

image dataset with category labels with Digital Catapult

and learn these models with the images. Then, the learned

models will be evaluated on test images and deployed onto

the edge platform for validation. If successful, this project will

contribute to the adoption of computer vision for inventory

management and beyond in commercial supply chains.

Dr Zhixiang Chen

University of Sheffield

Digital Catapult

47 The Abstract

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The Abstract | Issue 2

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