Fresh from Ireland: "Eternal candle" and other innovations

An “eternal candle,” low-temperature radiator and three-dimensional skin-imaging device are among some of the latest technologies from Trinity College Dublin (TCD) to have reached the commercialisation stage.

A variety of new technologies from Trinity Research & Innovation were showcased at the college this week. Among the inventions deemed ready for industry collaboration and investment:

• The Eternal Candle: A renewable solar heat storage technology for providing light in the developing world. Currently, two billion people worldwide live without electricity and burn fuel for illumination. TCD researchers have invented an off-grid white light-emitting diode (WLED) lantern which can be powered by the sun. During the cooler night-time temperatures in dry desert-type climates such as sub-Saharan Africa and large regions of India, China and central Asia, the Eternal Candle converts the stored heat into electricity which drives the WLED. It is a lamp that requires no batteries and no running costs.
• 3D imaging of skin and measurement of skin damage: This imaging device which can be used in cosmetic medicine provides a 3D computer-generated image of a patient’s skin with accompanying data analysis. These images are analysed using specialised software to accurately measure a range of parameters such as skin roughness, wrinkle depth and length and size and depth of abrasions prior to any potential surgery. In addition, the device can also map the amount of melanin and haemoglobin in the skin which could be used to quantify skin damage or used to monitor other skin conditions such as acne or rosacea. The researchers who developed the device have recently spun out a company, Miravex, and are now looking for investment to support the business.
• Low-temperature radiator with high heat transfer: Traditional radiators typically require hot water at 70 – 85°C to generate sufficient heat. Geothermal heat pumps, which are heating systems that use the earth as a heat source, generate much lower temperatures (between 45°C and 55°C).  As a consequence they require hugely oversized radiators, fan based convectors, underfloor heating or complete re-insulation of a house in order to make them a viable option for home heating. Researchers at TCD have developed a new radiator system that has a high heat output for a relatively low temperature input (around 55°C). The design uses heat pipes and fins to improve efficiency while still maintaining a compact size. This new technology enables a central heating radiator system using low-temperature water (from a boiler or from a geothermal heat pump) which reduces energy consumption. It is expected that existing radiators in buildings could be replaced with these novel innovative heat pipe radiators.

“There has been a large investment in research and development over the past few years and we are now seeing a growing stream of commercial projects coming out the other end of the pipeline,” said James Callaghan, Trinity’s associate director of research & innovation. “This event is an excellent means of showcasing the latest university technology to our industry partners and is evidence of the burgeoning innovation ecosystem in Dublin, the heart of which is centred at Trinity College.”

“Enterprise Ireland is working in partnership with Trinity Research & Innovation to bring the commercial outputs of research conducted in Trinity College Dublin to the marketplace,” added Martin Lyes, research & innovation manager for Enterprise Ireland. “We want to increase the number of successful and innovative spin-out companies emerging from publicly-funded research and I am delighted to see there are 15 new technologies with such potential at this showcase.”