Anubis II Case Study: IDC
Having been awarded £10,000 to invest in technology, all companies took an innovative idea and weaved it into their businesses. Here is a summary of their successes thanks to the ANUBIS funding.
An international car manufacturer, based in the East Midlands, is trialling a unique wireless system designed by ANUBIS winner Intelligent Distributed Controls (IDC) Ltd from Derby.
IDC’s pioneering technology, which is being used by Toyota for internal logistics process monitoring has universal applications where businesses need to track the transportation of components, raw materials, finished products, or processes in real time within their plant. The application of IDC’s technology could increase efficiencies and revolutionise the manufacturing production and logistics processes for many businesses.
It can also be used by organisations which need to help navigate people around large premises such as hospitals, university campuses, and large corporate headquarters. Although established wireless networks like Wi-Fi have been used in asset tracking applications in the past, these solutions required a significant investment in site survey data, and could not direct people to a set location, in the same way IDC’s technology can.
With the ANUBIS funding IDC will design a small hand held device based on the latest wireless technology Toyota is trialling. This device will feature the new micro processing technology called ZigbeeTM.
Zigbee is not universally used in the UK but the commercial potential for its application means the wireless technology could be integrated into many businesses and buildings across the country.
IDC is planning to integrate this technology with its own. The company is designing the electronics hardware systems and the software is being developed by in-house software engineers at IDC.
The system works once a simple network of wireless routers has been installed on site, because the technology has the ability to triangulate the position of the mobile devices, i.e. people or products carrying the device. Each system will be custom –installed to ensure the features and route mapping are programmed to match the design of building.
Once set up the technology will work just like an indoor GPS system, communicating the best possible route to an intended destination. The underlying system will also enable the carrier of the device to interact with the system, as well as providing a host of useful statistical data for reporting and analysis. People will soon be able to use a hand held device to direct them with simple commands and reach their destination thanks to the IDC application.
This is a relatively new market for IDC. The market for traditional control systems is mature and based mainly around fixed wired technology not wireless applications.
The company built up its reputation as a systems integrations business which accounts for the largest percentage of IDC’s turnover. But still using its design and technology skills, IDC is diversifying into the tracking systems market by producing mobile solutions which have many business applications. The commercialisation of these products should, according to the company, treble its profitability.
IDC says it is the only provider of this type of mobile application in the UK. The technology has generated interest from businesses in mainland Europe keen to target the UK market. IDC plans to employ additional engineers to install and commission the system for each contract. The cost of installation is upfront so those businesses which need to manage budgets will benefit from no extra hidden costs.
“The markets we have traditionally served can be ‘feast or famine’ in terms of revenue. By diversifying we can manage our risk better, and create revenue streams with higher margins which will boost cash flow.
Like all SMEs cash flow is paramount. Winning the ANUBIS money has taken us into an area which we haven’t been able to develop until now.
ANUBIS will certainly help us develop our unique hand held device and the software applications required to enable the tracking system to work. This project would have been significantly delayed without the ANUBIS funding which is providing a major boost to our R&D budget.”
IDC's Managing Director Kevin Buckley
Anubis Winner's Link: visit the IDC website
