Glasgow-based
Wideblue, a leading product design and development consultancy, is doubling its optical laboratory space at the West of Scotland Science Park following a surge in new business. The expanded optical laboratory increases the company’s capability to build and test photonics-based prototypes as well as providing a clean build area for small-volume opto-mechanical assemblies.
Dr Euan McBrearty, Wideblues’ head of commercial and innovation (pictured), said: “We have experienced phenomenal growth in the past 12 months and the expanded laboratory facility will help us support our customers more effectively. We are seeing increased demand in a number of sectors including medical devices, photonics, quantum technologies, aerospace and defence. Laboratory facilities are essential for testing and evaluating the proof of concepts for our clients’ projects. We were therefore delighted when additional space became available adjacent to our headquarters in the science park.”
Wideblue recently exhibited at the
Space-Comm Expo in London where there was considerable interest in a pseudo-satellite optical communication system the company is working on. Alongside sister company
A2E, Wideblue is collaborating with the Glasgow-based
Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics (F-CAP),
Taotech and
Kubos Semiconductors on an ambitious project to develop a free space optical communications system with very low size, weight and power requirements for use with high altitude pseudo satellites (HAPS).
Unmanned aerial vehiclesHAPS are lightweight, unmanned aerial vehicles offering prolonged flight at altitudes into the stratosphere. They can be deployed quickly and provide persistent coverage over large areas. Applications include disaster relief, remote sensing/monitoring and providing telecommunication services to remote areas. Free space optical communications are key to enabling communications between the HAPS and other platforms/ground stations as the radio frequency spectrum is becoming too crowded and bandwidth requirements are becoming ever higher.
The project uses the latest breakthroughs in micro-LED light sources and single photon detectors pioneered by the
University of Strathclyde's Institute of Photonics over the past two decades. Successful trials of the HAPs module have recently been completed on a tethered platform to simulate a real-world environment.
Wideblue and Livingston-based
A2E are both part of the
Pivot International group of companies based in Kansas. Together they form one of the UK's leading product design and development groups and can take a project from concept to full commercialisation and volume manufacture. Between them they employ highly qualified and talented engineers, scientists and project managers.
The companies have particular strengths in medical/healthcare device design, optical system design, including optical payloads for satellites, quantum technology system integration, product design, mechanical engineering, electronics and embedded software design. They also have specialist solutions for the oil and gas sector.