Linking scientific and practical knowledge in innovation systems

New research indicates that firms combining the science-based STI (Science, Technology, Innovation) and the experience-based DUI (Doing, Using, Interacting) modes of innovation are more efficient when it comes to improving innovation capacity and competitiveness. With regard to innovation policy, the STI mode calls for a supply driven policy, typically aimed to commercialise research results. The DUI mode suggests a demand driven policy approach, such as supporting the development of new products or services to specific markets. This paper analyses how the two types of innovation policy and the two innovation modes can be combined in regional innovation systems. The analysis builds on studies of the food industry and related knowledge organisations in two counties, Rogaland County (Norway) and Skåne County (Sweden), and two policy initiatives (NCE Culinology and Skåne Food Innovation Network) aimed at strengthening the innovative capability of the regional innovation systems. The analysis indicates that policies aimed to link science and user driven innovation activity should focus on building absorptive capacity of DUI firms (e.g. through increased scientific competence) and implementation capacity of STI firms (e.g. through increased market and process competence).innovation policy; scientific knowledge; practical knowledge; regional innovation systems; food industry; Norway; Sweden

Development and Demonstration of New Technology for the use of Wind Turbines on Ships

Technology to substantially reduce commercial ship fuel consumption by harnessing sea winds for simultaneous generation of electricity and thrust, has been developed by the company PROPit AB. The basic idea is to apply conventional wind turbine technology for the marine environment, where the turbine will also take the function of sails. Primary target market is tankers or bulk ships with a large and open deck space. Chalmers, in a study co-sponsored by the Swedish Energy Agency and Chalmers Energy Centre, 2011, confirmed fuel saving estimates around 15-30 % for optimal routes, but with higher uncertainties

Experimental facilitation of heat loss affects work rate and innate immune function in a breeding passerine bird

The capacity to get rid of excess heat produced during hard work is a possible constraint on parental effort during reproduction [heat dissipation limit (HDL) theory]. We released hard-working blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) from this constraint by experimentally removing ventral plumage. We then assessed whether this changed their reproductive effort (feeding rate and nestling size) and levels of self-maintenance (change in body mass and innate immune function). Feather-clipped females reduced the number of feeding visits and increased levels of constitutive innate immunity compared with unclipped females but did not fledge smaller nestlings. Thus, they increased self-maintenance without compromising current reproductive output. In contrast, feather clipping did not affect the number of feeding visits or innate immune function in males, despite increased heat loss rate. Our results show that analyses of physiological parameters, such as constitutive innate immune function, can be important when trying to understand sources of variation in investment in self-maintenance versus reproductive effort and that risk of overheating can influence innate immune function during reproduction

Design and control of chromatography step in an integrated column sequence

Integration of the purification steps in downstream processing is one way to minimize the number of storage tanks and reduce hold-up time. The result is an integrated column sequence that performs straight through processing of the target protein, with minimal time from expression to formulation. This paper discusses the overall integration design and its expected performance, together with a more detailed analysis of the step behavior based on column simulations. The optimal design of the individual steps in the sequence is presented, both with robustness margins and local control system, as well as with and without local recycle. An optimization methodology for chromatography steps is used to quantify the performance of the integrated sequence. The propagation of disturbances in connected column sequences forces an open-loop control strategy to be unnecessary conservative. The optimization is modified to also handle disturbances which makes it possible to find the robust optimum. The introduction of local control for disturbance compensation and for guarantee of optimal robust performance is shown for transient control of the dynamic cyclic steady-state. For some separation problems, it is attractive to introduce local recycles in the process, such as in MCSGP, to enhance the yield of the target protein. These recycles are also introduced in the optimization methodology of separation steps in integrated column sequences, generating optimal robust solutions with recycles. The result shows the advantages and disadvantages of local recycles for the case study analyzed in the work

Implementation of an underwater acoustic modem with network capability

This paper introduces the underwater acoustic modem as implemented within the UAN – Underwater Acoustic Network project. The low power modem has implemented turbo equalization algorithms in addition to variable spread rate direct sequence spread spectrum signaling. The network layer implemented on the modem support automatic network discovery, multi hop routing and support for mobile nodes, and when expanded with a single board computer via serial line it supports IP connectivity end-to-end. Experimental results from sea trials are presented

E-bogen: Skandinaviske perspektiver på forskning og uddannelse

De skandinaviske lande har endnu ikke oplevet den samme udbredelse af e-bogen og påvirkning af de skandinaviske bogmarkeder som de engelsksprogede lande. Alligevel er der en voksende interesse i e-bøger, ikke mindst i forskning- og folkebibliotekerne. Denne artikel giver et overblik over de skandinaviske biblioteks- og informationsvidenskabelige skoler og deres forskning og undervisning i e-bøger. De respektive institutioner præsenterer deres aktuelle forskningsinteresser og -perspektiver på e-bøger og digital læsning, og hvorledes e-bøger er integreret i curriculum og uddannelser. Artiklen ender med at fremhæve fire områder, som artiklens forfattere mener, kalder på yderligere forskning: • Deep reading og læseoplevelser på digitale læseenheder • Den fysiske bogkulturs betydning for læsere • Aftalegrundlaget for udlån af e-bøger og ophavsret i biblioteker • E-bogens integration med andre teknologie

How and why acoustic detectability and catchability of herring change with individual motivation and physiological state in a variable environment: a multi-scale study on a local herring population in southwestern Norway

The understanding of distribution and aggregation in herring (Clupea harengus) can be enhanced by integrated multi-scale studies in small ecosystems. Hydro-acoustics, underwater cameras, herring and predator gillnet samples and oceanographical measurements were used to quantify herring schooling dynamics. During autumn (September) after an active feeding period, the herring was distributed in small and dense schools, mostly close to land and in relatively shallow water ( 40 m depth). All recorded herring schools were then vertically extended in the water column within the most variable temperature and oxygen profiles, presumably enabling individuals to adjust maturation rate to prevailing environmental conditions and synchronize spawning of individuals within the school. From late February prior to spawning, only one major pelagic school was observed, extraordinarily stationary at the only inlet to the inner basin. The pre-spawning herring aggregation was fairly easy to detect acoustically for more than one month. Just prior to spawning and during spawning, herring spread out and became extremely difficult to detect acoustically. Only underwater cameras and bottom set gillnets could then be used to identify herring and selected spawning areas. We argue that the dramatic seasonal changes in acoustic detectability and catchability we observe is best understood and predicted based on detailed knowledge of how herring react to a changing environment according to their physiological state and motivation. Such factors should also be taken more systematically into account when performing acoustic surveys in large marine ecosystems. We need to study in more detail the vital underlying processes behind the substantial variability observed in acoustic detectability and catchability of pelagic planktivorous fish species during their annual life cycle in order to better understand and quantify variability in acoustic surveys, and thereby improve our acoustic abundance estimation