From research to engagement to translation: words are cheap. Part 1 – research funding and its consequences

From research to engagement to translation: words are cheap. Part 2 – a case study

“…It should be realised that to take a promising research breakthrough to the point where it can be delivered cost-effectively to millions of people, usually takes tens of millions of pounds (for development work, trials, the provision of suitable manufacturing and distribution facilities, with commensurate years of staff costs), all of which must be spent before any income is generated from the sales themselves. 1 The initial product price will include an element to pay back that investment, and therefore a manufacturer must be protected (e.g. through patenting) from a competitor who did not make such an investment, but who might purchase and copy the product and sell it more cheaply.…”

“…the 'vectors of change', that is, the ultrasound and bubbles). The tension between the two (publishing and patenting) is at the heart of my strategy to produce societal benefit from the scientific discovery, 1 and required publication of some elements to be withheld for many years.…”

“…34,[36][37][38][39][40] Premature publication of other aspects of the 'vector' discoveries would have prevented patenting, which was required if the technology was to benefit society: without the protection of a patent, a manufacturer cannot sell the first products at a price that recoups the decade of research and development they paid for before ever any sales income came in, because a competitor (who is not pricing to recoup those R&D costs) can reverse-engineer a product and sell for a lower price. 1 Premature publication therefore can dissuade any industry from making the necessary investment in R&D.…”

“…The first of these paired editorials 1 introduced 'the virtuous circle', where taxpayer funded research, including that in the surface finishing field, can produce benefits to society, which in turn not only benefits the health of society as a whole and its individual members, but also generates tax income that can be re-invested into the research and development base to continue this onward progress. It argued that a risk-averse approach hindered this, but was what the current drivers in the system produced, rewarding sponsors and researchers alike for avoiding accumulating a record of 'failed' high-risk projects.…”

Improving livestock feed safety and infection prevention: Removal of bacterial contaminants from hay using cold water, bubbles and ultrasound

“…An alternative ultrasonic cleaning is an Ultrasonically Activated Stream (UAS) [22] , [23] . The UAS system ensures that bubbles circulating in the water flow are excited on the surface of the target to be cleaned (here, hay) by an ultrasound field with an amplitude at a sufficient level to generate surface waves on the bubble, but not generate inertial cavitation [24] .…”