The network enables local companies to draw on technological capacity anywhere in Europe, with the IRC often helping in the negotiations for licences or technology transfer agreements with a company or institute in another Member State. But many people do not have time to make use of this. We want to reach a wider audience, giving them regular updates on the work of the IRCs and offering concrete examples of what we do. The network is mature. Its profile and reputation are good.
Expectations are very high.
We are looking forward to achieving maximum impact in the two remaining years of the Fourth Framework programme. One of Germany's Innovation Relay Centres helped three companies from across Europe team up and access Innovation Programme funds to develop an advanced inertial microsensor for the European market. Astronauts, pilots, deep-sea divers, oil exploration teams and even crash dummies may all find it easier to get their bearings in the future, thanks to a new generation of microsensors being developed by a consortium of European companies. Accelerometers, as their name implies, measure the rate of change of velocity, producing an electronic signal which can be measured or used to control a process. Common applications include the activation mechanisms of automotive seat belts and air bags, where the accelerometer senses sudden deceleration and causes these safety devices to engage.