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rTigerEarly in 2001, the CCLRC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
and ESA introduced a concept called
as a new way of performing innovative research. One of the key ideas
was to bring together a multi-disciplined team of experts at a research centre
which could provide all the facilities required to make a quantum step. The team
would be formed from proven (doctoral) researchers and/or engineers who would
work intensively on a set project for a short period of time, devoid of
workplace and everyday distractions.
The key to success was perceived to be ready access to
state-of-the-art equipment, facilities, computing power and technical support.
In order to demonstrate that the
approach could succeed it was decided to
carry out a pilot programme, during which a technologically challenging task or
'end goal' would be set. This 'end goal' technology should be such that its
solution would represent a significant advance with respect to the present state
of the art.
Whilst this concept was perceived to be generally applicable to all innovative technology research, the pilot project that has been selected is in the field of antennas. The proposed project is a colour millimetre-wave imager, which integrates several innovative technology areas, such as planar antenna technology, planar detector technology, photonic band-gap materials and miniaturised back-end electronics.
Some recent ESA developments in the fields of terahertz photonic band gap materials and micromachined terahertz waveguide detectors will provide the foundations upon which the team will build.
rTiger is
a new type of research and development initiative aimed at dramatically reducing
the turn-around time for key technological developments. It has been suggested
that for conventional research projects much time and resource is spent on
administrative and bureaucratic duties, resulting in poor focusing of technical
effort. Present development projects can quite often be carried out by a team
split between several locations which can add logistical and scheduling
problems. Many researchers have academic commitments which can act as a
distraction. The overall effect of this is that unnecessary delay can result and
the programme's technical goals remain unfulfilled.
recognises that these and other problems like
them can severely hamper technological advancement and at the same time
frustrate researchers, programme managers and the technology end-users alike.
aims to circumvent many
of the hindrances experienced by scientists and engineers by bringing them to a
central research centre where all of the necessary equipment, resources and
infrastructure exist. As a result they will be able to focus their effort
entirely on solving the technical issues.
The overall aims of
are to:
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Demonstrate that a core team of researchers can bring about a 'quantum leap' in a chosen area of technology in a compressed time frame. |
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Determine the basic ground rules as to how such schemes in the future will be prepared, undertaken and judged. |
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Determine the 'pitfalls' associated with the
approach. |