Three UK companies in line for MacRobert Award

OptaSense, the firm responsible for creating the 'Earth's Nervous System'; Cobalt Light Systems, an SME using cutting edge materials science to fight terrorism; and Rolls-Royce, the engineering giant behind the world's first vertical take-off system for a supersonic fighter jet, are all competing for the £50,000 cash prize. The winner will be announced on 2 July at the Academy's Awards Dinner at the Royal Opera House in London. QinetiQ-owned OptaSense has created an innovative technology that can turn any existing fibre optic cable into a real time microphone. The system is already being used to help soldiers deployed in hostile environments and improve the safety of hydraulic fracturing (fracking). Oxforshire-based Cobalt Light Systems, meanwhile, has pioneered a means of identifying the chemical composition of solids or liquids sealed within any non-metallic container without opening it. As well as improving and simplifying airport security, the technology could be used for non-invasive cancer screening and detecting counterfeit goods. The last finalist is Rolls-Royce, which has developed the world's first short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) system capable of powering a supersonic aircraft, the Joint Strike Fighter. The aircraft represents the largest defence programme of all time. John Robinson, chair of the MacRobert Award judging panel, said: "Each of this year's finalists has demonstrated excellent innovation and technical expertise but, perhaps more importantly, the significance of how this is being applied for the benefit of society is exceptional. "These three UK organisations, each of a different size and stage of business development, truly represent the breadth of the UK's engineering capability and its global importance. They are first-rate examples of the economic importance of the nation's engineering sector."