The Centre for Advanced Photonics and Electronics (CAPE) is a unique partnership between the University of Cambridge and a small group of international photonics and electronics companies whose market orientation places them in a non-competitive supply-chain or valuechain relationship with respect to each other.
CAPE’s objective is threefold:
- Technology advancements through landscaping and project work,
- Business opportunities between CAPE Partners,
- Outreach activities to a wider community
CAPE delivers “Technology from Science.” We do this by accessing worldleading expertise in every branch of engineering and science at the University of Cambridge and by collaborative work with the support of cutting-edge R&D facilities within the Electrical Engineering Division.
The mix of partner interests has shifted over the years, but the current CAPE Partners (BIACD, CRRC Zhuzhou Institute, Huawei Technologies and GSK Consumer Healthcare) continue to represent business interest on a global scale. CAPE operates under the CAPE Partnership Agreement (CPA), as endorsed by all industrial CAPE Partners for the purpose of jointly commissioned research and development.
Thus far, the CAPE research portfolio amounts to£14.1 million, with several new projects on the horizon. The research outcome is mostly important early-stage IP. CAPE Partners have taken some projects forward to the stage of mass production and framework technology transfer, such as holographic head-up displays and Smectic-A liquid-crystal technology.
CAPE creates business opportunities and future vision. CAPE Partners’ engagement provides a unique opportunity to interact and to broaden each other’s views. This enables all of us to make a greater impact on society and further enhance the business value of our enterprises.
CAPE’s approach is to invent and develop through multidisciplinary research in strategic areas of interest to both the UK (as specified by EPSRC) and beyond. We cover all levels from materials, processes, components, and systems to customer expectation. We aim to define future strategy and market implementation; to set the industry agendas for the convergence of photonic and electronic technology platforms; and to be involved in policy-making and regulatory work and contribute to societal needs.
There are opportunities to expand CAPE projects by leveraging the industrial funds invested through CAPE via external bodies such as the UK government.
Membership of CAPE can also provide networking benefits from existing links between the University of Cambridge and other academic centres, in both the UK and elsewhere. Consultative inputs from other universities have already assisted some of CAPE project research programmes.
To find out more about CAPE, download a short summary or our full brochure. CAPE always welcomes the participation of new industry partners who look to leverage our expertise and at the same time provide a synergistic fit with our existing partners, please contact us to discuss your interest.
Professor Daping Chu
Director of CAPE
