X-ray replacement

Dentists and physicists from Dundee and Strathclyde universities won a hat-trick of awards for developing a system that has the potential to replace X-rays in dentistry.

The Infrared Imaging system, developed by Prof Nigel Pitts and Dr Chris Longbottom at Dundee and Prof John Girkin and Dr Simon Poland at Strathclyde, won three prizes at the Medical Futures Innovations Awards, held in London this week.

It won the overall Dental and Health Innovations Award, the Best Diagnostic in Dental and Oral Health Award and the NHS Technology Innovation Award.

The awards bring a package of business support to the team to further develop the project.

The Infrared Imaging system uses infrared light to produce images similar to those produced by X-rays.

The team behind it say it may have wider applications including, for example, measuring bone density.

The competition judges said they were 'highly impressed' by the potential of the technology and hoped it would progress to proof of concept.

As well as the critical recognition and endorsement of an award, the team will receive a package of support to help turn ideas into viable propositions that appeal to investors.

The awards aim to overcome the challenge historically faced in the UK of being great at innovating but poor at getting ideas to market.