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Our astronomers are applying their skills to other areas – like improved x-ray technology and better washing powders!
Durham astronomers and cosmologists are increasingly sharing their knowledge and expertise to support business.
From washing powder to x-ray machines, our experts help improve products for customers and strengthen research and development in the industry.
Galactic winds and lye
The next time your sheets blow on the line, the lye they were cleaned with could very well have been developed using galactic winds!
We have created a computer program to model the properties of laundry powder during the manufacturing process.
Using the same algorithms used to make predictions about the formation of galaxies, we partnered with Procter & Gamble (P&G) to develop code that can bind directly to data from the company’s pilot plant and automatically create models that predict both product quality and process performance.
This means that P&G can now model the feasibility of new washing powders in days instead of weeks, reducing the time it takes to get these products to stores.
Improve X-ray technology
We have also worked with Ibex Innovations Ltd of County Durham on the analysis of x-ray data to help them improve the quality of images used in medical diagnostics.
Using the COSMA supercomputer normally used to simulate the universe, our researchers developed a computer program that learned to automatically differentiate between soft tissue and bone in x-rays.
This work could lead to a better diagnosis of bone health problems like osteoporosis and reduce the impact of these diseases on patients.
