Artificial intelligence innovations that save millions of gallons of water and support vulnerable young people have been shortlisted for prestigious business innovation awards.

Kibble Care and Education Centre and FIDO Tech Ltd, have been nominated in the Knowledge Exchange (KE) Awards for their groundbreaking work with the University of the West of Scotland on social and environmental issues.

The Awards celebrate exceptional collaborations between businesses and universities, highlighting the positive impact achieved through Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs).

Kibble Care and Education Centre is shortlisted in the ‘Making a Social Difference’ category for a project which focuses on developing a remote health monitoring and behavioural analysis tool to support the wellbeing of vulnerable young people.

This innovative solution, led by Machine Vision and Research Scientist Benjamin Tilbury, pulls expertise from the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) and Innovate UK.

The technology aims to provide remote health monitoring, sleep-tracking, and early identification of concerning behaviours – all while respecting the privacy of the young people it supports. This has the potential to revolutionise care for vulnerable youth, addressing the critical need for 24/7 support and early intervention.

Jim Gillespie, Kibble CEO expressed his pride in the nomination, highlighting the collaborative effort and its potential impact.

"This prestigious award nomination has demonstrated the commitment of Kibble, UWS and Innovate UK to transform the lives of those who have experienced trauma and pose a risk to themselves. “Our research identified the need for an affordable human-monitoring system tailored to highly supportive care settings and with technology becoming increasingly sophisticated, we were determined to be part of the solution. The bespoke creation is set to help Kibble and similar organisations deliver the highest standard of care, safety, and protection possible. "We are all are honoured to be amongst fellow businesses, third sector and public sector organisations as well as academic institutions who are all open to collaboration for the greater good. “As a social enterprise with the key value of ‘ambition’, Kibble has the drive to continually improve and help transform the lives of people within the wider community."
Jim Gillespie, Kibble CEO

FIDO Tech's shortlisted project focuses on their partnership with UWS, which has been instrumental in developing their AI-powered solution for water leak detection and management.

Data scientist Jawwad Latif's pioneering work has helped FIDO Tech achieve significant advancements in acoustic pipeline data analysis, enabling them to identify leaks with exceptional accuracy.

Nominated for a ‘Making an Environmental Difference’ award, this innovative technology addresses a global challenge: around a third of the world's piped water is lost due to leaks, often invisible to the naked eye. FIDO Tech's AI not only pinpoints leaks but also quantifies water loss, allowing engineers to prioritise repairs and maximise water conservation efforts.

The technology was featured at a showcase of Scottish universities at COP28 in Dubai last year.

Victoria Edwards, FIDO Tech CEO and founder, acknowledged the crucial role of the KTP in their success.

"The collaboration with UWS is one of the reasons we have got so far so fast. “This is great for us as a company but it’s even better news for our environment, societies, and economies by driving better long-term outcomes for all."
Victoria Edwards, FIDO Tech CEO and founder

Both Kibble and FIDO Tech's nominations showcase the transformative power of collaboration between businesses and universities.

“Being shortlisted in the Making an Environmental Difference and Making a Social Difference Award categories is a great achievement and aligns well with our aspirations for KTP at UWS; namely, to build a balanced portfolio of projects delivering societal, environmental, and business impact with partners across the UK. “I'd like to thank all those involved from both UWS and our business partners, but especially Jawaad Latif and Ben Tilbury; our superstar KTP Associates who have been instrumental to the success of these projects.”
Stuart McKay, Senior KTP Manager, UWS KTP Centre

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony held at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow, on Thursday 14 March.