Technology and Innovation

Pulling out all the stops to woo Google

By Newsroom

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March 25, 2010

The full press is on to convince Google to make Kalamazoo one of its test sites for its ultra high-speed broadband network. As the Friday March 26 deadline approaches to apply to be one of several trial locations around the country, city officials, local boosters and residents are holding meetings, recording video pitches to Google and spreading the word in a number of ways to anyone who will listen, asking them to join in in nominating Kalamazoo. Support has been building in the Kalamazoo area ever since the project was announced.In Kalamazoo Wednesday, March 24, there was a town hall meeting to talk about why Google Fiber is important. Residents were asked to share their thoughts on video in hopes to convince Google decision-makers that Kalamazoo is the right place for the pilot project, which would provide a fiber-optic network to at least 50,000 homes and businesses at 200 times the current speed, at a price Google says is comparable to existing services. The local grassroots effort, Kalamazoo Google Collaborative, is bragging about Kalamazoo's past and present innovations, its prime location between Detroit and Chicago and its dedication to education as witnessed by the Kalamazoo Promise, a college scholarship program for all grads of Kalamazoo Public Schools, and four institutions of higher learning — Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo College, Davenport University and Kalamazoo Valley Community College."Many people may not know that Kalamazoo has quietly taken risks and leads the nation in many ways throughout its history," says Kalamazoogle.com backer and Newmind Group Owner Daniel Jefferies. "From the science and innovations of Upjohn and Stryker, to its downtown walking mall, to the role in creating one of the first public high schools, and most recently the creation of the Kalamazoo Promise."Over the weekend, supporters passed out 30,000 fliers about the project in hopes of encouraging nominations for Kalamazoo. Official support for the effort has come from the cities of Kalamazoo, Portage and at least 13 of the county's 15 townships.Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Daniel Jefferies, Newmind Group

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Communication technology expands to parts of Van Buren County

By Newsroom

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Development News

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March 25, 2010

Bloomingdale Communications Inc. will under take an $8.2 million expansion of voice, data and video service to most of Paw Paw Township and parts of Almena, Antwerp and Waverly townships. The service also will extend into Mattawan. The expansion is one of 22 projects nationwide to be awarded grant money from Rural Utilities Services. The services to be made available include telephone, IP video with digital video recording and high-definition video with Internet speeds up to 20MB. Faster speeds will be available in the future. The company provides digital cable, DIRECTV and local and long distance telephone services. Emegency services and hospitals can use added bandwidth that will open up when a second fiber path from Paw Paw to the main office in Bloomingdale is constructed. It provides a second path for service in case the fiber backbone is damaged or destroyed. Construction work is to begin this summer. Laying the backbone of the system is expected to take one year and the entire project, connecting homes and businesses to the backbone, is expected to take two years, BCI's Sales and Marketing Supervisor Shari Wykrent says. Bloomingdale Communications Inc. serves Van Buren County and parts of Allegan County. Writer: Kathy Jennings Source: Shari Wykrent, Bloomindale Communications Inc.

Gusts off South Haven among best in state for wind energy

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In The News

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March 18, 2010

TThe winds that churn off South Haven's lakeshore are known for being a powerful force, and the city is looking at ways to control the turbines that could harness that wind for energy, reports the Kalamazoo Gazette.The city planning commission in August began to consider how to regulate wind turbines. A public hearing is set for April 1 to get input on the proposed rules."We know that the wind is very good here so we want to have something in place that will balance quality of life with these new technologies," says City Manager Brian Dissette. Excerpt:The wind-power potential in South Haven is maybe best seen by taking a drive along Monroe Boulevard, where trees atop a large hill that leads down to Lake Michigan are permanently bent from the west winds that blow unfettered across the open waters."There is a high level of interest in wind energy (in South Haven)," Dissette said. "That's the driving force behind this ordinance."Under the city's draft ordinance, only wind turbines 40 feet tall or shorter would be allowed within 3,000 feet of the lakeshore. Turbines taller than 40 feet but under 200 feet would be allowed in areas zoned industrial and in one area zoned for business near I-196 on the city's east side. Turbines 200 to 400 feet tall would be restricted to industrial areas.Special-use permits from the city would be required for all wind turbines, regardless of size. For those taller than 200 feet, a study of potential impact on wildlife and noise would have to be filed. Other requirements would include minimum setbacks from other structures of 1.5 to 2 times the height of the turbine. There are few parcels in South Haven that could accommodate those zoning requirements, according to Dissette."This ordinance is pretty doggone restrictive," the city manager said. "I don't see a line forming to seek installing these (turbines). Few can fund it and make it economically feasible."Read the whole story on the proposed wind turbine regulations.Source: Kalamazoo Gazette

Business booms nationwide for Kalamazoo’s iyeTek

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Innovation News

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March 18, 2010

Demand keeps growing for software developed for law enforcement agencies by the Kalamazoo information technology company, iyeTek.When iyeTek moved into Western Michigan University's Business and Research Park two years ago it had six employees and three interns. Today, 10 employees are on staff, and at any one time six to eight interns work on the company's software solutions for law enforcement agencies. Those are now used in 28 states compared to eight states that used iyeTek two years ago.When it moved into the research park in March 2008, iyeTek occupied 1,300 square feet of space at 4664 Campus Drive. Business has been so good since then the company has nearly doubled the amount of space it uses.The company's various software, including electronic ticket writing and crash reporting systems and information sharing with local, state and federal agencies, is now used all across Michigan. The software is used in handheld and mobile devices.Company co-founder and Director of Operations Salman Anwar gives much credit for the company's success to the support it has gotten in the BTR Park and its partnership with WMU. Among iyeTek's successes is the crash reporting system that has proved to be the most popular of its products, Anwar says."We're making the roads safer for people who drive on a daily basis," Anwar says. The iyeTek crash reporting system is one way it does that. The system helps police officers document crash details that give law enforcement agencies and traffic engineers information to analyze. It can help them determined the causes of crashes and also lead them, if need be, to take actions to make roadways more safe. "It's all about saving lives of police officers and citizens," Anwar says. Another popular software package involves information sharing that alerts officers during traffic stops and calls to be notified of any NCIC — National Crime Information Center — and FBI warnings related to a vehicle or suspect.The company was founded in Kalamazoo by Anwar and Jeremy Vainavicz, both alumni of WMU's College of Engineering and Applied Sciences.Writer: Kathy JenningsSource Salman Anwar

DeVos firm, Portage company roll out energy efficiency technology

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In The News

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March 18, 2010

A new joint venture between a Grand Rapids investment firm owned by Dick and Betsy DeVos and Portage company, Pro Services, has launched and is expected to employ 15 people this year.Their new company, Pro Renewables, will sell what is known as Green Machine.Excerpt:The patented Green Machine invented and manufactured by ElectraTherm Inc. in Reno, Nev. has been installed in six locations worldwide and has earned awards from such respected publications as The Wall Street Journal and Popular Science magazine. One of the newest of the six Green Machine installations is in the Michigan Technical Education Center at Kalamazoo Valley Community College in Kalamazoo, where a demonstration and announcement about the new venture took place Wednesday morning. "We are pleased to announce this new venture bringing the Green Machine to the Midwest," says Dick DeVos, president of The Windquest Group. The venture, called ProRenewables, LLC, represents a partnership between The Windquest Group, DeVos' investment management firm in Grand Rapids, and Pro Services, a specialized trades contractor in Portage.The Green Machine uses heat and pressure recovery technologies to capture heat lost from virtually any geothermal or industrial operation and turn it into fuel-free, emission-free usable electricity. The escaping heat is a byproduct readily available from industrial sources, among them inefficient machines and manufacturing processes, and is abundantly available in the Midwest where there's a broad base of energy intensive industrial activity.Company officials estimate that more than two-thirds of the energy in fuel used to generate power in America is lost as heat. Read the whole story, to learn more about the company.Source: Rapid Growth Media

$350,000 supports WMU’s study of greenhouse gas storage

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Innovation News

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March 18, 2010

A total of $350,000 in grants to Western Michigan University will further studies into greenhouse gas storage as the push for clean coal energy heats up.WMU researchers are looking for ways to further develop clean coal technology by capturing the greenhouse gases it creates and storing them deep under the earth.Success could mean economic development opportunities for the state, including the creation of high-tech jobs, more affordable energy costs for consumers and reduction of pollution from the gases.The research, which has been ongoing in some form at WMU for six years, recently got a boost of $350,000 from federal stimulus funds.Most of the money comes from the U.S. Department of Energy and the University of Illinois, which is studying four states for their suitability to store the greenhouse gas or CO2. Together, they contributed $306,000. The remaining $44,000 comes from the Department of Energy and Wolverine Power Supply Cooperative Inc., a nonprofit member-owned utility in Cadillac and is being used for engineering design and cost estimates for the capture of 1,000 metric tons of CO2 per day from a proposed power plant in Rogers City, MI.In science-speak, what WMU is doing is carbon capture and geological carbon sequestration research. In layman's terms, they are looking at deep geological formations underground in Michigan to figure out if they could be used to store captured carbon gases.Dr.David A. Barnes, professor of geosciences at WMU, is the principal investigator on the two research projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009."Fossil energy has been fundamentally responsible for development in modern industrialized societies, but the associated greenhouse gas emissions are seriously threatening our environment," Barnes says. "The capture and deep geological storage of greenhouse gas emissions provide a critical bridging technology as we move, as aggressively as possible, to renewable energy technologies."Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: David A. Barnes

Fast Company magazine likes the way Whirlpool spins innovation

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In The News

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March 18, 2010

Products like the Smart Energy Dryer have won Whirlpool Corporation, of Benton Harbor, the No. 5 spot on Fast Company Magazine's World's Most Innovative Companies list.Whirlpool was named as an innovation leader in the consumer products category, just after household product manufacturer SC Johnson and before boot-maker Timberland.Excerpt: "Whirlpool will make 1 million 'smart' dryers by the end of 2011. Smart Energy dryers will respond to peak-energy prices by lowering power consumption, saving money for homeowners and easing stress on the electric grid. By 2015, according to Whirlpool, all of its products will be compatible with the smart grid."The story goes on to say that the company expects innovation to drive growth in 2010."It's not just about revenue growth and profit margins."It's about identifying creative models and progressive cultures – to define the many forms of innovation that exist across the business landscape."The recognition adds to a series of way-to-go's already bestowed on Whirlpool.In 2009, it was named one of FORTUNE's "Most Admired Companies" in the electronics industry, one of the "100 Best Corporate Citizens" by Corporate Responsibility Officer magazine and one of the "Top 50 Most Respected U.S. Companies" by the Reputation Institute.Whirlpool employs 67,000 people worldwide and saw annual sales of approximately $17 billion in 2009. It has an innovation pipeline worth about $4 billion and in 2009 generated $3.8 billion in revenue from its innovation efforts.Whirlpool Corporation is the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances has 67 manufacturing and technology research centers around the world.The company markets Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Amana, Brastemp, Consul, Bauknecht and other major brand names to consumers in nearly every country around the world.To read more about it visit Fast Company.Source: Fast Company

Eaton Corp.’s hybrid system powers buses for the military

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Development News

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March 18, 2010

The federal government has purchased 35 fuel-sipping shuttle buses outfitted with hybrid electric power systems developed in Galesburg bythe Eaton Corp. The U.S. General Services Administration,using stimulus funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act,bought the buses for use on U.S. Military bases. They will replace older, less efficient models, according to the GSA.Last year,the GSA announced it would spend $77 million in stimulus funds to buy3,100 fuel efficient hybrid vehicles. Altogether a hybrid fleetis expected to save an estimated 16.7 million gallons of fuel over thenext seven years. Using the vehicles could prevent the release of 334million pounds of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The hybrid system used in the shuttle buses was developed at Eaton Hybrid Power System headquarters in Galesburg with assistance from the company's division in Southfield. Bus manufacturer Capitol Coach Works, Inc. of Capitol Heights,Md., purchased the system to use in the shuttle buses. The hybrid business has proved to be a growth area for Eaton and the company has hired 10 engineers in the past year to support it. Buses powered by Eaton's hybrid power system have the pontential to have a big impact on environmental sustainability, says William Batten,Director of Government Accounts for Eaton's Vehicle Group."We've seen many positive results from commercial customers around the world,"Batten says, "and we hope that this announcement will lead to overall greater acceptance of hybrid technology within the U.S. federal fleet."Vehicles with Eaton hybrid systems typically see fuel savings up to 35 percent, with similar percentages in emission reductions. The vehicles also have extended brake life and idle time reductions of up to 87 percent. Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: William Batten, Eaton Vehicle Corp.

$250K invested in RealBio Technology Inc. of Kalamazoo

By Kim North Shine

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Development News

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March 11, 2010

Research into cell and tissue culture technology got a boost when the Biosciences Research and Commercialization Center at Western Michigan University invested $250,000 in Kalamazoo-based RealBio Technology Inc.RealBio, founded in 2009, has three full-time employees and six part-time employees working at its headquarters at the Southwest Michigan Innovation Center at Western Michigan University.BRCC invests in growing early stage companies in Michigan and is located in the Western Michigan University Business Technology and Research Park. RealBio is commercializing cell and tissue growth systems and developing a new generation of three-dimensional cell culture technology, which is exclusively licensed by the company. It has a patent pending.The RealBio Culture System enables researchers to study the growth of human primary cells and tissues over a long period of time. It also will allow access to a steady supply of stem cells for research purposes and for the formation of human tissue for in-vitro toxicology.RealBio President and CEO Paul Neeb says this is the first phase of funding in building toward the release of RealBio's cell and tissue collection tools, and that another half-dozen or so employees will be hired within the next year as the product comes to market.RealBio is part of the Southwest Michigan First Life Sciences Fund portfolio and has received financial and logistical support from the fund as part of a regional effort to foster further medical research, generate jobs, stimulate economic development and create wealth in Southwest Michigan. Writer: Kim North Shine Source: Southwest Michigan First

Japanese battery producer picks Battle Creek, 50 to 60 jobs expected

By Kim North Shine

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Development News

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March 11, 2010

A Japanese battery producer has picked Battle Creek for its first foray into the U.S. market. It plans to create 50 to 60 new jobs, a $70 million "green tech" manufacturing plant and then some. A plan to produce lithium-ion vehicle batteries at a soon-to-be-built facility in Battle Creek became official Feb. 16 when Toda America Inc., a subsidiary of Toda Kogyo Corp. in Japan, finalized a $35 million award from the U.S. Department of Energy, letting locals, Michigan and the U.S. play a part in the electrification of cars and other vehicles. Toda will match the $35 million award from the DOE in order to build the plant at Battle Creek's Fort Custer Industrial Park, a site where pre-construction preps such as environmental remediation have already begun. "The Toda project contributes triple benefits of strategic acceleration of U.S. electrification of vehicles, immediate creation of green tech jobs, and redevelopment and reuse of existing industrial land in support of urban revitalization," says David Han, president of venture development firm Turtlerock Greentech, and a consultant to Toda. Construction on Phase 1 of the Toda plant will begin in one to two months and the plant will begin operating by February 2011. The plant will manufacture cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries for electric and non-electric vehicles. It is currently a leading manufacturer of cell phone and computer batteries. The company, which is working with the Department of Energy as part of the Reinvestment and Recovery Act, is receiving other economic development incentives from the City of Battle Creek and the State of Michigan. Both worked to convince Toda to choose Battle Creek over several other cities. The plant will expand in phases through 2013, eventually producing 4,000 tons of finished products each year at a total sales volume of about $130 million. The Michigan Department of Economic Development says 50 to 60 direct new jobs will be created at the plant and up to 148 new jobs, including 91 indirect jobs, will result from the construction and operation of the plant. "This is a critical step for Toda Kogyo Group in our quest to maintain our global leadership as the premier supply chain partner to both battery and electric vehicle manufacturers around the world," Junichi Nakano, President and CEO of Toda America, said in a statement released last week. Writer: Kim North Shine Source: PRNewswire