IRAP and NRC funding announced

The federal government has been making a flurry of funding announcements for the National Research Council (NRC) and its Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) as it strives to keep the spotlight on S&T during the dog days of summer.

Between July 16 and July 24, seven announcements were made including $14 million for a Hitachi Electron Microscopy Products Development Centre at the National Institute for Nanotechnology in Edmonton. The new centre received $6.8 million through the joint federal-Alberta Western Economic Partnership Agreement and two electron microscopes worth $7 million from Hitachi High Technologies Canada Inc.

Other announcements include:

* a $750,000 IRAP contribution to Toronto's ViXS Systems Inc to develop video-networking processors for Blu-ray multimedia players and recorders;

* $509,000 in IRAP funding to Moncton NB-based Vimsoft Inc to develop information management software products for the broadcasting industry;

* $375,000 in IRAP funding for Moncton NB-based MedSenses Inc to develop interactive e-courseware for nursing;

* $345,000 in IRAP funding for Charlottetown PEI-based Timeless Technologies Inc to develop software applications, and hardware for the health-care industry; and,

* $296,000 in IRAP funding to Charlottetown-based Chemaphor Inc to develop biotechnology products for animal health, skin care, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, and specialty chemical markets.