The Livingston company will lead a £1.1m, two year research venture with Aberdeen based Tritech International and Insensys Ltd to develop wireless equipment which, according to the DTI, will be invaluable for oceanographic and environmental monitoring while improving underwater communications for the oil and gas industry.

The all Scottish consortium plans to develop five innovative subsea RF products for use in bespoke systems and so extend the UK’s global lead in wireless underwater communications, says Brendan Hyland, chairman of Wireless Fibre Systems. He points out that while wireless communications have hitherto relied mainly on acoustic techniques which are slow, affected by outside noise and cannot penetrate water or air, the new technology will make data transfer and communications much clearer and quicker.