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Hewlett-Packard enters technology deal with Innovation Lab

01.02.2003


The world's second largest IT firm, Hewlett-Packard, has according to Computerworld pumped a small fortune into the new Aarhus based IT future-factory, Innovation Lab. What's more, HP has given the Aarhusian researchers access to its own research and technology think tanks. It certainly sounds like a philanthropic dream deal, but the knowledge traffic is not all one way.



"In return, Innovation Lab can help us to identify new trends and opportunities. The more the input we receive, the more we strengthen our own development work. We expect that this will lead to the creation of concrete products" says Kasper Rørsted, HP's director for EMEA.



Meanwhile Innovation Lab's charismatic leader and IT luminary Preben Mejer has revealed that HP wasn't the only horse in the race regarding the reciprocal technology deal. Mejer comments cryptically "There was a weighty three-letter alternative but we chose HP because they are furthest ahead in the area of pervasive computing. In fact it was HP that invented the concept 15 years ago." It should be noted that Innovation Lab has already chosen a technology partner on the software side (to continue the cryptic theme, it's a 9 letter word beginning with M).



Hewlett-Packard is already under way with its first development project with Innovation Lab, a high tech "smart vest" for firefighters that enables remote monitoring of the wearer's physiological condition in the field of action. The Danish Fire Service is also involved in the project.



The example illustrates one of the strengths of Innovation Lab that made it attractive to HP - it is a place where businesses of all kinds come with their development ideas and visions. "We have access to a large number of companies' confidential plans, including Lego and Bang & Olufsen" says Preben Mejer, adding with emphasis that strict rules are in place to ensure that no company's plans are disclosed to any other party without specific prior agreement.

http://www.investindk.com/idk_frame.asp?artikelID=9160