By spending less than Pounds 100 schools and colleges will have the benefits of sophisticated computer equipment worth Pounds 6,000, thanks to an award-winning invention by a lecturer at Bell College of Technology in Hamilton.
Robert Keddie has gained a Pounds 5,000 Beacon Award, sponsored by the National Council for Educational Technology. He plans to offer his software version of a spectrum analyser to other colleges and schools, some of which have already expressed interest.
Mr Keddie, a lecturer in electric and electronic engineering, said that copies could be made for every student, who then would be able to see how a spectrum analyser breaks down signals played through it. Digital technology has made understanding of the equipment essential.
Bell is making Pounds 6,000 available for Mr Keddie and a colleague to develop and market the invention.