GOTEBORG, Sweden and
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Heliospectra
AB (OTCQB: HLSPY, FIRSTNORTH: HELIO), a world leader in intelligent
lighting technology for plant research and greenhouse cultivation,
has been named one of thirteen partners in an international
consortium participating in the EDEN Initiative, a research program
from Germany's
DLR Institute of Space Systems focused on
bio‐regenerative life support systems – greenhouse modules (GHMs),
in particular – and technologies for future human‐made space
habitats.
EDEN (Evolution and Design of Environmentally-closed Nutrition
Sources) is part of a large European Union project that is
receiving EUR 4.5M ($5.8 million USD) in grants.
The overall goal of the EDEN ISS Initiative is the adaptation,
integration and demonstration of food plant cultivation
technologies and operation procedures for safe food production
on-board the International Space Station and for future human space
exploration missions. The EDEN ISS Initiative combines different
controlled environment agriculture (CEA) technologies within
automatic planetary GHMs.
Project planners seek to design, construct and present a
first-of-its-kind complete, closed environment GHM that enables
safe and controlled crop production in extremely hostile
conditions. To demonstrate mission viability, the module will be
transported to a remote research station in Antarctica and tested for a one-year
period.
"In Antarctica, we will be testing all systems in a space-like
mission scenario in order to gain essential knowledge of how to
produce food and how to recycle water for astronauts during future
missions to destinations like Mars," said Daniel Schubert, project leader of the DLR EDEN
ISS research initiative.
"Collaborating with Heliospectra to develop outer-space-ready
CEA lighting systems for the EDEN project helps immensely in our
investigation of technologies that can transform concepts for
habitats on the moon and Mar into space-proven hardware," Schubert
explained.
Heliospectra's role in the project is to create a water-cooled
light emitting diode (LED) solution based on the company's renowned
expertise in horticulture (the cultivation of vegetables, fruits,
flowers and ornamental plants) lighting technology. LEDs are
semiconductor devices that emit light when conducting
current.
"There isn't a more interesting and compelling challenge in
indoor plant cultivation than safe food production in closed
systems like the space station and future human space exploration
vehicles," said Heliospectra CEO Staffan
Hillberg. "Heliospectra welcomes this opportunity to be a
part of the EDEN ISS consortium designing and testing essential
technologies for potential use in space. This is yet another
example that Heliospectra is driving the evolution of sophisticated
plant lighting. Technologies and solutions like this can
later be implemented in our commercial systems."
Heliospectra is known for developing and marketing "intelligent"
LED lighting solutions for food crop science and horticulture
applications. What makes Heliospectra technology unique is that
based on Internet of Things (IoT) technology, it combines sensors –
which monitor the condition of plants and how they use the light –
with state-of-the-art software that controls the lighting. This
complete biofeedback system is protected by a portfolio of patents
and patents pending.
Heliospectra's premier product is its patented, energy-efficient
LX60 Series LED system. The LX60 is the most sophisticated, modular
LED lamp available for commercial and R&D grow operations
worldwide. The LX60 is wi-fi enabled, allowing for online
monitoring, scheduling and control. Among other features, external
sensors and software can be added to the system.
DLR (German Aerospace Centre)/ EDEN ISS — DLR's Institute
of Space Systems (DLR-RY) has the aim to investigate and evaluate
complex astronautic systems in the context of space research with
consideration of technological, economical as well as
socio-political aspects. The dynamic team of employees at the
institute develops space missions on national and international
levels. The EDEN ISS consortium will design and test essential CEA
technologies using an International Standard Payload Rack (ISPR)
cultivation system for potential testing on-board the International
Space Station. Furthermore, a Future Exploration Greenhouse (FEG)
will be designed with respect to future planetary bio-regenerative
life support systems (BLSS) deployments. The technologies will be
tested in a laboratory environment as well as at the
highly-isolated Antarctic Neumayer Station III, operated by the
Alfred Wegener Institute. The EDEN ISS consortium is comprised of
the following leading European experts in the domain of human
spaceflight and controlled environment agriculture (CEA), in no
particular order: German Aerospace Center (DLR), Liquifier Systems
Group, The Italian National Research Council (CNR), University of Guelph, Alfred Wegener Institute,
EnginSoft S.p.A., Airbus DS Gmbh, Thales Alenia Space Italia
S.p.A., Aero Sekur S.p.A., Wageningen UR - Stichting Dienst
Landbouwkundig Onderzoek (DLO), Heliospectra AB, Limerick Institute
of Technology and Telespazio S.p.A.
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www.gwkapital.se
Heliospectra AB, Box 5401, SE-402 29, Goteborg, Sweden
Heliospectra AB (publ - listed on NASDAQ
OMX First North HELIO ISIN SE0005933082 as well as North American
ADR OTCQB: HLSPY Cusip: 423281104)
Founded in 2006 and specializing in intelligent lighting
technology for plant research and greenhouse cultivation.
Heliospectra products are based on in-depth knowledge in plant
physiology and photosynthesis along with a unique way to
utilize modern LED technology. After six years of development in
Sweden, the company has now begun
to expand into the international market. The company has raised
more than $ 15 million in venture
capital and has received more than $2.6
million through academic scholarships and grants. It has
also received numerous awards for its forward thinking technology.
Principal owners: Industrial Fund
www.industrifonden.se,Midroc
www.midroc.se;,Weland
Steel www.welandstal.se;Wood & Hill
Investment www.woodhillinvestment.com.
SOURCE Heliospectra AB