Scotman Magazine
Saturday 18th March 2006
Midge magic
KATH GOURLAY
SCOTSMAN MAGAZINE
AS FROM NEXT SUNDAY - 26 March - if you're in a public
area, smoking in Scotland is an outdoor activity. On that
basis, a Glasgow-based company has come up with what it reckons
is a winning combination - repel midges in summer and keep
smokers warm outside in winter. Others agree. The idea was
the winning entry in the Biggart Baillie Innovation Award
at the Glasgow Science Centre last month.
"No, it's not a lot of hot air," says engineer
Bobby Motherwell, who had the idea when he went through the
entrance of a shopping mall. His company, Innovent, has patented
what it claims is a unique, portable and environmentally friendly
air-ducting system.
"It's not a spray repellent, it doesn't involve mosquito
nets, there are no candles involved, no midge magnet and no
carbon dioxide midge eaters," says Motherwell. "It's
completely new and innovative."
The canopy is easy to transport and install, working on a
bouncy-castle principle. It inflates and is simply rolled
up and taken away when not needed. The system currently being
tried out in Scotland isn't heated, but Motherwell is looking
at incorporating an energy efficient "heat recovery"
system from pub/restaurant kitchens to blow through the ducting.
This would make a warm air curtain around outside designated
smoking areas, once the ban comes into force. Motherwell,
a heating engineer, says the invention is based on the principle
of moving air.
"Every time you go through the main entrances of shopping
malls you're met with a blast of air. This keeps insects from
entering and I got to wondering initially how this would work
to keep midges out, if it was used on a smaller and more portable
scale."
The original concept was aimed primarily at the summer tourist
trade, to provide outside canopies for pubs and hotels where
customers could avoid being plagued by the notorious Scottish
midge.
"Our product is very simple", says Motherwell.
"It's a system of light, fabric-based ducting and two
fan units. The ducting runs around the perimeter of something
like an awning or marquee, directing a stream of air downwards,
creating a curtain of air that midges and other irritating
small insects can't penetrate."
"Small" being the operative word.
"We've got a fair bit of modifying to do yet,"
he concedes. "We were standing in one of our 'air barrier'
gazebos at Lomond Spas this summer and congratulating ourselves
on the absence of midges, when a big bluebottle casually buzzed
right through."
It's all to do with velocity and volume of air, it seems.
Flies, wasps and bees pack a heftier punch through an air
barrier. The company is currently looking for a number of
sites in Scotland to try out variations on the theme but at
present, tackling the midge takes precedence. Dealing with
the menace costs VisitScotland millions in lost revenue. The
outdoor canopies installed at Lomond Spas near Arrochar -
notorious midge territory - have been hailed a resounding
success.
"I'm impressed by how well the system has been working,"
says owner Douglas Murray. "We demonstrate spas and hot
tubs so midges are the bane of our existence in summer, and
we're finding this a great help. I don't know exactly how
it works, but it certainly does. It seems the midges think
it's a windy day when they hit the air curtain, and they clear
off."
This is not far from the truth, according to Dr Alison Blackwell,
the Edinburgh University fellow considered the country's midge
expert. "The test rig used midge traps inside and outside
the air-curtained areas, and caught virtually nothing inside.
Midges don't fly if there's anything more than about a 7mph
wind, so hitting an air curtain like this will put them off."
The Innovent air barrier has been thoroughly tested under
the auspices of Edinburgh University. A worldwide patent has
been filed and Motherwell is ready to roll.
"We're in discussions with the MOD just now, about dealing
with mosquitoes in field hospitals, and they're showing a
lot of interest - the US Ministry of Defence, too. They're
looking at protection from vector mosquitoes carrying West
Nile fever and malaria."
Meanwhile, Innovent's new product will be showcased at the
forthcoming Scottish Licence Trade Exhibition at Ingliston
on the 29 and 30 March. A non-smoker himself, Motherwell is
happy not to have to breathe other people's cigarette smoke
in pubs, but is well aware of the potential Innovent benefits.
And with a concentrated dose of smoke trapped inside the
air curtain, a canopy full of people should create enough
reek to make a good few more want to quit.
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