GROUNDBREAKING software is being created in the North-East which could revolutionise the way scientific research is analysed, published and shared.
Inkspot Science, a company from Newcastle University, has created an online platform from which scientists can carry out and share their work – a concept that, it is hoped, can eventually be used beyond the science sector.
Scientists, whether working in private, collaborating with colleagues or publishing openly, can also gain access to extensive scientific data without needing to set up and maintain their own systems.
Inkspot allows them to convert raw data into simple and replicable analysis, or to start their research papers with a “digital lab notebook”, which can be peer reviewed and commented on, helping to increase a paper’s credibility.
The software is also aimed at promoting scientific studies and sharing analysis across the world by unlocking research, so that more people can benefit from the work that scientists are doing.
To help launch the pioneering concept, Inkspot enlisted Newcastle-based Marketwise Strategies to help it identify the size of the market, acquire an understanding of how scientists work, and discover the potential revenue models acceptable to scientists in both commercial and academic environments.
Dr Joanna Berry, Inkspot Science chief operating officer, said: “The report we received from Marketwise Strategies added huge value to the project by supplying us with a meaningful analysis of the statistics. It’s a huge change from knowing the statistics to understanding what they mean.
“We discovered, for example, that scientists don’t like the word ‘blog’, preferring instead to use the term ‘lab notebook’. Something that would seem so small is fundamentally important to us to help engage those scientists into using the software.
“We can now identify growing interest and we are ready to produce a public site early this year. We hope to develop it further as a publishing platform that can be applied to other (non-science) sectors.”
Graham Soult, Marketwise Strategies senior research executive, said: “Our research delved deeper into who they were trying to reach, and asked questions they may not have thought about. As a result, we were able to advise Inkspot to incorporate those vital details to develop a more bespoke product.”
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