A DARLINGTON company that invented a revolutionary new material used by space organisations has won TV's top science award.

Peratech, based at Morton Park, won the BBC Tomorrow's World Industry Award for inventing quantum tunnelling composites.

As well as being used by the North American Space Agency to provide touch-sensitive hands for robots, the material is expected to revolutionise everything from mobile phones, computers and electrical equipment to cars and toys over the next decade.

The company recently teamed up with the European Space Agency and is looking at projects it can help with.

David Lussey, working with his son, Chris, discovered QTC technology in 1995. They subsequently formed Peratech to continue product development and license new applications and went on to form Softswitch with the Wool Research Organisation of New Zealand, which has a base in Ilkley,

David Lussey said of the Tomorrow's World award: "It was a lovely accolade and it has come at the right time. We've had so much response from it.

"It's been picked up by a lot of the specialist magazines and we are getting a lot of good, interesting scientific response, which is what I wanted.

"A lot of people still don't believe we've got this stuff because it is so odd."

He added: "In terms of publicity, this award is enormous, especially at a public level, and it has a tremendous knock-on effect."

The first product to use the unique Softswitch technology was launched three weeks ago in the United States.

The material has been incorporated into a $1,000 jacket made by a top US ski wear company containing a top-of-the-range Sony mini disc player in the pocket. The player is controlled by a touch sensitive textile panel sewn into the sleeve.

Mr Lussey said: "They made 150 jackets at first and they sold out in no time. As a result of that, Softswitch has got a very large follow-on order."

Peratech has increased to a seven-strong team over the years and is about to grow again to cope with the anticipated demand for its product.

"We are planning a major expansion in the very near future," said Mr Lussey