Each day the news reports of yet another invention powered by AI. We are living in a smart world. To be “connected” we own smart phones so we can text, call, read the news, listen to music, catch up on the latest entertainment and even pay for our shopping. The functions of our smart phones grow more complex each year. In our homes we rely on virtual assistants to stream music or effortlessly turn on the television or switch on the lights. In our gardens we can sit back whilst our smart lawn mowers do the work of cutting the grass, and when we are out on the road driving our electric cars powe ..read more

With rising energy costs throughout the world, soaring food prices, global warming and the continuing conflict in Ukraine, the impact on agriculture and food production is profound. As food production is so fundamentally important, mankind has for centuries sought to improve farming methods and increase yields. For example, the invention of the hydroponic system (a type of horticulture where plants are grown in nutrient-rich water, without the use of soil) goes back to the 1500s with Dutch inventor Cornelius Drebbel. A modified version, using a nutrient solution to feed the plants followed in ..read more

Since the Industrial Revolution we have burned increasing amounts of fossil fuels for energy. Coal, oil and gas have been the earth’s natural resources that the global population now relies upon to fuel industry and to power our homes, but times are changing. Global climate change, the increasing rise in oil and gas prices worldwide, increased global demand for electricity, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the conflict in Ukraine have all heightened the need for governments to re-think their energy strategy, moving away from fossil fuels and looking to renewable energy sources as the ..read more

In a case of particular to trademark attorneys and brand owners, the Court of Appeal recently issued judgement in the latest instalment of Sky Ltd v Skykick. In 2020 the High Court ruled, in line with CJEU guidance, that the registration was in part invalid as the term “computer software” was overly broad, as the term covered all types of software that were not of commercial interest to Sky. Consequently the High Court ruled that the application had been filed party in bad faith as explained in the judgement: “In my judgment Sky applied for the Trade Marks partly in bad faith in each of the th ..read more

With the United Nations Climate Change Conference taking place in Scotland in just a few months’ time it seemed an appropriate time to have a look at the quiet revolution that has been steadily making an impact on our city streets and gradually changing the face of transport around the world. Electric cars may seem like a very modern concept but their history goes back a couple of centuries. The invention of the first electric motor is probably claimed by the Hungarian engineer Anyos Jedlik in 1828, but it was the French physicist Gaston Plane who was the first to invent a rechargeable lead-ac ..read more

A recent study carried out by the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) looks at trends in patent applications made to their offices in the last 20 years (2000 – 2020) and these findings were analysed and compared to patent activity at the European Patent Office (EPO). Overall patent applications to the UKIPO have dropped during this period, and this is reflected mainly in UK-based individuals as opposed to companies. The demand from other groups has continued, especially with non-UK based applicants, larger businesses and those users wanting to file international patent applications (i.e. P ..read more

For some Brexit might seem like a distant memory. It was something that featured in our vocabulary on a daily basis from the referendum in June 2016 right up until the UK left the European Union on 31 December 2020 but then COVID came along. Brexit, for many, took a back seat. But the effects of Brexit have of course impacted heavily on the UK economy and those individuals and businesses who depend on trade with the EU as their bread and butter. Of course, the impact that Brexit has had on the UK and EU economy is yet to be fully felt as it is too early to tell. However, confusion over freight ..read more

It’s that time of the year again when thoughts turn to all things Christmas. And boy do we all need some festive cheer to brighten up our moods as we approach the end of 2020.   Although we are not aware of it, we are surrounded by all forms of intellectual property when we go Christmas shopping. By ‘Christmas shopping’ we mean actually walking around outside and going into shops, not sitting on your couch browsing the virtual boutiques on your smart phone – you need the full sensory experience to truly appreciate the beauty of a physical object … Just imagine you are browsing the cosmeti ..read more

As scientists across the globe are frantically trying to devise a vaccine to protect us against COVID-19, we thought we would take a brief look back at the development of vaccines over history. As far back as 1796 the first Smallpox vaccine was developed by physician Edward Jenner. He discovered that by applying a small dose of another virus, cowpox, to a patient he could cure them of the deadly virus smallpox. In the late 1800s Louis Pasteur performed extensive studies into microorganisms and went on to devote his time to work on infectious diseases. In 1881 Pasteur would help develop a vacci ..read more

With entire workforces laid off, factories and offices closed, and city streets practically deserted, it is clear that the Coronavirus (Covid-19) is having a crippling impact on the world economy. The draconian measures many countries have adopted to curb the spread of the virus have naturally led to a stark fall in economic output. With governments across the world creating new funding schemes to bail out companies there may be alternative financing strategies that SMEs can turn to their advantage. One of these is the commercialization of their existing and new intellectual property (IP). A j ..read more