In 2005 Tom Smith won the Sunday Times One Minute Pitch competition with his invention of a pump without moving parts. Pumps without moving parts had been invented before, but Tom's innovation allowed much greater pressure to be developed. The pump is just one example of a Non-Inertive Feedback Thermofluidic Engine (NIFTE).

Thermofluidics are commercialising the idea. Their Technical Director, Christos Markides, will be talking about NIFTEs and demonstrating the technology.

As well as pumps, NIFTEs can be used as pressure boosters and refrigerators, can be used in environments where electricity isn't available, and can work to pump sensitive or abrasive media.

Underlying NIFTEs are the ideas of thermofluidic oscillators; networks of tubes containing fluids, which are designed to oscillate when heated in one location and cooled in another; heat engines with no, or very few moving parts. Conversely, thermofluidic oscillators can be heat pumps or refrigerators when the working fluid is made to oscillate by some external force.

Drinks & snacks are kindly sponsored by La Playa - insurance with intelligence for technology businesses. See their site for a competitive quote.

Bring along your professional indemity questions: one of the La Play team will be on hand to answer them.

Venue: Mills & Reeve, 112 Hills Rd, Cambridge. Parking behind the building. Doors open 7.30pm for 8pm start. Everybody welcome. Entrance free.