BU Research Blog

June 3, 2020

3D Printing: How an Emerging Technology May Help Fight a Pandemic – New Article by Prof. Dinusha Mendis

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A new article by Prof. Dinusha Mendis (Department of Humanities and Law, FMC), co-authored with Dr. Ana Santos-Rutschman (St Louis University, USA) and Dr. Rosa Ballardini (University of Lapland, Finland) explores the way in which the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the use of 3D printing in healthcare. In particular, the article considers the use of 3D printing in the fight against this pandemic and the implications which have arisen in the legal field – as a result of intellectual property laws.

These implications first became apparent in March 2020 in the Lombardy region in Northern Italy, one of the areas which was hit hardest by the Covid-19 pandemic. As the outbreak progressed, a hospital of Chiari (a town in the province of Brescia) came close to running out of valves to connect patients to ventilators. The hospital reached out to the local manufacturers for more, but they could not deliver replacement valves in time – due to their supply chain and restrictions arising from intellectual property laws. However, a local engineering startup heard about the situation and developed three different versions of the valve prototype in a few hours. Within 24 hours, they had used a series of 3D printers to produce 100 valves, by reverse engineering and 3D printing the replacement valves. Furthermore, while a valve from the original manufacturers cost over 10.000 euros, the 3D-printed valves produced by Fracassi and Romaioli were significantly cheaper at around 1 euro.

One of the main reasons for the price disparity between the original valves and the 3D-printed ones, stemmed from the legal framework around technology use. There were also questions raised about the breach of intellectual property laws, by the local engineers.

However, at a time in which there is great legal uncertainty about how 3D printing in general will be regulated worldwide, it is important to think ahead to future scenarios of infectious disease outbreaks, particularly pandemics – where intellectual property laws may appear to stand in the way of critical health issues. In concluding the article, the authors make recommendations for the future and in this context, suggests a carve-out which would become applicable when there is a declaration of emergency by local or national authorities.

>> Read the full article here: https://iprinfo.fi/artikkeli/3d-printing-how-an-emerging-technology-may-help-fight-a-pandemic/

In April 2020, Prof. Mendis, together with partners from UK, Germany, Austria and Finland completed a large scale empirical and legal study on the Intellectual Property Implications of the Development of Industrial 3D Printing. The project was commissioned by the European Commission to Bournemouth University in 2018.

>> Download the full report and executive summary here.

December 5, 2019

The Future of Manufacturing is Distributed – Copyright, 3D Printing and 3D Scanning

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On 3rd December 2019, Prof. Dinusha Mendis was an invited speaker at the International Copyright Law Conference 2019 held at the Millennium Hotel London. Labelled as the ‘ultimate guide to the operation of copyright’, this event brings together a range of international speakers from different sectors.

The 2019 edition focused on Copyright and AI, Brexit, legal tech and copyright, funding of copyright claims as well as legal case law and legal updates.

Prof. Dinusha Mendis from the Department of Humanities and Law at Bournemouth University, explored the copyright issues surrounding technologies such as 3D printing and 3D scanning and offered a number of insights from her recent research including insights from her recently published co-edited book, 3D Printing and Beyond: Intellectual Property and Regulation.

The event held over two days included speakers from practice, academia and policy.

A full list of speakers can be accessed here: https://law.knect365.com/international-copyright-law/speakers

The 2-day agenda can be accessed here: https://law.knect365.com/international-copyright-law/agenda/1

June 13, 2018

Would you like to know how AI works? Want to see it in practice and learn about the legal implications? Do join us at our Festival of Learning Event

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Date: Monday 18^th June 2018

Time: 6-8 pm

Venue: Fusion Building (F109)

Can an Artificial Intelligence (AI) bot ‘create’ a new work or invention, with the human creator, simply being a facilitator? If so, who owns the creative work or invention? As we move to the next stage of computing and AI, it raises a number of challenges in relation to intellectual property, data, privacy and ethics. Enter the world of robots, conversational human-computer interaction and AI with us.

We will be using devices such as Amazon Alexa, Google Home and AI based gaming and computer vision, powered by Twitter chatbots, to explore these important questions for the future, through interactive activities.

The event will be hosted by Professor Dinusha Mendis, Professor of Intellectual Property & Innovation Law and Co-Director of the Centre for Intellectual Property, Policy and Management (CIPPM) together with Mr. Nikolaos Maniatis, Managing Director of Catobot Ltd.

Do come and join us; the event promises to be exciting for technology, intellectual property and big data enthusiasts!

April 24, 2018

CIPPM Co-Director Professor Dinusha Mendis and Team Secures European Commission Funding for Research into 3D Printing and IP Law

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A project exploring the ‘Study into the Intellectual Property Implications of the Development of Industrial 3D Printing’ was awarded by the European Commission to the Centre for Intellectual Property Policy and Management (CIPPM) in April 2018.

The project led by Co-Director of CIPPM, Professor Dinusha Mendis (Principal Investigator), also includes Dr. Julie Robson, Associate Professor, Marketing (Co-Investigator), Dr. Marc Mimler, Lecturer in Law (Member of Advisory Board), Dr. Sally Weston, Senior Principal Academic in Law (Member of Advisory Board) and Mr. Dukki Hong, PhD Candidate, CIPPM (Research Assistant).

Apart from members of CIPPM, this one-year project also includes partners from UK (University of Glasgow; Added Scientific Ltd), Austria (Technopolis Group), Finland (University of Lapland) and Germany (Boehmert & Boehmert).

The project aims to provide an overview of the past and current industrial applications of Additive Manufacturing (AM) in selected sectors whilst identifying potential challenges and opportunities in need of clarification. In essence, the Study will aim to formulate a clear picture of the Intellectual Property (IP) framework that could enhance the competitiveness of the AM sector in Europe.

March 15, 2017

Going for Gold: 3D Printing, Jewellery and the Future of Intellectual Property Law

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Date: Friday 24 March 2017

Time: 10.00 am – 5pm

Venue: EB708, Executive Business Centre, Bournemouth University

The event is free to attend, however, places are limited and registration is required.

About the Event:

Additive Manufacturing or 3D printing as it is more commonly known, continues to push the boundaries of Intellectual Property (IP) law whilst raising questions relating to the protection and exploitation of IP.

There have been various attempts to address these questions through legal and empirical studies; yet at the same time, there continues to be limited literature and debate on the implications of 3D printing surrounding IP law, industry, society, technology and policy.

This challenge, which extends to the lucrative jewellery sector raises further questions in relation to creativity, design, copyright and licensing and these issues will be addressed at the event by bringing together experts from the cultural and business sectors including designers, manufacturers, distributors, policy makers and legal professionals.

This multi-disciplinary event which will explore the above issues will also provide the platform for a discussion of the ‘Going for Gold’ project carried out by researchers at CIPPM (Bournemouth University) in collaboration with Museotechniki Ltd and Uformia AS and will be complemented by a demonstration of 3D printed jewellery artefacts resulting from the project.

The event, based on the ‘Going for Gold’ project led by Professor Dinusha Mendis, is supported by the RCUK funded Centre for Copyright and New Business Models in the Creative Economy (CREATe), AHRC Grant Number AH/K000179/1 and builds on the BU/CIPPM-led UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) Commissioned Study on 3D Printing and IP law completed in 2015.

Confirmed Participants and Speakers:

Mark Bloomfield (Electrobloom); Roger Brownsword (Bournemouth University / Kings College London); Ruth Burstall (Baker & McKenzie LLP); Frank Cooper (Jewellery Industry Innovation Centre, Birmingham Jewellery School); Lionel Dean (De Montfort University); Damian Etherington (Ipswich Museum); Nikolaos Maniatis (Museotechniki Ltd); Dids McDonald (Anti Copying in Design); Dinusha Mendis (Bournemouth University); Cherie Stamm (Uformia AS); Andrea Wallace (CREATe, University of Glasgow); Michael Weinberg (Shapeways Inc).

For inquiries, please contact Dinusha Mendis at dmendis@bournemouth.ac.uk

November 24, 2016

Dr. Dinusha Mendis to deliver a keynote speech based on her research at 3D Printing and IP Conference, London

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CIPPM Co-Director, Dr. Dinusha Mendis, will deliver a keynote speech today at a conference organised by Anti-Copying in Design (ACID) and Alliance for Intellectual Property titled ‘3D Printing: Identifying the Opportunities and Exploring the IP Challenges’.

The Conference highlights the technology of 3D printing, the opportunities it brings about and the potential gaps that key stakeholders should be aware in the context of Intellectual Property (IP) Law. The event will include, presentations and panel discussions with the audience, which will be led by industry leaders and IP specialists in the creative industries.

Dr. Mendis will present her keynote speech on the ‘Legal and Empirical Study into the IP Implications of 3D Printing’. The keynote will be based on her completed commissioned project for the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) in 2015 and her on-going AHRC funded project titled ‘Going for Gold’ exploring the copyright, contractual and licensing implications arising from 3D scanning, 3D printing and mass customisation of ancient and modern jewellery.

Anti-Copying in Design (ACID) is a membership trade organisation, set up as a round table action group in 1996, by designers for designers. ACID is committed to raising awareness and encouraging respect for IP and in helping its members to understand and protect their rights, ACID is intent on stamping out intellectual property rights abuse.

Alliance for IP represents trade associations across the creative, branded and design industries concerned with ensuring that IP rights are valued in the UK. Its members include representatives of the audiovisual, music, games and business software, and sports industries, branded manufactured goods, publishers, retailers and designers

Other panelists on the days will include Nick Kounoupias (Chief Legal Counsel, ACID); Tony Pluckrose (Partner, Boult Wade Tennant), Rodeny McMahon (Morgan Contract Furniture); Bryan Austin (Director and General Manager, Dental Products at Renishaw); Eddy Leviten (Director General, Alliance for IP), Kieron Sharp (Director General, Federation Against Copyright Theft), DI Mick Dodge (Deputy Head, Police IP Crime Unit), Gwilym Harbottle (Hogarth Chambers) and Florian Koempel (Copyright Consultant).

November 18, 2016

BU Academic Delivers Invited Talk at a United Nations Organised Event in Turin, Italy

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Dr. Dinusha Mendis, Co-Director of the Centre for Intellectual Property Policy and Management (CIPPM) was invited to deliver a talk on her research into Intellectual Property and Emerging Technologies, with a focus on 3D printing at an event organised by the UN Agency, World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and University of Turin, Law School, Italy. The talk was delivered on 24th October 2016.

The event which formed part of the Master of Laws Programme, offered jointly with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Academy and University of Turin, was hosted in collaboration with the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organisation (ITCILO) with financial support from the Government of Italy and was attended by academics, practitioners and officials from WIPO and ITCILO.

Dr. Mendis spoke about the legal status surrounding 3D printing, with a particular focus on the funded research carried out for the UK Intellectual Property Office ( completed 2015) and the current AHRC funded project titled ‘Going for Gold’ exploring the intellectual property implications surrounding 3D scanning, 3D printing and mass customisation from the point of view of cultural and business sectors.

Other speakers at the event included, Ms. Martha Chikowore (WIPO Academy, Training Officer), Mr. Ralf Kruger (Manager, Turin School of Development), Professor Alessandro Cogo (University of Turin), Professor Marco Ricolfi (University of Turin), Mr. Paolo Marzano (LUISS, University, Rome) and Dr. Thomas Margoni (CREATe, University of Glasgow).

August 10, 2016

Going for Gold! 3D Scanning, 3D Printing and Mass Customisation of Ancient and Modern Jewellery – Dr. Dinusha Mendis delivers invited talks in Southampton, Newcastle and London

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In July 2016, Dr. Dinusha Mendis Associate Professor in Law and Co-Director of the Centre for Intellectual Property Policy and Management (CIPPM) disseminated her research on the Intellectual Property (IP) implications of 3D scanning, 3D printing and mass customisation in Southampton, Newcastle and London.

Questioning what the future holds for IP law as a result of technologies such as 3D printing, Dr. Mendis spoke about the research she has conducted for the UK Government (UK Intellectual Property Office) as well as the research she is conducting for her RCUK/AHRC-funded project ‘Going for Gold’ considering the IP implications of 3D scanning, 3D printing and mass customisation of ancient and modern jewellery.

Cross-Hub Workshop on 3D Printing, Southampton Solent University, 5th July 2016

The event titled ‘Cross-Hub Workshop: 3D Printing: Development, Application and its Contribution to Local Economy’ hosted speakers from industry, academia and professional practice thereby presenting the opportunity to explore and discuss the digital opportunities and its potential contribution to local/national economy in the development and application of 3D printing technology.

Dr. Mendis was invited to speak about her research into the intellectual property implications of 3D printing and presented the results from the commissioned research carried out for the UK Intellectual Property Office, which led to the publication of 2 Reports and an Executive Summary in 2015, whilst outlining the copyright, design and licensing implications relating to cultural institutions and SMEs in 3D scanning and printing ancient and modern jewellery.

Fossilisation and Innovation Law, Innovation and Society Research Group of Newcastle Law School, 11th July 2016

At this 2-day event, Dr. Mendis was invited to speak about law’s response to innovation and emerging technologies. Dr. Mendis’ presentation explored law’s resilience to dynamic change, in particular, and questioned whether legislators should adapt to innovation whilst adopting innovative regulation. The 2 day event began with a keynote speech by Professor Dan Faber of UC Berkeley and concluded with a keynote speech by Professor Karen Yeung of Kings College London.

3D Printing in Law and Society Workshop, Information, Law and Policy Centre, Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (IALS) London, 12th July 2016

The event marked the launch of Dr. Angela Daly’s new book on 3D Printing and commenced with a presentation from Dr. Daly, a research fellow at Queensland University of Technology Faculty of Law, Australia. Dr. Daly’s presentation was followed by an invited guest lecture from Dr. Mendis who spoke about the IP implications of 3D printing, highlighting the challenges and opportunities which this technology has brought about, whilst outlining the next steps for 3D printing, from a legal perspective. More information about the event as well a write up about it, can be found here.

July 4, 2016

Dr. Dinusha Mendis invited to present her research at the House of Lords and at a leading London Law Firm

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House of Lords1 In the last few months, Dr. Dinusha Mendis, Associate Professor in Law and Co-Director of the Centre for Intellectual Property Policy and Management (CIPPM) was invited to speak at the House of Lords and deliver a keynote speech at a leading London Law Firm, Herbert Smith Freehills. The invited talks involved disseminating her recent research into the intellectual property (IP) implications of 3D printing.

Earlier this year, Dr. Mendis was invited by Herbert Smith Freehills LLP, to deliver a keynote speech at their annual Intellectual Property Update Conference . The event attended by over a 100 delegates, included companies such as BBC, BT, Lloyds Banking Group, Barclays, Jaguar Land Rover, Sky Plc, Sony, PLC Thomson Reuters, Oxford University Press, Walt Disney, Warner Bros Entertainment, Wellcome Trust and Unilever to name a few.

Dr. Mendis delivered the keynote speech on ‘The Challenges and Opportunities Presented by 3D Printing’. In delivering the keynote, Dr. Mendis spoke about the research carried out for the UK Intellectual Property Office Commissioned project, which was completed in 2015, whilst also giving an insight into the research being carried out at present.

The IP Update Conference was chaired by Mark Shillito (Partner, Head of Disputes, UK and US; and Global Head of Intellectual Property).

Further information on the presentations and the speakers can be found on the Conference programme.

Herbert Smith Freehills LLP is an award-winning leading London law firm which has 24 offices spanning Europe, US, Asia, Australasia and the Middle East.

During Spring 2016, Dr. Mendis was invited to present her research on 3D printing in the context of its impact of emerging technologies copyright and software at the House of Lords, Palace of Westminster.

The event was organised by Mr. Julian Hobbins, Deputy Chairman of the Federation Against Software Theft (FAST) and hosted by Lord Tim Clement-Jones (Spokesperson for Creative Industries) of the House of Lords.

Dr. Mendis’s presentation titled ‘3D Printing, Copyright and Software: What is the Mischief’? explored the intellectual property implications surrounding Computer-Aided Design (CAD) files needed for 3D printing and the legal position from a UK and European perspective.

Other speakers on the day included Mr. Richard Bach, Assistant Director of the Cyber Security Digital Economy Unit DCMS and Mr. Richard Pharro, CEO at APMG – Cyber Essentials.

December 3, 2015

Dr. Dinusha Mendis disseminates Government-funded research on the IP implications of 3D Printing at invited talks in UK and EU (Part II)

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In April 2015, the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) published three reports reflecting a legal and empirical study into the intellectual property (IP) implications of 3D printing. The project – commissioned by the UKIPO – was awarded to Bournemouth University and was led by Dr. Dinusha Mendis.

Together with Dr. Mendis, the research team consisted of Dr. Davide Secchi (Southern University, Denmark; previously Bournemouth University at the time of conducting the research) and Dr. Phil Reeves (Econolyst Ltd – now Stratasys Strategic Consulting Ltd).

All three reports can be found here and further information about the project, including research findings and recommendations for the UK Government, Industry and Intermediaries can be found here.

Since the publication of the reports, Dr. Dinusha Mendis, Co-Director of the Centre for Intellectual Property Policy and Management (CIPPM) has been invited to deliver a number of talks in UK and Abroad, thereby reflecting the impact of the research.

This blog-post, highlights the invited talks in EU. For the dissemination of research in UK, please see here.

34th ECTA Conference, Hamburg, Germany

On 12 June 2015, Dr. Mendis was invited to present the research at the European Communities Trade Mark Association 34th Annual Conference in Hamburg. The Conference took place from 10-13 June 2015 and Dr. Mendis spoke on the copyright implications of 3D printing based on the findings from the UKIPO project.

Dr. Mendis spoke on the topic as part of a Panel exploring the challenges to copyright law, which also included Professor Ian Hargreaves, Professor of Digital Economy, Cardiff University UK and author of the Hargreaves Review 2011.

For further information, please see here.

MAPPING Project, First General Assembly, Hannover, Germany

From 22-23 September 2015, the First General Assembly of the FP7-funded MAPPING Project was held in Hannover, Germany at the Hannover Congress Centrum.

MAPPING – Managing Alternatives for Privacy, Property and Internet Governance brought together stakeholders from three key areas including Internet Governance, Privacy and Intellectual Property.

Dr. Mendis was invited to speak in the Intellectual Property Panel titled ‘The EU IP Reform: Unlocking Culture, Stimulating Progress’. As part of the talk, Dr. Mendis was invited to speak on the UKIPO 3D Printing project.

Further information about the event can be found here.

OHIM Enforcement Conference, Alicante Spain

In November (18-20 November 2015) Dr. Mendis was invited by the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (OHIM) in Alicante Spain. The 3-day event organised by OHIM, Europol and Eurojust explored issues on tackling enforcement in relation to the infringement of copyright and design law.

The event was attended by policy makers, law makers, customs and border protection officials, investigators, criminal analysts and industry experts amongst others.

Dr. Mendis presented at this conference together with with Dr. Davide Secchi (co-author of Study 1 of the UKIPO Project) and member of the research team which carried out the Commissioned work for the UKIPO.

Dr. Mendis and Dr. Secchi presented the research carried out particularly for Study 1 of the UKIPO project, but also took the opportunity to speak on next steps and future projects – in taking forward the UKIPO Project.

In this regard, Dr. Mendis spoke briefly about the work being carried out for the newly funded project considering a legal and empirical case study on 3D printing, 3D scanning and mass customisation of ancient and modern jewellery.

For more information about the new project, please see here. For further information about OHIM’s event, please see here.

FORUM Institut Management GmbH, 3D Printing and IP, Munich, Germany

On 1 December 2015, FORUM Institüt fur Management GmbH hosted an international conference exploring 3D Printing and IP Rights. The conference brochure including further details and speakers can be found here.

Dr. Mendis was invited to speak on the UKIPO Project with a particular focus on the implications for IP as a result of 3D online platforms as well as its impact on the industrial sector.

The presenters were drawn from industry, professional practice and academia thereby providing for a vibrant discussion.

December 3, 2015

Dr. Dinusha Mendis disseminates Government-funded research on the IP implications of 3D Printing at invited talks in UK and EU (Part I)

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In April 2015, the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) published three reports reflecting a legal and empirical study into the intellectual property (IP) implications of 3D printing. The project – commissioned by the UKIPO – was awarded to Bournemouth University and was led by Dr. Dinusha Mendis.

Together with Dr. Mendis, the research team consisted of Dr. Davide Secchi (Southern University, Denmark; previously Bournemouth University at the time of conducting the research) and Dr. Phil Reeves (Econolyst Ltd – now Stratasys Strategic Consulting Ltd).

All three reports can be found here and further information about the project, including research findings and recommendations for the UK Government, Industry and Intermediaries can be found here.

Since the publication of the reports, Dr. Dinusha Mendis, Co-Director of the Centre for Intellectual Property Policy and Management (CIPPM) has been invited to deliver a number of invited talks in UK and Abroad, thereby reflecting the impact of the research.

This blog-post highlights the invited talks in UK. For dissemination of research in the EU, please see here.

Plymouth Law School, One Day Workshop on CSR

On 28 August 2015, Plymouth Law School held a one-day workshop, titled, ‘Valuing Knowledge, Creativity and Innovation: Relating Corporate Social Responsibility to Copyright Law’.

The workshop considered the prospect of practising Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in relation to copyright, where similar ideas of corporate social awareness have already applied to other areas of intellectual property protection.

Dr. Mendis explored the issue from the angle of emerging technologies and gave a presentation titled ‘Printing the Future: Is there a Need for Regulation? The Copyright Implications of 3D Printing’.

Other invited speakers on the day included, amongst others, Professor Charlotte Waelde, Professor of Intellectual Property, Exeter University and Dr. Abbe Brown, Reader and Deputy Head of the Law School, University of Aberdeen.

Please see here for further information.

EPIP Conference 2015, CREATe, University of Glasgow

From 2-3^rdSeptember 2015, CREATe, the RCUK Centre for Copyright and New Business Models in the Creative Economy at the University of Glasgow hosted the 10th Annual Conference of European Policy for Intellectual Property (EPIP). The event explored intellectual property from an economic, legal and political perspective considering its impact in the creative economy with a focus on copyright, data and the changing economics of the digital world.

Dr. Mendis presented and led a panel titled ‘A Legal and Empirical Study into the Intellectual Property Implications of 3D Printing – Findings, Conclusions and Recommendations’. The panel consisted of the research team, which carried out the research for the UKIPO Project, with a Panel member from the UKIPO outlining the next steps in relation to policy in the area of 3D printing and IP Law.

Together with Dr. Mendis, other Panel members included Dr. Davide Secchi (University of Southern Denmark), Ms. Sophie Jones (for Dr. Phil Reeves) (Stratasys Strategic Consulting) and Ms. Pippa Hall of the UK Intellectual Property Office.

Further information this event can be found here and further information about the conference including presentations from both days can be found here.

IPAN Event, London

On 11 November 2015, the Intellectual Property Awareness Network (IPAN) hosted an evening event, which explored 3D printing from an industry perspective as well as from a legal (IP) perspective. IPAN is a non-profit organisation working to improve understanding of patents, trademarks, designs, copyright and other IP rights and their value to society.

IPAN is chaired by CIPPM Associate Director, Professor Ruth Soetendorp.

Dr. Mendis was invited to deliver a talk highlighting the research findings, conclusions and recommendations of the UKIPO Project and its implications for IPAN’s membership. Dr. Mendis spoke alongside Mr. Paul Gately, EMEA Manager of 3D Systems.

3D Printing Panel and Poster Presentation at University of Liverpool

On 11 December 2015, Dr. Mendis will form part of a panel exploring the topic of 3D printing and its implications for IP law, from a broader perspective at the University of Liverpool.

November 18, 2015

CIPPM Project Copyrightuser.org wins AHRC Research in Film Award

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An animated film on Copyrightuser.org titled The Adventure of the Girl with the Light Blue Hair won an AHRC Research in Film Award on 12 November 2015 at an Awards Ceremony hosted at the British Film Institute, Southbank London.

Copyrightuser.org is an online resource, which makes copyright law accessible to creators, teachers, students and members of the public. The project began with Bournemouth University’s Fusion Investment Fund in 2012 after which, the project has been successfully funded by RCUK/AHRC since 2013.

It is a collaborative project carried out by the Centre for Intellectual Property Policy and Management (CIPPM) Bournemouth University and CREATe, University of Glasgow.

The animated film was short-listed for the AHRC 10^th Anniversary Research in Film Award within the category Award for Innovation in Film – Best Film in the Year and beat another four contenders to win the award.

The panel of judges – consisting of industry and academic experts such as film director Beeban Kidron, Financial Times Arts Editor Jan Dalley, and actor and producer Diana Quick – described the film as “a well-constructed, quality animation addressing issues of creativity, IP and copyright for schools and undergraduates: lively, engaging, witty (à la Sherlock Holmes mode), informative and educating at the same time.”

The Adventure of the Girl with the Light Blue Hair is the first episode of The Game is On!, web series and is produced by Mr. Bartolomeo Meletti (CREATe, University of Glasgow) and Professor Ronan Deazley (Queens University Belfast). The film draws inspiration from Sherlock Holmes and other well-known copyright and public domain works and provides a springboard for exploring various copyright concepts.

It forms part of a suite of online learning materials for students and teachers in the UK while educating the wider public about what can and cannot be done with copyright works. To achieve this aim, researchers working on Copyrightuser.org produced both video and textual material.

The animated film is enhanced by 12 ‘Case Files’ authored by Ms. Hayleigh Bosher and Dr. Dinusha Mendis (CIPPM, Bournemouth University), which draws on the various elements of the film to explore key principles and ideas underpinning copyright law, creativity, and the limits of lawful appropriation and reuse.

The educational materials also include Copyright for A Level Media Studies authored by Ms. Hayleigh Bosher and Dr. Dinusha Mendis (CIPPM, Bournemouth University) – an educational web resource which addresses the AS/A Level Unit Critical Perspectives in Media, Section B: Contemporary Media Issues.

The AHRC Research in Film Awards is designed to recognise the creative and innovative work being undertaken at the interface between research and film. All the winners and full versions of the films can be seen here.

September 22, 2015

3rd UK-China IP Symposium

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Hosted by the UK Intellectual Property Office and the China-Britain Business Council

The Royal Society, 6-9 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5AG
09:00-17:00, Wednesday 21 October

Do you want to know more about obtaining and enforcing your intellectual property rights in China? Have you experienced IP issues in China and want to know more about the support networks available or how the IP system is changing? Do you work for a Chinese company looking to protect IP as you invest and do business in the UK?

The 3rd UK-China Intellectual Property Symposium is an opportunity for businesses to engage with policymakers to understand the current IP systems in both countries and to learn about future reforms.

China is a key priority of the Government’s trade and investment strategy. In 2013, UK exports to China were worth $24.5bn (£15.7bn). The Government has worked to increase two-way trade to $100 billion by the end of 2015, and within this to double UK exports to China from their 2010 level to $30 billion. The UK is on track towards achieving this goal.

An effective IP regime is crucial to the success of British businesses in China. China’s IP legal framework is improving through a rapid and relatively transparent process of legislative reform. In this dynamic context the UK Intellectual Property Office and the China-Britain Business Council, will host the 3rd UK-China IP Symposium in London at the Royal Society on 21st October. It will be opened by the UK’s Minister for Intellectual Property, Baroness Neville-Rolfe. The Symposium will cover all the intellectual property rights as well as more focused sessions on anti-counterfeiting and judicial enforcement. Each session will include a diverse panel of speakers from the British and Chinese governments, industry and academia. They will outline the latest developments and current approaches to IP in both China and the UK.

The organisers expect high level engagement from a number of UK and Chinese businesses. The delegation confirmed to attend from China includes representatives from Lenovo, ZTE, Baidu, JD.Com, Zhongguancun, Xiaomi, 360 Qikoo and Foton.

Find out more and register at the event webpage.

July 15, 2015

From Stour Valley to Silicon Valley-Dr. Dinusha Mendis on Research Leave in Stanford University California

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In January 2015, Dr. Dinusha Mendis, Associate Professor in Law and Co-Director of the Centre for Intellectual Property Policy and Management (CIPPM) in the Faculty of Media and Communications was awarded a period of research leave funded by the Fusion Investment Fund which commenced on 1 January 2015. The study leave was granted to further Dr. Mendis’ research into the digital aspects of Copyright Law and the Intellectual Property (IP) Implications of 3D Printing.

Since 1 January 2015, Dr. Mendis has held appointments as Visiting Fellow at University of Bocconi in Italy and as Lord Provost Fellow at University of Tasmania in Australia. For further information about the collaborative work carried out by Dr. Mendis during this time, please see here (BU Research Blog post dated 13 March 2015).

Dr. Mendis will complete her research leave in July 2015 having spent two months as a Visiting Scholar at Stanford Law School, Stanford University California.

During her time as a Visiting Scholar at Stanford University, Dr. Mendis was involved in working with Professor Mark Lemley of Stanford Law School, to further her research into the intellectual property implications of 3D printing. Sponsored by Professor Lemley, Dr. Mendis utilised the time at Stanford to complete two research papers (to be published in Autumn 2015) and collaborate with IP experts from University of California, Berkeley; Emory University; Georgia Tech University and Indiana University in taking forward a project in the area of 3D printing and intellectual property implications.

The Research Leave was made possible by the generous support of Bournemouth University’s Fusion Investment Fund which in turn led to the Visiting appointments for which Dr. Mendis is very grateful.

The appointments have all proved to be very productive and rewarding in taking forward the research on the IP implications of 3D printing. The final appointment, which involved being a Visiting Scholar at Stanford Law School was a very positive experience – and will be an unforgettable one.

July 16, 2014

“3D Printing: Understanding the Technology and Law” at the Festival of Learning

BU research, Featured, Featured academics, Festival of Learning, PG research, Public engagement, Uncategorized cippm

On Monday 9 June, Dr. Dinusha Mendis of the Law Department hosted an event on ‘3D Printing: Understanding the Technology and Law’ at Bournemouth University’s Festival of Learning in collaboration with the Media School and School of Science and Technology.

The event which was held from 5-7 pm on 9th June 2014 included three short presentations and a tour of the 3D printing facilities at Bournemouth University.

The presentations focused on the various aspects of the technology and law relating to 3D Printing and were delivered by Dr. Leigh McLoughlin of the Media School; Mr. Gary Underwood from the School of Science and Technology and Dr. Dinusha Mendis of the Law Department, Business School.

Following the talks, the attendees were taken on a hands-on tour of the 3D printing facilities at Talbot Campus, Bournemouth University – and did not leave the event empty-handed. Each attendee was given a 3D printed momento to take home – as seen in the picture!

The event was enjoyable and very well attended – generating a wait list after the allocated tickets were sold out. Apart from that, the Festival of Learning provided the perfect platform to showcase the research relating to the legal and technological implications of 3D Printing. With a hands-on tour planned, it also provided the opportunity to engage the attendees in a more light-hearted manner.

The Festival of Learning has also acted as a spring board for a further event in the area of 3D Printing and Intellectual Property Law which will once again be hosted by Dr. Dinusha Mendis at Bournemouth University later this year.

The following video clip captures the essence of the Festival of Learning and provides an insight into the many exciting events which took place during 9-15 June 2014 at Bournemouth University.

July 10, 2013

A new Portal addressing questions on Copyright is launched in London

Awarded & submitted bids, BU research, Featured academics, Funding opportunities, Fusion, Post-award, Public engagement, Research news, Uncategorized cippm

A BETA version of the ‘Copyright User Portal’, funded by Bournemouth University’s Fusion Investment Fund (awarded 2012) was launched at the Law Society of England & Wales on 2 July 2013. The main event of the day was the launch of the UK Intellectual Property Office’s Commissioned Report on Copyright and Orphan Works co-authored by academics from CIPPM, Bournemouth University and CREATe, University of Glasgow. It also provided a platform to launch a BETA version of the Copyright User Portal.

The Copyright User Portal is an online resource aimed at making UK copyright law accessible to creators and members of the public. In particular the Portal aims to clarify UK copyright law for musicians, filmmakers, performers, writers, visual artists and interactive developers. The goal is to inform creators about how to protect their work, how to license and exploit it, and how to legally re-use the work of others. As such, the aim of the Copyright User Portal is to provide answers to the most pressing concerns creators have about copyright.

To find the answers to the most pressing queries which creators have, the research used two specific approaches. First, the 200 most frequently asked questions (FAQs) about copyright law was analysed which was then filtered down to the most important 20 FAQs. The second approach consisted of directly engaging with various creators, including musicians, filmmakers, performers, writers, visual artists and interactive developers and producing videos consisting of interviews with these creators, their artistic process, thoughts and questions about copyright. These two approaches helped the research team to create a rich resource capturing the common concerns faced by media professionals in their day-to-day work.

During Summer 2013, a complete version of the Copyright User Portal will be launched. A BETA Version of the resource can be accessed here

The Copyright User Project team consists of Mr. Bartolomeo Meletti (Lead Multimedia Producer), Dr. Kris Erickson (Principal Investigator and Executive Producer, CEMP), Dr. Dinusha Mendis (Co-Investigator and Executive Producer CIPPM), Professor Martin Krestchmer (Co-Investigator and Executive Producer CREATe, University of Glasgow) and Ms. Hayleigh Bosher (Research Assistant and Assistant Producer, CIPPM).

Tagged / intellectual property law