POLAR EXPIDITION CHOOSE GORIX

A revolutionary electro conductive fabric developed and manufactured in Yorkshire is playing a key role in a new expedition to the coldest place on earth.

Gorix, a textile which heats up when electrical current is passed through it, was developed by Robert Rix in Rotherham and was hailed earlier this year as the "The Invention Of The Year" by the Sunday Times. Its principle use, so far, has been in the creation of heating suits for deep sea diving, but it is also in use in animal husbandry products, special heated blankets and leggings are available for farm use in the depth of winter, but a daring expedition to the South Pole is expected to give Gorix Ltd world-wide exposure.

The firm has made heater pads from the new fabric to warm computer equipment that is being used in an 800 mile trek from the South Pole to Berkner Island in the frozen Antarctic Wedell Sea. The walk will take 45 days to complete and computers have a vital role to perform. Linked to a satellite positioning system, they helped the expedition navigate across the frozen wastes of the polar ice cap.

A second pad will form a jacket to prevent video equipment, used to film the adventure, from freezing. The expedition "One Step Beyond : The Antarctic Challenge " left for its base in southern Chile yesterday.

Organised by the United Nations, it will involve dozens of young people from all over the world, but it is so risky that only two experienced members of the expedition will voyage across the Polar Ice Cap. Robert Rix said: "We are very proud to be involved in such a high profile venture and wish the expedition every success. Gorix is a very versatile material and new uses for it become apparent all the time".

FIRM'S N-ICE WORK

Cap That !! A Rotherham firm that invented special heater pads from a new fabric has its greatest test to date- as part of an expedition due to set off yesterday to the South Pole.

One of the special pads developed by Gorix will be used to keep warm computer equipment linking a satellite positioning system used to navigate across the frozen wastes of the Polar Ice Cap.

A second heater pad will be used to prevent video equipment filming the expedition, form freezing in the sub-zero temperatures during an 800 mile walk from the South Pole to Berkner Island in the Weddell Sea, Antarctica.

Gorix won the Sunday Times Invention of the Year competition earlier this year for its electro conductive fabric, which heats up when electrical current is passed through it.

SWISS TEST FOR NEW INVENTION.

An Award winning Rotherham company has secured more than £60,000 of Government funding so its latest products can be put to the test.

Gorix Ltd, producers of the wonder fabric that heats up when a small electrical current is passed through it, has secured grant funding of £67,500 from the Department of Trade and Industry. The award is for research and development of a form of temperature sensor which is worn next to the skin to regulate body temperature.

Part of the experimental work will take Rotherham inventor Robert Rix to the mountains of Switzerland.

Mr Rix will be wearing specially developed climbing boots and gloves that have built-in heater units to keep the climber warm during cold assents.