Two Sussex companies have won Government Smart Awards to help with product development.

SEOS Displays of Burgess Hill has won £150,000 and Gearing & Watson Electronics of Hailsham £45,000.

SEOS will use the award to help with the development of a project named Titan, which offers an innovative approach to a simulation/visualisation display system.

The primary aim of the display is to provide an high-resolution image allowing certain training tasks to be undertaken which were not before possible.

SEOS supplies visual display systems for training and research simulators.

Applications include civilian and military pilot training, driver training for cars, trucks, trains, buses and ships, air traffic control, use on space shuttles and for education and entertainment.

It has a workforce of 180 in the UK and the U.S.

Company spokesman David Lewis said: "The Smart Award will allow SEOS to market a revolutionary new display within two years."

Gearing & Watson has won a the award for its vibration generators project.

This is an investigation into the feasibility of using new technology materials to produce high-performance, low-cost generators.

The main aims of the project are to investigate the use of ceramics for operation at high temperatures.

Managing director Stephen Potts said: "We are all very excited about this award.

"This will give us the means to advance our computer-modelling capabilities and produce a world-leading product.

"We already have a strong reputation for building high-quality, reliable products but this award will help us to expand our technology base significantly."

The company was established 27 years ago and exports over 60 per cent of its production.