R&D Projects

Dedicat6G

G.A.: 101016499

Dynamic coverage Extension and Distributed Intelligence for human Centric applications with assured security, privacy and trust: from 5G to 6G

5G networks provide unparalleled data rates and features. Yet these capabilities are still far from what a hyperconnected society and industry needs. Future wireless connectivity Beyond 5G will need a smart and green platform that is highly adaptive, ultra-fast and dependable to support innovative, human-centric applications securely. This is the focus of the EU-funded DEDICAT 6G project, which investigates solutions for dynamic distribution of intelligence to improve task execution time, energy efficiency, and ultimately, reduce end-to-end latency. The project also researches enablers for dynamic coverage extensions exploiting robots, drones, and connected vehicles. The scope includes techniques for security, privacy, and trust assurance including enablers for novel interaction between humans and digital systems using innovative interfaces and devices, like smart glasses.

Objectives:

In future 6G wireless networks, it is imperative to support more dynamic resourcing and connectivity to improve adaptability, performance, and trustworthiness in the presence of emerging human-centric services with heterogeneous computation needs. DEDICAT 6G aims to develop a smart connectivity platform using artificial intelligence and blockchain techniques that will enable 6G networks to combine the existing communication infrastructure with novel distribution of intelligence (data, computation, and storage) at the edge to allow not only flexible, but also energy efficient realisation of the envisaged real-time experience.

DEDICAT 6G takes the next vital step beyond 5G by addressing techniques for achieving and maintaining an efficient dynamic connectivity and intelligent placement of computation in the mobile network. In addition, the project targets the design and development of mechanisms for dynamic coverage extension through the exploitation of novel terminals and mobile client nodes, e.g., smart connected cars, robots, and drones. DEDICAT 6G also addresses security, privacy, and trust assurance especially for mobile edge services and enablers for novel interaction between humans and digital systems. The aim is to achieve (i) more efficient use of resources; (ii) reduction of latency, response time, and energy consumption; (iii) reduction of operational and capital expenditures; and (iv) reinforcement of security, privacy, and trust.

DEDICAT 6G will focus on four use cases: Smart warehousing, Enhanced experiences, Public Safety and Smart Highway. The use cases will pilot the developed solutions via simulations and demonstrations in laboratory environments, and larger field evaluations exploiting various assets and testing facilities. The results are expected to show significant improvements in terms of intelligent network load balancing and resource allocation, extended connectivity, enhanced security, privacy and trust and human-machine interactions.

Consortium Partners:

  1. WINGS ICT Solutions Information and CommunicationTechnologies, Greece
  2. VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Ltd., Finland
  3. Orange SA, France
  4. Alcatel-Lucent International (Nokia), France
  5. ATOS IT Solutions and Services Iberia SL, Spain
  6. Airbus DS SLC, France
  7. Optinvent, France
  8. VizLore Labs Foundation, Serbia
  9. Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives –Leti CEA, France
  10. University of Surrey, UK
  11. TTI Norte S.L., Spain
  12. Interuniversitair Micro-Electronica Centrum IMEC, Belgium
  13. Technische Universität Chemnitz, Germany
  14. Diakinisis SA, Greece

TERMINET

G.A.: 731874

NexT GEneRation SMart INterconnectEd IoT

The vision of TERMINET is to provide a novel next generation reference architecture based on cutting-edge technologies such as SDN, multiple-access edge computing, and virtualisation for next generation IoT, while introducing new, intelligent IoT devices for low-latency, market-oriented use cases.

Objectives:

  • Provide a flexible, open, and decentralised next generation IoT reference architecture for new real-time capable solutions by enabling secure and privacy-preserving IoT services, user-aware solutions, semi-autonomous devices, and self-aware mechanisms, frameworks, and schemes, supported by distributed AI and new intelligent IoT devices within a virtualised edge-platform-cloud environment.
  • Provide a set of innovative mechanisms and tools for moving AI to the edge by using cutting-edge ML technologies, avoiding data collection and offering decentralized analytics, privacy by design and data protection. 
  • Enable emerging IoT security, privacy-preserving, and trust mechanisms and schemes by offering security by design and end-to-end security solutions based on leading technologies such as attestation modelling, distributed and decentralised blockchain, and enterprise-level privacy.
  • Deliver an SDN-enabled MEC environment as a key enabler for IoT and mission-critical, vertical solutions, able to enable industrial 5G use cases without a full 5G roll-out, while offering a set of innovative middleware tools and mechanisms for IoT orchestration, data collection and decentralized analytics that guarantees network security, data protection, identity management and resource integrity.
  • Design, implement, and integrate intelligent IoT devices supporting new generation IoT use cases, by fostering digital business development, while creating business opportunities of digitisation across multi-discipline ecosystems.
  • Provide a tactile IoT model as a collaborative paradigm, by adding human-centric perspective and sensing/actuating capabilities, while enabling humans and machines to interact with their environment in real-time using haptic interaction and AR/VR capabilities.

Consortium Partners:

  1. University of Western Macedonia, Greece
  2. Centre for Research and Technology Hellas, Greece
  3. Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
  4. Public Power Corporation / Testing Research and Standards Centre, Greece
  5. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki,Greece
  6. Schneider Electric España, Spain
  7. Future Intelligence Ltd, United Kingdom
  8. Ericsson Telecomunicazioni SpA, Italy
  9. Innovation Sprint Sprl, Belgium
  10. American Farm School Post Secondary Educational and Training Association, Greece
  11. Intrasoft International SA, Luxemburg
  12. Wellness TechGroup, Spain
  13. Sidroco Holdings Ltd, Cyprus
  14. UBITECH LIMITED, Greece
  15. inCITES Consulting SARL INC, Luxembourg
  16. Eight Bells Ltd, Cyprus
  17. Mevgal AE, Greece
  18. University of Bologna, Italy
  19. LOGOS Research and Innovation, Italy
  20. Fundacion Technalia Research & Innovation, Spain
  21. GEIE ERCIM, France
  22. NEC Labs, Germany
  23. MARTEL GMBH MARTEL, Switzerland
  24. Optinvent SAS, France
  25. i2CAT, Spain
  26. Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Italy
  27. Alteruna, Sweden

VOSTARS

Video and Optical See Through Augmented Reality surgical Systems

G.A.: 731874

  • The idea of integrating the surgeon’s view with the aid of new augmented reality (AR) visualization modalities has become a dominant topic of academic and industrial research in the medical domain since the 90’s. Wearable systems based on head-mounted displays (HMDs), offer the most ergonomic and easily translatable solution for many surgeries.
  • Most of the AR HMDs fall into two categories according to the see-through paradigm they implement: video see-through (VST) and optical see-through (OST) HMDs.
  • With respect to technological and human-factor issues, both the approaches have their own strengths and shortcomings. In this project, we identified in a hybrid OST/VST HMD, a disruptive solution for improving surgical outcomes.
  • The resulting device will undergo three clinical trials whose results will be fundamental towards a straight industrial exploitation.

Consortium Partners:

  1. ENDOCAS UNIVERSITY OF PISA-Italy
  2. SCOPIS GMBH-Germany
  3. ALMA MATER STUDIORUM – UNIVERSITA DI BOLOGNA-Italy
  4. CHARITE – UNIVERSITAETSMEDIZIN BERLIN-Germany
  5. SANKT GERTRAUDEN KRANKENHAUS GMBH-Germany
  6. OPTINVENT-France
  7. TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET MUENCHEN-Germany
  8. VREO Innovation-United Kingdom
  9. COMMISSARIAT A L ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES-France
  10. PILOTFISH GMBH-Germany
  11. SCUOLA SUPERIORE DI STUDI UNIVERSITARI E DI PERFEZIONAMENTO SANT’ANNA-Italy

SMARTsurg

Robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery

G.A.: 732515

  • Robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery  (RAMIS) offers many advantages when compared to traditional MIS, including improved vision, precision and dexterity. While the popularity of RAMIS is steadily increasing, the potential for improving patient outcomes and penetrating into many procedures is not fully realised, largely because of serious limitations in the current instrumentation, control and feedback to the surgeon. Specifically, restricted access, lack of force feedback, and use of rigid tools in confined spaces filled with organs pose challenges to full adoption. We aim to develop novel technology to overcome barriers to expansion of RAMIS to more procedures, focusing on real-world surgical scenarios of urology, vascular surgery, and soft tissue orthopaedic surgery. A team of highly experienced clinical, academic, and industrial partners will collaborate to develop: i) dexterous anthropomorphic instruments with minimal cognitive demand ii) a range of bespoke end-effectors with embedded surgical tools using additive manufacturing methods for rapid prototyping and testing utilizing a user-centred approach, iii) wearable multi-sensory master for tele-operation to optimise perception and action and iv) wearable smart glasses for augmented reality guidance of the surgeon based on real-time 3D reconstruction of the surgical field, utilising dynamic active constraints and restricting the instruments to safe regions. The demonstration platform will be based on commercial robotic manipulators enhanced with the SMARTsurg advanced hardware and software features. Testing will be performed on laboratory phantoms with surgeons to bring the technology closer to exploitation and to validate acceptance by clinicians. The study will benefit patients, surgeons and health providers, by promoting safety and ergonomics as well as reducing costs. Furthermore, there is a potential to improve complex remote handling procedures in other domains beyond RAMIS.

Consortium Partners:

  1. UNIVERSITY OF WEST ENGLAND BRISTOL-UK
  2. ETHNIKO KENTRO EREVNAS KAI TECHNOLOGIKIS ANAPTYXIS-Greece
  3. POLITECNICO DI MILANO-Italy
  4. NORTH BRISTOL NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE TRUST-United Kingdom
  5. UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL-United Kingdom
  6. ISTITUTO EUROPEO DI ONCOLOGIA SRL-Italy
  7. IDIOTIKO POLIIATRIO ORTHOPAIDIKIS CHIROURGIKIS ATHLITIKON KAKOSEON KAI APOKATASTASIS ETAIRIA PERIORISMENI EFTHINIS-Greece
  8. CYBERNETIX-France
  9. OPTINVENT-France
  10. HYPERTECH INNOVATIONS LIMITED-United Kingdom

MONICA

G.A.: 732350

MONICA will deploy four types of applications addressing different needs when planning and conducting large cultural events.
They all relate to real challenges in terms of: public security and safety during events; acoustics and active noise control and integration with other ecosystems in the city infrastructure.

  • Do you want to know what the Internet of Things can do for your city? The MONICA project will demonstrate how multiple Internet of Things technologies can help in terms of noise control, sound quality, crowd management and security at large cultural events taking place in the city.
  • Based on several devices such as smart armbands, cameras, glasses and drones, MONICA will be able to offer a portfolio of applications for enhanced city services, which will be demonstrated in 6 different European cities, involving 100.000+ end users.
    Six pilot sites will demonstrate how the use of IoT technologies can help solve security and noise challenges at large, outdoor events, covering music events, festivals, sport events and city happenings, which in total attract more than 100.000 people.
  • Each of the sites will choose a number of relevant applications that they wish to deploy. Whereas some cities will emphasise optimal concert sound and enhanced noise control, and others look to optimising security, all pilots will actively involve their citizens, engaging more than 10.000 people in the evaluation process.
  • 28 partners from 9 different countries form the MONICA consortium, uniting a multitude of specialists from different disciplines.
  • From the demand side we have cultural event organisers and public administrations. Representing the supply side we have experts on IoT technologies and wearable sensor systems; drones and acoustics; cloud solutions and M2M communication. Finally, security and privacy experts, cognitive scientists and regulatory specialists are here to set the societal scene.

Consortium Partners:

  1. FRAUNHOFER GESTELLSHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSHUNG E.V-Germany
  2. ACOUCITE-France
  3. ATOS IT SOLUTIONS AND SERVICES SRO-Slovakia
  4. BRUEL & KJAER SOUND & VIBRATION MEASUREMENT A/S-Denmark
  5. CITY OF BONN-Germany
  6. ETHNIKO KENTRO EREVNAS KAI TECHNOLOGIKIS ANAPTYXIS-Greece
  7. CNET SVENSKA AB-Sweden
  8. DEXELS BV-Netherlands
  9. DIGISKY SRL-Italy
  10. DANMARKS TEKNISKE UNIVERSITET-Denmark
  11. FREIE UND HANSESTADT HAMBURG-Germany
  12. HOCHSCHULE FUER ANGEWANDTE WISSENSCHAFTEN-Germany
  13. H W COMMUNICATIONS LIMITED-United Kingdom
  14. IN-JET APS-Denmark
  15. ISTITUTO SUPERIORE MARIO BOELLA SULLE TECNOLOGIE DELL’INFORMAZIONE E DELLE TELECOMUNICAZIONI ASSOCIAZIONE-Italy
  16. KOBENHAVNS KOMMUNE-Denmark
  17. KINGSTON UNIVERSITY HIGHER EDUCATION CORPORATION-United Kingdom
  18. LEEDS BECKETT UNIVERSITY-United Kingdom
  19. MOVEMENT ENTERTAINMENT SRL-Italy
  20. OPTINVENT-France
  21. Praesidio ApS-Denmark
  22. RING ADVOCACY APS-Denmark
  23. TELECOM ITALIA SPA-Italy
  24. TIVOLI AS-Denmark
  25. COMUNE DI TORINO-Italy
  26. VCA TECHNOLOGY LTD-United Kingdom
  27. DEN ERHVERVSDRIVENDE FOND VAEKSTHUS SJAELLAND-Denmark
  28. YORKSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET CLUB LIMITED-United Kingdom