This January, a new Horizon 2020 project was launched to harness the power of challenge prizes and ICT to serve as catalyst for social progress in Europe.
The development of an advanced pan-European raw material database is helping mining companies identify untapped sources, thus reducing our reliance on imports. In addition, new cleaner processing technologies promise to make Europe’s mining industries more competitive, creating jobs.
Thriving settlements on Mars, mining operations on the moon, exploration teams heading out into the universe — humankind may one day be able to establish a presence far beyond its home planet. The EU-funded SR2S project strives to remove one of the main obstacles by developing a magnetic shield to protect astronauts from radiation in deep space.
The decoding of our genetic material has opened up new frontiers in clinical care. Now a landmark EU-funded project has developed cutting edge DNA sequencing that could make cancer diagnosis and treatment significantly more effective and affordable – helping to save lives.
An EU-funded research project has developed highly-sensitive detectors to monitor corrosive atmospheric pollutants in museums and archives. The detectors warn when preventative action is needed to protect Europe’s cultural artefacts – and heritage – before they are damaged by corrosion. Commercial success has followed the project and funded follow-up research on new applications, from vehicle corrosion to the paper industry.
The sea is an important resource for us all. We rely on it for much of our diet. In many cases, our livelihoods depend on it. Robust marine ecosystems are vital both for a healthy planet and also for general human wellbeing.
Across Europe, researchers are trying to reduce the impact of neurodegenerative diseases on sufferers and society alike. An EU-funded project has set out a roadmap to better coordinate this work – helping scientists target the right research areas and access the best resources.
An EU-funded project is attempting to validate a prototype test designed to predict which combination therapy would best suit individual patients with colorectal cancer, the most common form of cancer in Europe. The test is expected to lengthen the life expectancy for those with this aggressive form of cancer by indicating the most effective treatment combination for individual patients.
EU-funded researchers are adapting smart materials to make ships more comfortable, safe and economically and environmentally efficient for shipbuilders, operators and passengers.
Do you live near a volcano? How exposed are you if it erupts? And what can be done to mitigate the risk? EU-funded researchers have helped communities in four countries to assess their vulnerability and plan ahead. They have also produced a handbook to inform similar initiatives elsewhere and set up monitoring systems to help detect signs of an impending eruption.
Dr. Vyacheslavs Kashcheyevs is a physicist and Associate Professor at the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of the University of Latvia. He is also a partner of the SiAM FET Proactive project. In 2013, he was one of the 40 “Young Scientists’2013” invited to the Annual Meeting of the New Champions (the “summer Davos” by World Economic Forum). In this interview, he tells us more about his experience as a researcher, and as being involved in a FET project.
The immune system is the body's defence against infections and other invaders. While the system works unaided and unnoticed for most of us, others cannot take it for granted, due either to disease or treatments such as chemotherapy. EU-funded researchers have investigated combining nanotechnology and biotechnology to ‘re-educate’ failing immune systems and get them back in working order. Initial results are promising, and clinical trials are 5-10 years away.
Burning rubber is the last thing a driver wants to do to save fuel. In fact, tyres account for up to 15% of a vehicle’s fuel consumption. An EU-backed project has developed new compounds, designs and treads for tyre manufacturing to slash this “rolling resistance” for the good of the transport sector and the environment.
A simple blood test for Alzheimer’s could one day be possible, thanks to work done by EU-funded researchers. When the disease is present, certain proteins increase in the blood, their study found. The blood test has already been patented, while the research project also developed other new tools that can boost current Alzheimer’s research.
Advances in driverless vehicle technology could revolutionise the way we travel. An EU-funded project is working to develop a prototype automated transport system for urban areas with low passenger numbers.
Biological visual organs have unique capabilities for the processing of information not matched by electronic devices.The SEEBETTER Future and Emerging Technologies project works in finding ways to bridge this gap and the development of "silicon retinas".
From sporting events to festivals and concerts, the most successful are those that leave participants talking about the event itself – not overcrowded busses that delayed arrival or gridlock on the roads afterwards.
Breast cancer is a leading cause of death for women, despite screening programmes cutting mortality rates. EU-funded researchers have developed new tools for personalised screening programmes to improve detection and prognosis – several of which are ready for use.
Forest fires are not necessarily becoming more frequent, but they could become increasingly severe, say EU-funded scientists. Forest management strategies must evolve in line with the changes that are compounding the risk of blazes across large areas.
Supporting elderly people with Mild Cognitive Impairment is key to helping them lead independent lives for longer. This is a labour-intensive process. RAMCIP (Robotic Assistant for MCI Patients at home) is a three-year research project funded by the European Commission under the Horizon2020 programme, which started in January 2015 to tackle this problem.
