While the aeronautics industry tends to be dominated by major corporations, hundreds of specialised small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from across Europe provide the sector with essential applications and bespoke technologies.
Freshwater is necessary for life, but climate change is adding pressure on this vital resource. The EU-funded PolarClean project has successfully tested new types of materials to remove stubborn pollutants so that wastewater can be safely reused.
In February 2010, Atlantic storm ‘Xynthia’ swept across Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, causing around 60 deaths and extensive damage to property due to flooding. As this and more devastating examples have shown, we are no longer able to rely on engineering alone to protect us from storm hazards.
An EU-funded research project has developed a practicable natural-gas fuelling system for current diesel-powered ship engines. The breakthrough is good for the environment and people – while helping the shipping market meet more stringent EU rules on sulphur emissions.
Augmented reality systems are making miners safer and more productive in dark, dangerous and confined spaces. Such systems are in operation in commercial mines following the results of the EU-funded EMIMSAR project.
Public transport users dread confusing connections and frustrating delays in cities. An EU-funded project brings together travel and traffic data, helping travellers get from A to B on time, with less stress.
EpiPGX is a FP7-funded project that brings together clinical researchers, geneticists and computational biologists from leading centres across Europe to link genomics and treatment outcomes for patients suffering from epileptic seizures. The project, led by Prof. Sanjay Sisodiya from the University College London, UK and running over four years, aims to ultimately contribute to a personalised medicine strategy for epilepsy patients.
Policymakers now have tangible evidence that living, working or studying in a noisy environment is not only annoying … it could also have a serious impact on your health, productivity and learning ability, according to EU-funded researchers. They have produced new guidelines to help policymakers address the problem.
Rail lines swept away by floods in south-west England earlier this year demonstrated that Europe’s flood defences need to be strengthened. What is needed are more flood-resilient buildings and infrastructure. An EU-funded project has developed guidance on how to integrate flood resilience into urban planning – helping to protect lives, communities and infrastructure.
Some of the world’s most stylish, high quality and desirable brands are produced by Europe’s clothing and textile sector, which has struggled in recent years with competition from low cost, labour countries.
Today’s factories and processing plants can be miracles of engineering, with whirling machines, moving modules and flowing liquids. Many factories rely on actuators, motors controlling mechanisms that help lift, press or open different technological components and machine parts. These can be fuel intensive and expensive to run, however a European Union (EU)-funded demonstration project has found a way to make both energy and cost savings by developing revolutionary hydraulic actuators.
Climate change is global – but affects people locally. An EU-funded project is giving Mediterranean businesses and local governments the information they need to plan ahead by taking the impact of local climate change into account. The project is also helping to build a Europe-wide climate information service.
In today’s rapidly changing economy, workers need to upgrade their skills constantly. Such continuous lifelong learning is essential to ensure Europeans have the complex problem-solving skills needed to remain employable and for companies to remain competitive. Backed by some of Europe’s top universities, an EU-funded project has launched a free online course to teach these skills. Registration for the first course, which starts on 8 October 2014, is underway.
HIV is not curable but it is treatable, states Dr Francesca Incardona, CEO of EuResist Network GEIE and research area manager at Informa s.r.l, the SME responsible for coordinating the EuResist project. The thirty-month initiative was devoted to providing better treatment by implementing an intelligent system that uses patients’ clinical information together with viral genetic data.
A European Union (EU)-funded project has developed a new satellite-based system to collect and disseminate information on volcanoes worldwide. Monitoring and studying active volcanoes on the ground can be difficult, dangerous or even impossible, particularly during an eruption. Without these accurate, real-time measurements, scientists cannot fully assess the hazards posed by lava flows and clouds of gases and ash.
Volcanic eruptions are notoriously difficult to predict. Ground-breaking research by EU-funded scientists on the signs of volcanic unrest aims to improve eruption forecasts. Their work on the best ways to communicate such alerts could also help save lives.
EU-funded FUTUREVOLC project improved the monitoring and understanding of magma movements at Icelandic volcanoes.
Could electric cars cause cancer? Like all electric devices, and indeed like all motor vehicles, they do produce electromagnetic fields. However, these fields are far too weak to give cause for concern, say EU-funded scientists at the end of a comprehensive research project.
EDCTP represents a flagship program for conducting sound multi-country clinical trials in sub-Saharan Africa, building a true partnership between Europe and Africa, and fostering African leadership in scientific research. The EDCTP program has also contributed to improving linkages between African researchers and research organisations, which resulted in the launch of four African Regional Networks of Excellence for clinical trials.
Volcanic eruptions are notoriously difficult to predict. With increased seismic activity at Iceland's Bárðarbunga volcano, and lava flowing at nearby Holuhraun, experts are carefully monitoring and analysing large amounts of data being collected from the area.
