As announced by President Juncker on 13 May 2015, the European Commission intends to set up a new Scientific Advice Mechanism ("SAM"). The mechanism will support the Commission with high-quality, timely and independent scientific advice for its policy-making activities.
Some 10 years after its completion, the results of the EU-funded project VISIONS are conquering the world of dangerous goods road transport in the form of a real-time cargo monitoring system. The system has been installed in a 1 000 fuel tankers all over the world, facilitating inspections and thus improving safety and efficiency.
Are you a European research student or a senior researcher in an EU-funded project? Do you have ideas for innovative surface transport concepts? Then participate in the EU-funded "Champions of Transport Research" competition. The 2016 deadline for submitting proposals is 30 June 2015 (for students) and 30 September 2015 (for senior researchers).
Electric vehicles are quiet — too quiet, possibly. Pedestrians and other vulnerable road users don’t always hear them coming. An EU-funded project has developed a solution. This innovative accident prevention system detects persons at risk and warns them by emitting a sound directed at them and them alone.
Aircraft maintenance companies are under a great deal of financial pressure from carriers, which require consistent and low cost repairs using high quality processes and spare parts. EU-funded researchers studying future repair and maintenance say digital manufacturing technologies will put increased automation and fewer production stages within grasp. The result could be more competitive providers, cheaper flights and fewer emissions.
A new IT tool for partner search in transport related project proposals developed by the H2020 National Contact Points network for Transport - ETNA Plus - is available.
Rail companies looking for possible energy savings have to consider the different parts of a rail network together – no easy task. EU-funded researchers are building decision-making tools and setting standards to make this mission more manageable. The approach could cut energy use by 10%, says the project team.
The average car in Europe weighed around 1400 kg and emitted about 132 g of CO2 per kilometre travelled in 2012. Lower weight equals a decrease in fuel consumption and as a result CO2 emissions. An EU-funded project has developed two new high-volume materials that could help new car models lighten their emission load.
EU-funded research has shown that natural rubber from home-grown dandelions and guayule could be used for tyres. Researchers and industry are now working together to scale up production – paving the way for Europe to reduce its dependence on rubber imports and to boost competitiveness.
For three decades, the EU Framework Programmes have been funding breakthroughs across Europe. RTD’s Horizon Magazine looks at the people and events that have helped shape European research policy, taking you behind the scenes during the pivotal moments from the last 30 years of research funding. These articles have been brought together into a special Horizon supplement to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Framework Programmes.
Whether an innovative concept sinks or swims depends on customer acceptance, among other things. Moving into uncharted waters can be unnerving. An EU-funded project dedicated to innovation in shipbuilding has devised new business models in a bid to build client confidence. It has also developed new products and techniques.
The objective of the Final Conference is to present key findings on regional Transport Innovation Frameworks, measuring and explaining the performance of regional innovation frameworks, meta-analysis of main principles and typology for regional innovation, regional strategy plan and recommendations.
ADSEAT’s EvaRID, a virtual crash test dummy representing an average woman, is currently available on the market through Humanetics. The ADSEAT partner, the world’s largest supplier of crash test dummies, sells EvaRID through a commercial software licence.
An EU-funded project has demonstrated that it is economically and technically challenging for rail operators to replace or retrofit older diesel locomotives to meet tighter emission limits on pollutants. Market incentives should be provided to speed-up the switch to new, cleaner technologies, the project recommends.
Horizon 2020 has started, a new game with new rules. What are the experiences so far? What has improved? What new obstacles and challenges have appeared? Are there already best practices we can learn from?
Income from e-sales in the EU in 2013 accounted for 15% of total turnover, and if estimates are correct, e-commerce will grow. However, this growth brings with it an increase in freight transport, especially in urban areas, which in turn contributes to air and noise pollution as well as traffic congestion.
The technology behind the design of electric vehicles is ever improving and the EU predicts that these vehicles could be in mass production by 2020. By developing a completely new way of using information from GPS and location data shown by GSM, the EU DATA SIM project simulated the consequences of a massive switch to electric vehicles, and studied the impact on mobility and electricity distribution networks.
An EU-funded project has developed innovative components, chemical technologies and manufacturing processes for cheaper, more-dependable and greener Lithium-ion batteries. These breakthroughs promise to boost competitiveness among European battery and electric vehicle manufacturers.
Canada’s Public Policy Forum and the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada will host a webinar to introduce the ERA-Can+ project as well as the European Union’s current Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, Horizon 2020. The second part of the webinar will focus on the key features of the aeronautics call, including the European framework and Canadian framework
EU-funded researchers are adapting smart materials to make ships more comfortable, safe and economically and environmentally efficient for shipbuilders, operators and passengers.
