EU researchers have developed and analysed scenarios of what future rail communication networks might look like. Their methodology will now be freely available to rail and telecom operators to make their own evaluations. The two-year MISTRAL (Communication Systems for Next-generation Railways) project has made important contributions to the SHIFT2RAIL Joint Undertaking, a collaboration between the…
Bigger Pipes In Space For Handling The Data Explosion
Earth observation is being held back by our inability to transport all the data generated down to earth. Irish researchers have developed a new set of pipes, in the shape of a smart system of optical feeder links, to fix the data bottleneck. Observing the planet from space could help manage disasters, monitor climate change…
Taking Near-Earth Space Research To The Next Level With Arctic Phased Array Radars
With the unprecedented promise that the EU-supported EISCAT3D radar infrastructure holds for investigation into near-earth space phenomena, system accuracy and efficiency is paramount. The recently closed EISCAT3D_PfP project successfully demonstrated the viability of the initiative, launching it into the implementation phase. EISCAT3D provides a powerful new research infrastructure, using radar observations to explore how the…
From Flagship To Spaceship – Two Experiments Pushing The Frontier Of Graphene’s Potential
Due to its distinctive properties graphene has been held out as a game-changing material for a range of industries and applications. The Graphene Flagship initiative was set up as Europe’s biggest ever multi-stakeholder research initiative, to quite literally shape the future of the technology. The 10-year Graphene Flagship, partly EU-funded, was set up to exploit…
New Application For Acoustic Control Of Bee Families
The application for smartphones based on Android OS—Apivox Auditor, designed for quick control of bees without opening hives, passed the second testing season in apiaries. The application is based on the theory of acoustic control and this means that the beekeeper does not need to open the hive, in order to find out what is…
Innovative Food Packaging Extends Shelf Life, Reduces Footprint
Completed in April 2016, the BIO4MAP project is now bringing a new type of sustainable food packaging to the market. The consortium promises a significant increase in shelf life for fresh pasta and cheese, a cost 25 percent lower than alternatives, and an environmental and carbon footprint reduced by up to 29 percent. The newly…
Fears of Increased IT Competition from Accession Countries Are Exaggerated, Says Report
A report by a Singapore-based IT company International Data Group (IDG) has addressed the speculation in the present member states on the impact that enlargement will have on the Union’s economic and business climate. According to IDG, ‘some companies [are] looking forward to fresh opportunities and others fear that they will have to scramble against…
Lightweight Materials Provide Opportunities for Next Generation of Railway Vehicles
The transportation industry has for a long time been engaged in the application of new lightweight materials for primary structural design. In aeronautics, where the weight of an aircraft is a crucial factor for fuel consumption, composite materials are now replacing metallic materials in both structural and non-structural parts. The railway industry could also benefit from the…
New Nanotech Fiber Technique to Light Up European Industry
A new cost-effective method of fabricating high quality light-emitting fibres could benefit sectors ranging from sensors to wearable smart devices. EU-funded researchers have developed a new method for manufacturing fibres made from nanostructured organic materials. The breakthrough could lead to the cost-effective fabrication of light-emitting fibres at the nanoscale that can be used in sensors…
Wireless Monitoring of Newborns
An Italian SME has developed a wearable monitoring system for babies as they go through the sensitive period of the first two to four hours of life. The technology, whose market potential has been assessed with funding under Horizon 2020, will help prevent critical situations while preserving the important skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby.…
More Touchy-Feely Robots
Robots could become a lot more ‘sensitive’ thanks to new artificial skins and sensor technologies developed by European scientists. Leading to better robotic platforms that could one day be used in industry, hospitals, and even at home. The new capabilities, and a production system for building touch-sensitivity into different robots, will improve the way robots…