Today's robots are good at executing programmed motions, but they do not understand their actions in the sense that they could automatically generalize them to novel situations or recover from failures. IMAGINE seeks to enable robots to understand the structure of their environment and how it is affected by its actions. "Understanding" here means the ability of the robot (a) to determine the applicability of an action along with parameters to achieve the desired effect, and (b) to discern to what extent an action succeeded, and to infer possible causes of failure and generate recovery actions. The core functional element is a generative model based on an association engine and a physics simulator. "Understanding" is given by the robot's ability to predict the effects of its actions, before and during their execution. This allows the robot to choose actions and parameters based on their simulated performance, and to monitor their progress by comparing observed to simulated behavior. This scientific objective is pursued in the context of recycling of electromechanical appliances. Current recycling practices do not automate disassembly, which exposes humans to hazardous materials, encourages illegal disposal, and creates significant threats to environment and health, often in third countries. IMAGINE will develop a TRL-5 prototype that can autonomously disassemble prototypical classes of devices, generate and execute disassembly actions for unseen instances of similar devices, and recover from certain failures. For robotic disassembly, IMAGINE will develop a multi-functional gripper capable of multiple types of manipulation without tool changes. IMAGINE raises the ability level of robotic systems in core areas of the work programme, including adaptability, manipulation, perception, decisional autonomy, and cognitive ability. Since only one-third of EU e-waste is currently recovered, IMAGINE addresses an area of high economical and ecological impact.

DROP-IT proposes combining optoelectronics and photonics in a single flexible drop-on demand inkjet technology platform by means of exploiting the enormous potential of lead-free perovskite (LFP) materials. Specifically, novel crystalline structures beyond conventional ABX3 LFP (double-perovskites and rudorffites) will be computationally screened and chemically synthesized with superior properties as LFPs proposed in the literature. A(Sn-Ge)X3 (A=organic,Cs; X=Cl,Br,I) materials will be considered for initial benchmark devices. The future of DROP-IT technology is envisioned at long-term in the fields of photovoltaics, lighting and printed integrated photonics. This will be possible by developing highly innovative fabrication routes (inkjet printing towards Roll-to-Roll) of LFP pioneering materials (in bulk and nanoscale) by low-cost, high throughput, sustainable, large-scale fabrication techniques on flexible substrates (PET, f.e.) to revolutionize future power, lighting and communication systems. DROP-IT major novelty relies on the innovative use of newly synthesized LFPs in combination with the use of affordable, mask-less, drop on demand inkjet printing onto flexible substrates. The targeted breakthroughs towards the long-term vision of our technology will be based on the following challenges: (1) Theoretical screening of different LFP compound families and chemical synthesis of most suitable ones in the form of nanocrystals and polycrystalline thin films, (2) Formulation of specific and suitable inks of these materials for (3) Inkjet printing of thin films on flexible substrates and (4) Development of stable optoelectronic and photonic devices (solar cells with 12-15% and LEDs with 14-18% efficiencies, amplifiers-lasers with low threshold) as proofs-of-concept for a future technology based on new inorganic LFPs and charge transport layers. DROP-IT is supported by a strong and interdisciplinary consortium with complementary expertise to achieve these objectives.

The main goal of Rising STARS is to enable a parallel programming framework for the development and execution of advanced large-scale Cyber Physical Systems (CPS) with High Performance Computing (HPC) and real-time requirements. Overall, there is an urgent necessity to develop run-time parallel frameworks, compatible with HPC, capable of guaranteeing that decisions made at run-time maintains the guarantees about system correctness and timing behavior. These new run-time capabilities however, cannot preclude the ability of run-times to dynamically adapt the execution to new working conditions or changing modes of operation of CPS to maximise the utilisation and performance capabilities of parallel heterogeneous architectures. A key element of the Rising STARS framework will be the incorporation of a unified, efficient and highly configurable data acquisition strategy fully integrated in the parallel programming models with the objective of improving productivity in CPS software development. Exposing the data-acquisition to the programmer (by including it into the parallel programming model) is also key to overlap data-transfers with computation. Another objective of the project is to add this capability in existing programming models for HPC and to investigate new parallel programming extensions to allow developers to define the real-time properties of the system in terms of periodicity and timing constraints. Finally, one of our main objectives is to implement several demonstration platforms to promote the main technological developments of this R&I action and their performance under realistic conditions, including Adaptive Optics for giant telescopes and SSA experiments, data processsing for SKA, and critical real-time embedded systems.

The tremendous impact of natural hazards, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, etc, which triggered technological accidents, referred to as natural-technological (NaTech) events, was demonstrated by: i) the recent Tohoku earthquake and the following Fukushima disaster in 2011; ii) the UK’s 2015 winter floods which topped £5bn, with thousands of families and businesses that faced financial problems because of inadequate or non-existent insurance. The NaTech problem is quite relevant as up to 10% of industrial accidents, involving the release of Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and high-yield Explosives (CBRNE) substances, were triggered by natural hazards. To implement and support the Seveso II Directive 2012/18/EU which regulates the control of major accident hazards involving dangerous substances, XP-RESILIENCE intends to establish a network of individual research projects working towards Advanced Modelling and Protection –via metamaterial-based isolators/layouts- of Complex Engineering Systems for Disaster Reduction and Resilient Communities. In fact, today there is a stronger need than ever to grow researchers that combine a robust academic foundation in reliability/resilience with practical experiences, technological expertise with awareness of the socio-economical context and conviction to furthering research with an entrepreneurial spirit. Hence, the objective of XP-RESILIENCE is to offer innovative research training ground as well as attractive career development and knowledge exchange opportunities for Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) through cross-border and cross-sector mobility for future growth in Europe. XP-RESILIENCE is an inter/multi-disciplinary and intersectoral programme as it includes seven academic partners, one Institute of Applied Science and seven private companies from ten different European countries.

The 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) builds on the Internet-of-Things (IoT) paradigm, as it relies upon the scenario of having billions of interconnected autonomous mobile devices, with unprecedented processing power, storage capacity and access to knowledge. While enabling such massive deployment, the 4IR should be increasingly eco-friendly. The 4IR is a disrupting approach that will force companies in almost every domain to re-organize themselves in a more efficient way, by exploiting technological breakthroughs such us artificial intelligence , wireless communication and quantum computing. The integration of these emerging technologies into every day life requires efficient power supply solutions in computing, sensing, memory enlargement and human-machine interaction. One perceived bottleneck for 4IR is that in most situations, IoT devices/networks will be remotely deployed, so that maintenance may be either incovenient or impossible. In particular, this implies that IoT devices either have to embed energy sources consistent with their operative lifespan or that clean and renewable energy convertors, if working off-grid, must sit on board. The significant broadening of the wireless communication spectrum in Europe makes the Radio frequency (RF) energy scavenging a highly desirable way forward for clean powering of the next-generation IoT.NANO-EH has the ambitious vision of creating a pathway for translating forefront knowledge of unique high frequency properties of emerging classes of nanomaterials into advanced device engineering for scalable miniaturized energy harvesting/storage submodules that are tailored for the specific needs of stand-alone, mobile or portable uses. It surpasses the current paradigm of energy harvesting materials by developing non-toxic and rare earth/lead-free materials exhibiting CMOS-compatibility and scalability for low cost and large-scale manufacturing.