This project addresses the scientific, technological and clinical problem of recovery of hand function after amputation. Despite decades of research and development on artificial limbs and neural interfaces, amputees continue to use technology for powered prostheses developed over 40 years ago, namely myoelectric prostheses controlled via superficial electrodes. These devices do not purposely provide sensory feedback and are known for their poor functionality, controllability and sensory feedback, mainly due to the use of surface electrodes. The consortium has pioneered the use of osseointegration as a long-term stable solution for the direct skeletal attachment of limb prostheses. This technology aside from providing an efficient mechanical coupling, which on its own has shown to improve prosthesis functionality and the patient’s quality of life, can also be used as a bidirectional communication interface between implanted electrodes and the prosthetic arm. This is today the most advanced and unique technique for bidirectional neuromuscular interfacing, suited for the upper limb amputees, which was proven functional in the long term. The goal of the DeTOP project is to push the boundaries of this technology –made in Europe– to the next TRL and to make it clinically available to the largest population of upper limb amputees, namely transradial amputees. This objective will be targeted by developing a novel prosthetic hand with improved functionality, smart mechatronic devices for safe implantable technology, and by studying and assessing paradigms for natural control (action) and sensory feedback (perception) of the prosthesis through the implant. The novel technologies and findings will be assessed by three selected patients, implanted in a clinical centre. DeTOP bridges several currently disjointed scientific fields and is therefore critically dependent on the collaboration of engineers, neuroscientists and clinicians.

The HIDDEN project develops self-healing processes to enhance the lifetime and to increase the energy density of Li-metal batteries 50 % above the current level achievable with current Li-ion batteries. The HIDDEN consortium develops materials and their processes to functional battery layers as scalable, industry compatible, manufacturing technologies enabling sustainable energy storage technology with longer battery lifetime and higher energy storage capacity for more efficient utilization of sustainable, carbon free energy production technologies. HIDDEN will develop novel self-healing thermotropic liquid crystalline electrolytes and piezoelectric separator technologies, investigate both technologies with protective additives, and apply multiscale modelling means for electrolyte design and analysis algorithm to monitor the dendrite growth. Technologies will be upscaled from laboratory to industrial manufacturing processes, tested and finally demonstrated by assembling battery cells with battery layers and the temperature control system. The project brings together a strong interdisciplinary consortium of seven partners, industry and research balanced, with state-of-the-art background in battery chemistry and physics, materials modelling and analysis, upscaling of novel technologies by printing and coating, as well as in industrial assembling of battery cells. This is complemented by external advisory board with representation of key industry end-users.

The management and reconstruction of bone defects is a significant global healthcare challenge. While autografts offer ideal compatibility, they are often not suitable for large bone defects, and allografts suffer from potential immunorejection.The limited efficacy of conventional treatment strategies for large bone defects and the increasing aged population, has inspired the consortium to propose a SMART RESORBABLE BONE (SRB) IMPLANT embedding stem cells and bioactive agents with the aim of a controllable and fast restoration. The proposed solution includes 3D printed medical grade polymers enriched with electrospun fibers (for increased mechanical properties) that can be customized for patient physiology, pathology, and gender. The scaffold design will ensure easy and minimal Injury placement, and will embed different sensors for monitoring e.g. pressure, pH value and temperature based on biocompatible conductive inks. The smart implant will thus be able to provide vital information of implant performance in terms of bone growth and infection/inflammation. The proposed method is unique because it includes a customized smart implant (3D printed parts with adjustable sensors and communication electronic system), together with tissue engineering methods i.e. in-vitro programming of stem cells for embedding into the smart implant. The proposed solution introduces an innovative regenerative chain, from early testing and characterization (identification/adjustement of the proper specifications) and embedding regenerative stem cells and particulate bioactive agents into the smart implant in preclinical research (in-vitro). The in vivo proof of concept of SBR solution will be tested in (large animal model) preclinical studies within the scope of the project. Finally the regulatory and commercialization strategy on how to further explore the proposed concept and deliver it for clinical testing will be elaborated.

NAUTILOS will fill in existing marine observation and modelling gaps through the development of a new generation of cost-effective sensors and samplers for physical (salinity, temperature), chemical (inorganic carbon, nutrients, oxygen), and biological (phytoplankton, zooplankton, marine mammals) essential ocean variables, in addition to micro-/nano-plastics, to improve our understanding of environmental change and anthropogenic impacts related to aquaculture, fisheries, and marine litter. Newly developed marine technologies will be integrated with different observing platforms and deployed through the use of novel approaches in a broad range of key environmental settings (e.g. from shore to deep-sea deployments) and EU policy-relevant applications: - Fisheries & Aquaculture Observing Systems, - Platforms of Opportunity demonstrations, - Augmented Observing Systems demonstration, - Demonstrations on ARGO Platform, - Animal-borne Instruments. The fundamental aim of the project will be to complement and expand current European observation tools and services, to obtain a collection of data at a much higher spatial resolution and temporal regularity and length than currently available at the European scale, and to further enable and democratise the monitoring of the marine environment to both traditional and non-traditional data users. The principles that underlie the NAUTILOS project will be those of the development, integration, validation and demonstration of new cutting-edge technologies with regards to sensors, interoperability and embedding skills. The development will always be guided by the objectives of scalability, modularity, cost-effectiveness and open-source availability of software and data products produced. NAUTILOS will also provide full and open data feed towards well-established portals and data integrators (EMODnet, CMEMS, JERICO).