The European water network distribution is plagued by leaks that cause a staggering 20% of drinking water to go wasted. This is an environmental disaster given that water and sanitation sector is currently estimated to contribute up to 5% of global GHG emissions. Water utilities are struggling with this problem however the deadalic nature of water networks make manual inspections and repairs completely non-viable. Technology-based solutions have significant limitations in terms of measurement accuracy and leak localisation. Most importantly they do not encompass repair. TUBERS sets forth a new paradigm by creating the worlds first combination robotic platforms allowing for 24/7 inspection and targeted in-situ repairs, greatly reducing the costs of regular inspection and maintenance. The system will comprise: (a) A snake-like resident robot which can operate over long distances and negotiate pipeline-junctions to navigate large parts of the water network, (2) A modular soft-robotic platform capable of moving using an inchworm movement technique, for inspections and repairs of pipe segments featuring a novel repair deployment mechanism (3) A High-accuracy inspection system that can detect leaks and, most importantly, measure corrosion based on coded excitation, an advanced technique that greatly improves Signal-to-Noise ratio, (4) A Decision Support System powered by Explainable Machine Learning algorithms incorporating a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis framework for holistic planning of inspection and maintenance. The TUBERS solution will be validated in real water network pipelines operated by 3 of the most prominent water utility companies in the Netherlands. Once it reaches the market, our solution is poised to revolutionise inspection and repair of drinking water networks, providing the operators with powerful tools to eliminate waste, facilitating savings of an estimated 158GWh of energy and reduction of 79.000 tonnes of CO2 emissions within a 5-year period.

Miniaturization, advanced high performance materials and functional surface structures are all drivers behind key enabling technologies in high added value production. It is in such areas that ultrashort pulse lasers have enabled completely new machining concepts, where the big advantages of laser machining are combined with a quasi non-thermal and therefore mild process, which can be used to machine any material with high precision. An important obstacle however that hinders the full exploitation of the unique process characteristics, is the lack of a smart / adaptive machining technology. The laser process in principle is very accurate, but small deviations, e.g. in the materials to be processed, can compromise the accuracy to a very large extend. Therefore feedback systems are needed to keep the process accurate. Within this project the goal is to develop an adaptive laser micromachining system, based on ultrashort pulsed laser ablation and a novel depth measurement sensor, together with advanced data analysis software and automated system calibration routines. The sensor can be used inline with the laser ablation process, enabling adaptive processes by fast and accurate 3D surface measurements. The integrated sensor can be used to: • measure the surface topography while machining a part, in order to adapt the micromachining process, leading to highly increased machining accuracies and no defects, • measure the surface topography before machining, to scan for existing surface defects that can be removed in an automatically generated machining process, • measure complex shaped objects prior to machining, to precisely align the machining pattern to the workpiece, • quickly validate results after machining. Therefore, the main objective of this project is to develop a sensor based adaptive micro machining system using ultra short pulsed lasers for zero failure manufacturing.

The bioreactor industry is currently flourishing with a global market valued estimated at 2.3 B€ in 2020 and predicted to exceed 6.6 B€ euro by 2030, growing at a rate of 10.7% CAGR. Despite this impressive growth, there are challenges which can significantly impede the further advancement of bioreactors: Bioproducts can be sustainable and competitive only if reliable and contamination-free production is ensured. Currently, there is no catholic solution to this issue. To this end, LIBRA project introduces a benchtop smart multi-sensing system for the in-line automatable screening of cultivation processes in bioreactors. The LIBRA sensing technology lies in the use of light based integrated on-chip, real time sensors. A novel integration procedure of the photonic platforms together with disposable microfluidic modules and biofunctionalization units will result in a modular system with interchangeable components enabling the screening of nutrients and pathogens in bioreactor samples, according to the end users need. Furthermore, the LIBRA system will be able to be attached and integrated to various bioreactor systems regardless of their form factors, spanning from stirred tank bioreactors to single use bioreactors (SUB). To achieve this, LIBRA will rely on a highly multi-disciplinary consortium comprising expertise and specialization in several fields spanning photonics, surface functionalization, microfluidics, advanced packaging and assembly, artificial intelligence and bioreactor manufacturers. The exploitable results of LIBRA are expected to disrupt the current PIC-based sensing landscape, as estimated by the two business cases stemming from the project: the market revenues one year after the end of this project are expected to be €7.8 million growing to almost €59 million in 2032, and plethora of new IP and new business opportunities for the partners involved in the joint venture of LIBRA.