The project's main objective is to develop a highly innovative, secure-by-design framework that fully exploits the MaaS paradigm. This framework will offer secure data exchange between companies and cutting-edge tools to enhance production efficiency and sustainability. The MEDUSA framework will establish a seamless connection between existing marketplaces, facilitating optimized production by leveraging users' machinery and shared resources from other manufacturers. All resources will be treated as part of a distributed Cyber-Physical System of Systems (CPSoS), maximizing production. The implementation of an automation layer will enable the exchange of real-time production data and asset monitoring, allowing for the tracing and optimization of the product life cycle. The framework will also support the implementation of a DPP and provide AI-based tools for manufacturers to support decision-making for production planning, remanufacturing, and machine reconfiguration, always being energy-aware.

The strong drive for more complex systems and more advanced packaging, including optics and photonics, creates a chance to retain the manufacturing and packaging value chain to Europe - or even start to bring it back. APPLAUSE supports this by building on the European expertise in advanced packaging and assembly to develop new tools, methods and processes for high volume mass manufacturing of electrical and optical components. The technologies will be piloted in 5 industrial Use Cases, related to 1. Substantially smaller 3D integrated ambient light sensor for mobile and wearable applications (AMS) 2. High performance, low cost, uncooled thermal IR sensor for automotive and surveillance applications (IDEAS) 3. High speed Datacom transceivers with reduced manufacturing costs (DustPhotonics) 4. Flexible cardiac monitoring patch and miniaturized cardiac implants with advanced monitoring capabilities (GE Healthcare and Cardiaccs). The APPLAUSE consortium is built of a number of leading experts from European electronics packaging companies representing different value chain levels related to advanced packaging and smart system integration. The parties have complementary expertise in conception, design, packaging, testing and manufacturing of electronic components, as well as a wide range of expertise from several different end use areas. The unique European ecosystem established within the consortium represents the competitive, leading edge of the technologies available.

Digitalization has been identified as one of the key enablers for renewal and competitiveness of European manufacturing industries. However, grasping the digitalization and IoT-related opportunities can be limited by the harsh environmental conditions of the manufacturing processes and end use environments. The ECSEL-IA 2019 project initiative CHARM aims to contribute to solving this problem by developing ECS technologies that tolerate harsh industrial environments. The project concept centres around real industrial challenges from different types of end use industries. The synergies and impacts arise from similarities in technology solutions serving different applications and industry sectors. The CHARM Use Cases include six different industry sectors, majority of them presented by innovative cutting-edge large enterprises that belong to the world-wide market leaders of their own sectors – while most of them being new to the ECSEL ecosystem: mining (Sandvik Mining and Construction Oy, FI), paper mills (Valmet Technologies Oy, FI), machining (Tornos SA, CH), solar panel manufacturing lines (Applied Materials Italia SRL, IT), nuclear power plants maintenance and decommissioning (ÚJV Řež a.s., CZ), and professional digital printing (Océ-Technologies B.V, NL). The planned demonstrators engage these big players with European ECS value chains and showcase capabilities that serve manufacturing industries’ needs at large. The new technologies to be developed include novel multi-gas sensors, robust high temperature and pressure sensors, flexible sensors for paper machine rolls, wireless power transfer systems, connectivity solutions for rotating parts, advanced vision systems, and enablers for autonomous driving. The project consortium includes 12 SMEs, 14 LEs and 12 RTOs, and covers the industrial value chains from simulations, sensors and components to packaging, integration and reliability as well as connectivity, cloud and cyber security solutions.

PROACTIF develops unmanned vehicles based framework for civil security, combining cutting edge UxVs, sensors, components, mission control and multi-domain teaming for safe and secure surveillance of critical infrastructures and for efficient management of emergency situations. The project concept is based on R&D in three technology domains (TDs): TD1 is dedicated to UXV perception capabilities, enabling an unmanned vehicle to observe the surrounding world, including e.g. radars, LiDARs and antennas, as well as IR, hyperspectral and electromagnetic sensing, and edge-could managing of related data. TD2 will focus in UXV mission management, enabling command and control, connectivity, location and positioning, cybersecurity and teaming needed for the complex operations by unmanned vehicles, also paving the way to autonomic vehicles. TD3 will focus in developing of 5 UxV platform capabilities; UAV, USV and 3 different UGVs. All the technology building blocks developed in TD1 and TD2 will be demonstrated both individually and on TD3 platforms in relevant civil security missions. The mission cases represent the different security needs of the civil society, including offshore, seaports, rail yards, energy substations, emergency sites, wildfires, search and rescue and crowd monitoring and teamed UxV operation. The results provide focused contributions to the SRIA 2024 topics. PROACTIF aims to ensure that Europe is well prepared for the whole range of different security challenges and emergency situations, with the aid of technologies that will be available in different geopolitical situations - technologies whose ownership and manufacturing capabilities are in Europe. The consortium includes 42 partners from 13 different countries: 18 SMEs, 11 LEs and 13 RTOs, covering the value chain from electronics packaging to sensors and components, data management, AI and cybersecurity, to UXV platforms to integrate them, and end users. The total budget is 42 M€.

The EU requires also electronics industry to achieve the ambitious goals of the EU Green Deal, Circular Economy Action Plan and Industrial Strategy for reduction of energy and material consumption, and utilization of circular value chains. Sustronics project is targeting to improve capabilities of European electronics industry to meet these goals and develop new business opportunities from sustainable and greener electronics combined with increase in productivity and new functionalities. The current electronic industry poses significant environmental impacts, such as increasing amount of e-waste, great demand for critical raw materials, and high energy consumption during manufacturing. Electronics industry can specifically decrease its environmental burden by shifting from fossil-based materials to bio-based materials, decreasing use of metals, utilizing additive manufacturing processes, and developing miniaturized and integrated components, but also in broader scope by utilizing efficient circular economy business models that enable reuse, recycle and repair of critical materials and components. Sustronics main goal is to support renewal of European electronics industry towards circular economy, eco-design, bio-based materials, and material- and energy-efficient manufacturing processes. Thereby, Sustronics will re-design electronics products into circular, compostable and reusable products, and demonstrate that there are business opportunities in sustainable electronics. Quantification of environmental impact, definition of business models, involvement of external stakeholders, and means to guarantee compatibility with policies and standards will guide the project implementation. The pilots will focus on healthcare, diagnostics, and industrial sectors, including topics such as medical and personal health devices, single-use and wearable diagnostics, sustainable lighting solutions and embedded electronics for automotive.