Plenoptic Imaging aims at studying the phenomena of light field formation, propagation, sensing and perception along with the computational methods for extracting, processing and rendering the visual information. The PLENOPTIMA ultimate project goal is to establish new cross-sectorial, international, multi-university sustainable doctoral degree programmes in the area of plenoptic imaging and to train the first fifteen future researchers and creative professionals within these programmes for the benefit of a variety of application sectors. PLENOPTIMA develops a cross-disciplinary approach to imaging, which includes the physics of light, new optical materials and sensing principles, signal processing methods, new computing architectures, and vision science modelling. With this aim, PLENOPTIMA joints five of the strongest research groups in nanophotonics, imaging and machine learning in Europe with twelve innovative companies, research institutes and a pre-competitive business ecosystem developing and marketing plenoptic imaging devices and services. PLENOPTIMA advances the plenoptic imaging theory to set the foundations for developing future imaging systems that handle visual information in fundamentally new ways, augmenting the human perceptual, creative, and cognitive capabilities. More specifically, it develops 1) Full computational plenoptic imaging acquisition systems; 2) Pioneering models and methods for plenoptic data processing, with a focus on dimensionality reduction, compression, and inverse problems; 3) Efficient rendering and interactive visualization on immersive displays reproducing all physiological visual depth cues and enabling realistic interaction. All ESRs will be registered in Joint/Double degree doctoral programmes at academic institutions in Bulgaria, Finland, France, Germany and Sweden. The programmes will be made sustainable through a set of measures in accordance with the Salzburg II Recommendations of the European University Association.

Current displays fall far short of truly recreating visual reality. This can never be achieved by painting an image on a flat surface such as a TV screen, but requires a full-parallax display which can recreate the complete lightfield, i.e. the light traveling in every direction through every point in space. Recent years have seen major developments towards this goal, promising a new generation of ultra-realistic displays with applications in medicine, informatics, manufacturing, entertainment, gaming and more. However, achieving this will require a new generation of researchers trained both in the relevant physics, and in the biology of human vision. The European Training Network on Full-Parallax Imaging (ETN-FPI) aims at developing this new generation. The research concept of the network is to depart from the notations of plenoptics, light field and integral imaging, used sometimes interchangeably, and to harmonize and advance further the research in these areas under the umbrella of the wider and viewer-centred FPI concept. Fifteen early-stage researchers will be employed on novel inter-disciplinary FPI projects. The training disciplines include theoretical and applied optics, multi-dimensional image processing, and visual neuroscience. The targeted applications range from plenoptic microscopy to interaction with visual content generated by wide field-of-view displays. Extensive studies on perception of continuous parallax and subjective tests on various displays are planned. The training program includes local training, online seminars, workshops, training schools and a conference. The researchers trained within the network are expected to gather competitive skills and become highly competent in bringing innovations to the field of ultra-realistic and interactive visual media. This will enhance their employability in a rapidly growing sector in academia and industry and position Europe as a leader in this emerging multidisciplinary field.

Electronics are set to merge with our bodies to extend our perceptions. Smartphones and watches will give way to the bodyNET: a network of sensors and smart devices woven into our clothing, worn on our skin and implanted in our bodies. Smart wearables are the next step in the Internet of Things wearable evolution. This market is one of the most vigorous over the coming years. SINTEC addresses a market, in terms of size, that reach over €70BN by 2026. A large amount of scientific results have emerged and a few start-ups are focused on stretchable electronics and sensors that employ liquid alloys for interconnects and passive components. However, there are until today no dedicated commercial equipment for manufacturing of such devices. This hinders large-scale industrial exploration and needs to be addressed. By a novel manufacturing technology for large area rigid-stretch PCB and integration, SINTEC will provide soft, sticky and stretchable sensor patches that can be used multiple times and at longer periods. With its dynamic compliance and water repellent permeable encapsulation it withstands vigorous action, sweating and water; making it ideal for an active life. A ground breaking intra body communication technique gives large bandwidth and secure consumption at low power, allowing for multiplex sensoric inputs from many nodes on the body. To demonstrate the advantages of the novel technology, SINTEC will apply it in clinical environment and in athletics performance evaluation. Industrial partners will exploit the results in manufacturing technology, Fat-IBC, and in soft compliant smart patch applications, e.g., in preventive care, sports and fitness, and medical technology.

Community policing promotes the implementation of bi-directional collaboration channels between citizens and Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs). By enhancing the discovery of relevant and up to date information, it speeds up the detection of risks, eases their prevention and builds a continuum of collaboration which motivates citizens and LEAs to work together. Over 36 months, TRILLION - TRusted, CItizen - LEA coILaboratIon over sOcial Networks - delivers a fully-fledged platform to support the extensive collaboration between citizens and LEAs. The operational environment of the platform is not limited to an on-going crisis, but also extends to the period before it through early identification and prevention of emerging risks. Major challenges addressed by TRILLION include creating the necessary trust to entice provision of information, ensuring that the information leads to realistic and credible knowledge and using this knowledge through secure bi-directional communications to guide actions of individuals closest to an identified risky situation. TRILLION delivers a comprehensive service based platform and mobile applications that support the knowledge-based, real-time collaboration among law enforcement agents, first responders and citizens whilst ensuring that privacy and data protection are taken into account. The TRILLION consortium and supporting organisations include 6 citizen communities, 6 law enforcement stakeholders, 3 industrial players and 5 universities and research centres. Extensive trials take place through pilots, early validations and serious game based training across Italy, Portugal, Sweden, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, involving close to 2.000 citizens and law enforcement agencies representatives.

MEDIADELCOM endeavours to contribute to the enhancement of European integration, social cohesion and consequently – Europeanization. The popularity of ultra-right and populist political forces in European societies demonstrate that the unity of European nations and their common goals are not self-evident. Informed decision making in contemporary democratic societies is being challenged. MEDIADELCOM consortium argues that European political and cultural spaces evolve best if specific policies enhance the conditions for deliberative communication. The Consortium will work out a methodology enabling the assessment and forecast of the risks and opportunities for deliberative communication emerging in the process of media transformation in 2000-2020. There is no holistic approach to media related Risks and Opportunities (ROs); media studies and data are dispersed, restricting the evaluation of ROs for deliberative communication in European countries; there are no evidence-based holistic scenarios for prognosing media development in European societies. The overall objective of MEDIADELCOM is to develop a diagnostic tool for policy makers, educators, media critical bodies and institutions, as well as for media experts and journalists, which enables the provision of holistic assessment of risks and opportunities concerning deliberative communication and consequently social cohesion in Europe. We will: 1) develop a model for holistic analysis of the ROs emerging within the process of media transformation in Europe; 2) assess the sufficiency of existing research and data necessary for making knowledge based forecasts about European media landscape development trends; 3) generate a novel method, based on motivational modelling and agent-based simulation for outlining scenarios to predict media related ROs. By assembling and synthesizing existing dispersed research, and modelling multiple scenarios will create an instrument for media risk prediction and management.