Smart Systems Integration events in Cork to explore potential to tap €120 billion market. Over 180 delegates, from 20 countries visited Tyndall on 24-26 September 2013 for the Annual European Technology Platform on Smart Systems Integration (EPoSS) Forum and the Micro-Nano-Bio Systems (MNBS) Workshop 2013.
Foto - Front row, from left: Kieran Drain, Tyndall National Institute / Seán Sherlock, TD / Carmelo Papa, STMicroelectronics, EPoSS Chairman
Back
row, from left: Francis Mullany, Alcatel-Lucent / Willy van Puymbroeck,
European Commission, DG CONNECT / Cian Ó Mathúna, Tyndall National
Institute / Eric Moore, Tyndall National Institute
The joint event has been coordinated to enable European Commission, industry and research teams working in the smart systems integration (SSI) space to explore R&D and commercial opportunities to work together to tackle critical issues such as energy, health and transport and tap the €120 billion European smart market.
Speaking at the event, Sean Sherlock, Irish Minister for Research and Innovation, said: “I am delighted to welcome the EPoSS General Assembly and Annual Forum workshop to Cork and I am particularly pleased that Tyndall have been able to facilitate its co-location with the MNBS workshop. Ireland recognises the important benefits that smart systems can yield in terms of both increased employment opportunities and societal benefits in areas such as health and energy. We continue to work towards playing a key role in the research and development of such systems in arenas like Horizon 2020.”
Dr. Eric Moore, Tyndall National Institute and Chair of the Organising Committee, said: “Smart Systems Integration has been a key driver of technological advance over the past decade worldwide and is a key contributor to European growth. Tyndall, in turn, has established itself as a key innovation hub for Smart Systems in Ireland and Europe and we are delighted to welcome the European Commission and our research and industry partners to the Institute this week. European industrial leadership and an excellent science base are essential to ensure competitive, cost-effective solutions and to speed up time to market. We hope that the joint event will provide the ideal environment to bring all groups together for the presentation of good practice and the exchange of knowledge which will lead to more smart collaborations in the future.”Following a showcase of the benefits delivered by SSI, a European “DiscoGnosis” health research initiative led by Konstantis Mitsakakis was chosen for the 2013 MNBS Innovation Award. The new technology developed by the team will enable low cost, point-of-care diagnosis for the millions of suspected malaria cases in Africa each year.
The project aims to deliver a fully integrated, automated and user-friendly diagnostic tool for malaria and other infectious diseases such as dengue, typho and pneumonia which can be used by medical teams in the community. The new technology will integrate micro, nano and bio technology components into a multi-functional platform to perform protein and genetic analysis simultaneously enabling the timely and accurate identification of causes of acute fever.
The DiscoGnosis project is EU funded and has already attracted a high level of SME participation to bring it to market. It is expected to be rolled out in high-risk developing countries in the coming years.
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