Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-erc-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet ERC : TOPCL (Horizon 2020, appel 2018, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Delmic bv — Pays : Pays-Bas — Rôle : Partner
Type d'entité : Organismes privés (hors enseignement)
Financement ERC de l'entité : 12500.0 €

We propose to develop a turnkey table-top cathodoluminescence (CL) microscope demonstrator that combines electron microscopy and optical spectroscopy to make optical images with a spatial resolution as small as 20 nm. The instrument design builds on expertise on CL microscopy that I have built up during my ERC Advanced research that has led to a highly successful and highly rewarded CL research program. The new microscope design is fully user-friendly, has a footprint of only 60×60 cm, enables high sample throughput, does not need dedicated infrastructure or support, and has a projected sales price below 200 k€. This new design can serve as a unique inspection tool for nano-characterization in a broad range of technical fields, with a projected sales of 100 systems (total 20 sales price M€) per year. The new design will integrate a table-top electron microscope with a newly designed light collection and analysis system designed together with the company Delmic. The CL microscope demonstrator system will be used to perform test measurements for industrial customers in two beachhead markets to explore the market need for the new instrument and to create strong feedback of initial users on the demonstrator design. Knock-on benefits in the academic market are also expected. If successful, the project can be taken to full commercialization through the company Delmic.

Mots-clés : cathodoluminescence,table top electron microscopy,optical nanoscopy
Projet ERC : PCELLS (Horizon 2020, appel 2016, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Synthetic Chemistry and Materials
Entité participante : University of Bristol — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2499238.0 €

We propose to undertake an ambitious 5-year multidisciplinary programme that seeks to pioneer and establish a fundamentally new paradigm in protolife research that is based on novel conceptual and experimental advances in the design and construction of rudimentary forms of synthetic cell-like micro-ensembles (protocells). Our approach is positioned at the interface between materials chemistry, soft matter science and synthetic biology, and will address the following aspects of protocell design and construction: (i) functional complexity in protocell phenotypes, (ii) protocell self-structuring and metamorphosis, (iii) multi-compartmentalization and protocell endosymbiosis, and (iv) collective behavior in protocell communities. We will initiate unprecedented increases in the complexity of individual protocells by developing new types of structural architectures with advanced functions including photosynthetic protocells and motile proteinosomes, and develop innovative strategies for the chemical secretion of spatially extended extra-protocellular hydrogel matrices and induction of protocell metamorphosis. We will develop a modular micro-engineering approach to protocell multi-compartmentalization with the aim of generating coordinated enzyme- and gene-activated endosymbiotic interactions, and pioneer the experimental study of collective behaviour in communities of synthetic protocells. Our overall aim is to pioneer a modern approach to synthetic cellularity that advances the chemical and physical basis of protocell structure and function, and spearheads the development of future technologies based on autonomously functioning chemical micro-compartments with applications in bioinspired micro-storage and delivery, micro-reactor technologies, cytomimetic engineering, and the development of integrated constructs for diverse procedures in synthetic biology.

Mots-clés : biomimetic materials
Projet ERC : QuDoFH (Horizon 2020, appel 2019, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Condensed matter physics
Entité participante : Delft University of Technology — Pays : Pays-Bas — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : TU Delft
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 3449720.0 €

We propose to use semiconductor quantum dot arrays as a well-controlled model system for emulating the Fermi-Hubbard Hamiltonian. In its simplest form, this Hamiltonian contains just two terms, describing hopping of fermions between adjacent sites in a lattice and an interaction energy for two fermions to occupy the same site. Despite its simplicity, this Hamiltonian produces a wealth of many-body physics phenomena, from exotic forms of magnetism to superconductivity. Their intricate quantum correlations make simulation on conventional computers exponentially difficult. This has motivated the use of model systems such as ultra-cold atoms to emulate Fermi-Hubbard physics. The in-situ parameter control, large energy scales compared to temperature and the flexibility of lithography, make gate-defined quantum dot arrays a highly versatile and powerful model system for emulating Fermi-Hubbard physics. This has long remained a distant prospect due to unavoidable disorder and cross-talk, but recent progress in our lab shows that these obstacles can be overcome in small arrays. This allowed us to observe Nagaoka ferromagnetism, a form of magnetism driven by electron-electron interactions that has not been reported in any system so far. In a series of breakthrough advances, we will define and operate extended square and triangular quantum dot ladders, targeting a complexity that cannot be matched by classical computers. We will focus on three phenomena at the heart of quantum many-body physics: 1) resonating-valence bond physics at half-filling, 2) doped Mott insulator physics and 3) quantum phase transitions. Besides measuring current through the system, we will perform single-shot measurements of charge and spin, giving access to multi-point correlation functions and time dependent evolution. These studies will increase our understanding of Fermi-Hubbard physics, with long-term application in materials design and discovery.

Mots-clés : quantum dots,quantum simulation,fermi hubbard model
Projet ERC : OMNES (Horizon 2020, appel 2015, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Condensed matter physics
Entité participante : University of Ljubljana — Pays : Slovénie — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : UL
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2041000.0 €

We shall study non-equilibrium many-body quantum systems, considering local interactions in one or two spatial dimensions in situations where the generator of time evolution in the bulk of the system is unitary whereas the incoherent processes are limited to the system's boundaries. We foresee a mathematical theory of dynamical quantum phases of matter with applications in the theory of quantum transport and nanoscale devices that manipulate heat, information, charge or magnetization. Our steady-state setup represents a fundamental paradigm of mathematical statistical physics which has been pioneered by the PI, who gave the first explicit solution for boundary driven/dissipative strongly interacting many-body problem (XXZ spin 1/2 chain) which answered a long debated question on strict positivity of the spin Drude weight at high temperature. The main focus of OMNES will be centered on exploring the following three interconnected pathways: Most importantly, we shall develop a general framework for exact solutions of non-equilibrium integrable quantum many-body models, in particular the steady states and relaxation modes, and develop quantum integrability methods for non-equilibrium many-body density operators. Fundamentally new concepts which are expected to emerge from these studies, relevant beyond the context of boundary-driven/dissipative systems, are novel quasilocal conservation laws of the bulk Hamiltonian dynamics. Second, we shall investigate relevance of exact solutions in physics of generic systems which are small perturbations of integrable models and explore the problem of stability of local and quasilocal conserved quantities under generic integrability-breaking perturbations. Third, we shall formulate and study the problem of quantum chaos in clean lattice systems, in particular to establish a link between random matrix theory of level statistics and kinematic and dynamical features of lattice models with sufficiently strong integrability breaking.

Mots-clés : open quantum systems,integrability,quantum chaos,non equilibrium dynamics
Projet ERC : SocioSmell (Horizon 2020, appel 2014, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Social Sciences and Humanities
Panel : The Human Mind and Its Complexity
Entité participante : Weizmann Institute of Science — Pays : Israël — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2074206.0 €

We test the working hypothesis that humans are constantly engaging in social chemosignaling, and that this serves as a major yet underappreciated force in shaping human social behavior. A major component of social chemosignaling in macrosmatic mammals is conveying of social status, namely dominance/submissiveness. We start by testing the novel hypothesis that humans similarly share information on social status through chemosignals. In support of this, we provide pilot data for a "smell of dominance". Next, we ask how do humans sample these social chemosignals? We hypothesize that handshaking serves subliminal sampling of social chemosignaling, and provide comprehensive pilot data implying that humans indeed subliminally sniff their own hands after shaking. Given the importance we attribute to social chemosignaling, one may ask why aren't anosmic individuals significantly socially impaired? We test the hypothesis that social chemosignals are processed by brain mechanisms independent of the main olfactory system. In support of this, we provide pilot data implying a brain response to social chemosignals in individuals with congenital anosmia. Finally, we ask what happens if social chemosignaling is selectively impaired? Given the social impairment we would predict following such social anosmia, we hypothesize that it may be a component of autism spectrum disorder. In support of this hypothesis we provide pilot data of altered social chemosignaling in high functioning adults with autism, and altered olfactory responses in children just diagnosed with autism. The latter implies a potential non-verbal non-task dependent diagnostic measure for autism. Together, this combines to a radically different perspective on human social behavior. We argue that humans are constantly chemosignaling, and that uncovering these effects will provide for better understanding of human social behavior, and potential diagnosis and treatments for diseases involving altered social performance.

Mots-clés : social chemosignaling
Projet ERC : TouchDesign (Horizon 2020, appel 2017, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Computer science and informatics
Entité participante : King Juan Carlos University — Pays : Espagne — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : URJC
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1968812.0 €

We use touch permanently to explore, manipulate and interact with the world around us, but also to feel and transmit affection. Haptic synthesis, i.e., the ability to design and control what we feel, either on a computer application or with a consumer product, bears an immense scientific, industrial, and social impact. However, touch is still poorly understood and underexploited in today’s digital era. The state of the art in computational haptic synthesis lags well behind the technological and scientific progress in additive manufacturing, computational design for fabrication, virtual reality displays, or cutaneous haptic interfaces. TouchDesign will define a formal and comprehensive computational design methodology for haptic synthesis, applied to both tactile digital communication and to computational design and fabrication of objects with desired tactile properties. Haptic synthesis will be formulated as an optimization problem, with the objective function defined based on haptic perceptual metrics, and with the design space defined by the high-dimensional parameter space of a fabrication process or a haptic interface. We will introduce multiple breakthroughs in four major scientific pillars. (i) In contact biomechanics: develop measurement-based and data-driven models that enable interactive evaluation of the deformations undergone by skin mechanoreceptors. (ii) In perceptual modeling: establish a connection between high-resolution biomechanics, mechanoreceptor activation fields, and psychophysics, through machine-learning analysis of exhaustive simulated and experimental data. (iii) In numerical optimization: design methods that optimize perceptual metrics through robust and efficient search of the high-dimensional design space of haptic fabrication and haptic display problems. (iv) In computational design: introduce methods and interfaces to visualize, explore, and define perceptual objective functions and haptic design spaces.

Mots-clés : haptics,computational design,physics based simulation
Projet ERC : SYNTISU (Horizon 2020, appel 2018, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering
Entité participante : University of Oxford — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2428065.0 €

We will make synthetic tissues for applications in medicine. In the short-term, synthetic tissues will be used to deliver therapeutics; ultimately, synthetic tissues will be used as components of surgical implants. The synthetic tissues will be formed from patterned 3D-printed picoliter droplet networks. They will be functionally active and subject to external control. They will be safe, because they cannot replicate. Key aspects of synthetic tissues, which were introduced by our laboratory, remain unexplored. At this point, our initial work justifies an adventurous full research program. The capabilities of biological tissues greatly exceed those of individual cells, because the cells in them cooperate to produce emergent properties. Our approach considers, but does not strictly mimic nature. 3D printers make patterned networks of picoliter droplets, separated from each other by individual lipid bilayers, which can be functionalized with membrane proteins to allow internal and external communication. In early work, we showed that droplet networks can change shape and transmit electrical signals. Now, we will greatly extend the properties of these materials. We will produce synthetic tissues with excellent fidelity, at high resolution, with faithful patterning and of superior strength and stability. Hierarchical cm-scale structures will be assembled from mm-scale networks. We will make functional tissues able to change shape rapidly and reversibly, take up, transform and release molecules, and generate and use energy. Functional synthetic tissues will be controlled remotely with light, heat, and magnetism. Outputs will include ATP generation and protein expression. Finally, we will explore two illustrative applications of synthetic tissues: the controlled synthesis and release of therapeutic peptides, and the ability to modulate the activities of neurons and muscle cells. Discoveries derived from this ERC grant will be commercialized with investor funding.

Mots-clés : synthetic tissue,synthetic cell,artificial cell,lipid bilayer,droplet interface bilayer,3d printing,emergent properties,membrane channels and pores
Projet ERC : NANOCHEM (Horizon 2020, appel 2016, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Synthetic Chemistry and Materials
Entité participante : University of Manchester — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2498645.0 €

We will study the adsorption, binding, transport and reactivity of N-containing substrates within the nanopores of functionalized and doped metal-organic framework (MOF) materials. A range of important target molecules (e.g., NH3, N2H4, N2O, NO, NO2 and N2O4) will be studied in this project, which aims to re-define the molecular chemistry for these energetic N-compounds in confined space, and to develop selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NOx in the presence of NH3, urea and hydrocarbons. The PI has extensive experience in the field of coordination chemistry and hybrid materials, and seeks to change research direction to develop new gas phase catalysts and to gain fundamental understanding of molecular interactions, properties and function of specific energy, environmentally-related substrates within MOFs. Research objectives include the: • Design and synthesis of new porous MOFs with emphasis on the decoration of their pore environment and improvement of their structural stability and function; • Characterisation of host and substrate-loaded materials by state-of-the-art in situ structural, dynamic and spectroscopic methods for the construction of structure-function relationships, supported by computational analysis and modelling; • Adsorption, binding, release and separation of NH3, N2H4, N2O, NO, NO2 and N2O4 via both static and dynamic experiments; • Tests of degradation and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of captured NOx molecules with NH3, urea and hydrocarbons under mild conditions using nanoporous MOFs as host catalysts; • Assembly of a MOF-based (i) catalytic deNOx reactor and (ii) NH3 storage system for potential portable applications. This project will deliver new functional materials as high capacity portable NH3 stores, efficient capture medium for NOx, and new catalysts for reduction and mitigation of NOx to deliver significant impacts to academia, industry and society of direct relevance to clean energy and sustainable environment.

Mots-clés : metal organic framework materials,catalysis
Projet ERC : ClusterWeb (Horizon 2020, appel 2018, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Universe sciences
Entité participante : Leiden University — Pays : Pays-Bas — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1487755.0 €

We will unravel the origin of cosmic magnetic fields, the physics of particle acceleration in dilute plasmas, and the nature of AGN feedback with state-of-the-art radio telescopes. With the enormous gains in sensitivity, survey speed, and resolution of these telescopes – combined with recent breakthroughs that correct for phased-arrays and the Earth’s distorting ionosphere – we can now take the next big step in this field. Cosmic web filaments and galaxy clusters are the Universe’s largest structures. Clusters grow by a sequence of mergers, generating shock waves and turbulence which heat the cluster plasma. In merging clusters, cosmic rays are accelerated to extreme energies, producing Mpc-size diffuse synchrotron emitting sources. However, these acceleration processes are still poorly understood. Clusters are also heated by AGN feedback from radio galaxies, but the total energy input by feedback and its evolution over cosmic time are unknown. We will construct the largest low-frequency sample of galaxy clusters to (1) establish how particles are accelerated in cluster plasmas, (2) quantify how the cosmic ray content scales with cluster mass, (3) determine the importance of AGN fossil plasma in the acceleration processes, (4) characterize current and past episodes of AGN feedback, and (5) determine the evolution of feedback up to the epoch of cluster formation (z=1-2). These results will be essential to understand cluster formation and its associated energy budget. As in clusters, cosmic web accretion shocks should also accelerate particles producing radio emission. Based on the deepest low-frequency images ever produced, we will (5) carry out the first studies of these giant accelerators, opening up a new window on the elusive warm-hot intergalactic medium, where many of the cosmic baryons reside. Even more important, (6) we aim to obtain measurements of the intergalactic magnetic field, providing key constraints on the origin of our Universe’s magnetic fields.

Mots-clés : galaxy clusters,radio telescopes,particle acceleration,magnetic fields,cosmic plasmas
Projet ERC : AUTONORMS (Horizon 2020, appel 2019, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Social Sciences and Humanities
Panel : Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems
Entité participante : University of Southern Denmark — Pays : Danemark — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : SDU
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1499759.0 €

Weapons systems with an increasing number of autonomous features are emerging as revolutionary technologies of war. In particular, this concerns systems with autonomy in their critical functions that relate to selecting and engaging targets without human input. This weaponisation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) signals the looming absence of meaningful human control in warfare, which has become a central focus of the debate on autonomous weapons systems (AWS). Here, states either seek to introduce new norms governing AWS or to leave the field open in order to increase their room of manoeuvre. These uncertainties make monitoring to what extent AWS will shape and transform international norms governing the use of force a matter of great importance. But existing International Relations research on norms despite producing excellent critical work does not yet enable us to understand the dynamics of this vital process because it does not capture adequately how norms emerge and develop. The state of the art conceptually connects norms predominantly to international law and limits attention to how norms emerge in deliberative international forums. Instead, the AUTONORMS project will develop a new ground-breaking theoretical approach that allows us to study how norms, understood as standards of appropriateness, manifest and change in practices. Taking this bottom-up perspective, we will monitor norm emergence and change across four contexts of practices (military, transnational political, dual-use, and popular imagination) in four countries (USA, China, Japan, Russia). This flexible portrayal allows us to adequately understand how norms related to AWS will develop, as well as considering the impact such emerging norms have on the current international security order of which norms are constitutive building blocs. The project thus provides an innovative analytical model for studying uncertain processes of technological innovation associated with the AI revolution.

Mots-clés : norms,practices,international security,autonomous weapons systems,constructivist international relations theory,world order,technological innovation,artificial intelligence