Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Control of Spatially Distributed Complex Multi-Agent Networks (CDMAN)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Systems and communication engineering
Countries involved: Netherlands
Call:  (ERC-2012-StG_20111012, 2012)
Start date: 2013-01-01
End date: 2017-12-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1495444.0
EU funding (EUR): 1495444.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Spatially distributed multi-agent networks have been used successfully to model a wide range of natural, social and engineered complex systems, such as animal groups, online communities and electric power grids. In various contexts, it is crucial to introduce control actions into such networks to either achieve desired collective dynamics or test the understanding of the systems’ behavior. However, controlling such systems is extremely challenging due to agents’ complicated sensing, communication and control interactions that are distributed in space. Systematic methodologies to attack this challenge are in urgent need, especially when vast efforts are being made in multiple disciplines to apply the model of complex multi-agent networks. The goal of the project is twofold. First, understand whether a complex multi-agent network can be controlled effectively when the agents can only sense and communicate locally. Second, provide methodologies to implement distributed control in typical spatially distributed complex multi-agent networks. The project requires integrated skills since both rigorous theoretical analysis and novel empirical explorations are necessary. The research methods that I plan to adopt have two distinguishing features. First, I use tools from algebraic graph theory and complex network theory to investigate the impact of network topologies on the systems’ controller performances characterized by mathematical control theory. Second, I utilize a homemade robotic-fish testbed to implement various multi-agent control algorithms. The unique combination of theoretical and empirical studies is expected to lead to breakthroughs in developing an integrated set of principles and techniques to control effectively spatially distributed multi-agent networks. The expected results will make original contributions to control engineering and robotics, and inspire innovative research methods in theoretical biology and theoretical sociology.

Keywords: multi-agent systems,complex networks,distributed control
Enabling cosmology with radio astronomy surveys: dealing with foreground contamination (RADIOFOREGROUNDS)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Universe sciences
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call:  (ERC-2012-StG_20111012, 2012)
Start date: 2013-01-01
End date: 2017-12-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1493227.0
EU funding (EUR): 1493227.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The most important tool for studying the Universe on the largest scales has been the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation. CMB polarization provides a new window on the early Universe and will provide constraints on inflation via gravitational waves. However, the success of future CMB experiments lies in the improved understanding and removal of foreground emission from our own Galaxy. The first part of the project lies in developing our understanding of diffuse Galactic radiation through observation and modelling. This information will be used in simulations and for improving component separation algorithms and for optimising the design of future CMB space missions. A joint analysis of the forthcoming Planck data, combined with state-of-the-art low frequency foreground surveys will be made, to give the most precise CMB power spectrum from Planck. The future of cosmology at radio wavelengths lies in the mapping of the hyperfine 21cm line of neutral atomic hydrogen (HI). This is one of the key science drivers for several future radio telescopes including the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). Measuring the distribution of HI as a function of redshift will revolutionize cosmology, including dark matter and dark energy. However, like for the CMB, a major obstacle will be Galactic foregrounds, which are at least 3 orders of magnitude brighter than HI. Many of the techniques used for the CMB can be used in HI mapping, including the study of Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO). We will make simulations of HI and foregrounds to study how well the HI signal can be extracted by employing techniques used for CMB data. Guided by these simulations, we will analyze data from telescopes that are soon to come online (e.g. MeerKAT, ASKAP). We will also look to develop new instrumentation to detect BAO such as the Baryon acoustic oscillation with Integrated Neutral Gas Observations (BINGO) experiment. The ultimate goal will be to detect BAO using one of these approaches.

Keywords: radio astronomy,cosmic microwave background,hi intensity mapping,dark energy
Defusing volcanic eruptions: the escape of volcanic gas (MAGMA DEGASSING)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Earth system science
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call:  (ERC-2012-StG_20111012, 2012)
Start date: 2013-05-01
End date: 2018-04-30
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1604211.0
EU funding (EUR): 1604211.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Volcanic eruptions are driven by the exsolution and escape of dissolved volatiles. Fast and efficient escape of volatiles leads to a lower potential for an explosive eruption: defusing it. Yet, despite recognition of the importance of volatile escape, the mechanisms and kinetics of degassing remain unclear. This study aims to use a pioneering approach to reconstruct the escape of volcanic gases. Exsolved gases are ephemeral and do not survive eruption. However textural evidence such as vesicles, fractures and veins in erupted magma lingers. Moreover, new data shows that chemical signals of degassing endure, not only in minerals, but also in quenched melt. Volcanic gases are enriched in metals such as Hg, Tl, and Cu resulting in ore deposits and contributing to global metal emissions. Such enrichment is based on the preference of these metals for a gas phase. This project will establish how metals partition between volcanic gas and melt (basalt and rhyolite), how quickly such equilibrium partitioning is reached, and what can be learned regarding magma degassing from gas emissions and melt compositions as measured at volcanoes. The first part of the project focuses on obtaining gas-melt partition coefficients and diffusivities of metals. The second part of the project involves comparison to natural samples. Metal concentration variations will be mapped within an exposed magmatic conduit and in recent explosively erupted volcanic rocks. The third part of the project aims to model the escape of volcanic gases using reactive flow modeling. The combined results of this project will not only show how and how fast volcanic gases escape, but also form the basis of a new approach to quantifying historic (from glass shards) and future (from gas emissions) magmatic metal release to potential ore forming systems as well as to the atmosphere. Moreover, linking gas chemistry to dynamic degassing processes in a quantitative model will aid prediction of eruption style and timing.

Keywords: volcanic eruptions,magma degassing,metal emissions
Triggerable nanomaterials to modulate cell activity (NANOTRIGGER)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Products and process engineering
Countries involved: Portugal
Call:  (ERC-2012-StG_20111012, 2012)
Start date: 2012-11-01
End date: 2017-10-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1699320.0
EU funding (EUR): 1699320.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The advent of molecular reprogramming and the associated opportunities for personalised and therapeutic medicine requires the development of novel systems for on-demand delivery of reprogramming factors into cells in order to modulate their activity/identity. Such triggerable systems should allow precise control of the timing, duration, magnitude and spatial release of the reprogramming factors. Furthermore, the system should allow this control even in vivo, using non-invasive means. The present project aims at developing triggerable systems able to release efficiently reprogramming factors on demand. The potential of this technology will be tested in two settings: (i) in the reprogramming of somatic cells in vitro, and (ii) in the improvement of hematopoietic stem cell engraftment in vivo, at the bone marrow. The proposed research involves a team formed by engineers, chemists, biologists and is highly multidisciplinary in nature encompassing elements of engineering, chemistry, system biology, stem cell technology and nanomedicine.

Keywords: new materials,stem cells,regenerative medicine
A scalable quantum architecture (SEQUOIA)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Condensed matter physics
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call:  (ERC-2012-StG_20111012, 2012)
Start date: 2013-01-01
End date: 2017-12-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1498456.99
EU funding (EUR): 1498456.99
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Scientists world-wide are in pursuit of radical proposals to exploit coherent quantum states for a diverse range of applications including communication, information processing, and metrology. Similar to conventional technologies, the quantum machinery will most likely consist of photons and semiconductor devices to create, transmit, receive, and process the quantum information. Indeed, a range of coherent solid-state quantum states which interact with photons have been developed over the last decade. However, the inherent semiconductor promise of scalability has yet to be realized for these quantum systems. SEQUioA takes a highly inventive approach to quantum scalability. It will allow new fundamental investigations into quantum coherence in the solid state and the further development of quantum technologies. SEQUioA will build and exploit a novel architecture to deterministically create a non-local coherent interaction, or entanglement, between multiple remotely located semiconductor quantum dots. The architecture achieves independent optical and electrical control of each quantum dot on the same semiconductor chip. Two distinct types of non-local interactions will be investigated. The first, based on projective measurements of indistinguishable photons, probes and exploits the ideal atom-like behaviour of quantum dots. The second coupling mechanism, mesoscopic in nature, is based on a long-range magnetic interaction between confined spins in spatially remote dots.

Keywords: quantum dot
Feasibility study of intelligent High Integrated Power Electronic Module (HIPEM) for Aeronautic Application (HYPOTHESIS)

Framework: FP7 — Cooperation
Programme: Joint Technology Initiatives (Annex IV-SP1)
Theme: Public-private partnerships
Destination: Clean Sky
Action type: Article 171 of the Treaty
Partnership: CLEAN-SKY (Art-185)
Countries involved: Belgium
Call:  (SP1-JTI-CS-2011-03, 2011)
Start date: 2012-07-01
End date: 2015-06-30
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 499280.0
EU funding (EUR): 374460.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

HYPOTHESIS is a focused RTD project that will investigate the feasibility of a High Temperature Intelligent High Integrated Power Electronics Module for aeronautic applications based on fast switching semiconductors, most probably using Silicon Carbide technology for the first generation power modules. The recent release of 1200V SiC power transistors (MOSFET’s, JFET’s…) with strongly improved switching behavior provides for an interesting opportunity for the development of Power Electronic Modules that are dissipating much less, can operate at higher frequencies and at temperatures up to 250ºC, do not require forced cooling and therefore reduce weight and volume. In order to take full advantage of the high switching speed of SiC transistors, the gate driver has to be placed as close as possible and ultimately integrated in the same power package. The challenge is to combine the materials and the technologies for die attach, power substrates, interconnect, wire bonding and final assembly into one module that can operate at high power levels and high temperatures at the reliability levels required for aeronautics. The HYPOTHESIS project will take up this challenge based upon the experiences in integrated circuits for high temperature operation and on the results of recent state-of-the-art investigations. It will investigate the feasibility of the technology for intelligent High Integrated Power Electric Modules that fulfill the requirements set forward in the call topic JTI-CS-2011-3-SGO-02-037 and that is based on the requirements for the More and All Electric Aircraft. After a thorough analysis of the requirements and of the available and affordable technologies, an experimental module will be designed, manufactured and validated for performance and reliability. The design and technology recommendations that result from this investigation will contribute to the next generation of intelligent HIPEMs suited for the next generation of All Electric Aircrafts.

Keywords: intelligent hipem,sic mosfet,wide bandgap semiconductors,gan,power electric modules,aeronautics,high-temperature,cissoid,soi,high reliability
Ubiquitous optical FIbre NErves (U-FINE)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Systems and communication engineering
Countries involved: Spain
Call:  (ERC-2012-StG_20111012, 2012)
Start date: 2012-12-01
End date: 2018-05-31
Duration (months): 66.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1477330.0
EU funding (EUR): 1477330.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Distributed fibre sensors have become a widely used tool for critical asset monitoring in civil engineering and energy transport. Beyond these specific fields, little or no application has been found for these sensors. The aim of U-FINE is to develop a new class of multi-scale distributed optical fibre sensors that would find use in a wide range of new application domains ranging from biomechanics to smart grids. The state-of-the-art of conventional distributed fibre sensors is to measure quantities such as temperature or deformation with a spatial resolution of 1 meter over 30 km. This corresponds to 30’000 resolved distinct measurement points with a single interrogation unit and a single optical cable. The realistic ambition of this project is to radically change the interrogation methods available and be able to resolve up to 1’000’000 points. This will be done by either bringing the spatial resolution below 1 cm (still preserving kilometre ranges) and/or by extending the measuring range beyond 200 km (still preserving resolutions of 1-2 meter). Furthermore, we also aim at reducing the acquisition time of these systems in approximately two orders of magnitude, and demonstrating new architectures capable of addressing hundreds of fibre sections in a complex network with a single interrogation unit and passive network devices. To achieve these performances, merely improving present-day systems is completely insufficient. Completely new interrogation schemes have to be developed. We believe that this project has good solutions for all the above challenges. To assess the developed technology in realistic conditions, field tests of the developed systems are envisaged towards the end of this project. . In addition to this, with the knowledge acquired through the accomplishment of these basic objectives, we will also pursue the demonstration of the use of distributed fibre sensing systems as high-resolution wearable sensors for ambulatory analysis of human movement.

Keywords: distributed fibre sensors,photonics,fibre optics
Cold and wet early Mars: Proposing and testing a new theory to understand the early Martian environments (ICYMARS)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Universe sciences
Countries involved: Spain
Call:  (ERC-2012-StG_20111012, 2012)
Start date: 2014-01-01
End date: 2019-05-31
Duration (months): 65.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1411200.0
EU funding (EUR): 1411200.0
Participants: 2
Project status: CLOSED

Geologic evidence indicative of flowing and ponding liquid water on the surface of ancient Mars appears abundantly across most of the Martian landscape, indicating that liquid water was present in variable amounts and for long periods of time on and/or near the surface at different moments of Mars’ early history, the Noachian era. Early Mars appears to have been “wet”. However, the presence of liquid water on the surface of early Mars is difficult to reconcile with the reduced solar luminosity at 3.8 Ga. and before, which would have imposed mean temperatures below freezing all over the planet. Atmospheric greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide ice clouds in the upper troposphere are suggested to provide over freezing temperatures, explaining some of this discrepancy, but these solutions have been probed to face numerous problems. So, it is difficult to explain the early Martian hydrology invoking global “warm” conditions. Here I propose to conduct interdisciplinary investigations in order to define and test a new hypothesis to understand the early environmental traits on Mars: that the young Martian surface was characterized by global mean freezing conditions, as predicted by climate models, and at the same time a vigorous hydrogeological cycle was active during hundreds of millions of years, as confirmed by geomorphological and mineralogical analyses. The aim of this investigation is to comprehensively analyze the triggers, traits and consequences of a cold aqueous environment dominating the Noachian, studying the geomorphological, mineralogical and geochemical evidences that such a hydrological cycle would have left behind, and also proposing new paths for the astrobiological exploration of Mars on the basis of geochemical and geomicrobiological studies in cold aqueous environments. Mission-derived datasets will be used to test hypotheses through paleogeomorphological reconstructions, theoretical modeling and experiments in the laboratory.

Keywords: geomorphology,geochemistry,mineralogy,astrobiology,mars,noachian,aqueous environments,glaciers,permafrost,aqueous minerals,phyllosilicates,water activity,habitability
Kähler-Einstein metrics, random point processes and variational principles (RANDOM-KAHLER)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Mathematical foundations
Countries involved: Sweden
Call:  (ERC-2012-StG_20111012, 2012)
Start date: 2013-01-01
End date: 2018-06-30
Duration (months): 66.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1200000.0
EU funding (EUR): 1200000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

In broad terms the aim of this proposal is to introduce a new probabilistic approach to the study of Kähler-Einstein (K-E) metrics on complex manifolds. A precise procedure, based on a blend of Statistical Mechanics, Pluripotential theory and Kähler Geometry. will be used to show that • when a K-E metric exists on a complex manifold X it can be obtained from the “large N limit” of certain canonical random point processes on X with N particles. The canonical point processes are directly defined in terms of algebro-geometric data and the thrust of this approach is thus that it gives a new link between algebraic geometry on one and hand and complex differential (Kähler) geometry on the other. A major motivation for this project comes from the fundamental Yau-Tian-Donaldson conjecture in Kähler geometry, which aims at characterizing the obstructions to the existence of a K-E metric on a Fano manifold in terms of a suitable notion of algebro-geometric “stability”, notably K-Stability. In this project a new “probabilistic/statistical mechanical” version of stability will be introduced referred to as Gibbs stability, which also has an interesting purely algebro-geometric definition in the spirit of the Minimal Model Program in current algebraic geometry and another specific aim of this project is to prove or at least make substantial progress towards proving, • There is a (unique) K-E metric on a Fano manifold X precisely when X is asymptotically Gibbs stable The canonical random point processes will be defined as certain “beta-deformations” of determinantal point processes and share certain properties with the ones appearing in Random Matrix Theory and in the study of quantum chaos and zeroes of random polynomials (and random holomorphic sections) But a crucial new feature here is that the processes are independent of any back-ground data, such as a potential or a metric.
Organic Thermoelectric Generators (OTEGS)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Condensed matter physics
Countries involved: Sweden
Call:  (ERC-2012-StG_20111012, 2012)
Start date: 2013-04-01
End date: 2018-03-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1453689.6
EU funding (EUR): 1453689.6
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

At the moment, there is no viable technology to produce electricity from natural heat sources (T<200°C) and from 50% of the waste heat (electricity production, industries, buildings and transports) stored in large volume of warm fluids (T<200°C). To extract heat from large volumes of fluids, the thermoelectric generators would need to cover large areas in new designed heat exchangers. To develop into a viable technology platform, thermoelectric devices must be fabricated on large areas via low-cost processes. But no thermoelectric material exists for this purpose. Recently, the applicant has discovered that the low-cost conducting polymer poly(ethylene dioxythiophene) possesses a figure-of-merit ZT=0.25 at room temperature. Conducting polymers can be processed from solution, they are flexible and possess an intrinsic low thermal conductivity. This combination of unique properties motivate further investigations to reveal the true potential of organic materials for thermoelectric applications: this is the essence of this project. My goal is to organize an interdisciplinary team of researchers focused on the characterization, understanding, design and fabrication of p- and n-doped organic-based thermoelectric materials; and the demonstration of those materials in organic thermoelectric generators (OTEGs). Firstly, we will create the first generation of efficient organic thermoelectric materials with ZT> 0.8 at room temperature: (i) by optimizing not only the power factor but also the thermal conductivity; (ii) by demonstrating that a large power factor is obtained in inorganic-organic nanocomposites. Secondly, we will optimize thermoelectrochemical cells by considering various types of electrolytes. The research activities proposed are at the cutting edge in material sciences and involve chemical synthesis, interface studies, thermal physics, electrical, electrochemical and structural characterization, device physics. The project is held at Linköping University holding a world leading research in polymer electronics.

Keywords: conducting polymers