Research*eu results magazine. N° 35, September 2014.
Date: 2014-08-26
Institutions: CORDIS, Publications Office of the European Union
Subjects: research, research and development, research project, serial publication

ISSN 1977-4028

research eu

R E S U L T S   M A G A Z I N E

N°35
SEPTEMBER 2014

SPECIAL FEATURE

BACTERIA: SMALL ORGANISMS,

BIG IMPACT

BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
A NEW LOOK AT 
TREATMENTS FOR 
CHILDHOOD 
CANCERS
» PAGE 12

SOCIAL SCIENCES  
AND HUMANITIES
EU CITIZEN SCIENCE 
INITIATIVE ASKS US 
ALL TO DO OUR PART
» PAGE 17

research eu
R E S U LT S   M AG A Z I N E

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ED ITORIAL

by the editorial team

TAPPING INTO THE 
UNLIMITED POTENTIAL 
OF BACTERIA

Groundbreaking, major, game changing… The use of superlatives is commonplace 
when it comes to advances in science. One could think such jaw-dropping discoveries 
are made possible only through equally sizeable means and resources. But often the 
real surprises arise from the infinitesimally small, be it artificial — nanotechnology 
is probably the convincing example lately — or natural, with a considerable number 
of advances being made thanks to a better understanding of bacteria.

This trend started a long time ago. In 1860, Louis Pasteur discovered that many 
diseases were caused by bacteria and realised that heat and disinfectant could kill 
them. This finding alone — and later, 
that  of  antibiotics  by  Alexander 
Fleming — has helped save millions 
of lives while demonstrating that the 
things we cannot see are sometimes 
the most impactful for us and for the 
world we live in. 

‘Often the real 
surprises arise from 
the infinitesimally 
small’

Since then, the role of bacteria in the 
likes of our health, food fermentation, 
degradation of various compounds, 
chemical production, biotechnology, 
ecosystem  preservation  or  the 
replacement of pesticides has made these microorganisms one of the most exciting 
sources of inspiration for scientists. And much of this potential still remains untapped, 
with most bacteria still having to be characterised.

While summertime is often synonymous with sunshine and beaches, it is also the 
perfect season for most bacteria to thrive. An ideal opportunity for the research*eu 
results magazine to look into the latest EU projects making the most of, or fighting 
the negative effects of, bacteria.

This magazine puts the spotlight on nine projects related to bacteria. One of these 
is an interview with Dr Edurne Gaston of the Food Industry Association of Austria. 
She is also the coordinator of SAFEBAG, an EU project which set out to develop a new 
in-pack decontamination system for fresh produce. The system eliminates the need 
for  chemicals,  resulting  in  products  that  are  safer  for  human  health  and  the 
environment. 

These ‘specials’ are followed by our usual seven sections on biology and medicine, 
social  sciences  and  humanities,  energy  and  transport,  the  environment,  IT  and 
telecommunications, industrial technologies and space. The magazine closes with a 
list of upcoming events.

We look forward to receiving your feedback. You can send questions or suggestions 
to: editorial@cordis.europa.eu

Want more information on 
the contents of this issue?
For online versions or information 
about the contributors in this issue  
of research*eu results magazine:
CORDIS
•  http://cordis.europa.eu/projects
•  http://cordis.europa.eu/stories
•  http://cordis.europa.eu/news
European Research Council
•  http://erc.europa.eu
EC DG Research and Innovation
•  http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre

research eu

R E S U L T S   M A G A Z I N E

NEXT
ISSUE

Focus on  
Biotech for 
longer, healthier 
lives

20

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SPECIAL FEATURE

4  BACTERIA: SMALL ORGANISMS,  
BIG IMPACT

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ISSN 1831-9947

research eu

R E S U L T S   M A G A Z I N E

N°35
SEPTEMBER 2014

SPECIAL FEATURE

BACTERIA: SMALL ORGANISMS,

BIG IMPACT

BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
A NEW LOOK AT 
TREATMENTS FOR 
CHILDHOOD 
CANCERS
» PAGE 12

SOCIAL SCIENCES  
AND HUMANITIES
EU CITIZEN SCIENCE 
INITIATIVE ASKS US 
ALL TO DO OUR PART
» PAGE 17

4  A chemical-free decontamination system for fruit  

and vegetables
Intelligent wound dressing fights infections
A self-cleaning filter membrane
A high-tech solution for detecting bacteria in water
Cell factories ‘à la carte’
Bacteria to fight the war against corrosion

6 
6 
7 
8 
8 
9  Hundreds of new enzymes discovered
10  Reinventing the olive
11  Plants and bacteria generate electricity

12  BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
12  A new look at treatments for childhood 

cancers

13  Advancing childcare product development
14  Novel treatments for vision disorders
15  New health products from olive trees
15  Regenerate Beta cells — prevent diabetes
16  Novel treatment for schistosomiasis

17   SOCIAL SCIENCES 
AND HUMANITIES

17  EU citizen science initiative asks us  

all to do our part

18  Language development in deaf children
19  Promoting prosperity in the  

Mediterranean

20  ENERGY AND TRANSPORT
20  More efficient in-flight aircraft testing 

methods

21  New motors to boost electric and  

hybrid cars

22  Smart design and nanotechnology  
to cut aircraft operational costs
23  Multifunctional aircraft composites
23  New software brings the right wind  

farm to the right spot

24  Modelling aeroplane power systems
25  Greener and cheaper photovoltaics

26  ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIETY
26  Mapping greenhouse emissions  
to prevent climate change
27  A genetic test to screen healthy pigs
28  EU project develops state-of-the-art  
in marine ecosystem modelling

29  Cattle conservation in the Mediterranean
29  The automated fly trap
30  Predicting ozone layer depletion

31  IT AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
31  Helping SMEs fish the Big Data  

ocean

32  Parallel computing optimises desktops
33  Cloud computing: facilitating cutting edge 

collaborative research

34  Guaranteed security of wireless signals

35  INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES
35  Electronics-to-wear light up health care
36  Glass micro-component manufacture  

for the masses

37  Curing plastics with microwaves
37  Exploring biodiversity to produce sustainable 

cosmetics and agrochemicals
39  Manufacturing machinery adapts  

intelligently

39  Quieter and safer doors
40  WinePen tests grape ripeness on the vine
41  EU’s revolutionary assembly platform

42  SPACE
42  Microsatellites propelled into new era
43  Modelling suite to probe stellar explosions
44  Combating deforestation from space
45  The space-time connection
45  Making more sense of space

46 EVENTS

31

35

42

12

17

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4

research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014

S P E C I A L   F E A T U R E

SPECIAL FEATURE 
BACTERIA:  
SMALL 
ORGANISMS,  
BIG IMPACT

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INTERVIEW

A CHEMICAL-FREE 
DECONTAMINATION SYSTEM 
FOR FRUIT AND VEGETABLES
is  developing  a  chemical-free 
The  SAFEBAG  project 
decontamination  system  for  fresh  fruit  and  vegetables  that 
meets consumer demands for safe, nutrient-rich produce with 
minimal environmental impact. 

Globally,  we  are  witnessing  an 

increase in the number of out-
breaks  of  foodborne  illness 
associated with ready-to-eat fruit and 
vegetables. The treatments currently 
used,  including  chlorine  washing, 
often  leave  a  chemical  residue  and 
waste water. There is growing demand 
to  reduce  the  amount  of  chemicals 
used in the process, and this can be 
achieved  through  the  effective  yet 
environmentally-friendly decontami-
nation system currently being devel-
oped by SAFEBAG.

With  funding  from  the  FP7  pro-
gramme, the SAFEBAG team is devel-
oping a novel in-pack decontamination 
system that will enable us to reduce 
the  amount  of  chemicals  used  in 
washing.  The  system  is  based  on  a 
cold atmospheric plasma, generated 
inside  a  sealed  package  containing 

the  food,  which  produces  highly 
charged  particles  (free  radicals)  to 
damage  or  destroy  bacteria. 
Preliminary research has already indi-
cated  that  this  in-pack  non-thermal 
plasma (an energetic ionised gas) can 
significantly reduce the microbial load 
of fresh fruits and vegetables. 

SAFEBAG is now advancing this knowl-
edge by carrying out further research 
to maximise potential benefits of this 
technology.  The  plasma-based  pre-
competitive prototype has been built 
by the team and is ready to be tested 
by the industry in terms of effective-
ness in decontaminating fresh bagged 
fruits and vegetables.

As the project enters this crucial test-
ing phase, Dr Edurne Gaston Estanga, 
Group Leader of Food Technologies at 
IRIS in Spain and Project Coordinator 
of SAFEBAG, speaks with research*eu 

magazine  about  the  innovative  ele-
ments of the technology and the way 
forward after industry approval.

  What are the main objectives 
of the project?

SAFEBAG: The overall objective of the 
project is to develop a pre-competitive 
prototype of a novel process to reduce 
microbial  load  in  packed  fresh-cuts, 
based  on  cold  atmospheric  plasma 
technology. Such a process will ensure 
food safety and extend the shelf-life 
of  the  produce  without  altering  its 
quality or nutritional profiles.

To  achieve  this  goal,  five  objectives 
were  set.  Firstly,  we  aimed  to  use  a 
lab-scale plasma test-rig to optimise 
the plasma process parameters that 
lead to maximum antimicrobial effi-
cacy  while  retaining  product  quality 
and  nutrition.  Our  second  objective 

 
 
 
5

retention  of  key  quality  parameters, 
whereas  certain  produce  has  shown 
less  favourable  results  (e.g.  leafy 
greens).  Given  the  diversity  of  food 
products found in the industry, there is 
no universal approach with regards to 
food processing. 

  What are the next steps for the 
project, and after its end?

The  pre-competitive  prototype  has 
been built and is ready for industrial 
validation, which involves testing the 
technology for a wide range of indus-
trial products and conditions. The vali-
dation  trials  will  take  place  at  the 
project partner sites, Nature’s Best in 
Ireland  and  Verdifresh  in  Spain.  The 
control of the technology under indus-
trial-like conditions is key to the suc-
cessful  adoption  of  the  technology. 
Additional steps will be geared towards 
implementing the further development 
and scale-up recommendations result-
ing from industry validation trials.

  When do you expect the system 
to be commercialised?
It is still too early to predict this. There 
has been significant interest from pro-
cessors  around  the  world.  Testing  of 
the prototype under industrial condi-
tions needs to be completed, followed 
by a next generation technology aimed 
at commercial level processing condi-
tions. It is envisaged that this could be 
completed in 2–3 years.

SAFEBAG

 Coordinated by IRIS in Spain.
Funded under FP7-SME.
http://cordis.europa.eu/result/

rcn/142730_en.html 

Project website:  

http://www.safebag-fp7.eu/ 

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DR EDURNE GASTON ESTANGA

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was  to  characterise  the  physical 
plasma discharge and to correlate it 
with antimicrobial efficacy, in order to 
better understand the insides of the 
process. Thirdly, we aimed to scale up 
the process to pre-competitive level, 
i.e. to design and build an industrial 
prototype  unit.  Our  final  two  objec-
tives  were  to  validate  the  perfor-
mance  of  the  prototype  unit  in  the 
fresh-cut industry and to demonstrate 
the viability of the prototype unit.

  Why is the improvement of 
decontamination solutions for 
vegetables so important?

Chlorine is one of the most effective 
sanitisers and its use is widespread in 
the  fresh-cut  industry.  Despite  strict 
safety & hygiene standards during pro-
cessing, outbreaks of foodborne illness 
associated with ready-to-eat fruit and 
vegetables exist globally. New risks are 
often encountered because of chang-
ing characteristics of relevant micro-
organisms  and  the  environment. 
Increasing the safety of these products 
is  of  paramount  importance  for  pro-
tecting consumers, especially in view 
of the growth in the consumption of 
packaged fresh-cut produce. 

  What is new or innovative 
about the project’s approach to 
such decontamination?

The  use  of  cold  atmospheric  plasma 
for  food  preservation  purposes  is  an 
innovation in itself, and this technology 
has recently been added to the list of 
non-thermal  processes  for  foods. 
Moreover, the novelty of the SAFEBAG 
approach lies in generating the plasma 
inside a sealed package containing the 
produce, which facilitates rapid treat-
ment and eliminates the risk of post-
process contamination. SAFEBAG is a 
dry,  non-thermal  and  chemical-free 

washing  technology,  compatible  with 
online production and MAP packaging, 
which leaves no hazardous residues in 
the treated produce.

   How does plasma 
decontamination work exactly?

Plasma (also known as the fourth state 
of matter) is electrically energised gas 
whereby constituent molecules of the 
gas split to yield free electrons, radi-
cals, positive and negative ions, quanta 
of  electromagnetic  radiation,  while 
some molecules may still remain neu-
tral. There are several types of plas-
mas  depending  on  the  conditions  in 
which  they  are  generated.  SAFEBAG 
uses  cold  atmospheric  (i.e.  at  near 
room  temperature)  plasma  with  a  
dielectric barrier discharge approach. 
The food package is treated between 
two high voltage electrodes. The high-  
voltage process ionises the gas within 
the  electric  field,  including  the  gas  
contained within the package. It is this 
mix of active species which results in 
the  anti-microbial  effect.  Reactive  
species interact with the food surface 
by altering the cell surface structure. 
This  leads  to  release  of  cell  compo-
nents, thus affecting cell integrity. DNA 
damage can also occur depending on 
the type of bacteria. Crucially the active 
gas  reverts  back  to  stability  shortly 
after, meaning no residual chemicals 
are left on the product. 

  Your aim is to increase shelf 
life while maintaining the 
product’s nutritional value. How 
successful is the project in this 
regard?

Laboratory work has shown promising 
results for a range of fresh fruits and 
vegetables,  including  spinach,  cherry 
tomatoes and strawberries, with signif-
icant  extensions  of  shelf-life  and 

 SPECIAL FEATUREresearch*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
 
 
6

INTELLIGENT WOUND DRESSING FIGHTS 
INFECTIONS
An innovative wound dressing promises to alert for infections and to tackle bacteria by locally delivering 
antimicrobial  agents  on  demand.  This  is  achieved  by  integrating  natural  biological  processes  with 
nanotechnology materials.

Depending on the severity, burning causes injury to the 

different layers of skin, thereby exposing an individ-
ual  to  potential  pathogens.  Bacterial  infections  in 
burn victims are common and hamper recovery especially 
in young and old patients. 

Scientists of the EU-funded BACTERIOSAFE (Active wound 
dressings based on biological mimicry) project have set out 
to develop specialised dressings capable of detecting and 
tackling bacteria in burn wounds. The innovative design is 
based on the natural ability of bacteria to secrete virulence 
factors  and  rupture  the  outer  membrane  of  eukaryotic 
cells. This capacity is being exploited by the BACTERIOSAFE 
consortium  to  disrupt  novel  biomimetic  polymer-  
nanocapsules leading to the release of antimicrobials.

Partners have designed and constructed over 200 varia-
tions of nanocapsules. In order to glue them on the dress-
ing  material,  researchers  have  tested  various  methods, 
including aerosol spraying, adhesion on a sticky film and 
even embedding nanocapsules in hydrogel layers. The lat-
ter approach leads to a higher dosage of reagents and is 
believed to be more efficacious.

BACTERIOSAFE’s  innovative  wound  dressing  has  been 
designed not only to exploit natural processes but also to 
mimic them. As a result, a significant part of the work has 
been devoted to the biological activity and the biocompat-
ibility  of  the  nanocapsules.  This  entailed  optimising  the 
concentrations of the antiseptics to prevent toxicity, and 
screening  the  impact  of  the  nanocapsules  on  cellular 
growth and uptake.

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The ultimate aim of the BACTERIOSAFE project is to mini-
mise the need for frequent changes of wound dressings by 
providing  an  optical  indicator  of  bacterial  infection  and 
offering prompt treatment. This innovative design will be 
compatible with existing burn dressings as an add-on and 
is expected to significantly improve burn wound care.

BACTERIOSAFE

 Coordinated by the Max Planck Society in Germany.
 Funded under FP7-NMP.
http://cordis.europa.eu/projects/rcn/94733_en.html 
Project website:  

http://www2.mpip-mainz.mpg.de/eu-projekte/bacteriosafe/

  http://bit.ly/1tyMnp8

A SELF-CLEANING FILTER MEMBRANE
Filtration membranes are used in a wide range of industrial applications, but bacterial films, or biofilms, 
that grow on such membranes decrease their efficiency. Now, researchers have developed a conductive 
membrane that can rid itself of biofilms.

Biofilms can reduce the efficiency of 

membranes  by  up  to  50 %,  and 
increase cleaning costs. In addition, 
membranes need to be replaced often 
due  to  fouling,  increased  membrane 
pressure or constant cleaning.

The  EU-funded  CONDUCTMEM 
(Development  of  a  conductive  mem-
brane that generates oxidising surface 

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to prevent biofilm formation and foul-
ing) project was envisioned to build a 
conductive  membrane  that  destroys 
biofilms through the production of oxi-
dising chemicals on the membrane sur-
face.  The  project  first  developed  10 
different  conductive  membranes  with 
differing  pore  sizes,  conductivity  and 
flow rates. These were tested to see if 
they could remove biofilms as research-
ers expected.

The  best  membrane  was  chosen  and 
installed in a laboratory-scale prototype 
filtration  device,  which  successfully 
destroyed biofilms during short filtering 
runs. A demonstration-scale prototype 
with an automated control system was 
then built and installed in an industrial 
wastewater filtering plant.

After several adjustments to operating 
conditions, the prototype was deemed 
successful in destroying biofilms during 
continuous  operation.  When  imple-
mented, the CONDUCTMEM device will 
save operational costs and help compa-
nies comply with increasingly stringent 
water use regulations in the EU.

CONDUCTMEM

 Coordinated by Fraunhofer in Germany.
 Funded under FP7-SME.
http://cordis.europa.eu/projects/

rcn/100444_en.html

Project website:  

http://www.conductmem.fraunhofer.eu

  http://bit.ly/1p9EAd6 

SPECIAL FEATUREresearch*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
 
 
 
 
7

A HIGH-TECH SOLUTION FOR DETECTING 
BACTERIA IN WATER

Water quality and safety can never be taken for granted. Every day, millions of tons of 
inadequately treated sewage, industrial and agricultural wastes are poured into the 
world’s lakes, rivers and oceans — the equivalent of the weight of the entire human 
population in the form of pollution. 

Many industries, from food to metal working, require 

huge quantities of water for their processes, and 
water quality may seriously affect the quality of fin-
ished products, sometimes resulting in waterborne death 
and  illness.  Researchers  on  an  EU-funded  project  have 
devised  an  innovative  new  way  for  them  to  tackle  this 
issue. 

They  have  developed  a  high-tech  device  designed  to 
detect bacteria in water. The new system will be able to 
monitor,  in  real  time,  the  quality  of  industrial  process 
water  and  efflu-
ents using an ‘opto-  
ultrasonic’  device 
and 
lipid-based 
diagnostic kit. 

“The system will be able to 
detect a range of bacteria 
strains in water, including 
salmonella, listeria 
monocytogenes and 
campylobacter.”

This is the result of 
t h e  
A Q U A L I T Y 
(Online  industrial 
water quality anal-
ysis  system  for 
rapid and accurate detection of pathogens) initiative, a 
project launched in December 2011 and funded under the 
EU’s Seventh Framework Programme. The research ended 
in February and the device is currently undergoing field 
tests in Norway. 

These field tests are of crucial importance for the indus-
try, where water quality impacts directly on production 
performances, operational costs and sustainability. 

The danger posed by pollutants is illustrated by the fact 
that fresh water contaminated with pathogens used in the 
preparation of food has been the source of foodborne dis-
ease.  It  is  estimated  to  cause  76  million  illnesses,  
325 000 serious illnesses resulting in hospitalisation and 
5 000 deaths each year in the USA alone. The situation in 
Europe is similar — in the UK, for example, foodborne and 
waterborne illness affected one in every 1 000 in 2005, 
doubling the number of reported cases in 1995. 

Identifying pollutants in water is, currently, mostly carried 
out manually through sampling and laboratory analysis 
(off-line analysis). But existing methods are time consum-
ing and costly, meaning that the number of analyses has 
to be kept to an absolute minimum. 

This  is  why  industry  called  for  both  novel  and  cost-  
effective solutions and more rapid methods, online and at 
laboratory  scale,  for  detecting  major  waterborne 
pathogens. 

The online water monitoring device developed under the 
AQUALITY project is the first of its kind and is designed to 
replace routine sampling and lab testing of pathogens. 
The  system  will  be  able  to  detect  a  range  of  bacteria 

strains  in  water,  including  salmonella,  listeria  mono-
cytogenes and campylobacter. 

The US Department of Agriculture estimates the medical 
costs and productivity losses associated with these three 
types of bacteria alone amount to at least USD 6.9 billion 
annually. 

AQUALITY  involved  a  multi-Member  State  consortium, 
coordinated by the Spanish company ENSATEC. 

Jose Manuel Ochoa Martínez, from the project, said the 
three-year research had produced tangible results, nota-
bly a new method for microbiological contamination anal-
ysis which will ‘rapidly’ detect the presence of bacteria 
strains  in  water  and  wastewater.  Preliminary  results,  
he  noted,  are  ‘really  promising  and  in  line  with 
expectations.’ 

He added, ‘The novelty of our approach is the use of engi-
neered  liposomes  for  detecting  bacteria  in  water.  This 
achievement represents a potentially huge competitive 
advantage for the enterprise proposing it and could open 
up a significant international market.’

AQUALITY

 Coordinated by ENSATEC in Spain.
 Funded under FP7-SME.
http://cordis.europa.eu/news/rcn/36501_en.html
Project website:  

http://aquality-project.eu/

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 SPECIAL FEATUREresearch*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
 
8

CELL FACTORIES ‘À LA CARTE’
Using microbes as cell factories is nothing new, but an EU project has developed means to genetically 
streamline bacteria to produce vitamins and industrial proteins. Cutting out unnecessary DNA and 
inserting desired genes will enable researchers to create microbes with the lowest possible energy use 
but maximum productivity.

Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis), found 

naturally in soil and hay as well 
as the human gut is highly ame-
nable to genetic manipulation. As a 
result,  it  is  now  used  as  a  model 
organism for research and industrial 
production  of  nutraceuticals  like  
vitamin B.

“The research team stepped 
up the efficiency of vitamin 
B5 production by 40 %.”

The BASYNTHEC (Bacterial synthetic 
minimal genomes for biotechnology) 
project has cut to the minimum the 
genetic content of B. subtilis to cre-
ate the ultimate cell factory. This has 
allowed the research team to step up 
efficiency  of  vitamin  B5  production 
by 40 %. The door to exploration into 
the effects of removing genes on cell 
regulation and survival has also been 
opened up.

Massively  cutting  genetic  material 
from a cell can lead to an unaccepta-
ble  reduction  in  product  output. 
BASYNTHEC researchers got around 
this problem by using computer mod-
elling to select genes crucial for opti-
mal production. The next step was to 
take the basic streamlined bacterium 
and add ‘plug-ins’, groups of genes 
that control the desired function.

A  total  of  290  new  vitamin 
B5-producing strains and 405 strains 
that  produced  alpha-amylase  were 
cut and then built back up for high-
throughput screening. Alpha-amylase 
is  an  enzyme  with  many  industrial 
uses, including production of syrups 
from basic crops such as wheat, rice 
and potato.

When so many potential strains can 
be developed, a rapid screening pro-
cess  to  select  the  best  possible 
microbe  is  essential.  A  BASYNTHEC 
partner has filed two patent applica-
tions for the use of high-throughput 
technology  for  screening  B.  subtilis 

strains  with  improved  vitamin  B5 
production.

The  BASYNTHEC  team  also  made 
headway in researching the mecha-
nisms behind resistance to a broad-
spectrum  antibiotic,  sublancin. 
Deleting genes is one way of deter-
mining exactly what job they do, and 
the  researchers  identified  many 
genes  involved  in  sublancin  resist-
ance  and  transport.  This  is  a  major 
step  towards  disease  treatment  in 
the face of antimicrobial resistance.

BASYNTHEC  research  has  laid  the 
foundation for production of microbes 
with the basics for survival and the 
ability  to  be  modified  according  to 
production  requirements.  The  ulti-
mate in designer bacterial cell facto-
ries is just around the corner.

BASYNTHEC

Coordinated by INRA in France.
Funded under FP7-KBBE.
http://cordis.europa.eu/projects/

rcn/94294_en.html 

BACTERIA TO FIGHT THE WAR AGAINST 
CORROSION
The financial impact of metal corrosion exceeds 
EUR 1.32 trillion annually, with up to 50 % of cases 
associated with microorganisms. An eco-friendly 
inhibitor  developed  with  EU  funding  promises 
billions of euro in savings.

Corrosion is the primary means of metal deterioration, 

affecting the safety and function of critical infrastruc-
ture and equipment around the world. EU-funded sci-
entists are developing eco-friendly technology to combat 
‘Microbial-influenced corrosion’ (MIC) within the scope of 
the project BIOCORIN (New biocoating for corrosion inhibi-
tion in metal surfaces).

When microorganisms adhere to and thrive on metal sur-
faces they create a biofilm that serves as the first stage of 
biofouling.  Because  current  anti-fouling  solutions  have 
raised  concerns  about  negative  environmental  impact, 
researchers turned to nature to ‘fight fire with fire’. Anti-
fouling microorganisms that secrete anti-MIC compounds 
in response to the presence of MIC as a result of the natu-
ral antagonism among microbial populations are the key.

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SPECIAL FEATUREresearch*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
The BIOCORIN team used genetic techniques to identify 
bacteria, fungi and yeast associated with fouling and MIC 
in samples obtained from four different climatic zones. 
They also identified two candidate bacteria with anti-MIC 
properties that were confirmed to be present in the ana-
lysed environments and active on corroded steel plates.

“The BIOCORIN technology  
is expected to increase 
infrastructure durability  
by up to 30 % and 
decrease costs by 20 % 
compared to currently 
available solutions.”

have 
Scientists 
incorporated  these 
microorganisms in a 
sol-gel  matrix  and 
applied  the  coating 
with  various  tech-
niques.  Preliminary 
tests  of  chemical 
corrosion resistance, 
mechanical stability 
and  anti-fouling 
microorganism  via-
bility have yielded promising results. Specifically, the coat-
ing retained corrosion resistance after immersion in saline 
solution for 40 days and all microorganisms were still via-
ble after the 11-day test point.

A life-cycle assessment is underway to evaluate the envi-
ronmental aspects and potential impacts of the BIOCORIN 
solution  over  the  entire  product  life  cycle.  A  political, 

9

economic,  social  and  technological  analysis  of  external 
factors  that  can  affect  the  product’s  performance  has 
pointed  to  important  considerations  for  future  product 
development.

The BIOCORIN technology is expected to increase infra-
structure durability by up to 30 % and decrease costs by 
20 % compared to currently available solutions. The over-
all  economic  impact  is  estimated  at  approximately  
EUR  612  billion  of  savings  on  direct  costs  of  MIC. 
Environmental benefits abound as well, ranging from min-
imising  the  use  of  hazardous  substances  to  decreasing 
material usage and energy consumption.

BIOCORIN

 Coordinated by Acciona Infraestructuras in Spain.
 Funded under FP7-ENVIRONMENT.
http://cordis.europa.eu/projects/rcn/102601_en.html
Project website:  

http://www.biocorin.eu

HUNDREDS OF NEW ENZYMES DISCOVERED
Marine microorganisms are a promising and still mostly untapped source of enzymes for commercial 
use. Now, researchers have developed a way to screen for enzyme activity, finding hundreds of new 
enzymes in the process.

Microorganisms,  and  particu-

larly  bacteria,  represent  a 
large  portion  of  the  genetic 
diversity on Earth. But scientists can-
not grow most of these microorgan-
isms  in  laboratory  conditions,  thus 
limiting  our  access  to  the  enzymes 
(biological  catalysts  that  speed  up 
various reactions) they produce.

“This novel approach 
identified more than    
1 100 potential new enzymes, 
of which 600 were selected 
for more in-depth studies.”

The  EU-funded  MAMBA  (Marine 
metagenomics for new biotechnolog-
ical  applications)  project  set  out  to 
develop  and  apply  a  new  way  to 
screen  microorganisms  for  useful 
enzyme activity. 

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A high-throughput method was suc-
cessfully devised at the start of the 
project.  Samples  were  taken  from 

various  extreme  marine  locations 
and used to create ‘expression librar-
ies’ — a well-established method for 

 SPECIAL FEATUREresearch*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
 
10

screening  all  expressed  genes  in  a 
given  sample  of  microorganisms. 
These  libraries  were  then  screened 
directly for enzyme activity on specific 
enzyme targets known as substrates. 

This  novel  approach  identified  more 
than 1 100 potential new enzymes, of 
which 600 were selected for more in-
depth studies. Half of those were iso-
lated to be investigated further, and 
more than 40 new enzyme structures 
were elucidated. 

These  figures  mean  that  MAMBA 
researchers  effectively  doubled  the 
number of known enzymes that oper-
ate  at  extreme  temperatures,  high 
salinity and pH values. The protocols 
and  screening  platform  used  in  the 
project  have  been  commercialised, 
and several enzymes identified have 
been  earmarked  for  commercial 
development.  Exploration  of  the  full 
scope of marine biodiversity is still at 
an early stage, but an important step 

in identifying the potential of micro-
bial diversity has been made.

MAMBA

  Coordinated by Bangor University  

in the United Kingdom.
 Funded under FP7-KBBE.
http://cordis.europa.eu/projects/

rcn/91262_en.html

Project website:  

http://mamba.bangor.ac.uk

REINVENTING THE OLIVE
Olives are without doubt an asset in any diet. European research has improved the health status of this 
important ingredient of a Mediterranean-style menu.

control of some types of cancer and lowering of serum cho-
lesterol levels.

Project scientists screened and isolated 38 LAB strains that 
have probiotic properties for further testing. The screening 
process  included 
chemical  analysis 
for the sensory and 
taste properties of 
the olives, and tra-
ditional  microbial 
screening  for  the 
nutritional  benefit 
aspect. Every coun-
try’s  olives  are 
unique and each member of the PROBIOLIVES project selected 
the best cultures according to this criterion. Altogether, part-
ners in Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Tunisia selected 10 
optimal strains.

“The researchers are adding 
microbes that act as 
probiotics to improve 
consumer health.”

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PROBIOLIVES’ researchers developed modelling tools to sim-
ulate the results of fermentation using the selected strains 
along with other predictive models for assessing the risk of 
pathogen survival. The strains showing normal fermentation 
can then be included in EU food safety trials.

The olive it seems is a miracle food. According to world-

wide research, the black or green fruit is nutritious, pro-
tects the heart, improves memory, can control appetite 
and is delicious in a wide range of dishes. Olive processing 
involves  fermentation  to  enhance  taste  and  improve 
preservation.

The EU-funded PROBIOLIVES (Table olive fermentation with 
selected strains of probiotic lactic acid bacteria. Towards a 
new functional food) project is honing the biochemistry of the 
fermentation process and turning the olive into even more of 
a functional food. Using specially selected strains of bacteria, 
the researchers are adding microbes that act as probiotics to 
improve consumer health.

During the natural fermentation of olives, ‘Lactic acid bacte-
ria’ (LAB) are the dominant microbes. Health benefits of these 
microorganisms include improved nutritional value of food, 
control of intestinal infections, better digestion of lactose, 

Packaging and storage systems were also tested to ensure the 
survival of the unique strains and the overall quality of the 
final product on the shelf. Successful scaling up from lab to 
industrial level was achieved for certain strains, including the 
validation of one strain of Lactobacillus pentosus. 

Dissemination has been maximised through the web page, 
press  releases,  TV  and  radio  interviews,  and  workshops. 
PROBIOLIVES’ work has not only made way for production of 
an even healthier health food, but also promises a more com-
petitive European olive industry.

PROBIOLIVES

  Coordinated by the Hellenic Agricultural Organisation  

in Greece.

 Funded under FP7-SME.
Project website:  

http://www.probiolives.eu

SPECIAL FEATUREresearch*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
11

PLANTS AND BACTERIA GENERATE 
ELECTRICITY

A  recent  EU  research  project  developed  a  proof-of-concept  ‘fuel  cell’  (FC)  that 
generated power using growing plants and bacteria. Scientists are now looking at 
advancing this concept towards commercial application.

A ‘Plant microbial fuel cell’ (Plant-

MFC) is an electrochemical sys-
tem  in  which  plants  harvest 
light  and  carbon  dioxide  (CO2),  and 
release small amounts of chemicals 
into the growth medium. There, spe-
cific bacteria convert the chemicals 
into chemical potential energy. While 
early results in this field have been 
promising, work is needed to improve 
energy output.

As such, the EU-funded PLANTPOWER 
(Living plants in microbial fuel cells 
for  clean,  renewable,  sustainable, 
efficient,  in-situ  bioenergy  produc-
tion)  project  aimed  to  improve  the 
net  power  output  of  the  Plant-MFC 
from 0.0067 watts per square metre 
(W/m2) to 3.2 W/m2. To achieve this, 
scientists  needed  to  optimise  every 
aspect  of  the  system  and  improve 
knowledge of how the various com-
ponents interact.

Researchers  settled  on  grasses  as 
the most promising type of plant as 
they are fast-growing, abundant and 
did not lose vitality while growing in 
the  Plant-MFC.  In  addition,  Plant-
MFCs  with  grasses  produced  high 
power  and  high  biomass  for  other 
applications.

Genetic  differences  in  the  rate  of 
chemical release by the plants were 
investigated,  and  point  to  physical 
root traits as being the most impor-
tant factor. The team also chose the 
most promising bacterial species in 
order  to  develop  a  Plant-MFC 
inoculum.

Modelling was used to optimise and 
speed up the Plant-MFC system. The 
model included growth rates, exuda-
tion  (the  release  of  the  chemicals 
into the medium), root turnover and 
energy performance.

More  work  is  needed  to  produce  a 
useful Plant-MFC, including improv-
ing  the  electrodes,  upscaling  and 
real-world  testing.  Environmental 
and  economic  analyses  are  also 
required  to  help  PLANTPOWER  pro-
duce a commercial FC.

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“Researchers settled on grasses as the 
most promising type of plant as they 
are fast-growing, abundant and did not 
lose vitality while growing  
in the Plant-MFC .”

PLANTPOWER

  Coordinated by Wageningen 
University in the Netherlands.

 Funded under FP7-ENERGY.
Project website:  

http://www.plantpower.eu

  http://bit.ly/1uej9Qe

 SPECIAL FEATUREresearch*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
1212

B I O L O G Y   A N D   M E D I C I N E

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B I O L O G Y   A N D   M E D I C I N E

A NEW LOOK  
AT TREATMENTS FOR 
CHILDHOOD CANCERS
Children rarely develop tumours, but if they do, the prognosis is 
uncertain. Sometimes, the growth just disappears, without therapy. 
Unfortunately, few families are so lucky, and there are only a handful 
of specifically developed treatments. The EU-funded ASSET project 
is finding better ways to tackle some of the cancers that can appear 
in early life.

Medulloblastoma  and  neuro-

blastoma  are  tumours  that 
mainly  affect  small  children; 
Ewing  sarcoma  is  a  disease  that 
peaks  in  the  teenage  years.  At  the 
moment,  it  is  hard  to  tell  how  such 
tumours, once diagnosed, are likely to 
progress, and how best to treat them.

ASSET  (Analysing  and  Striking  the 
Sensitivities of Embryonal Tumours) 

set  out  to  address  this  challenge. 
Three years into the project, the team 
has already proposed new combina-
tions  of  existing  drugs  that  are 
expected  to  treat  specific  childhood 
cancers more effectively and produce 
fewer side effects.

These advances may reach clinics in 
as little as two years. Admittedly, this 
may  seem  like  a  very  long  time  for 

patients  facing  cancer  today.  But  
it  is  considerably  faster  than  the 
development of new drugs, where the 
lead times can exceed a decade.

Speed,  says  project  coordinator 
Professor Walter Kolch of University 
College Dublin, is one of the team’s 
priorities, which is why the research-
ers are determined to refine the use 
of  existing  drugs.  But,  of  course, 

research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
 
research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014
B I O L O G Y   A N D   M E D I C I N E

13

ASSET  is  also  exploring  options  for 
new treatments. It is doing so through 
an  in-depth  investigation  of  the 
molecular  mechanisms  that  cause 
tumours.

To  identify  these  mechanisms,  the 
partners are using a systems biology 
approach. ‘Instead of analysing single 
molecules,’ says Kolch, ‘the systems 
biology approach analyses how mole-
cules  interact  with  each  other  and 
with  other  processes.  So  it’s  not  so 
much about what’s wrong with a sin-
gle  molecule,  but  more  about  how 
what’s wrong with a single molecule 
impacts on a wide network of mole-
cules in the cell.’

“These advances may reach 
clinics in as little as  
two years.”

To explain, he uses the metaphor of 
an orchestra: a symphony is a collec-
tive effort. If a single instrument plays 
out of tune, cacophony could ensue.

happen. Or rather, how many genetic 
mutations  are  needed  to  cause  a 
tumour.

‘The mutations that occur in tumours 
mainly  impinge  on  so-called  signal 
construction networks, the regulatory 
networks which control what the cell 
does: whether a cell grows, whether it 
dies, whether it differentiates,’ Kolch 
explains. If there is something wrong 
in this communication, the cell ends 
up following a different beat.

That said, he adds, the human system 
is fairly robust and, depending on their 
nature or extent, mutations don’t nec-
essarily spell trouble. As we age, we 
acquire an increasing number of them, 
and  it  is  much  harder  to  work  out 
which  ones  are  actually  related  to 
disease.

Hence  the  emphasis  on  childhood 
tumours, where the key mutations can 
be  more  readily  observed  than  in 
tumours  that  are  more  likely  to 
develop in later life. ‘Colorectal can-
cers  can  have  up  to  1  000  or  more 
mutations,’  says  Kolch.  ‘Medullo-
blastomas on average have around 10.’

Detecting dissonances

All together now

ASSET is establishing how many dis-
cordant instruments it takes for this to 

The  partners  involved  in  ASSET  
combine  expertise  that  covers  the 

whole  process,  from  fundamental 
research  to  clinical  application.  This 
complementarity, says Kolch, is cru-
cial. ‘Our work,’ he adds, ‘shows how 
computational modelling can help to 
elucidate the causes of diseases and 
guide  the  development  of  new 
therapies.’

The  implications  of  the  team’s  work 
extend well beyond its remit. ASSET is 
also looking into the similarities of the 
molecular miscommunication causing 
childhood  cancers  and  a  number  of 
other tumours, such as melanomas.

In doing so, the project is helping to 
consolidate  a  new  understanding  of 
tumours  that  approaches  them  as 
resulting from disruptions in cellular 
communication.  This  new  approach 
could pave the way to more effective 
therapies across the board.

ASSET

  Coordinated by University College 

Dublin in Ireland.

 Funded under FP7-HEALTH.
http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/

article_en.cfm?artid=32256

Project website:  

http://www.ucd.ie/sbi/asset/

ADVANCING CHILDCARE PRODUCT 
DEVELOPMENT
European  childcare  industries  joined  forces  to 
develop  a  set  of  knowledge-based  tools  for 
designing  high-added-value  products  based  on 
improved  comfort  and  performance  that  better 
match users’ needs.

Fashion and price have always been the major driving 

force when it comes to purchasing children’s products. 
However, parents are increasingly interested in com-
fort, health and usability as well as the features, character-
istics and science information related to these products.

Children’s needs differ significantly from those of adults 
and they evolve as the child develops. Apart from the phys-
ical parameters, when designing children’s products one 
should also bear in mind comfort and motor aspects as well 
as the cognitive impact these products have on children.

The  key  objective  of  the  EU-funded  DESIGN4CHILDREN 
(Development of innovative and cost-effective design sup-
port tools for the European childcare products industry pro-
moting  the  enhancement  of  children’s  comfort  and 
extending products’ lifespan) initiative was to advance the 
field  of  children’s  products  through  the  development  of 
knowledge-based tools. The consortium consisted of small 
and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with the scope being 
to  offer  innovative  knowledge  about  ergonomics  and 

comfort to companies working on children’s products. For 
this purpose, a set of three tools was designed to imple-
ment this knowledge in the product development and mar-
ket launch processes.

“The consortium generated 
a web-based interactive 
purchase adviser.”

Considerable research and development effort was put into 
understanding the biomechanical, ergonomic and physio-
logical interactions between children’s products and their 
users. Through focus 
group conversations, 
children-relevant 
blogs,  published 
studies,  anthropo-
metric  databases 
and experimentation 
with  users,  the  consortium  collected  all  the  knowledge 
needed to develop a design-support application. This knowl-
edge was used to define a set of fitting and usability crite-
ria to enable manufacturers to incorporate all necessary 
features  and  add  enhanced  functionalities  to  children’s 
products.

Additionally, a virtual tester was constructed to evaluate 
the performance of a given product design without it being 
manufactured. This system is aimed at designers of child-
care products and could benefit manufacturers by reducing 
production costs.

14

B I O L O G Y   A N D   M E D I C I N E

Finally, the consortium generated a web-based interactive 
purchase adviser. The scope of this platform was to help 
both customers and retailers to select the products that 
better match the children’s needs.

With a number of press releases and participation in inno-
vation-related events, the DESIGN4CHILDREN project dis-
seminated its electronic design platform. Apart from the 
nearly 1 000 participating SMEs, this virtual design system 
is expected to benefit the entire European sector of SMEs 
associated with manufacturing and selling children’s prod-
ucts. Last but not least, this novel tool boasts the ability to 
improve  the  quality,  comfort  and  usability  of  childcare 
products in Europe.

DESIGN4CHILDREN

 Coordinated by ASEPRI in Spain.
 Funded under FP7-SME.
http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/95762_en.html 
Project website:  

http://www.design4children.eu

  http://bit.ly/1oKLjOA

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NOVEL TREATMENTS FOR VISION DISORDERS
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a group of hereditary disorders that lead to vision loss. Preserving the function 
of the degenerating cone photoreceptors was explored as a potential therapeutic intervention in RP 
patients.

experimentally  to  correct  RP.  Given 
that even 5 % of functional cones pro-
vide substantial vision, the EU-funded 
RDCVF (Rod-derived cone viability fac-
tor)  project  proposed  to  administer 
RdCVF  as  a  therapeutic  strategy 
against  the  secondary  degeneration 
of cones in RP.

In order to achieve clinical applicabil-
ity, the consortium had to ensure that 
it was able to produce good manufac-
turing  practices-level  functional 
RdCVF  protein  in  mammalian  cell 
lines.  For  this  purpose,  analytical 
methods were developed and specific 
polyclonal antibodies were produced. 
In addition, partners established a cul-
ture system from chick embryos that 
enabled them to assess the functional 
outcome of RdCVF protein expression 
in  terms  of  cone  photoreceptor  cell 
viability.  Assays  for  evaluating  the 
impact of RdCVF protein in vivo were 
also set up, including an automated 
cone counting system that essentially 
measured  cone  density  by  scanning 
the retinal surface. 

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Affecting  over  1  million  people 

worldwide, the genetically heter-
ogeneous  RP  diseases  stem 
from the degeneration of photorecep-
tors — the specialised neuronal cells 
in the eye capable of transducing light 
into  a  signal  to  the  brain.  In  RP,  rod 
photoreceptors  that  are  responsible 
for night vision degenerate first, fol-
lowed by cones, which mediate central 
and light-adapted vision.

The ‘Rod-derived cone viability factor’ 
(RdCVF),  a  protein  expressed  and 
secreted by rod photoreceptors, sus-
tains the viability of cone photorecep-
shown 
tors  and  has  been 

However,  the  hydrophobic  nature  of 
the protein hampered its scalable pro-
duction and purification using stand-
ard methods. As a result, researchers 
the  Nxnl1  gene  for 
explored 

maintaining photoreceptor integrity by 
responding to oxidative stress.

Pharmacokinetic and toxicology stud-
ies into the fate of intravitreal injec-
tion of marker proteins revealed that 
they enter the bloodstream and could 
potentially induce thrombocyte acti-
vation. In order for this administration 
route to be clinically viable, partners 
proposed  an  alternative  approach 
using nanoparticles that ensures sta-
ble release of the protein.

RdCVF  protein  administration  as  a 
therapy for RP has enormous potential 
provided its clinical-grade production 
overcomes certain technical hurdles. 
The pharmacological, pharmacokinet-
ics and toxicological studies proposed 
by the RDCVF study should still pave 
the way to a protein therapy.

RDCVF

 Coordinated by INSERM in France.
 Funded under FP7-HEALTH.
http://cordis.europa.eu/project/

rcn/94464_en.html 

Project website:  

http://www.rdcvf.eu

research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
 
 
 
 
research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014
B I O L O G Y   A N D   M E D I C I N E

15

NEW HEALTH PRODUCTS FROM OLIVE TREES
A method for the purification of several olive compounds that may have health benefits has recently been 
created.

The olive tree (Olea europea) is a major European crop, 

covering some 8.6 million cultivated hectares. Olive 
and olive leaf extracts are rich in biologically active 
compounds and have long been associated with reduced 
mortality and improved cardiovascular health.

The  EU-funded  OLITEC  (Bioactive  natural  compounds 
extracted and isolated from olive tree using modern tech-
nologies: Probing into their therapeutic potential) project 
was established to develop new ways to extract chemical 
compounds from olive trees and study them for potential 
health effects. Academic and industry researchers collabo-
rated  with  the  aim  of  producing  commercial  health 
products.

Traditional methods were used to isolate well known com-
pounds such as oleacein, oleocanthal, hydroxytyrosol and 
oleuropein. These were tested for anti-inflammatory activ-
ity, and also to find out whether they could be used to treat 
or prevent metabolic syndromes. 

OLITEC piloted new methods to enrich extracts for specific 
compounds:  olive  leaf  extracts  were  enriched  for 

oleuropein; olive wastewater was enriched for hydroxyty-
rosol; and an olive oil extract was enriched for polyphenols. 
For the first two extracts, researchers carried out a feasi-
bility  study 
commercialisation.

for 

“OLITEC piloted new 
methods to enrich extracts 
for specific compounds.”

This  project  has 
developed  several 
new health products 
from  olive  waste 
streams.  This  may 
help the olive industry remain competitive, indirectly con-
tributing to long-term human health.

OLITEC

 Coordinated by the University of Athens in Greece.
 Funded under FP7-PEOPLE.
http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/90638_en.html
Project website:  

http://olitec.pharm.uoa.gr/

REGENERATE BETA CELLS — PREVENT 
DIABETES
Diabetes constitutes a serious global health issue that has reached epidemic proportions over recent 
years. Understanding how the disease develops will help identify potential therapeutic targets.

‘Type  2  diabetes’  (T2D)  is  an 

autoimmune  disease  that 
develops  after  destruction  of 
the insulin-producing pancreatic beta 
cells.  The  disease  commences  with 
insulin resistance, a stage where the 
body tries to compensate for its ina-
bility  to  use  insulin  effectively.  This 
gradually leads to either a decrease in 
beta cell numbers or impaired insulin 
production.

To shed light on the molecular mech-
anisms  responsible  for  the  impaired 
beta cell proliferation, the EU-funded 
BCELL-T2D (Role of pancreatic beta-
cell regeneration in the pathophysiol-
ogy and treatment of insulin resistance 
and  type  2  diabetes)  project  con-
ducted  a  time  course  analysis  on  a 
diabetic transgenic mouse model. The 
idea was to identify molecular targets 
that could be exploited therapeutically 
to regenerate the impaired beta cell 
mass.

The  different  stages  observed  in 
human diabetes were recapitulated in 
the  mouse  model.  At  4–9  weeks  of 
age, animals developed insulin resist-
ance,  frank  diabetes  was  seen  at 

10–18 weeks of age, while advanced 
diabetes  and  its  complications  were 
observed  only  in  animals  over  19 
weeks old. 

Interestingly, during the insulin resist-
ance  phase  an  increase  in  beta  cell 
mass was observed. This proliferative 
expansion of beta cells coincided with 
an increase in cells expressing gluca-
gon. Glucagon is a hormone that con-
verts  glycogen  into  glucose  and 
stimulates the release of insulin. Mice 
expressing  glucagon  managed  to 
compensate for insulin resistance and 
did not develop diabetes.

Based  on  this  interesting  finding, 
BCELL-T2D researchers explored vari-
ous approaches for inducing beta cell 
proliferation,  including  cell  cycle 
inducers  (cyclin  C).  Furthermore, 
through a library of small molecules, 
the  coral-based  compound  epoxy-
pukalide emerged as a candidate for 
supporting beta cell proliferation and 
function.

Taken together, the outcomes of the 
BCELL-T2D  study  emphasised  the 
potential of beta cell proliferation to 

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revert the diabetic phenotype. Clinical 
validation of this approach may help 
prevent the onset of diabetes. Success 
would considerably reduce the health-
care burden associated with this dis-
ease and improve the quality of life of 
diabetic patients.

BCELL-T2D

  Coordinated by Fundación Biomédica 

Cádiz in Spain.

 Funded under FP7-PEOPLE.
http://cordis.europa.eu/project/

rcn/94023_en.html

 
 
 
16

B I O L O G Y   A N D   M E D I C I N E

NOVEL TREATMENT FOR  
SCHISTOSOMIASIS
Schistosomiasis is a serious chronic infectious disease afflicting millions of sufferers 
in the developing world. A European study aimed to find ways of treating the disease 
or preventing its spread.

key objective of the EU-funded SCHISTOSOMA PROTEASE 
(Bioactive  serine  proteases  from  human  parasite 
Schistosoma mansoni) project was to investigate alterna-
tive therapeutic approaches. 

Scientists explored the option of targeting the parasite’s 
proteolytic enzymes whose normal function is to break 
down other proteins in various processes. These proteo-
lytic enzymes are highly similar to their mammalian coun-
terparts. Thus, they can interfere with the hosts’ normal 
processes  by  facilitating  immune  evasion  or  affecting 
anticoagulation and vasodilatation.

Researchers sequenced and verified the function of four 
S.  mansoni  proteolytic  enzyme  genes  and  determined 
their  expression  levels  at  different  parasite  life-cycle 
stages. High levels 
of  these  enzymes 
coincided with par-
asite host evasion, 
underscoring  their 
importance  in  the 
host–parasite 
interaction. 
Selective silencing 
of  these  protease 
genes at the infec-
tive  larvae  stage  (schistosomula)  provided  further  evi-
dence confirming their role in parasite infectivity.

“These tools could serve  
as the basis for the 
pharmacological targeting of 
the S. mansoni enzymes  
or for the design of 
prophylactic vaccines.”

Researchers devoted significant effort to the production 
of recombinant proteolytic enzymes as well as the gen-
eration of antibodies against these molecules. These tools 
could serve as the basis for the pharmacological target-
ing of the S. mansoni enzymes or for the design of pro-
phylactic vaccines. Overall, the SCHISTOSOMA PROTEASE 
study provided a scientific platform for the translational 
research and development of schistosomiasis therapeutic 
interventions.

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Caused by the blood parasite Schistosoma mansoni, 

schistosomiasis impacts physiological processes by 
modulating the host’s immune responses. As a result, 
parasites infect the urinary tract and intestine, inducing a 
series of symptoms that — depending on severity and 
duration — could lead to organ failure. 

Disrupting the parasite’s ability to evade or disrupt physi-
ological processes by modulating specific molecules con-
stitutes an attractive approach for treatment. Given that 
current options rely solely on the drug praziquantel, the 

SCHISTOSOMA PROTEASE

  Coordinated by the Institute of Molecular Genetics  

of the ASCR in the Czech Republic.

 Funded under FP7-PEOPLE.
http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/93028_en.html

research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
S O C I A L   S C I E N C E S   A N D   H U M A N I T I E S

17

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S O C I A L   S C I E N C E S   A N D  H U M A N I T I E S

EU CITIZEN SCIENCE 
INITIATIVE ASKS US  
ALL TO DO OUR PART
Would you like to help researchers understand the workings of our 
sun, or discover how large crowds of people can work together? 
While you may think such breakthroughs are the preserve of highly-
specialised scientists with expensive equipment, the EU-funded 
project SOCIENTIZE allows you to lend your skills and time to some 
exciting research.

SOCIENTIZE (SOCiety as Infrastructure for E-science 

via Technology, Innovation and Creativity) builds on 
the  concept  of  ‘Citizen  Science’,  which  sees  thou-
sands of volunteers, teachers, researchers and develop-
ers put together their skills, time and resources to advance 
scientific research. Thanks to open source tools developed 
under the project, participants can help scientists collect 
data  —  which  will  then  be  analysed  by  professional 
researchers — or even perform tasks that require human 

cognition  or  intelligence  like  image  classification  or 
analysis. 

Every citizen can be a scientist

The project helps usher in new advances in everything from 
astronomy to social science. 

‘One breakthrough is our increased capacity to reproduce, 
analyse  and  understand  complex  issues  thanks  to  the 

research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
1818
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research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014

S O C I A L   S C I E N C E S   A N D   H U M A N I T I E S

engagement of large groups of volunteers,’ says Mr Fermin 
Serrano Sanz, researcher at the University of Zaragoza 
and Project Coordinator of SOCIENTIZE. ‘And everyone can 
be a neuron in our digitally-enabled brain.’

But how can ordinary citizens help with such extraordinary 
science? The key, says Mr Serrano Sanz, is in harnessing 
the efforts of thousands of volunteers to collect and clas-
sify  data.  ‘We  are  already  gathering  huge  amounts  of 
user-generated  data  from  the  participants  using  their 
mobile phones and surrounding knowledge,’ he says.

For example, the experiment ‘SavingEnergy@Home’ asks 
users  to  submit  data  about  the  temperatures  in  their 
homes and neighbourhoods in order to build up a clearer 
picture of temperatures in cities across the EU, while in 
Spain, GripeNet.es asks citizens to report when they catch 
the flu in order to monitor outbreaks and predict possible 
epidemics. 

Many hands make light work

But citizens can also help analyse data. Even the most 
advanced  computers  are  not  very  good  at  recognising 
things like sun spots or cells, whereas people can tell the 
difference between living and dying cells very easily, given 
only short training. 

“The project helps usher in 
new advances in everything 
from astronomy to social 
science.”

The SOCIENTIZE projects ‘Sun4All’ and ‘Cell Spotting’ ask 
volunteers to label images of solar activity and cancer 
cells from an application on their phone or computer. With 
Cell  Spotting,  for 
instance,  partici-
pants can observe 
cell cultures being 
studied  with  a 
m i c r o s c o p e  
i n 
order to determine 
their state and the 
effectiveness  of  medicines.  Analysing  this  data  would 
take years and cost hundreds of thousands of euro if left 
to a small team of scientists — but with thousands of vol-
unteers helping the effort, researchers can make impor-
tant breakthroughs quickly and more cheaply than ever 
before. 

But  in  addition  to  bringing  citizens  closer  to  science, 
SOCIENTIZE  also  brings  science  closer  to  citizens.  On 
12–14 June, the project participated in the SONAR festi-
val with a ‘Collective music experiment’ (CME). ‘Two hun-
dred people joined professional DJs and created musical 
patterns using a web tool; participants shared their crea-
tions and re-used other parts in real time. The activity at 
the festival also included a live show of R de Rumba and 
Mercadal  playing  amateur  rhythms’,  Mr  Serrano  Sanz 
explains. 

The  experiment  —  which  will  be  presented  in  a  mini-  
documentary to raise awareness about citizen science — 
is expected to help understand other innovation processes 
observed in emergent social, technological, economic or 
political  transformations.  ‘This  kind  of  event  brings 
together a really diverse set of participants. The diversity 
not only enriches the data; it also improves the dialogue 
between professionals and volunteers. As a result, we see 
some new and innovative approaches to research.’

The EUR 0.7 million project brings together six partners 
from  four  countries:  Spain  (University  of  Zaragoza  and 
TECNARA), Portugal (Museu da Ciência-Coimbra, MUSC; 
Universidade de Coimbra), Austria (Zentrum für Soziale 
Innovation) and Brazil (Universidade Federal de Campina 
Grande, UFCG).

SOCIENTIZE  will  end  in  October  2014  after  bringing 
together 12 000 citizens in different phases of research 
activities over 24 months.

SOCIENTIZE

 Coordinated by the University of Zaragoza in Spain.
 Funded under FP7-INFRASTRUCTURES.
http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/105972_en.html 
Project website:  

http://www.socientize.eu/

  http://bit.ly/1n3cPl7 

LANGUAGE 
DEVELOPMENT  
IN DEAF CHILDREN
‘Cochlear  implants’  (CIs)  have  helped  countless 
deaf children learn to speak, allowing them to lead 
less  challenging  lives.  But,  there  may  still  be 
differences in spoken language between such deaf 
children  and  normally-hearing  children  —  a 
phenomenon  that  scientists  have  recently  shed 
light on.

Morphosyntax, or the way different forms of a word 

are related, is one of the more challenging aspects 
of  learning  a  language.  However,  whether  this  is 
more  challenging  for  a  child  with  a  CI  than  a  normally-  
hearing child has not been understood.

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research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
“MORLAS found that  
only minor differences  
existed between German-  
and Dutch-speaking  
children.”

The  EU-funded  MORLAS  (Morpho-
syntactic language skills in deaf chil-
dren  with  a  cochlear  implant:  a 
cross-linguistic  study  on  Dutch  and 
German)  project  aimed  to  study  the 
speech  level  of  CI  children  entering 
primary  school  by  examining  their 
grasp  of  morphosyntax.  The  study 

S O C I A L   S C I E N C E S   A N D   H U M A N I T I E S

19

included German- and Dutch-speaking 
children to see whether there was any 
variation  between  different 
languages.

Researchers first developed a theoret-
ical framework that quantified the dif-
ferences in morphosyntactic structure 
between  the  two  languages.  This 
allowed  them  to  compare  results 
between German- and Dutch-speaking 
children. The data collection protocols 
from  the  Dutch  study  group  were 
adapted  for  the  German  part  of  the 
study.

Data were collected from 10 CI chil-
dren  and  10  normally-hearing  chil-
dren  in  Flanders  (Dutch),  and  10  CI 
children and 30 normally-hearing chil-
dren  in  Vienna  (German).  MORLAS 

found  that  only  minor  differences 
existed between German- and Dutch-
speaking children.

For the most part, CI children showed 
the  same  learning  patterns  as  nor-
mally-hearing  children,  with  the 
exception  of  noun  plural  formation, 
where CI children lagged behind. This 
information  will  help  educators  and 
parents improve the linguistic devel-
opment of children with CIs.

MORLAS

  Coordinated by the University  

of Antwerp in Belgium.
 Funded under FP7-PEOPLE.
http://cordis.europa.eu/project/

rcn/103018_en.html

PROMOTING PROSPERITY IN THE 
MEDITERRANEAN
The Union of the Mediterranean is an alliance between the EU and several Mediterranean countries that 
aims to promote peace and prosperity in the region. Researchers have investigated the impact of both 
EU and local trade, sustainability and rural development policies.

Since 1995, the EU and several ‘Mediterranean partner 

countries’ (MPCs) have cooperated to shape trade pol-
icies. However, it has recently become clear that tra-
ditional  trade  liberalisation  approaches  have  not  been 
enough to provide sustainable economic development. 

The EU-funded SUSTAINMED (Sustainable agri-food sys-
tems and rural development in the Mediterranean Partner 
Countries) project investigated local and EU policies in the 
fields of agriculture, poverty prevention, sustainability, food 
security and trade. Researchers focused on Egypt, Morocco 
and Tunisia, as well as Turkey, an important non-MPC. 

Studies  into  poverty  revealed  that  the  situation  has 
improved over the last two decades, but remains a persis-
tent and significant problem in these countries. Researchers 
also  found  that 
poverty  had  a 
knock-on effect on 
all  other  sectors 
studied.

“Studies into poverty revealed 
that the situation has 
improved over the last two 
decades, but remains a 
persistent and significant 
problem in these countries.”

SUSTAINMED  fur-
thermore  deter-
mined that policies 
were  generally 
skewed to cater to 
economic sustaina-
bility concerns, while disregarding resource management, 
conservation efforts and social aspects.

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These and other findings were communicated through a 
series of workshops and seminars, and will be summarised 
and published in a book. SUSTAINMED will help both EU and 
MPC policymakers create relevant policies with regards to 
rural development and sustainability.

In order to study the effects of trade liberalisation policy, 
researchers used the Global Value Chain Analysis approach. 
They concluded that efforts need to be focused on improv-
ing  the  value  of  goods  rather  than  decreasing  cost  of 
production.

SUSTAINMED

 Coordinated by IAMM in France.
 Funded under FP7-KBBE.
http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/94700_en.html 
Project website:  

http://sustainmed.iamm.fr

research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
 
202020

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E N E R G Y   A N D   T R A N S P O R T

MORE EFFICIENT 
IN-FLIGHT 
AIRCRAFT TESTING 
METHODS
EU-funded researchers are bringing important 
in-flight aircraft testing technologies from 
the  lab  bench  to  the  production  line,  for 
substantial cost, time and safety benefits.

All aircraft and aircraft structural 

parts  have  to  be  certified  as 
flightworthy before they can be 
used in real operations. Flight testing 
is a key step in the certification pro-
cess,  but  it  is  also  one  of  the  most 
expensive and time-consuming — and 
it has a significant impact on the envi-
ronment, burning fuel and producing 
polluting emissions.

The  EU-funded  AIM2  (Advanced 
In-flight Measurement Techniques 2) 
project, coordinated by Fritz Boden of 
Germany’s DLR, is applying new and 
more efficient methods to measuring 
the  behaviour  of  aircraft  structures, 

and it is bringing these methods to the 
aircraft manufacturing industry where 
they are needed.

‘Classic,  physically  based  measure-
ments, using pressure probes, strain 
gauges, accelerometers and the like, 
require a lengthy installation process 
and often irreversible modifications to 
the tested structures,’ says Boden. ‘In 
contrast,  the  new  methods  we  are 
applying  under  AIM2  are  non-  
intrusive, they are optically based.’

Boden explains how researchers are 
using special camera installations and 
dot  patterns,  for  example,  to  record 

the  operation  of  aircraft  propellers 
during flight tests. Then, with the help 
of powerful computer tools, research-
ers can analyse the resulting images 
to determine the shape and deforma-
tion  of  propeller  blades  in  flight  by 
means  of  a  measurement  system 
called  Image  Pattern  Correlation 
Technique.

Other  AIM2  testing  methods  involve 
fibre-optic  sensors  that  can  detect 
changes in pressure, strain and tem-
perature.  Infrared  imagery  is  being 
used to visualise the surface temper-
ature of wings and other flight struc-
tures, while laser technologies enable 
precise determination of air velocity.

AIM2 research represents the logical 
extension of previous work carried out 
under research conducted by its pre-
decessor, the AIM project. AIM2 ends 
in September 2014.

‘AIM  demonstrated  the  feasibility  of 
using  optical  measurement  tech-
niques  in  wind-tunnel  and  in-flight 
testing for certification,’ Boden says. 
‘With AIM2, we are continuing to make 
substantial improvements in the AIM 
technologies, but we are also taking 
the  next  important  step,  that  is 

ENERGY AND TRANSPORTresearch*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
 
E N E R G Y   A N D   T R A N S P O R T

21

bringing these technologies from the 
lab bench to industry, to enable their 
more routine use for in-flight meas-
urement and testing.’

Most of these techniques have been 
demonstrated in a research environ-
ment, says Boden, but they are not yet 
‘user-friendly’ enough to be useful to 
technicians working in the real world.

‘Therefore we are defining application 
rules and setup parameters for each 
technique,’ he adds. ‘And we are pre-
paring tools and software and a spe-
cial  handbook 
teach 
inexperienced users how to undertake 
advanced  in-flight  measurements 
properly.’

to  help 

The  project’s  teaching  exercise  also 
included a flight-testing workshop in 

Poland  in  September  2013.  There, 
AIM2 partners delivered presentations 
and demonstrated their techniques on 
a  PW-6  sailplane  at  the  Rzeszów 
University of Technology.

‘The new AIM2 methods enable fast 
and  cost-efficient  flight  testing  and 
thus save time, money and fuel. The 
whole  process  requires  less  time  at 
the flight test bed compared to con-
ventional  methods,’  Boden  says. 
‘Furthermore,  unexpected  aircraft 
behavioural  issues  can  be  investi-
gated  in-situ,  while  the  aircraft  are 
actually  in  operation,  impacting 
directly on flight safety.’

and automobile manufacturing and in 
the construction of tall buildings.

The new in-flight techniques have been 
assessed by AIM2’s industrial partners, 
including small aircraft manufacturers 
such  as  Evektor  (Czech  Republic)  and 
Piaggio (Italy), as well as Airbus, one of 
the world’s largest aircraft manufactur-
ers based in Europe.

AIM2

  Coordinated by the German Aerospace 

Centre (DLR) in Germany.

 Funded under FP7-TRANSPORT.
http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/

article_en.cfm?artid=32259 

Boden  says  the  AIM2  testing  tech-
niques can also potentially be used in 
other sectors, including wind turbine 

Project website:  
http://aim2.dlr.de

  http://bit.ly/1zvvNcS

NEW MOTORS TO BOOST ELECTRIC  
AND HYBRID CARS
An initiative to advance and unify drivetrain technology for electric and hybrid cars could help European 
businesses in the field significantly. It will also bring the continent closer to a greener land transport 
model.

About 1 600 European small and medium-sized enter-

prises (SMEs), mostly automotive industry manufac-
turers  and  suppliers,  are  working  on  developing 
cutting-edge hybrid, electric and fuel cell technology for 
vehicles. These businesses face many challenges, particu-
larly  since  there  is  no  common  drivetrain  platform  for 
applications under development, giving an advantage to 
larger multinational vehicle manufacturers.

“SAFEDRIVE worked on a new 
split-Pi DC-to-DC converter 
and a power management/
distribution system.”

The EU-funded project SAFEDRIVE (A platform power man-
agement system and low voltage drive train for hybrid and 
electric  vehicles) 
supported 
European  SME 
electric  vehicle 
manufacturers  in 
penetrating 
the 
electric  vehicle 
market.  It  worked 
on  developing  a 
scalable, modular electric drivetrain to suit different types 
of electric and hybrid vehicles such as small cars, trucks 
and utility vehicles.

Envisioning a new motor design that requires low-
ering the voltage of ‘direct current’ (DC) systems, 
SAFEDRIVE  worked  on  a  new  split-Pi  DC-to-DC 
converter and a power management/distribution 
system. The modular DC motor would eliminate 
the need for a gearbox, enabling direct drive opera-
tion through a drive shaft or as a hub motor. The pro-
ject team developed an efficient bi-directional DC-to-DC 
converter in the drivetrain between the modular motors 
and power sources (super capacitor, lithium-ion batteries, 
motor-generator set). 

To achieve its aims, SAFEDRIVE brought together SME sup-
ply chain partners, associations and end-users from across 
Europe. The project partners investigated existing technol-
ogies and developed the software behind the control and 
power management of the drivetrain. This was followed by 
the production of new circuit boards, design of the drive-
train component parts and integration into a prototype.

Towards the end of the project the team was very close to 
completing a fully functional electric vehicle drivetrain with 
an innovative modular DC motor that produces the desired 
torque. All the project’s results have been disseminated to 
stakeholders, laying the groundwork for a unified drivetrain 
that could boost SME results in the field. Thanks to this ini-
tiative, Europe has come one step closer to becoming a 
leader in producing cleaner vehicles.

SAFEDRIVE

 Coordinated by AVERE in Belgium.
 Funded under FP7-SME.
http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/95937_en.html 
Project website:  

http://www.safedrive-fp7.eu

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research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
22

E N E R G Y   A N D   T R A N S P O R T

SMART DESIGN AND NANOTECHNOLOGY  
TO CUT AIRCRAFT OPERATIONAL COSTS
Continuous innovation in aircraft design has led to fuel savings, noise reductions and 
lower fares for passengers by making flights more efficient. Now an EU-funded project 
aims to take Europe’s aircraft industry to the next level by combining smart new design 
techniques to further cut development time and costs.

“SARISTU represents a major  
step forward in successfully 
integrating smart intelligent 
structural concepts into traditional 
aircraft design.”

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The  EU-funded  SARISTU  (Smart 

Intelligent  Aircraft  Structures) 
project,  which  was  launched  in 
September 2011, has focused on the 
potential application of new materi-
als at specific design phases. By inte-
grating  different  materials  for  the 
wing for example, the consortium has 
demonstrated that they can achieve 
a 6 % reduction in drag, meaning that 
less  fuel  is  needed  to  complete  a 
flight. New aerodynamic designs are 
also lighter and generate less noise. 
This  will  help  reduce  the  impact  of 
overhead aircraft on neighbourhoods 
near airports.

While  such  improvements  might 
appear  to  be  merely  small-scale 
adjustments in one aspect of aircraft 
design, they could have major impli-
cations.  Some  2.2  billion  people  a 
year take to the skies for business or 
pleasure, which means that pollution 

and noise from air travel present the 
industry with a significant challenge. 
This  is  why  airlines,  aircraft  manu-
facturers  and  researchers  are  con-
stantly on the lookout for new ways 
to  make  their  planes  lighter,  more 
aerodynamic  and  achieve  greater 
fuel efficiency, and why the SARISTU 
project 
is  of  such  potential 
importance.

A specific goal of the SARISTU pro-
ject,  which  is  due  for  completion  in 
August  2015  and  has  received  just 
over EUR 32 million in EU funding, is 
to  combine  various  technologies  in 
order to achieve manoeuvrable wing-
tips. So far, the SARISTU consortium 
has developed a tab using new mate-
rials and technology that can actually 
change shape during flight. This ena-
bles pilots to keep air resistance as 
low as possible.

Other innovations have been incorpo-
rated to ensure that this development 
functions  properly.  After  all,  a  gap 
between  the  flap  and  the  fixed  air-
craft wing would cancel out any posi-
tive effect, which is why the team has 
developed an elastic connecting ele-
ment.  This  element  is  essentially  a 
resin containing carbon nanotubes — 
nanoscale  structures  that  possess 
immense strength — which retains its 
elasticity at incredibly cold tempera-
tures. The resin has also been manu-
factured  to  cope  with  high  wind 
speeds.

Another  significant  advantage  of 
using carbon nanotubes in these new 
resins  is  the  potential  for  weight 
reduction. Weight savings of up to 3 % 
are possible when compared to tradi-
tional fixed systems. And by combin-
ing a range of other new technologies, 
the cost of electrical network installa-
tions  in  planes  could  be  reduced  by 
15 %.

All in all, SARISTU represents a major 
step forward in successfully integrat-
ing smart, intelligent structural con-
cepts into traditional aircraft design, 
and  reflects  the  potential  of  nano-
technology in aircraft manufacturing 
applications. Furthermore, the project 
has shown that incremental improve-
ments taken together can lead to sig-
nificant weight and operational cost 
reductions and lead to improved aero-
dynamic performance.

SARISTU

 Coordinated by Airbus in Germany.
 Funded under FP7-TRANSPORT.
http://cordis.europa.eu/news/

rcn/36614_en.html

Project website:  

http://www.saristu.eu/

research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
E N E R G Y   A N D   T R A N S P O R T

23

MULTIFUNCTIONAL AIRCRAFT COMPOSITES
Vibration  and  acoustic  emissions  are  major 
concerns  when  it  comes  to  aircraft.  Novel 
multifunctional materials for structural components 
promise to reduce both while enhancing protection 
against the elements.

several technology demonstrators. With an eye on future 
industrialisation, the team took the opportunity during the 
final stage to prepare its industrialisation strategy.

Composites  that  combine  different  materials  in  one 

structure allow engineers to optimise multiple proper-
ties by combining the strengths of individual constitu-
ents. This provides the opportunity for space, weight and 
cost savings with enhanced performance.

Two important performance criteria are minimised vibra-
tions and acoustic emissions. Vibration causes critical air-
craft components to degrade and potentially crack or fail. 
It can affect everything from electronics and instrumenta-
tion to the airframe itself, so vibration reduction is a key 
goal  of  any  multifunctional  structural  component. 
Decreasing acoustic emissions is a pillar of the ambitious 
European Clean Sky research initiative to reduce the impact 
of air transportation.

EU-funded  scientists  working  on  the  project  COMPASS 
(Functional laminates development. Components compat-
ibility and feasibility assessment. Industrialisation) investi-
gated the potential of integrating vibro-acoustic damping 
materials into carbon fibre-reinforced plastic laminates for 
a  multifunctional  solution.  Scientists  selected  various 
damping materials and manufacturing processes to study 
and optimise. Although vibration and noise were the main 
targets, reductions in both had to be accomplished without 
compromising on mechanical properties. Further, the team 
evaluated the materials’ performance with respect to ero-
sion,  lightning  protection  and  sealing  against  ingress  of 
moisture.

Commercial implementation of COMPASS’s multifunctional 
materials for aircraft promises a host of important benefits 
for the aircraft industry, passengers and the environment. 
Technology will reduce production costs and component 
weights, the latter reducing fuel consumption, emissions 
and operating costs. Improved vibration and acoustic per-
formance  of  aircraft  will  reduce  maintenance  costs, 
increase safety and enhance passenger comfort. Overall, 
these concepts should enhance the EU’s economy and posi-
tion in the aerospace sector.

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COMPASS

  Coordinated by the Composites Research, Development  

and Application Centre in Spain.

Having determined the optimal materials and processing 
methods  at  lab  scale,  researchers  upscaled  to  deliver 

 Funded under FP7-JTI.
http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/101624_en.html

NEW SOFTWARE BRINGS THE RIGHT WIND 
FARM TO THE RIGHT SPOT
Wind farms are springing up all across Europe, covering some 8 % of the EU’s electricity needs in 2013 
according to the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA). But several drawbacks have so far prevented 
this share from growing as much as it could: most notably, citizens have complained about the noise, 
disturbances in telecommunications and the impact on ecosystems. But what if a single piece of software 
could solve all these problems?

The SOPCAWIND (Software for the 

Optimal  Place  CAlculation  for 
WIND-farms) project has devel-
oped new software to optimise wind 
farm placement in Europe, taking into 
account  criteria  as  varied  as  wind 
power, local environment characteris-
tics, potential interference with com-
munication  systems,  noise,  nearby 
housing  exposure  to  the  sun,  visual 
impact  or  even  the  existence  of 
archaeological artefacts on site.

multidisciplinary  database  —  was 
presented recently at the EWEA 2014 
Annual Event. It aims to facilitate the 
design of wind farms by ensuring that 
all the above-mentioned aspects are 
taken  into  consideration  in  the  wind 
farm  design  process,  thus  avoiding 
post-construction trouble and reduc-
ing  cost.  Multiple  stakeholders  from 
both  the  public  and  private  sectors 
provided  precious  data  to  feed  the 
system.

The  software  —  the  first  ever  to  
integrate  such  a  complex  and 

‘Thanks to this tool, firstly the design 
process  of  the  wind  farm  is  much 

“The developer knows  
in advance if there is any 
trouble and can include 
modifications in the wind 
farm in order to avoid it.”

more fluid, and secondly, the devel-
oper knows in advance if there is any 
trouble and can include modifications 
in the wind farm in order to avoid it, 
which  is  a  key  aspect,’  explained 
Daniel  de  la  Vega  from  Tecnalia’s 

research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
 
24

E N E R G Y   A N D   T R A N S P O R T

Signal  Processing  and  Radio-
communications  Group 
(TSR). 
Screening development opportunities 
and  optimising  wind  farm  design 
indeed require extensive knowledge 
of the local legislation, development 
constraints and extensive knowledge 
of the trade-off between capital cost 
and  production  yield.  SOPCAWIND 
accelerates the process and makes it 
less costly by performing tasks which 
previously required the combination 
of expensive software tools.

Tecnalia  led  the  project,  while  TSR 
specifically  helped  create  the  algo-
rithms that enable a thorough evalu-
ation of possible impacts on radars, 
air navigation system aids and other 
telecommunications. ‘Although inter-
ference is not common, a wind farm 
can alter a radar signal that is 10–20 
kilometres away,’ de la Vega stressed. 
‘Because  these  impact  studies  are 
conducted  before  the  wind  farm  is 
built,  they  allow  potential  interfer-
ence to be detected if it does in fact 
exist, and so the wind farm developer 
will be able to include modifications 
in  the  design  of  the  wind  farm  in 
order to prevent such trouble.’

In addition to optimising the design 
of wind farms and reducing the time 
necessary  to  undertake  viability 

studies, the project is expected to impact 
future legislation in the field of telecom-
munication interference. The characteri-
sation  of  the  signal  emitted  by  wind 
turbines over the UHF waveband and its 
influence on the quality of the television 
signal could be used for drafting future 
international regulation, Tecnalia noted.

SOPCAWIND

 Coordinated by Tecnalia in Spain.
 Funded under FP7-ICT.
http://cordis.europa.eu/news/

rcn/36628_en.html

Project website:  

http://www.sopcawind.eu/
    http://bit.ly/1ldAX4S

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MODELLING AEROPLANE POWER SYSTEMS
The EU is moving towards all-electric aeroplanes in order to improve operating efficiency and decrease 
fossil fuel use. In line with this move, researchers have improved models of power and energy usage in 
aircraft.

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Since modern aero-

planes  need  more 
electrical  power 
than their predecessors, 
it is crucial that models 
of energy use are accu-
rate  and  reliable.  The 
EU-funded  SIMEAD 
(Suite  of  integrated 
models  for  electrical 
aircraft  drives)  project 
was  established  to 
develop interconnected models of electrical and mechani-
cal power systems for aeroplanes, with the aim of optimis-
ing power and energy use.

Researchers succeeded in developing improved models for 
both the mechanical and electrical systems. The mechani-
cal  models  predict  energy  losses  from  a  generator  (e.g. 
thermal energy), while the electrical models cover different 
energy conversion processes. 

Models were created for AC:DC, DC:AC and DC:DC convert-
ers, and all were compared with real data for validation. 

Several  case  studies  were  also  completed  to  show  the 
application of these models to real design challenges. 

SIMEAD researchers found their newly defined models to 
be more accurate than the previous SABER models. This 
work has thus advanced the state of power system models 
in the aviation industry, contributing to more efficient and 
sustainable aircraft in the future.

“SIMEAD researchers found 
their newly defined models to 
be more accurate than the 
previous SABER models.”

SIMEAD

  Coordinated by the University of Manchester  

in the United Kingdom.
 Funded under FP7-JTI.
http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/101093_en.html 
Project website:  

http://www.simead.manchester.ac.uk

research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
 
 
E N E R G Y   A N D   T R A N S P O R T

25

GREENER AND CHEAPER PHOTOVOLTAICS
European scientists have developed a new manufacturing process for ‘photovoltaic’ 
(PV) technology, which improves their efficiency and dramatically reduces water 
usage by the solar cell industry.

PVs are solar cells that have the potential to meet the 

world’s growing electricity needs, if they can com-
pete with the cost of current energy generation. This 
could be achieved by reducing the cost of these solar 
cells, increasing their efficiency and reducing their envi-
ronmental impact.

“SOLNOWAT clearly demonstrates  
the benefits associated with the new  
PV manufacturing process and 
disseminated the results to cell 
manufacturers.”

The EU-funded SOLNOWAT (Development of a competi-
tive  0  GWP  dry  process  to  reduce  the  dramatic  water 
consumption in the ever-expanding solar cells manufac-
turing industry) project developed a new ‘dry’ process to 
reduce the very high level of water consumption by PV 
manufacturing  plants.  This  will  help  reduce  ‘Global 
warming potential’ (GWP) emissions, while increasing PV 
cell efficiency and production levels. 

Silicon etching is a key technology in the production of 
PV cells. The dry etching process results in a highly uni-
form silicon wafer with a surface texture that has low 
reflectivity and is extremely efficient at absorbing light. 
The amount of silicon removed to achieve these textures 
is minimal but resulted in significant cost savings. Project 
partners  created  a  range  of  textures  and  non-contact 
handling processes that demonstrated the technology’s 
versatility. 

SOLNOWAT clearly demonstrates the benefits associated 
with  the  new  PV  manufacturing  process  and  dissemi-
nated the results to cell manufacturers. All participating 
small and medium-sized enterprises increased their level 
of European collaboration and added significant value 
through the development of new manufacturing equip-
ment for PVs.

New environment-friendly production technologies that 
comply with European emissions regulations are vital for 
the  continuation  of  PV  manufacturing  in  the  EU.  By 
removing the industry’s reliance on high levels of labour, 
water and GWP chemicals, SOLNOWAT was able to pro-
vide  a  cleaner,  greener  alternative  for  solar  cell 
manufacturers. 

The  process  also  increases  high  throughput,  thereby  
enabling  the  solar  cell  industry  to  fulfil  European  
targets  for  implementing  technology  and  improving 
competitiveness.

SOLNOWAT

 Coordinated by Ultra High Vacuum Solutions in Ireland.
 Funded under FP7-SME.
http://cordis.europa.eu/result/rcn/142691_en.html 
Project website:  

http://www.nines-pv.com/solnowat

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research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
26

research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014

E N V I R O N M E N T   A N D   S O C I E T Y

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E N V I R O N M E N T   A N D   S O C I E T Y

MAPPING GREENHOUSE 
EMISSIONS TO PREVENT 
CLIMATE CHANGE
EU-funded researchers have used advanced modelling and geo-
spatial  information  to  compile  more  accurate  greenhouse  gas 
inventories for Poland and Ukraine. The approach could substantially 
improve the accuracy of national inventories of greenhouse gases 
and boost Europe’s efforts to reduce emissions.

The  work  carried  out  by  the 

researchers  in  the  GESAPU 
(Geoinformation  technologies, 
spatio-temporal approaches, and full 
carbon  account  for  improving  accu-
racy of GHG inventories) project aims 
to  plug  information  gaps  in  existing 
methods  for  assessing  greenhouse 
gas emissions. This gap is especially 
true for countries that are heavily for-
ested or have large areas of variable 
landscape, where it is more difficult to 
measure  emissions  using  current 
techniques,  says  project  coordinator 
Professor  Zbigniew  Nahorski  of  the 
Systems  Research  Institute,  Polish 
Academy of Sciences.

Using the latest satellite geo-information 
and modelling techniques developed 
by Austria’s International Institute for 
Applied  Systems  Analysis  (IIASA),  
a  project  partner,  the  project  
has  resulted  in  a  comprehensive 

methodology and software tools for 
improving  the  accuracy  of  data  col-
lected on greenhouse gas emissions.

The project, which is due to be com-
pleted in June 2014, has so far pro-
duced more detailed greenhouse gas 
emission  maps  of  Poland  and  the 
western parts of Ukraine compared to 
traditional  inventories,  says  Prof. 
Nahorski. The maps specify emissions 
by source (for example industry, resi-
dential sector, agriculture or transport) 
and distinguish by type (for example, 
electricity  or  heat  production).  The 
team’s  high-resolution  maps  also 
show the impact of regional economic 
activity, fossil fuel use and new tech-
nological processes on as detailed a 
scale as 2 x 2 km.

To  produce  a  more  accurate  green-
house gas account for Ukraine’s for-
ests the team has integrated ground 

data and new remote sensing infor-
mation, for example, from radar. The 
project has also developed new soft-
ware that combines different mathe-
matical  models,  digital  maps  and 
geo-referenced databases.

‘There  is  a  clear  need  to  improve 
greenhouse gas accounting methods 
to ensure reliable information is pro-
vided on industrial, land-use, land-use 
change  and  forestry  categories  in 
national reporting,’ says Prof. Nahorski. 
‘Our teams are working on advanced 
methods to resolve this problem.’

Taking stock

The  accurate  accounting  of  green-
house  gas  emissions  is  key  to  the 
functioning  of  the  European  Union 
‘Emissions trading scheme’ (ETS). This 
is  a  market-based  approach  that 
established  a  quantifiable,  legally 
enforceable  limit  on  emissions.  The 

 
 
scheme came into force in 2005 and 
covers heavy industry and power gen-
eration in the EU.

“The team’s high-resolution 
maps also show the impact  
of regional economic activity, 
fossil fuel use and new 
technological processes on as 
detailed a scale as 2 x 2 km.”

While Ukraine is not in the EU, it has 
agreed  to  cut  emissions  under  the 
Kyoto Protocol, an international agree-
ment  linked  to  the  UN’s  Framework 
Convention on Climate Change.

But due to gaps in the data and the 
use of imperfect accounting methods 
(such as those related to the forestry 
sector), the scheme does not provide 
a reliable account (equivalent to that 
of  the  Kyoto  Protocol)  of  all 

E N V I R O N M E N T   A N D   S O C I E T Y

27

man-made sources of emissions, says 
Prof. Nahorski.

For example, productive and sustain-
ably  managed  forests  can  absorb 
more  carbon  from  the  atmosphere. 
For  this  advantage  to  be  captured, 
new  methods  are  required  that  are 
based  on  more  thorough  studies  of 
the carbon cycle in forest ecosystems, 
he adds.

To  achieve  the  required  accuracy  in 
the inventory of industrial emissions, 
GESAPU’s  researchers  are  working 
with advanced information technolo-
gies and scaled statistical modelling 
services  provided  by  IIASA  and 
Ukraine’s  Lviv  Polytechnic  National 
University.

The application of this kind of tech-
nique to large regions in West Ukraine 
resulted in a substantial decrease of 
uncertainties in accounting for green-
house  gas  emissions,  says  Prof. 
Nahorski, for example by applying dis-
tributed  emission  factors.  GESAPU 
researchers are currently applying and 
adapting the approach for Poland.

Carbon cycling

The team is also studying the carbon 
cycle of forest ecosystems in Ukraine. 
Using remote-sensing data, new mod-
els  and  other  tailored  methods, 
GESAPU is building on IIASA’s carbon-
accounting model for ecosystems so 
as to provide a more reliable and com-
prehensive  assessment.  The  project 
will  result  in  a  valuable  and  more 
accurate  stocktaking  tool  for  green-
house  gases  in  Europe  and  beyond, 
says Prof. Nahorski. The team is also 
developing a database that will pro-
vide a more detailed measurement of 
the  impact  of  forest  ecosystems  in 
reducing greenhouse gas.

GESAPU

  Coordinated by the Systems Research 
Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences 
in Poland.

 Funded under FP7-PEOPLE.
http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/

article_en.cfm?artid=32356

Project website:  

http://www.iiasa.ac.at/web/home/
research/researchProjects/GESAPU/
GESAPU.html

A GENETIC TEST TO SCREEN  
HEALTHY PIGS
The  European  pig  industry  loses  an  estimated  
EUR 200 million per year due to congenital defects. 
Finding the genetic aetiology of these disorders 
could help breeders choose unaffected strains.

Congenital diseases are quite common in swine and 

they cover a wide range of undesirable conditions, 
including  hernias,  anatomical  defect  and  ataxia. 
These abnormalities lead to poor animal welfare and eco-
nomic losses, posing a significant problem for pig produc-
ers and breeding companies.

The  aim  of  the  EU-funded  PIGENDEF  (Towards  marker 
assisted selection against genetic defects in pigs) project 
was to provide insight into the genetic background of con-
genital genetic defects in pigs. The consortium consisted 
of scientific groups and companies active in pig breeding. 
The research was focused on three swine defects, namely 
inguinal hernia, umbilical hernia and cryptorchidism, the 
plan being to identify associated genes.

To this end, researchers conducted ‘Genome-wide associ-
ation studies’ (GWASs) in porcine samples from Belgium 
and Norway, looking at genetic markers (‘Single nucleo-
tide polymorphisms’ (SNPs)) linked with a predisposition 
to the aforementioned defects. Over 120 SNPs associated 
with umbilical hernia were located on chromosomes 5 and 
14, which were identified as significant quantitative trait 
locus regions. Two genes on chromosome 14 were found 
to contain some significant SNPs in the Norwegian swine 
lines.

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This SNP panel was formulated into a genetic test and will 
be implemented to counter the prevalence of umbilical 
hernia in Norway’s breeding programmes. This is expected 
to improve the efficiency and profitability of animal pro-
duction and, therefore, the competitiveness of the small 
business  partners.  Under  the  general  framework  of 
European policies on sustainability and on animal health 
and welfare, PIGENDEF partners expect a causative muta-
tion for umbilical hernia to be identified in the near future.

PIGENDEF

Coordinated by the University of Leuven in Belgium.
Funded under FP7-SME.
http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/100169_en.html 
Project website:  

http://www.pigendef.eu

research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
28

E N V I R O N M E N T   A N D   S O C I E T Y

EU PROJECT DEVELOPS STATE-OF-THE-ART  
IN MARINE ECOSYSTEM MODELLING
Phytoplankton and zooplankton biomass are expected to decrease by 6 % and 11 % 
respectively by the end of the century due to climate change. This is just one of the 
conclusions drawn from the work of the EU-funded MEECE project that was recently 
published in the Global Change Biology Journal.

The  MEECE  (Marine  Ecosystem 

Evolution 
in  a  Changing 
Environment)  project  was  com-
pleted in 2013, but clearly its conclu-
sions continue to draw attention from 
the research community. The MEECE 
team,  led  by  Plymouth  Marine 
Laboratory, used predictive models to 
explore  the  impacts  of  both  climate 
drivers such as acidification and tem-
perature, and human-induced drivers 
like fishing, invasive species and pol-
lution on marine ecosystems.

The  project  succeeded  in  advancing 
the state-of-the-art in marine ecosys-
tem modelling and providing tools to 
help support decision making.

The team achieved this by developing 
a  library  of  modelling  tools  and  a 
generic  model-coupler  (FABM).  This 
represented  a  major  step  towards 
integrated end-to-end modelling tools 
which  include  a  range  of  feedback 
between drivers and ecosystems from 
both  physiological  and  population 
scale processes.

These  modelling  tools  were  used  to 
investigate the response of European 
regional seas’ ecosystems to climate 
change, direct anthropogenic pertur-
bations and combinations.

The results are complex and variable 
from  region  to  region.  For  example, 
the  ecosystems  of  enclosed  basins 
such as the Adriatic, Black and Baltic 
Seas  are  highly  responsive  to  wind 
stress and eutrophication. In contrast, 
the  ecosystems  of  shelf  seas  with 
connections  to  the  open  ocean  (for 
example, the North-East Atlantic and 
Biscay) are responsive to changes in 
the  nutrient  supply  from  the  open 
ocean.

MEECE findings on phytoplankton and 
zooplankton reduction, from research 
led by Azti-Tecnalia and recently pub-
lished  in  the  Global  Change  Biology 
Journal,  show  that  different  regions 
will be affected in different ways.

In  the  seas  in  Central  and  Southern 
Europe, higher thermal stratification 
of the ocean water layers and, conse-
quently, a lower presence of nutrients 

used  by  phytoplankton  to  grow,  will 
reduce  primary  production.  In  the 
Baltic, Barents and Black Seas, phyto-
plankton  production  is  expected  to 
increase.

Guillem  Chust  from  Azti-Tecnalia, 
leader of the scientific work and main 
author  of  the  paper,  noted,  ‘In  the 
ocean regions that lose more phyto-
plankton  and  zooplankton  biomass, 
that is, with a negative amplification, 
fish biomass may also decrease dra-
matically,  especially  pelagic  species 
(i.e. those living in the water column, 
excluding the seabed).’

Chust  continued,  ‘Climate  regulation 
will also be affected negatively by the 
primary  and  secondary  production 
decrease  globally  because,  as  there 
will be less phytoplankton, absorption 
of  CO2  from  the  atmosphere  by  the 
oceans  will  be  lower,  as  plankton  is 

responsible  for  half  of  the  planet’s 
photosynthetic  activity.  This  in  turn 
will  reduce  the  ocean’s  capacity  to 
regulate the climate.’

The  MEECE  project  comprised  22 
European partners. The MEECE model 
atlas  is  still  available  online  and 
shows  information  from  ecosystem 
models.  The  numerical  models  pre-
sented in the atlas offer mathemati-
cal  descriptions  of  the  real  world, 
allowing  users  to  explore  how  the 
world works and to make projections 
of how the future may evolve.

MEECE

  Coordinated by Plymouth Marine 
Laboratory in the United Kingdom.
 Funded under FP7-ENVIRONMENT.
http://cordis.europa.eu/news/

rcn/36604_en.html

Project website:  

http://www.meece.eu/

“In the ocean regions that lose more 
phytoplankton and zooplankton 
biomass, that is, with a negative 
amplification, fish biomass may also 
decrease dramatically.”

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E N V I R O N M E N T   A N D   S O C I E T Y

29

CATTLE CONSERVATION IN THE MEDITERRANEAN
Local  cattle  breeds  in  Egypt  and  the  Iberian 
Peninsula are threatened due to the popularity of 
international breeds. To help remedy the situation, 
researchers have dedicated their time to improving 
local knowledge and skills for molecular research 
into local cattle breeds.

genetic knowledge and tools. This includes a web-based 
training  platform  that  can  be  found  on  the  project 
website.

Two training courses were also held at Ain Shams University 
for graduate and postgraduate researchers. One focused 
on the conservation of cattle genetic resources, and the 
other on genetic techniques for livestock conservation. 

In comparison to international breeds, local cattle breeds 

are often well-adapted to local conditions. Despite this 
inherent advantage, Egypt and other Mediterranean coun-
tries have not protected the diversity of their local breeds, 
which are now threatened with extinction.

The EU-funded CATTLECON IKTA (Improving, transference 
and applicability of knowledge in conservation and charac-
terisation technologies in cattle breeds from Egypt and the 
Iberian Peninsula) project was established to build research 
capacity  in  this  field.  The  universities  involved  were  the 
University  of  Córdoba  (Spain)  and  Ain  Shams  University 
(Egypt). 

CATTLECON IKTA has created a permanent research net-
work between these institutions for sharing molecular and 

In addition, several researcher exchanges have taken place 
between the two universities to build research capacity and 
strengthen institutional ties. Taken together, the CATTLECON 
IKTA initiatives have contributed greatly to regional capac-
ity for cattle conservation research in the Mediterranean.

CATTLECON IKTA

 Coordinated by the University of Córdoba in Spain.
 Funded under FP7-PEOPLE.
http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/98297_en.html 
Project website:  

https://sites.google.com/site/cattleconikta

THE AUTOMATED FLY TRAP
Two kinds of fruit fly are damaging European crops. To combat this, an effective fly trap is needed that 
automatically identifies suspects and issues warnings.

including 

Insect  pests, 

the 
Mediterranean  and  Olive  fruit  flies, 
threaten  European  agriculture.  The 
industry-standard warning system for 
fruit fly infestation, the McPhail trap, is 
sub-optimal for various reasons, creat-
ing demand for an improvement. 

Aiming to make this improvement was 
the E-FLYWATCH (Development of an 
innovative  automated  and  wireless 
trap with warning and monitoring mod-
ules for integrated management of the 
Mediterranean  (Ceratitis  Capitata)  & 
Olive (Dacus oleae) fruit flies) project. 
The eight-member project ran for three 
years and received over EUR 1.1 million 
in EU funding. The project worked to 

“Field tests demonstrated an 
identification success rate of 
about 80 %.”

improve on the McPhail trap by ena-
bling it to automatically identify caught 
insects and link related information to 
a web-based ‘Geographic information 
system’  (GIS).  Such  a  system  would 
facilitate insect monitoring, while also 
being cheaper, simpler and more relia-
ble  than  current  warning  methods. 
Furthermore,  the  project’s  GIS  would 
contain records of pesticide usage in a 

given region and thus assist individual 
producers  in  limiting  their  pesticide 
use.

The project began by studying the main 
approaches of end users in terms of 
trapping, monitoring, warning, usage of 
pesticides  and  other  practices.  Next, 
the  project  set  out  to  establish  a 
method for automated recognition of 
trapped  insects,  and  to  evaluate  its 
feasibility. The stage involved develop-
ment and testing of optical processing 
algorithms that recognise insect ana-
tomical  features.  Field  tests  demon-
strated an identification success rate 
of about 80 %. The project also tested 
various transmission technologies and 
incorporation of the data into an online 
GIS. Such tests yielded the specifica-
tions  for  the  complete  E-FLYWATCH 
prototype. 

Further testing led to redesign of the 
optical recognition and communication 
modules, and a new trap design. The 
second prototype was field-tested at 
three locations in Cyprus. The testing 
coincided with a workshop demonstra-
tion  for  interested  parties,  who  gave 
excellent feedback. 

In  addition,  E-FLYWATCH  developed 
training materials, a website and a pat-
ent application. The project presented 
its  results  at  various  symposia  and 

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other conferences. Lastly, the project 
has developed a comprehensive busi-
ness  and  marketing  plan,  which  will 
determine the market viability of the 
system up to two years post-project. 

The  resulting  E-FLYWATCH  system 
should help improve production, limit 
pesticide usage and lower the labour 
costs for spraying. The system is also 
expected to improve profitability and 
sustainability in the sector.

E-FLYWATCH

  Coordinated by CNE Technology  

in Cyprus.

 Funded under FP7-SME.
http://cordis.europa.eu/project/

rcn/96182_en.html 

Project website:  

http://www.e-flywatch.com

research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
 
30

E N V I R O N M E N T   A N D   S O C I E T Y

PREDICTING OZONE LAYER DEPLETION

Scientists are now better able to predict the effect of climate change on the Earth’s 
ozone layer. An EU-funded project has investigated the impact of naturally occurring 
substances containing halogens.

Halogens (e.g. chlorine, bromine and 

iodine)  have  contributed  to  the 
decline of the ozone layer above 
the Arctic, which absorbs most of the 
Sun’s ultraviolet radiation. The Montreal 
Protocol  (1987)  was  responsible  for 
phasing out the production of various 
‘Ozone-depleting  substances’  (ODSs) 
such as halogenated hydrocarbons. 

“Air measurements were 
taken from land, ships, 
aircraft, balloons and 
satellites and combined with 
computer models.”

Naturally  occurring  ‘Medium  short-
lived  substances’  (MSLSs)  and  ‘Very 
short-lived substances’ (VSLSs) con-
taining bromine and iodine can enter 
the stratosphere. Here, in the second 
major  layer  of  Earth’s  atmosphere, 
they are broken down by sunlight to 

release  the  halogen  elements  that 
degrade ozone. 

The  SHIVA  (Stratospheric  ozone: 
Halogen impacts in a varying atmos-
phere)  initiative  aimed  to  increase 
understanding  of  the  role  of  VSLSs. 
This will ensure that predictions of the 
future  state  of  the  global  strato-
spheric  ozone  can  be  made  with 
greater  certainty  for  a  changing  cli-
mate. Determining the uncertain con-
tribution of MSLSs and VSLSs to the 
production  of  ozone-depleting  halo-
gens is challenging due to their sensi-
tivity to climate changes.

Sources  of  VSLSs  include 
m i n u t e   m a r i n e 
plants  known  as 
phytoplankton, 
as  well  as 
non-living 

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chemical and physical processes that 
occur near the surface of the oceans. 
VSLS emissions from natural or culti-
vated  seaweed  are  also  potentially 
important,  particularly  in  tropical 
regions of the world. 

Tropical  weather  is  warm  and  helps 
carry ODSs into the stratosphere, thus 
contributing  to  ozone  loss.  The  con-
sortium  therefore  conducted  long-
term  measurements  in  conjunction 
with  Malaysian  research  partners  in 
the  South  China  Sea  and  along  the 
coastline of the Malaysian Peninsula 
and Borneo. 

Air  measurements  were  taken  from 
land, ships, aircraft, balloons and 
satellites and combined with 
computer  models.  Data 
from the SHIVA initiative 
will  reduce  uncertainty 
in  predicting  climate 
changes  and  ozone 
recovery  or  losses.  In 
addition,  the  project 
will  increase  under-
standing  of  the  future 
oxidation capacity of the 
lower atmosphere, as well 
as  the  composition  and 
dynamics  of  the  overlaying 

stratosphere.

The work conducted by the SHIVA con-
sortium  contributed  to  the  scientific 
basis  of  the  United  Nations  (UN) 
Montreal Protocol on Substances that 
Deplete  the  Ozone  Layer,  the  UN 
Convention  on  Climate  Change  and 
global climate change research.

SHIVA

  Coordinated by Heidelberg University 

in Germany.

 Funded under FP7-ENVIRONMENT.
http://cordis.europa.eu/project/

rcn/90968_en.html 

Project website:  

http://shiva.iup.uni-heidelberg.de

research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
 
 
31

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I T   A N D   T E L E C O M M U N I C A T I O N S

HELPING SMES  
FISH THE BIG DATA OCEAN
In its Communication on the data-driven economy, the European 
Commission outlines a raft of measures aimed at helping SMEs 
exploit Big Data to win new commercial opportunities.

Think of Big Data and the image is 

of oceans of infinitesimal bytes 
of disparate information even the 
largest corporations struggle to man-
age.  The  stats  are  overwhelming. 
Every single minute, the world is said 
to generate 1.7 million billion bytes of 
data, equal to 360 000 DVDs or over 
six megabytes for each man, woman 
and child on this planet every day.

If Big Business has its work cut out to 
wade through Big Data in an effort to 
turn  research  into  profit,  what  hope 
can  there  be  for  small  companies 
swimming in the tides of knowledge 
overload.  Well,  thanks  to  modern, 
cost-effective data mining techniques, 
and like-minded souls across Europe 
fishing  for  the  same  opportunities, 
quite a lot, actually.

It’s  the  exciting  realisation  that  Big 
Data can mean a big break, for small 
and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) 

in the EU, which is driving the European 
Commission to promote a wealth of 
learning and innovation opportunities 
for SMEs in its Horizon 2020 research 
programme.

Vast opportunities  
for non-ICT companies

A myth has developed that the art of 
analysing  and  making  sense  of  Big 
Data is the preserve of ICT specialists. 
While it does offer new prospects for 
ICT companies, the opportunities are 
also vast for producers and users of 
data in all other economic sectors. For 
example,  manufacturing  companies 
can make use of Big Data analytics to 
render  their  production  processes 
more efficient. Retailers who need to 
face  the  challenge  of  meeting  the 
demand of a new generation of cus-
tomers who expect information to be 
available anytime and anywhere, can 
effectively use the new technologies. 

But SMEs need a helping hand here in 
order  to  understand  concretely  how 
they  can  profit  from  Big  Data.  They 
need  convincing  that  it  needn’t  be 
such an expensive and complex pro-
cess.  This  is  where  the  European 
Commission can play a role.

‘The key here is better data analytics 
enabling more reliable predictions and 
evidence-based  business  decisions 
with regard to the SMEs’ own market, 
own customers’ needs and behaviours 
and business opportunities,’ explained 
Katalin  Imrei,  policy  officer  at  the 
European  Commission,  dealing  with 
Big  Data.  But  to  bring  this  about, 
SMEs,  which  produce  smaller  and 
fewer datasets than their larger coun-
terparts,  need  high-quality,  reliable 
data and services to run new experi-
ments leading to innovative products 
and services. Networking of data pro-
cessing facilities, an essential compo-
nent of the Commission’s plans, will 

IT AND TELECOMMUNICATIONSresearch*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
32

I T   A N D   T E L E C O M M U N I C A T I O N S

be  crucial  in  transferring  knowledge 
and tools to them.

The  Commission  has  been  helping 
SMEs in this area for almost a decade. 
The 2012 CODE project, for example, 
helped  several  small  companies  set 
up tools to manage and share research 
papers. German start-up RapidMiner, 
founded  in  2006  as  Rapid-I,  devel-
oped its software in the e-LICO and 
VISTA-TV projects and now sells it in 
50  countries  worldwide.  The  FP7-
funded DOPA project pooled data to 
provide SMEs with financial and eco-
nomic  data  they  previously  had  no 
access to.

‘Cooperation  with  large  companies, 
universities and research institutes is 
key for SMEs to make use of the lat-
est R&I on data while being offered 

new business opportunities, for exam-
ple, by larger companies that assign 
specialised  tasks  to  the  SMEs,’  said 
Katalin. 

services based on open data resources 
and attract others to contribute some 
of  their  own  data  assets  for 
experimentation.

Open data incubator  
to ‘prime the pump’

Big  Data  projects  are  getting  
EUR  89  million  in  2014  and  2015 
from  the  H2020  programme.  They 
include  research  and  innovation  in 
business intelligence, decision support 
processes  and  systems  supporting 
SMEs and web entrepreneurs. H2020 
is also setting up an ‘open data incu-
bator’ next year to help SMEs develop 
their prototype data applications. The 
incubator, linked to local ones across 
Europe, will also help the companies 
set up supply chains for products and 

But  SMEs  themselves  also  need  to 
embark on a cultural change if they 
are  to  exploit  the  potential  of  Big 
Data.  This  requires  them  to  investi-
gate data-handling tools and methods 
outside their small structures, and be 
prepared to use Big Data actively in 
their decision-making processes. They 
need to be ready to dive in and explore 
the growing ocean of information that 
is waiting for them out there.

http://ec.europa.eu/digital-  

agenda/en/news/
helping-smes-fish-big-data-ocean

PARALLEL COMPUTING OPTIMISES 
DESKTOPS
To develop new products, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) may need expensive computer 
resources. An alternative is to convert existing machines into parallel processors, which would provide the 
power but at low cost.

Parallel computing means dividing 

computer tasks between two or 
more  processing  chips.  This 
results  in  a  tremendous  speed 
improvement compared to single-chip 
machines. 

“GPSME’s work improves 
conventional automatic 
parallel conversion methods.”

The EU-funded project GPSME (A gen-
eral  toolkit  for  GPUtilisation  in  SME 
applications) brought super-computing 
concepts to the office. Modern comput-
ers  generally  have  an  under-utilised 
second  processor  in  the  form  of  the 
‘Graphics  processing  unit’  (GPU).  The 
eight-member  project  aimed  to  net-
work the GPU with the main processor. 
GPSME ran for two years to the end of 
September 2013.

GPSME developed and tested tools for 
converting existing application code to 
utilise both processors. The resulting 
project software automatically recog-
nises  sections  of  application  code 
suitable for conversion, and efficiently 
carries  out  the  conversion.  GPSME’s 
work  improves  conventional  auto-
matic  parallel  conversion  methods. 
is  high  computer 
The 

result 

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performance  at  minimal  cost. 
Presently, no other system is available 
to assist SME competitiveness in this 
way. 

Thanks to GPSME, European SMEs will 
have  the  resources  they  need  to 
develop new products. This will mean 
opportunity  and  improved  competi-
tiveness for European businesses.

GPSME

  Coordinated by the University  

of Bedfordshire in the United Kingdom.

 Funded under FP7-SME.
http://cordis.europa.eu/project/

rcn/100608_en.html

Project website:  

http://www.gp-sme.eu
    http://bit.ly/1uKkBdm

research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
I T   A N D   T E L E C O M M U N I C A T I O N S

33

CLOUD COMPUTING: FACILITATING CUTTING 
EDGE COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH

Cloud computing — where storage facilities are provided on demand over the internet 
from shared data centres — enables effective research collaboration to blossom. 
Rather than having to purchase a cluster of computers or struggle to find space at the 
lab, researchers can outsource their computing storage needs to remote facilities in 
the cloud and make this data accessible to colleagues.

In  order  to  facilitate  closer  research  collaboration,  an 

EU-funded project entitled HELIX NEBULA (Helix Nebula 
—  The  Science  Cloud)  has  created  an  online  platform 
where customers can choose between various cloud service 
suppliers. The ultimate objective of the project, which was 
completed in May 2014, is to enable researchers and sci-
entists to buy, use and manage cloud services as seam-
lessly as possible.

The team behind the project believes that cloud-based ser-
vices  could  become  a  billion-euro  business  in  the  near 
future, helping researchers make savings of up to 40 % in 
infrastructure  costs.  Indeed,  the  project,  which  began  in 
June 2012 with EUR 1.8 million in EU funding, anticipated 
that data capture, processing and storage — crucial to sci-
entific endeavour — were being overtaken by the demand 
for greater efficiency, speedier results and the increasing 
need for greater international collaboration.

Cloud-based services were identified as a viable solution, 
as they offer greater efficiency and agility in delivering ser-
vices through economies of scale. A key advantage of cloud 
computing is its elasticity; storage space for example can 
be scaled up quickly 
depending  on  a 
team’s 
research 
needs.

“A key advantage of cloud 
computing is its elasticity; 
storage space for example 
can be scaled up quickly 
depending on a research 
team’s needs.”

One  example  of 
how cloud comput-
ing can benefit col-
laborative research 
projects is the work 
currently being car-
ried out at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN in Geneva. 
Detectors there are searching for new discoveries in the 
collisions of protons of extraordinarily high energy, which 
could tell us more about how our universe was created and 
shaped. These experiments are currently running a large-
scale distributed computing system to process the massive 
amounts of data collected.

‘CERN’s computing capacity needs to keep up with the enor-
mous  amount  of  data  coming  from  the  Large  Hadron 
Collider and we see Helix Nebula as a great way of work-
ing  with  industry  to  meet  this  challenge,’  said  Frédéric 
Hemmer, head of CERN’s IT department.

HNX is now open to cloud providers capable of participat-
ing competitively in line with European regulations and with 
a suitable quality of service. Commercial cloud providers 
from a number of EU Member States have already joined 
the Helix Nebula initiative, and stated their interest in offer-
ing services via HNX. Cloud services will be offered to the 
global research community, for both publicly-funded and 
commercial organisations across a diverse range of sectors 

including  health  care,  oil  and  gas,  high-tech  and 
manufacturing.

The HELIX NEBULA project is seen as a preliminary step 
towards establishing a pan-European cloud-based scien-
tific e-infrastructure. Indeed, the project consortium now 
intends to build on the successful development of this plat-
form to provide users with easy access to a wide range of 
services, including digital infrastructure, tools, information 
and applications.

In  effect,  the  HNX  is  set  to  become  a  digital  hub  for 
researchers  and  scientists  across  Europe  and  beyond, 
encouraging the sharing of knowledge and the establish-
ment of new virtual partnerships.

HELIX NEBULA

  Coordinated by the European Organisation for Nuclear 

Research in Switzerland.

 Funded under FP7-INFRASTRUCTURES.
http://cordis.europa.eu/news/rcn/36622_en.html
Project website:  

http://www.helix-nebula.eu/

    http://bit.ly/UNsgHg

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research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
34

I T   A N D   T E L E C O M M U N I C A T I O N S

GUARANTEED SECURITY OF WIRELESS 
SIGNALS

Security  of  wireless  data  transmission  is  an  increasingly  important  concern.  
Novel masking technologies developed with EU funding promise perfect secrecy.

signal  of  approximately  the  same 
overall bandwidth. In fact, the results 
take seminal early work on PLS even 
further by showing that the SC using 
the  structured  interferer  was  even 
higher  than  that  using  a  noise-  
like  masker.  Scientists  investigated 
several other areas of wireless secu-
rity, providing new insight into addi-
tional applications of PLS, effects on 
transmission rates and achievable SC.

The team succeeded in all its objec-
tives,  pointing  the  way  to  realising 
perfect secrecy in wireless communi-
cations covering a huge global market 
and  numerous  sectors  of  the  econ-
omy. Proposed PLS technologies will 
enhance  confidence  in  secure  data 
transmission,  providing  a  boost  to 

e-commerce, e-banking, e-healthcare 
and  a  whole  host  of  other  services 
that will enhance the quality of life of 
EU citizens while ensuring a leading 
position for the EU in information and 
communications technology.

APLOE

Coordinated by the Foundation for 

Research and Technology — Hellas in 
Greece.

Funded under FP7-PEOPLE.
http://cordis.europa.eu/project/

rcn/98979_en.html 

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Conventional  encryption  algo-

rithms employed at upper layers 
of most ‘fourth-generation’ (4G) 
wireless  systems  used  to  be  consi-  
dered nearly unbreakable due to the 
computational  complexity  involved. 
However, a new generation of super-
hackers has shown this assumption to 
be false.

Recent developments based on infor-
mation  theory  have  demonstrated 
that physical layer encryption (at the 
signal  level)  can  provide  perfect 
secrecy  of  data  transmission. 
EU-funded scientists working on the 
project APLOE (Applied physical layer 
orthogonal frequency division multi-

“Proposed PLS  
technologies will  
enhance confidence  
in secure data  
transmission.”

plexing  encryption)  investigated  this 
and other friendly jamming technolo-
gies  that  can  be  used  for  proven 
secrecy in data exchange.

‘Physical layer security’ (PLS) concepts 
exploit the inherent characteristics of 
the wireless medium, including fading 
or noise. In order to evaluate perfor-
mance, scientists defined the ‘secrecy 
capacity’ (SC) as the highest commu-
nication  rate  for  which  ‘encoding 
schemes  exist  that  simultaneously 
guarantee reliability in the exchange 
of information with a legitimate user 
and perfect secrecy with respect to an 
eavesdropper.’

Initial work focused on systems that 
use  ‘Orthogonal  frequency  division 
multiplexing’ (OFDM) in which a signal 
is broken up, encoded and sent out on 
multiple carrier frequencies. Most 4G 
wireless systems including long-term 
evolution products use it.

APLOE  proposed  the  masked-OFDM 
scheme in which OFDM signals become 
practically  undetectable  through  
masking  with  a  non-orthogonal  FDM 

research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
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35

I N D U S T R I A L   T E C H N O L O G I E S

I N D U S T R I A L   T E C H N O L O G I E S

ELECTRONICS-  
TO-WEAR LIGHT  
UP HEALTH CARE
For most electronic circuit boards, if you try to bend 
them, they snap and are rendered useless. But this is 
set to change. A European research programme called 
PLACE-IT has come up with a new type of flexible 
electronics that won’t break when you twist them.

e-textiles sector and now progress in 
this  area  will  be  taken  up  by  a  new 
three-year  Seventh  Framework 
Programme  (FP7)  project,  TERASEL, 
which will work on making flat circuits 
more elastic.

PLACE-IT  mainly  focused  on  forming 
electronics to cover human or automo-
tive bodies, a kind of ‘cyber skin’ that can 
adapt its shape to the function required 
without breaking any of the infinitesimal 
connections that make up the tiny micro-
electronic circuits powering all manner 
of applications these days.

‘Uncontrolled  movement  and  body 
shape are demanding on technologies, 
and a certain percentage of stretch abil-
ity is required if electronics are to fulfil 
this demand,’ explains PLACE-IT coordi-
nator Koen van Os, specialist senior sci-
entist  at  Philips  in  Eindhoven,  the 
Netherlands. ‘Without this stretch ability, 
large area electronics create air-gaps 
and pressure points between device and 
skin, or sharp folding lines and cracks in 
the device itself,’ he added.

Electronics  by  InTegration)  partners 
heralds the dawn of a new industry to 
accommodate this revolutionary flex-
ible  technology.  You’ve  heard  of 
e-books,  e-billing  and  e-health:  now 
come e-textiles!

The new components are flexible, 

stretchable,  strong  and  light  — 
so much so that they can easily 
adapt to the contours and movement 
of  the  human  body.  And  that  opens 
the door to a vast new array of appli-
cations,  from  smart  bandages  and 
internal organ monitors in the health 
care  industry  and  e-clothing  for  the 
fashion  and  road  safety  sectors,  to 
smart lighting inside cars, trains and 
planes.  The  work  of  the  PLACE-IT 
(Platform for Large Area Conformable 

The world of cyber skins

A  consortium  of  12  partners,  led  by 
the Dutch multinational Royal Philips, 
PLACE-IT  has  already  demonstrated 
potentially successful products in the 

Health care, fashion  
and automotive applications

One of the most innovative products 
developed by the team in its demon-
strators is BlueTouch phototherapy, a 

 
 
36

I N D U S T R I A L   T E C H N O L O G I E S

pain relief patch already commercial-
ised  by  Philips  to  provide  effective 
pain relief, particularly for back ache. 
Blue  light  bandages  developed  by 
Philips are bendable and comfortable 
enough to be worn on the back all day 
every day if need be. BlueTouch devel-

“One of the most innovative 
products developed by the 
team in its demonstrators  
is BlueTouch phototherapy,  
a pain relief patch already 
commercialised by Philips to 
provide effective pain relief.”

oped as a product during the project, 
was  clinically  proven  and  is  now  a 
CE-certified medical device on sale to 
patients in the UK and Germany since 
spring 2012.

One of the German partners, ZMF medi-
cal research centre, has also shown that 
blue light affects biochemical processes. 
In this way, it can be used to measure 
the working of kidneys using a flexible 
patch to pick up on a fluorescent indica-
tor,  FITC-Sinistrin,  and  measure  the 
function of the organs. The team hopes 
this  product  will  help  detect  terminal 
renal  disease  at  an  early  stage. 
Seventeen universities and five major 
drugs companies are using the device 
for research and safety assessment of 
new drugs. Jobs have also been created 
through a start-up, Mannheim Pharma 
& Diagnostics, which aims to sell the 
renal monitor and FITC-Sinistrin.

The use of small LEDs in clothing has 
also been developed. Concert perform-
ers  like  the  Black  Eyed  Peas  have 
already trialled e-textile costumes con-
taining OLED lighting technology in the 
shape of ultra-thin light-emitting foils.

Automotive  lighting  is  another  area 
where  PLACE-IT  partners,  including 

Germany’s  Freudenberg  technology 
group, its textile research institute TITV-
Greiz and Spain’s Grupo Antolin, have 
been  working.  They  have  designed 
novel, ‘beyond-the-bulb’ lighting tech-
nologies in vehicle ‘skins’, such as ceil-
ings (for interior illumination) and sun 
visors (for vanity lights) in a functional, 
energy-efficient and cost-effective way. 

PLACE-IT  is  a  EUR  16  million  project, 
with  EUR  10.8  million  funded  by  the 
European  Union’s  FP7.  The  project 
started in February 2010 and ended in 
November 2013.

PLACE-IT

Coordinated by Philips Electronics  

in the Netherlands.
Funded under FP7-ICT.
http://cordis.europa.eu/project/

rcn/93792_en.html 

Project website:  

http://www.place-it-project.eu

GLASS MICRO-COMPONENT MANUFACTURE 
FOR THE MASSES
A new laser printer for patterning glass substrates 
on the nano scale fits in a shoebox. It opens the 
door  to  the  manufacture  of  glass-based 
microsystems  using  a  table-top  device  without 
expensive infrastructure and expertise.

Recent advances in femtosecond lasers have enabled 

their use in patterning glass using compact devices at 
a  fraction  of  the  cost  of  conventional  clean-room 
equipment.  EU-funded  scientists  working  on  the  project 
FEMTOPRINT (Femtosecond laser printer for glass microsys-
tems with nanoscale features) pushed the state-of-the-art 
with a low-cost, compact laser printer system.

The Femtoprinter fits in a shoebox and can pattern glass 
substrates with features on the scale of atoms and mole-
cules (the nano scale). The system provides the ability to 
produce  glass-based  microsystems  sporting  optical, 
mechanical and fluid-handling capability without expensive 
infrastructure  and  expertise.  The  prototype  enabled  the 
first demonstration of algae biochips, the first transparent 
actuators  and  a  ‘five-dimensional’  optical  memory. 
Nicknamed Superman by the press, the latter is capable of 
storing information in excess of a thousand years.

Needless to say, FEMTOPRINT has received global attention. 
Newspapers  such  as  The  Telegraph  and  The  Huffington 
Post have featured the technology and scientists have pub-
lished the results in numerous technical papers in renowned 
peer-reviewed  journals.  FEMTOPRINT  received  the  Best 
Project Finalist Award at the EuroNanoForum in Ireland, and 
the technology development has resulted in the creation of 
the spin-off company FEMTOprint, which has commercial-
ised the printer. 

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products as well. The innovative laser source is now availa-
ble in the product line of one of the project’s partners. A pat-
ented optical component has been licensed to a European 
company that now features it in its product catalogue.

FEMTOPRINT  technologies  are  already  having  a  major 
impact on the glass-based optical and micro-optics sectors. 
Uptake of the economical and powerful Femtoprinter by 
universities, research institutes and industry will speed up 
groundbreaking research in glass-based microsystems with 
major benefits for the EU economy.

FEMTOPRINT

  Coordinated by the Technical University of Eindhoven  

in the Netherlands.
 Funded under FP7-NMP.
http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/94310_en.html 
Project website:  

Although the printer was the ultimate technological goal, 
technology  development  has  led  to  other  commercial 

http://www.femtoprint.eu

  http://bit.ly/1qPHmex 

research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
I N D U S T R I A L   T E C H N O L O G I E S

37

CURING PLASTICS WITH MICROWAVES
A revolutionary closed-mould system using ‘Microwave-assisted curing’ (MAC) and ‘Resin transfer moulding’ 
(RTM) will enable eco-friendly and cost-effective production of high added-value plastic products.

MAC is a curing method that can 

be  used  on  thermosetting 
materials  such  as  polyester, 
vinylester  and  epoxy 
resins. 
Thermosetting  materials  become 
strong and high-temperature resistant 
after curing, resulting in applications 
that include components for the auto-
motive and aerospace industries. 

MAC-RTM  and  MAC-RTM  Light-
technologies were developed by sci-
entists  from  the  EU-funded  project 
MAC-RTM (Microwave assisted curing 
for resin transfer moulding). 

The end users specified requirements 
and selected two complex 3D parts for 
production: a small engine bonnet and 
the active component of an electrical 
engine part. To make these parts, sci-
entists  worked  on  selecting  suitable 
microwave  radiation  transparent 
mould  materials  as  well  as  micro-
wave-absorbent additives and resins. 

“MAC-RTM also showed 40 % 
lower energy consumption 
than a conventional heating 
process.”

Scientists initially built a lab-scale unit 
with  the  selected  electrical  antenna 
structure and current sensor to evalu-
ate process parameters online. Based 
on  lab-scale  study  outcomes,  the 
mould  design  and  filling  system  (for 
resin  injection  into  the  mould)  were 
finalised.  Sensor  systems  were 

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calibrated and validated to monitor the 
curing process, temperature and more. 

For visualising the MAC process during 
production  of  very  complex  parts, 
researchers used an infrared camera 
system. This led to the development 
of an industrial production-scale unit 
using the MAC-RTM process. In paral-
lel,  researchers  simulated  and  vali-
dated the MAC process by comparing 
simulated  data  with  experimental 
material data.

The  industrial-scale  trials  demon-
strated that the MAC-RTM process ful-
fils  important  environmental  and 
safety  standards.  Notable  in  this 
closed-mould system is the reduction 
in emissions of volatile organic car-
bons such as styrene by about 85 %. 

of RTM epoxy parts is far more thor-
ough, resulting in an improvement in 
epoxy  parts  production  by  around  
3.5 times. MAC-RTM also showed 40 % 
lower energy consumption than a con-
ventional heating process.

MAC-RTM technology will reduce time-
to-market  and  increase  end-user 
acceptance and consumer confidence. 
Ultimately, MAC-RTM technology will 
enhance  the  competitiveness  of 
European  businesses  in  the  global 
composites market and open up more 
market opportunities.

MAC-RTM

 Coordinated by AIMPLAS in Spain.
 Funded under FP7-SME.
http://cordis.europa.eu/project/

In comparison to conventional curing 
using oven heating, MAC provides con-
siderably more cost-effective, uniform 
and faster curing. Moreover, the curing 

rcn/100417_en.html 

Project website:  

http://www.macrtm.eu

  http://bit.ly/1ogKfgA

EXPLORING BIODIVERSITY TO PRODUCE 
SUSTAINABLE COSMETICS AND 
AGROCHEMICALS
AGROCOS is a pioneering European project which 
is using modern scientific techniques to explore 
the  ancient  —  and  still  largely  untapped  — 
richness of nature to develop new products for the 
agrochemical and cosmetics industries.

At  the  heart  of  the  AGROCOS  (From  Biodiversity  to 
Chemodiversity: Novel Plant Produced Compounds with 
Agrochemical  and  Cosmetic  interest)  project  are  mole-
cules  extracted  from  1  800  plant  species  harvested  in 
‘biodiversity hotspots’ in Africa, Europe, Latin America and 
the  Asia-Pacific  region.  The  compounds  extracted  are 
being tested for qualities which would benefit the agro-
chemical sector, such as anti-fungal, herbicidal or insec-
ticidal effects, while for the cosmetics industry the key 
characteristics of interest include UV protection and anti-
ageing properties, or efficacy against age spots (known as 
‘hyper-pigmentation’). From the thousands of compounds 

By searching through nature’s molecules to discover 

the essential building blocks for a new generation of 
ingredients, the project is expected to pave the way 
for products which are not only innovative and effective, 
but  also,  being  naturally  derived,  friendlier  for  both 
humans  and  the  environment  than  existing  synthetic 
products.

research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
 
38

I N D U S T R I A L   T E C H N O L O G I E S

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This  breakthrough  for  bio-prospecting  is  especially 
important as it comes at a time when concerns are grow-
ing about the impact of synthetic cosmetics and agro-
chemicals  on  both  humans  and  the  environment. 
Synthetic cosmetic ingredients such as UV screens are 
under scrutiny for their endocrine-disrupting and other 
detrimental effects on humans and water-living organ-
isms, while the leakage of agrochemicals into the envi-
ronment is a problem that needs to be addressed. The 
long-term  effects  of  low-dose  exposure  to  the  ever-
growing number of such synthetic chemicals are still not 
understood well.

‘In this context, the benefits of AGROCOS will be specific 
and tangible,’ says Professor Skaltsounis. ‘By the end of 
the project, novel compounds drawn from the resources 
offered  by  global 
biodiversity  are 
expected  to  be 
available  for  use 
as new ingredients 
in  cosmetic  prod-
ucts,’  he  com-
ments. ‘In the field 
of  agrochemicals, 
where  the  devel-
opment procedure 
is  lengthier  —  up  to  10  years  —  we  expect  that  the 
promising compounds will be the starting point for more 
specialised development of agrochemical agents.’

“We expect that the promising 
compounds will be the 
starting point for more 
specialised development of 
agrochemical agents.”

For one of the project partners, KORRES, a Greek com-
pany which develops a wide range of natural cosmetic 
products, there is no doubt about the significance of the 
project. ‘This is the biggest piece of research in natural 
ingredients in recent years,’ says Lena Korres, the com-
pany’s Brand Development Director, who is in charge of 
new product development.

‘This goes right back to our heritage here at KORRES,’ she 
explains. ‘We are passionate about natural ingredients, 
and research is at the core of what we do. For us, this 
will be fantastic because it will provide us not only with 
the five specific ingredients, but also with an extensive 
library of ingredients detailing the benefits of each and 
how they can help us in cosmetics.’

Even more exciting will be the fact that this could be just 
the tip of the iceberg for bio-prospecting. According to 
Professor Skaltsounis, ‘only 10 % of the existing 400 000 
higher plant species, and an even lower percentage of 
fungi and invertebrates, have so far been analysed.’

AGROCOS

 Coordinated by the University of Athens in Greece.
 Funded under FP7-KBBE.
http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/

article_en.cfm?artid=32282

Project website:  

http://www.agrocos.eu/

  http://bit.ly/1AHrpsX 

extracted,  the  project  aims  to  identify  the  five  most 
promising ones.

In addition to these final five ingredients, the project will 
create an extensive ‘library’ of compounds, to be made 
available for future use by researchers or commercial 
enterprises.

As the AGROCOS Project Coordinator, Professor Leandros 
Skaltsounis of the National and Kapodistrian University 
of Athens, explains, ‘this is an important breakthrough 
for the technique of “bio-prospecting” — deriving mate-
rials from nature. Plants have been used since antiquity 
to meet people’s needs,’ he says. ‘Henna dye has long 
been  used  as  a  cosmetic,  for  example,  or  the  Indian 
Neem tree for crop protection,’ he adds. This ‘primitive’ 
bio-prospecting  was  revived  in  recent  decades  as  the 
discovery of novel bioactive products enabled the pro-
duction  of  important  anti-cancer  and  anti-microbial 
drugs. What is new and exciting today is that modern 
technologies have finally made bio-prospecting a viable 
technique, in terms of both cost and time, not just for 
pharmaceuticals  but  also  for  more  general  industrial 
applications like cosmetics and agrochemicals.

research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
I N D U S T R I A L   T E C H N O L O G I E S

39

MANUFACTURING MACHINERY ADAPTS 
INTELLIGENTLY
The use of smart technologies in plug-and-produce components for machining tools and systems 
has enhanced damping and thermal control in five demonstrators. Improved efficiency and product 
quality are among the benefits.

integrated  control  logic  linked  to  a 
computer numerical control system. 
The intelligent ASCs can thus adapt 
behaviour according to changes in the 
operation environment. 

“Commercialisation will help a 
huge market sector involved 
in the manufacture of 
machine tools and production 
equipment as well as the end 
users who purchase them.”

ASC technology for vibration control, 
adaptive fixturing and thermal com-
pensation was demonstrated in mill-
ing  machine  tools  and  robots  to 
highlight the benefits of the holistic 
approach. Commercialisation will help 
a huge market sector involved in the 
manufacture  of  machine  tools  and 
production equipment as well as the 
end  users  who  purchase  them. 
Substantial increases in product qual-
ity  and  productivity  are  expected 
along  with  enhanced  energy 
efficiency.

HARCO

  Coordinated by Centro Studi 

Industriali in Italy.

 Funded under FP7-NMP.
http://cordis.europa.eu/project/

rcn/94813_en.html 

Project website:  

http://www.harcoproject.eu.com

  http://bit.ly/1rWuB1i

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EU-funded  scientists  working  on 

the  project  HARCO  (Hierarchical 
and adaptive smart components 
for  precision  production  systems 
application)  are  revolutionising 
machine  tool  and  manufacturing 
machinery  design  rules. The current 
challenge  in  manufacturing  is  to 
develop  stiff,  lightweight  and  well-
damped structures to increase prod-
uct  quality  and  throughput  with 
minimal  waste  and  machine  down-
time. In order to achieve these goals, 
engineers  seek  to  integrate  adap-
tronic devices for multiple functions, 

including  active  vibration  control, 
adaptive fixturing and advanced ther-
mal  stability  control.  All  of  these 
capabilities  must  be  achieved  in  a 
cost-effective and commercially via-
ble design. 

HARCO has made this possible with a 
hierarchical  approach.  Smart  actua-
tors and sensors are integrated into 
modular adaptronic devices that can 
then  be  connected  (plugged  in)  to 
form  ‘Adaptive  smart  components’ 
(ASCs). The  ASCs are elements of a 
distributed control architecture, with 

QUIETER AND SAFER DOORS
European door makers are faced with increasingly stricter building regulations and lower construction 
costs. New designs for superior doors will meet European rules and help smaller businesses compete. 

European manufacturers of wooden construction prod-

ucts, specifically wooden doors, are presently strug-
gling to compete in the market. The various reasons 
include  EU  legislation  specifying  noise  thresholds,  and 
cheaper options from abroad.

Levelling  the  playing  field  was  the  SILENTWOOD 
(Multilayered Wood-based Exterior Doors with Enhanced 
Acoustic Insulating Properties for Dwellings, Sanitation and 
Educative Centres) project. The 11-member consortium ran 

for three years to April 2013, during which time it received 
nearly EUR 2 million. The project aimed to help European 
manufacturers comply with new EU building regulations 
while also helping with their market situation. 

The project set two broad objectives: to develop a new door 
structure for noise reduction, and to design and validate a 
complete door system. The project’s resulting doors would 
be certified in terms of noise and fire resistance, and also 
be compliant with mechanical and thermal requirements. 

research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
 
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I N D U S T R I A L   T E C H N O L O G I E S

In addition, the products would 
be  environmentally  friendly, 
lightweight and inexpensive.

First,  the  project  evaluated 
and  selected  options  for  an 
innovative multilayered struc-
ture.  The  best  of  these  was 
developed  to  manufacturing 
conditions. Various prototypes 
were  evaluated  and  tested. 
Secondly,  materials  were 
compared, the best combina-
tions  of  which  were  com-
pounded  into  an  engineered 
wood  and  processed  into 
doors. 

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Next, a customised computer-
aided  engineering  software 
module was developed to sim-
ulate  noise  transmission 
through panels of the chosen 
material.  The  software  also  simulated  mechanical  and 
other  properties.  Together  the  simulations  reduced  the 
need for laboratory testing. 

Lastly, all the developments were combined into innovative 
multilayered door prototypes made of composite wood and 
other  materials,  which  were  also  tested.  The  resulting 

products  meet  the  target  requirements  and  are 
ready for commercialisation. 

The project devoted considerable effort to prepa-
rations for introducing the new products to market, 
including  a  funding 
investment 
and 
plan.  Other  work 
involved dissemina-
tion activities includ-
ing  participation  at 
conferences  and 
trade fairs, a project 
website, journal arti-
cles and popular publications, including newslet-
ters and posters. 

“The resulting products  
meet the target 
requirements  
and are ready for
commercialisation.”

As a result of SILENTWOOD, European manufac-
turers will regain their market share while also 
supplying Europe with the superior doors required 
by legislation.

SILENTWOOD

 Coordinated by Inspiralia in Spain.
 Funded under FP7-SME.
http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/95151_en.html 
Project website:  

http://www.silentwood.eu

WINEPEN TESTS GRAPE RIPENESS ON THE VINE
Testing  whether  grapes  are  ripe  usually  involves  destructive  and  time-consuming  chemical  tests.  
Now, researchers have developed the WinePen, a handheld device that can test ripeness on the vine.

Recent  EU  quality  legislation  in 

the viticulture industry is putting 
a lot of pressure on small vine-
yards.  To  survive,  they  will  need  to 
increase  the  quality  of  their  grapes 
and  reduce  the  production  of  low-
quality wine.

Thanks  to  the  EU-funded  PREMIVM 
(Low-cost,  hand-held,  and  non-  
invasive  optical  sensor  for  multi-  
parametric  field  analysis  of  grapes 
and  leaves  in  vineyards)  project,  
winemakers now have a device that 
can quickly and easily monitor grape 
ripeness without any damage to the 
fruit. The device uses fluorescence to 
measure the concentrations of vari-
ous  chemicals  related  to  ripeness, 
and comes with built-in software.

Vineyards  in  the  Czech  Republic, 
Spain, Italy and Portugal participated 
in the research and testing process. 
Researchers  used  a  wide  range  of 
grape  varieties  to  build  a  reference 
library that was used to calibrate the 
prototype device. 

The device software provides useful 
statistical analyses based on the data 
collected, telling farmers about grape 
ripeness  and  sugar  content.  It  can 
also  coordinate  Global  Positioning 
System data, has an online interface 
and  can  be  accessed  from  a  com-
puter, tablet or smartphone.

PREMIVM’s demonstration prototype 
was successful — results are inter-
nally  consistent  and  they  correlate 
well  with  conventional  methods  of 
measurement.  PREMIVM  has  thus 

developed  a  device  that  could  help 
small EU vineyards remain competi-
tive  in  the  face  of  challenging 
legislation.

PREMIVM

  Coordinated by Agri-Ciência  

in Portugal.

 Funded under FP7-SME.
http://cordis.europa.eu/project/

rcn/96391_en.html 

Project website:  

http://www.premivm.eu/

  http://bit.ly/VfzFiO

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research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
 
 
 
 
I N D U S T R I A L   T E C H N O L O G I E S

41

EU’S REVOLUTIONARY ASSEMBLY  
PLATFORM
An  EU-funded  project  has  turned  a  vision  into  reality.  Flexible  assembly  units 
coordinated by adaptive control will now permit European manufacturers to quickly 
produce a variety of products with minimal new investment.

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Organising,  monitoring  and  

controlling  factory  assembly 
operations  at  both  the  shop-
floor  and  systems  level  is  a  daunting 
task.  Including  the  ability  for  self-  
organisation and adaptation to chang-
ing  conditions  at  both  these  levels 
seems  like  science  fiction.  Work  
conducted  within  the  scope  of  the 
EU-funded  project  IDEAS  (Instantly 
deployable  evolvable  assembly  
systems) is making it all a reality.

The  significance  of  IDEAS’  accom-
plishments has already been widely 
recognised. A publication on the pro-
ject in Assembly Automation won the 
Outstanding  Paper  Award  at  the 
Literati Network Awards for Excellence 
2013.  The  European  Commission 
selected IDEAS as one of its 11 offi-
cial  Success  Stories  since  the  
beginning  of  the  Sixth  Framework 
Programme (FP6).

In essence, the elegance of the solu-
tion  lies  in  a  successful  principle  at 
work in complex systems from biolog-
ical organisms to universities to busi-
nesses.  In  each  case,  individuals  or 
units  are  responsible  for  specific 
functions in which they have exper-
tise.  They  are  coordinated  to  work 

together and intelligently adapt to a 
changing  environment  to  achieve  a 
higher goal.

The IDEAS consortium further devel-
oped  the  established  paradigm  of 
‘Evolvable assembly systems’ (EASs), 
in  which  simple,  dedicated  machine 
modules  (agents)  are  created  for 
each  individual  assembly  process. 
Scientists  combined  EASs  with  a 
highly  distributed  adaptive  control 
system  based  on  control  boards 
developed  within  the  project  for 
seamless  interaction  in  multi-agent 
applications.

The success of the ‘Multi-agent sys-
tem’ (MAS) approach was proven in a 
simplified pre-demonstrator. The MAS 
automatically  reacted  to  changing 
production  conditions  and  flexibly 
managed resources. Production pro-
cesses  were  run  without  program-
ming  using  a  simple  graphical 
interface  and  drag-and-drop  func-
tionality. The miniaturised production 
platform  served  as  the  test  bed  for 
further development.

Researchers  demonstrated  the  full 
re-configurability (plug-and-produce 
capability)  and  adaptability  in  the 

assembly of two industrial systems. 
Small and medium-sized enterprises 
will soon be able to automate assem-
bly  without  investing  in  expensive 
automation  equipment.  Re-usability 

“The significance of IDEAS’ 
accomplishments has already 
been widely recognised.”

also decreases ecological impact. This 
is  poised  to  revolutionise  European 
assembly.  IDEAS  will  enable  manu-
facturers  to  recapture  outsourced 
jobs and open the door to new global 
markets,  overcoming  the  hurdle 
imposed  by  the  current  economic 
crisis.

IDEAS

  Coordinated by the Royal Institute  

of Technology in Sweden.

 Funded under FP7-NMP.
http://cordis.europa.eu/project/

rcn/95351_en.html 

Project website:  

http://www.ideas-project.eu

research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
42

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“The small size and light 
weight of MEMS’ components 
make them ideal for creating 
propulsion systems for 
microsatellites.”

S P A C E

MICROSATELLITES 
PROPELLED INTO NEW ERA
An emerging trend in the space industry today is the shift from large 
satellites to smaller microsatellites with stringent power and weight 
requirements. EU-funded scientists are forging ahead with a new 
generation  of  micro-propulsion  systems  that  could  help  these 
microsatellites reach the correct orbit.

Each satellite has to position itself in space and 

maintain its orientation. Inability to do this would 
cause it to tumble along its orbit, and its anten-

nas will drift out of alignment with Earth. 

To achieve movement, a satellite ejects matter in one 
direction to move in the opposite one. Chemical pro-
pulsion powers conventional rockets and down-scaled 
versions  of  this  technology.  A  solid  propellant  is 
burned to produce a flow of fast-moving gas, thereby 
providing a strong push forward. 

As would be expected, this large and spectacular form 
of  propulsion  is  not  suited  to  tiny  microsatellites. 
Although it is tempting to miniaturise the tried-and-
trusted propulsion technique, the PRECISE (Chemical-
µpropulsion for an efficient and accurate control of 
satellites for space exploration) project is making pro-
gress in a more experimental form of propulsion.

The experimental system being developed is inspired 
by  ‘Micro-electromechanical  systems’  (MEMS).  This 
technology involves creating very small components, 
with features measured on the scale of micrometres. 
The small size and light weight of MEMS’ components 
make them ideal for creating propulsion systems for 
microsatellites. 

These components were fabricated in the form of sili-
con chips, much like the chips found in computers and 

other electronics. They were bonded together, allow-
ing filters, heaters, thermal flow controllers, flow con-
trol and pressure relief valves to be sandwiched into 
compact units no larger than a one cent coin. 

The micro-chemical propulsion system microworks by 
heating paraffin in closed cavities to increase its vol-
ume before expelling it through nozzles. The cavities 
were formed at the interface between chips, while the 
whole setup consists of chips mounted on top of one 
another. Equipped with sensors to control the flow by 
adjusting the power of the heaters in the bottom chip, 
the microCPS provides thrust larger than 1 Newton.

The first prototype is expected to be assembled in the 
early part of 2014. It will then require a great deal of 
testing and experimentation, but the flexibility and 
compact size of MEMS’ technology make it a promis-
ing platform for future propulsion designs.

PRECISE

 Coordinated by the DLR in Germany.
 Funded under FP7-SPACE.
 http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/100845_en.html 
 Project website:  

http://www.mcps-precise.com 

SPACEresearch*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
 
43

S P A C E

MODELLING SUITE TO PROBE  
STELLAR EXPLOSIONS

The study of massive star explosions can provide important insight into the evolution 
of the Universe and the distances between its objects. EU-funded scientists have 
developed and applied advanced models with exciting results.

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Scientists working on the EU-funded project STELLAR 

EXPLOSIONS  (A  comprehensive  and  multi-facetted 
study  of  stellar  explosions  using  radiation-hydro-
dynamics  and  time-dependent  radiative  transfer  tech-
niques)  developed  improved  models  of  explosion 
mechanisms and radiation dynamics. They applied them to 
probe the spectra, light curves and polarisation signatures 
of all types of ‘supernovas’ (SNes), the largest explosions 
occurring  in  space,  as  well  as  to  other  explosive  stellar 
events for exciting new descriptions of dynamics. 

The key to success in modelling the mechanisms of explo-
sions was in starting with physically consistent models of 
the progenitor star produced from the public stellar evolu-
tion code MESA-Star. Scientists then developed radiation 
hydrodynamics code, called V1D, to treat core collapse and 
stellar eruptions. 

The pinnacle of project modelling was the development of 
CMFGEN,  including  all  relevant  processes  for  ‘Non-local 
thermodynamic  equilibrium’  (non-LTE)  and  the  time-
dependence of radiative transfer in homologously expand-
ing SNe ejecta. Ejecta are the remnants of the stars ejected 
when they explode. After billions of years of explosions, 
they provide important information about how the Universe 
came to be the way it is. CMFGEN was expanded to include 
treatment of non-thermal processes as well, and has been 
tested against a variety of data.

CMFGEN enables the detailed study of the non-LTE aspect 
of  radiative  transfer  not  possible  with  other  available 
codes.

Applications of the algorithms have provided groundbreak-
ing information about all types of SNe explosions. Models 
of the ejecta have generated light curves and full polarised 
spectra for any SN type. Code development and application 
to  observations 
have far exceeded 
original  expecta-
tions,  resulting  in 
many  publications 
in  peer-reviewed 
scientific journals. 

“STELLAR EXPLOSIONS has 
delivered a suite of software 
tools for modelling the 
causes, mechanisms and 
effects of SNe explosions.”

Overall,  STELLAR 
EXPLOSIONS  has 
delivered a suite of 
software tools for modelling the causes, mechanisms and 
effects of SNe explosions that will foster a powerful burst 
of experimental and theoretical investigations into some of 
the most important questions about our Universe.

STELLAR EXPLOSIONS uniquely combines three modelling 
codes  (MESA,  V1D  and  CMFGEN)  for  comprehensive 
dynamic  descriptions  of  massive  star  explosions  with 
unprecedented  detail  and  interrelationships.  In  addition, 

STELLAR EXPLOSIONS

 Coordinated by the CNRS in France.
 Funded under FP7-PEOPLE.
http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/90629_en.html 

research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
44

S P A C E

COMBATING DEFORESTATION  
FROM SPACE
Tropical forests are among the most biologically diverse habitats on the planet but are 
under  threat  from  illegal  logging  and  mining  activities.  An  EU-funded  initiative  is 
developing  an  early  warning  system  that  can  rapidly  identify  the  first  signs  of 
deforestation, thereby acting as a tool for ensuring sustainable development within 
these fragile ecosystems.

The  REDD-FLAME  (REDD  fast  logging  assessment  & 

monitoring environment) project will design and test a 
system for monitoring logging activities in tropical and 
sub-tropical forests with the aid of very-high-resolution 
Earth Observation satellites. The system will complement 
existing low- to mid-
dle-resolution  sys-
that  cover 
tems 
entire  countries  or 
regions,  monitoring 
areas at high risk of 
deforestation.

“High-resolution SAR data 
will be used to create highly 
detailed maps of forest 
change to identify hotspots 
and detect indicators of 
illegal activity.”

REDD-FLAME 
is 
designed  to  mainly 
use ‘Synthetic aper-
ture  radar’  (SAR) 
data,  but  a  parallel  approach  employing  optical  remote 
sensing data is also being implemented. The project has 
identified a wide range of users, including indigenous peo-
ples, forest managers, enforcement agencies, policymak-
ers, and logging and mining enterprises.

Project partners will determine what information is required 
for mapping and monitoring deforestation as well as iden-
tifying the forest type and land cover. They will also assess 
the  most  suitable  methods  for  implementing  a  near-  
real-time  forest  monitoring  system  using  data  from  
multiple satellite SAR sensors.

Researchers are testing REDD-FLAME in three countries — 
Brazil,  Indonesia  and  Mozambique  —  to  determine  its 
potential as part of a forestry monitoring centre. The results 
are used for informing policymakers, providing information 
for  monitoring  programmes,  providing  evidence  for  law 
enforcement efforts and helping local communities to pro-
tect their lands from illegal encroachment.

REDD-FLAME will therefore help build capacity in the host 
countries for managing forest resources and help combat 
deforestation, thereby conserving biodiversity and the nat-
ural environment.

High-resolution  SAR  data  will  be  used  to  create  highly 
detailed maps of forest change to identify hotspots and 
detect indicators of illegal activity, such as camps and new 
roads. This information can then be matched with intelli-
gence or circumstantial evidence acquired in cooperation 
with local partners on the ground.

REDD-FLAME

  Coordinated by Remote Sensing Applications Consultants 

Limited in the United Kingdom.

 Funded under FP7-SPACE.
http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/97918_en.html 
Project website:  

http://redd-flame.info  

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research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
THE SPACE-TIME CONNECTION
European scientists are developing what may be the most precise clocks ever built. Based on laser excitation of 
atoms, these optical clocks will have a ticket to ride aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for a test-run.

45

S P A C E

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Clocks  are  conceptually  rather 

simple  devices.  They  are  based 
on a repeated event that occurs 
at  a  highly  regular  interval  and  a 
mechanism  for  keeping  track  of  the 
events.  Grandfather  clocks  get  their 
reference  interval  from  a  swinging 
pendulum. Quartz watches get theirs 
from an oscillating crystal.

Atomic clocks measure the frequency 
of electron transitions from one orbital 
to  another  in  atoms  of  certain  ele-
ments. Transitions are so reproducible 
that  the  definition  of  a  second  is 

currently tied to atomic transition. The 
standard is cesium-133 (Cs-133).

Cs-based clocks ‘tick’ at about 1 trillion 
times per second, operating in the micro-
wave range of the ‘electromagnetic’ (EM) 
spectrum of frequencies. Optical clocks, 
operating in the visible light range of the 
EM  spectrum  (frequencies  of  1  million  
trillion times per second), would obviously 
be capable of even greater accuracy.

A  European  consortium  is  developing 
ultra-precise portable neutral-atom lat-
tice optical clock demonstrators for use in 
space. Their goal is to provide a 10-fold 

increase  in  performance  compared  to 
microwave atomic clocks employed in a 
previous European Space Agency (ESA)-
backed ISS mission.

With  EU  funding  of  the  SOC2  project 
(Towards  Neutral-atom  Space  Optical 
Clocks: Development of high-performance 
transportable  and  breadboard  optical 
clocks and advanced subsystems), scien-
tists developed laser technology and inte-
grated it with atomic setups for ‘strontium’ 
(Sr) and ‘ytterbium’ (Yb). They are investi-
gating two novel approaches for loading 
the atoms into the optical lattice clock.

SOC2 technology is expected to impact 
space-  and  ground-based  investiga-
tions of time and gravity and commer-
cial development of technology relying 
on  lasers  and  high-precision  timing 
devices. It might even provide the basis 
for the new standard of measurement 
of the second.

SOC2 

  Coordinated by Heinrich Heine 

University Düsseldorf in Germany.

 Funded under FP7-SPACE.
http://cordis.europa.eu/result/

rcn/89837_en.html 
Project website:  

http://www.exphy.uni-duesseldorf.de/
optical_clock/soc2/index.php

MAKING MORE SENSE OF SPACE
A novel data processing system for space research will help scientists exploit the huge amount of data 
it receives from beyond Earth and prepare for future space missions.

Space research requires sophisticated tools to simulate con-

ditions in outer space and make use of the data it receives 
from ongoing missions. One breakthrough in this direction 
has been the development of sophisticated modelling tools that 
help researchers advance space missions and reduce costs. The 
EU-funded project ‘Integrated medium for planetary explora-
tion’ (IMPEX) set out to build a system that enables high-tech 
simulation outputs and measurements obtained from space.

The project worked on specifying the requirements of the sys-
tem and conducted web conferences to outline the different 
inputs from stakeholders. This paved the way to design the 
software involved and define a common data model, along with 
interfaces and protocols of the envisioned infrastructure.

IMPEX created an online document management system, com-
munication networking mechanisms and a project website to 
further its goals. One of the website’s smartest features is a 
series of audio podcasts that explore the project’s goals and 
introduce stakeholders to specific modules of the project.

The simulation data model was finally designed to be compat-
ible with the ‘Space physics archive search and extract’ (SPASE) 

effort, which facilitates information retrieval across the space 
and solar physics data environment. In addition, the website has 
been  designed  to  promote  information  exchange,  initiate 
remote  procedures  and  exploit  services  within  the 
infrastructure.

Once  the  system  goes  online,  it  will  boost  collaboration 
between modelling experts and space mission data experts, 
making great strides in interpreting space mission data. 
IMPEX will also encourage joint analysis of space mission 
data that will further our understanding of space signifi-
cantly and lay the groundwork for future missions. Last but 
not  least,  the  influx  of  data  and  resulting  analyses  will  
represent  a  powerful  boost  to  the  European  knowledge 
economy and European Research Area (ERA).

IMPEX 

 Coordinated by the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Austria.
 Funded under FP7-SPACE.
http://cordis.europa.eu/result/rcn/90312_en.html 
Project website:  

http://impex-fp7.oeaw.ac.at/ 

research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
 
46

EVENTS

SEPTEMBER
22▶25

SEPTEMBER
26▶27

OCTOBER 
06▶10

Amsterdam,  
THE NETHERLANDS

C O N F E R E N C E
SPIE REMOTE SENSING 

A  conference  entitled  ‘SPIE  Remote 
Sensing’  will  be  held  from  22  to  25 
September  2014  in  Amsterdam,  the 
Netherlands.

The conference aims to provide interna-
tional researchers and scientists access 
to the most recent satellite-based imag-
ing systems and the data generated by 
satellites.

It will bring together the scientific com-
munity, government officials and indus-
try  representatives  to  discuss  current 
concepts and define future challenges in 
satellite research and technology. 

For further information, please visit: 
http://spie.org/remote-sensing-
europe.xml 

Rome, ITALY

Sithonia, GREECE

C O N F E R E N C E
SECOND INTERNATIONAL 
CONFERENCE  
ON SUSTAINABLE 
DEVELOPMENT

The Second International Conference on 
Sustainable Development (ICSD 2014) 
will be held from 26 to 27 September 
2014 in Rome, Italy.

The conference aims to provide a forum 
for  sharing  ideas  and  research  on  the 
issues  related  to  the  three  pillars  of 
sustainability  science:  economic, 
environmental and socio-cultural.

By  presenting  cross-field  research,  the 
event sets out to develop better informed 
practices and policies. It will attract an 
interdisciplinary audience who share an 
interest  in  —  and  concern  for  — 
sustainability from a holistic perspective.

C O N F E R E N C E
NINTH INTERNATIONAL 
CONFERENCE ON 
ANTICANCER RESEARCH

The  Ninth  International  Conference  on 
Anticancer  Research  will  be  held  from  
6 to 10 October 2014 in Sithonia, Greece.

The  conference  will  bring  together  
19  scientific  societies  working  in  the 
area, including the Union for International 
Cancer Control (UICC), and will include 
six parallel sessions each day, including 
symposia on specific topics organised by 
the Auspicious Societies and Scientific 
Committees.  Special  sessions  will  
be  devoted  to  discussions  and 
international 
arrangements  of 
cooperation  projects  and  activities, 
encompassing  the  aims  of  the 
International  Institute  of  Anticancer 
Research.

For further information, please visit: 
http://www.ecsdev.org/index.php/
conference 

For further information, please visit: 
http://www.iiar-anticancer.org/
conference/ 

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EVENTS

For more forthcoming events:  
http://cordis.europa.eu/events

OCT.
24▶26

Rome, Italy

CONGRESS
SECOND INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON SPORT 
SCIENCES RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT

The Second International Congress on Sport Sciences Research and Technology Support 
(icSPORTS 2014) will take place from 24 to 26 October 2014 in Rome, Italy.

As sport is becoming more and more technological, and engineering in general and 
Information Technology in particular play an increasingly important role, this event 
aims to bring together academics and practitioners in the field to exchange ideas and 
develop synergies. Four areas in particular will be discussed, namely: signal processing 
and  motor  behaviour;  sports  medicine  and  support  technology;  health,  sports 
performance and support technology; and computer systems in sports.

Held over three days, interested participants may also submit a paper to the conference 
and can also apply to speak at the event.

For further information, please visit:  
http://www.icsports.org/

research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
47

OCTOBER 
15▶17

OCTOBER

30

NOVEMBER
03▶04

Nice, FRANCE

Brussels, BELGIUM

London, UNITED KINGDOM

C O N F E R E N C E
SECOND INTERNATIONAL 
CONFERENCE  
ON BIOINSPIRED AND 
BIOBASED CHEMISTRY  
& MATERIALS

The  Second  International  Conference  
on  Bioinspired  and  Biobased  Chemistry  
&  Materials  will  be  held  from  15  to  
17 October 2014 in Nice, France.

Bioinspired  and  biobased  chemistry  and 
materials  is  an  emerging  field  covering 
materials science, chemistry, physics and 
biology. It arises from the knowledge of 
synthesis,  directed  self-assembly  and 
hierarchical  organisation  of  natural 
materials, and uses this understanding to 
engineer  new  artificial  materials  and 
devices for diverse applications.

The purpose of the conference is to bring 
together and create a cohesive community 
of  scientists,  engineers  and  managers 
from  different  backgrounds  in  order  to 
promote  new  ideas  and  disseminate 
technical  information  in  the  field  of 
bioinspired  and  biobased  chemistry  and 
materials.

For further information, please visit: 
http://sites.unice.fr/
nice2014-conference/ 

C O N F E R E N C E
STANDARDS — YOUR 
INNOVATION BRIDGE

A conference entitled ‘Standards — Your 
Innovation  Bridge’  will  be  held  on  
30 October in Brussels, Belgium.

The  event  will  offer  participants  the 
opportunity  to  engage  with  leading 
experts on innovation and standardisa-
tion issues and to discuss how standard-
isation  can  enhance  the  impact  of 
innovation in Europe. The conference will 
focus  on  the  link  between  standards, 
innovation and competitiveness and on 
the role of standards in disseminating 
knowledge and bringing research results 
to the market.

Speakers will include representatives of 
standards  bodies  and  researchers  at 
national  and  European  levels.  The 
DemoZone  will  provide  an  exhibition 
space for European research projects.

For further information, please visit: 
http://www.cencenelec.eu/News/
Events/Pages/EV-2014-02.aspx 

C O N F E R E N C E
INTERNATIONAL  
TRADE AND ACADEMIC 
RESEARCH CONFERENCE

A  conference  entitled  ‘International 
Trade and Academic Research’ (ITARC) 
will be held from 3 to 4 November 2014 
in London, United Kingdom.

The conference aims to focus on a wealth 
of  issues  in  all  aspects  of  business 
management,  health  and  social  care 
sciences,  management  education, 
teaching and learning methodologies and 
other  fields.  In  the  wake  of  the  recent 
global  financial  crisis,  the  dynamics  of 
international trade have taken on added 
significance. Therefore, getting an insight 
into the theories and processes that have 
helped  certain  economies  weather  this 
storm is key.

The  conference  will  be  a  platform  for 
academics,  research  experts,  business 
leaders and practitioners to share their 
knowledge and experiences. 

For further information, please visit: 
http://www.abrmr.com/conference_
detail.php?id=95

NOV.
7▶8

Manchester, United Kingdom

C O N F E R E N C E
FOURTH INTERDISCIPLINARY 
CONFERENCE ON AGING AND SOCIETY

The Fourth Interdisciplinary Conference on Aging and Society 
will be held from 7 to 8 November 2014 in Manchester, United 
Kingdom.

This conference seeks to bring together a range of professionals 
from both the public and private sectors with a common concern 
for dramatic changes in the world’s population and the increase 
of the average lifespan.

It  will  feature  critical  discussions  on  health  and  well-being, 
protecting  the  human  rights  of  older  people  and  global 
perspectives on care models.

For further information, please visit:  
http://agingandsociety.com/the-conference 

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research*eu results magazine N°35 / September 2014 
 
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A comprehensive overview  
of European energy research  
at your fingertips!
http://setis.ec.europa.eu/energy-research/

Aiming to support cutting-edge projects, the Energy Research 
Knowledge Centre (ERKC) is a community portal that allows 
energy researchers and policymakers across Europe to share 
ideas and findings and identify potential partners and resources.

The ERKC web portal collects and organises validated, referenced 
information on energy research programmes and projects being 
currently undertaken in Europe and beyond. It is also a source of 
news on innovative work being carried out in the EU. 

ERKC  publications  analyse  the  policy  implications  of  energy 
research results and provide an overview of innovative research 
across the spectrum of energy technologies. One such overview 
– a Thematic Research Summary on Bioenergy – will be available 
on the portal in the near future. 

The  ERKC  was  set  up  under  the  umbrella  of  the  European 
Commission’s  Strategic  Energy  Technologies  Information 
System (SETIS). A recent publication of SETIS also deals with 
bioenergy and is available here: http://setis.ec.europa.eu/
setis-magazine/bioenergy

Free subscriptions, orders and downloads

The research*eu magazines are free of charge.

To subscribe to either research*eu results magazine or research*eu focus, please go to: 

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To order a single issue of a research*eu results magazine, please go to:  

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