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Activity Funded

INESC TEC- Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science

INESC TEC – INESC Tecnologia e Ciência

Reference
UIDB/50014/2020
Project Start Date
2020-01-01
Project End Date
2024-12-31
Principal Investigator
Scientific Area
Engineering and technology
Funding Program
Concurso de avaliação no âmbito do Programa Plurianual de Financiamento de Unidades de I&D (2017/2018) - Financiamento Base

Abstract

10.2 Summary in English for general dissemination purposes In 2018-2022, INESC TEC will be a large network of 13 Research Centres and Laboratories, involving three public Universities and a strong Polytechnic Institute. The areas of activity of INESC TEC are centred on Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, but cover Applied Physics, Industrial Engineering, Management and Innovation. Its profile extends along the full knowledge-to-value chain, from fundamental or basic research to technology transfer and launching of new start-up companies. INESC TEC is strongly internationalized. It has a robust track record in the EU (99 projects in 2013-17) . The institution Is associated with 14 Universities in INESC P&D Brazil. Its researchers have international recognition in multiple forms. For 2018-22, INESC TEC foresees the creation of 51 new jobs for PhD holders, as full time contracted researchers. The scientific objectives for 2018-2022 are in line with the response to the CHALLENGE OF PERVASIVE INTELLIGENCE. Some targets per Cluster: POWER AND ENERGY – Service-oriented energy management systems for a cyber-secure and dynamic energy system; hybridization of artificial intelligence techniques with distributed and parallel architectures in operation and forecasting; synthetic inertia for system survival only on intermittent renewables. NETWORKED INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS – Prediction, detection and diagnosis in cancer with computer vision and artificial intelligence; photonic sensors in fibre and planar platforms; wearable devices, hyperspectral imaging; new robotic vehicles for the deep sea, sensors and new subsystems for navigation, broadband wireless communications and wireless energy transfer underwater. COMPUTER SCIENCE – Management, analytics and visualisation for stationary and streamed big data; usable and scalable techniques of computation over encrypted data, multi-party and verifiable outsourced computation; intelligent immersive virtual environments, inclusive HCI with multi-sensorial immersion in augmented/virtual reality. INDUSTRY AND INNOVATION – Customer-centric production optimisation ‘on the fly’ in real time; novel vertical IoT-based information architectures; collaborative mobile manipulators and human-robot collaboration; conditions and enablers for new business concepts. These scientific targets are complemented by knowledge valorisation and technology transfer targets, structured in the form of the TEC4 initiatives (Thematic Lines) that materialise a market pull driver into R&D, as opposed (or complementary) to the classical science push drivers. Six TEC4 initiatives are organized (SEA, HEALTH, AGRO, ENERGY, INDUSTRY AND MEDIA). Finally, all this effort is done in full articulation with 18 relevant PhD programmes that cover all areas of research of INESC TEC. 10.3 Summary in English for evaluation INESC TEC proposes the concept, for 2018-2022, of a large network of 13 Research Centres and Laboratories, involving the three public Universities and the largest Polytechnic Institute of the North of Portugal. The areas of activity of INESC TEC are centred on two pillars – Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences – but cover Applied Physics and Industrial Engineering and Management as well as Innovation. Its profile extends along the full knowledge-to-value chain, from fundamental or basic research to technology transfer and launching of new start-up companies. INESC TEC is strongly internationalized. It has a robust track record in the EU, likely being the institution in Portugal with the highest participation in European projects (99 in 2013-17, average of 41 in parallel per year, and 49 in 2017) and also with international advanced consulting contracts. Additionally, the institution benefits from its association with 14 Universities in Brazil, in INESC P&D Brazil, an R&D institution created and controlled by INESC TEC. This degree of internationalization became reinforced with the H2020 EU Programme, and is denoted not only by the sheer number but also by the high quality of the participation in each project: not resumed to a minor role, being the leader of some projects. Its researchers are recognized in multiple forms, from elevations to IEEE Fellow to prestigious Awards, from relevant positions in international committees or Conference organizations to International Advisors of prominent research institutions. The merit of the team goes beyond individual recognition: it is leveraged by a unique organization and science management model that cpromotes multi-disciplinarity and cross-fertilization. This allows for a seamless flow of research results from low to high TRL (Technology Readiness Levels), including transfer between Research Groups – eventually being translated to industrial companies. Many cases of science-based innovation with origin in INESC TEC have been incorporated in products launched in the international market by industrial companies. INESC TEC is continuously reinforcing the quality of the R&D team. It is the R&D institution that, by far, more sustainable scientific employment has generated, having doubled, in 2013-2017, from 17 to 34 the number of net positions for PhD holders. For 2018-22, INESC TEC foresees the creation of 51 new jobs for PhD holders, as full time contracted researchers. The plan for 2018-2022 is ambitious yet undoubtedly feasible. It is sustained in three pillars: the pursuit of scientific excellence in knowledge generation; the robustness of technology transfer as demonstrated by the decades-long track record; a unique model of science management supported by a notoriously efficient organization scheme and administration machine. INESC TEC counts almost 1,000 people, between faculty, students and contracted researchers, support personnel and collaborators with a looser tie to the institute. It is divided in 13 Centres, grouped in 4 Clusters. The scientific objectives for 2018-2022 are in line with the response to the CHALLENGE OF PERVASIVE INTELLIGENCE that INESC TEC continues to face head on. This response is made possible by the processes put in place in INESC TEC that promote and facilitate multi-disciplinary cooperation and can therefore link sensors to communications, data, knowledge, decision and action. In an excessively brief summary, some targets per Cluster are: POWER AND ENERGY – Service-oriented energy management systems for a cyber-secure and dynamic energy system; hybridization of artificial intelligence techniques with distributed and parallel architectures and processes for operation and forecasting; synthetic inertia to allow systems survival only on intermittent renewables. NETWORKED INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS – Prediction, detection and diagnosis in cancer by combining computer vision and artificial intelligence; new photonic sensors in fibre and planar platforms, wearable devices, hyperspectral imaging; deep sea challenges overcome with new vehicles developed, sensors and new subsystems for navigation integrated, broadband wireless communications and wireless energy transfer underwater. COMPUTER SCIENCE – Management, analytics and novel visualisation techniques for stationary and streamed big data; usable and scalable techniques of computation over encrypted data, multi-party and verifiable outsourced computation; intelligent immersive virtual environments and inclusive HCI with multi-sensorial immersion in augmented and virtual reality. INDUSTRY AND INNOVATION – Customer-centric production optimisation ‘on the fly’ in real time, decentralization of decisions, mass customization and use of collaborative robots; novel vertical IoT-based information architectures; collaborative mobile manipulators and human-robot collaboration, integrated in the IoT paradigm; conditions and enablers for the adoption of new business concepts and models of Cyber-Physical Production Systems. These scientific targets are complemented by knowledge valorisation and technology transfer targets, structured by INESC TEC in the form of the TEC4 initiatives. These are referenced in the Plan as Thematic Lines, and materialise the effect of the market pull driver into R&D, as opposed (or complementary) to the science push drivers referred to above. Six TEC4 initiatives are organized (SEA, HEALTH, AGRO, ENERGY, INDUSTRY AND MEDIA), all cross-cutting the R&D organization in Centres and Clusters. They are not seen as science challenges, but drivers for a social/economic relevance of the science developed. Their success is measured both by the no. of direct contracts with industry transferring technology but also by the number of multi-disciplinary/multi-Centre projects promoted. Finally, all this effort is done in full articulation with 18 relevant PhD programmes that cover all areas of research of INESC TEC.

Institutions

Main Institutions

  • Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores Tecnologia e Ciência (INESC TEC)
  • Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores Tecnologia e Ciência (INESC TEC)

Funding 6.750.846,50 €

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - Portugal

6.750.846,50 €