SINFONICA aims to develop functional, efficient, and innovative strategies, methods and tools to engage CCAM users, providers and other stakeholders (i.e. citizens, including vulnerable users, transport operators, public administrations, service providers, researchers, vehicle and technology suppliers) to collect, understand and structure in a manageable and exploitable way their needs, desires, and concerns related to CCAM. SINFONICA will co-create final decision support tools for designers and decision makers to enhance the CCAM seamless and sustainable deployment, to be inclusive and equitable for all citizens.

<< Background >>Over the past few years, civil applications of Drones or UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) technologies have been transitioning from purely industrial applications to commercial ones and their impact on transport operations can no longer be ignored. The concept of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) has been coined to describe a new type of air traffic at very low altitude over populated areas. Despite the readiness of the technology, the multidisciplinary employee teams of Local Authorities are not prepared for its integration in transport plans. There are no Training Programs for employees of Local Authorities to cultivate the required knowledge and skills to manage UAM, especially from the position of authorising, implementing and controlling UAM operations. Previous experience of Local Authorities with innovative transport services has indicated that early engagement and training of employees constitutes a key factor for the efficient integration of new technologies in transport systems.<< Objectives >>UAMschool4cities addresses in a timely manner this need and opportunity, aiming at the creation of a Training Programme for Local Authority employees to get familiar with the UAM concept and acquire necessary skills to deal with the uptake of UAM services following the recent approval of the U-Space (urban airspace) by the European Commission (Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/664; effective from 26 January 2023) that allows the provision of drone services in urban environments. In order to foster employability, socio-educational and personal development, our curriculum will also be suitable for young Professionals not yet familiar with UAM. In particular, UAMschool4cities aims to create a MOOC program for building the capacity of future employees of any background interested in entering the Public Administration sector to enable them to (1) familiarize with UAM concepts and key technologies, (2) keep up with relevant UAM regulatory frameworks while determining the challenges and for Local Authorities (3) include UAM in their urban development agendas and (4) start developing responsible and socially acceptable UAM services for the benefit of their citizens.<< Implementation >>Our project will develop partnerships between Cities, Training Institutions, ICT, Drone companies and VET providers aiming at promoting and providing initial and/or continuing training to their staff in order to help people gain skills and effectively integrate these career pursuits into their work setting which is in line with the VET priority: Enhancing access to training and qualifications for all. To achieve this objective, a concrete methodology including the following activities will be applied:a) Conduction of a current needs’ analysis in skills mismatches in UAMb) Preparation of a Training Course for “UAM for Cities Certificate”.c) Development of a Training programme for ‘’UAM for Cities Certificate”.d) Implementation of the curricula to relevant personnel and certification.<< Results >>Through these activities, it is envisaged that, by the end of the project, people in a minimum of 10 cities will be trained and awarded an “UAM for Cities Certificate” By developing a new learning framework for “UAM experts”, the project´s impact will be achieved through:a) Enhanced employability through skills and competences strengthening and access to training and qualification on equal termsb) The establishment of a coherent methodology with specific tools that will enhance the provision of transport services covering emerging needsc) the establishment of a mechanism that will provide cities with skilled and qualified UAM experts, increasing standardization of servicesd) the design and delivery of a comprehensive framework for UAM experts to national and EU administrationse) A coherent multi-level dissemination strategy to reach target groups, ensure that project results´dissemination and sustainable, specific and measurable exploitation specific, while maximizing its reach and impact to relevant stakeholders and beneficiaries.

CHORUS aims to tackle the complexities associated with road safety and efficiency in the transportation system by providing a unified, multi-actor orchestration framework within the Connected, Cooperative, and Automated Mobility (CCAM) ecosystem. This innovative project leverages the benefits of CCAM technologies while ensuring alignment with EU directives and standards, particularly those focused on sustainability and safety. The initiative will deliver cutting-edge solutions through a multi-layer architectural framework that will be deployed across seven demonstration sites, each selected to reflect diverse urban mobility challenges and opportunities.CHORUS will focus on several key objectives to enhance urban mobility systems. First, it will work to seamlessly integrate diverse transport modes of transportation of people and goods under the co-existence of AVs and conventional vehicles, including public transportation, cycling, and ridesharing services, fostering an efficient, safe, and accessible urban mobility environment. Second, the project will enable data-driven, AI-enabled traffic management systems that allow for active data exchange in a secure and collaborative environment, supporting real-time decision-making for traffic management and AVs operation, and reducing traffic inefficiencies. Third, CHORUS will enhance the user experience through personalized travel recommendations and real-time updates, empowering users to make informed transportation choices. Furthermore, the project aims to promote innovation by encouraging collaboration between public and private sectors at both governance and operational levels, driving technological advancements within the CCAM landscape. Lastly, CHORUS will assist cities in effectively reducing traffic congestion and its associated costs while improving overall mobility efficiency, thereby contributing to European sustainability and climate goals.

TwinAIR aims to improve urban life by tackling the challenge of indoor air quality (IAQ) improvement by understating its complex interrelationship with external factors. This is achieved by introducing a novel set of tools for identifying sources and tracing a variety of pollutants and pathogens, for enhancing understanding of their effects and assessing their impact on health, for controlling building management systems and services in ways that mitigate part of the impacts and for helping citizens to develop better insights into pollution impacts, along with encouraging healthier, more sustainable choices. TwinAIR embraces bleeding edge innovation in urban sensing (chemical and environmental sensors), data analytics and visualisation (digital maps and real-time video analysis), smart buildings (digital twins and virtual sensors) and behavioural insights (citizen participation, gamification) to deliver a nascent solution. It is implemented across six diverse pilot sites in Europe (ES, IE, UK, SE, DE, EL) with demonstrations covering residential dwellings, public administration buildings, hospitals and schools, along with selected types of vehicles (buses, vans). TwinAIR?s toolsets will empower students and their parents, commuters, workers and residents to make more health-aware personal decisions about their everyday mobility options and use of indoor spaces, through access to insightful analytics and engaging visualisations of their data, as well as by their participation in educational events and activities. At the same time, it will provide rich evidence to transport planners, facility managers and policymakers about factors influencing IAQ and effective interventions for mitigating its effects on health and wellbeing. By democratising cutting edge innovation in sensors, digital twinning and visual analytics, TwinAIR will enable better decision-making about future mobility policies, built environment management and incentivisation of citizens. Project TwinAIR is part of the European cluster on indoor air quality and health.

The SPARROW platform represents a pioneering solution for enhancing societal resilience and crisis management in the face of digital breakdowns. Employing a modular architecture encompassing data integration, simulation modeling, and a collaborative platform, SPARROW orchestrates large datasets and expert insights to create a dynamic digital twin of a city. This digital twin, visualized in 3D, becomes a robust testing ground for assessing vulnerabilities and preparing for diverse crisis scenarios. Through a participatory approach involving citizens, local authorities, and first responders, the platform fosters communication during breakdowns and bolsters preparedness against digital threats. SPARROW's innovative tools, including the Emergency Communication Mobile App (ECOMAPP), City Digital Twin (CITWIN), and the Dynamic Critical Asset Management Recommendation Engine (DYCAMARE), are co-designed with stakeholders to ensure user-friendly, effective, and ethically sound functionalities. The platform's impact extends across various sectors, from critical infrastructure managers optimizing maintenance to emergency responders utilizing a mobile 5G network (EMER-5G) for prioritized communication (ECOPRIM). In alignment with EU policies, SPARROW aims to enhance crisis communication, bridge gaps in digital breakdown preparedness, and contribute to a secure and resilient European way of life.