In all lighting sectors, warranty and customisation are becoming key product differentiators. In addition to that, the integration of more electronics and sensors in lighting systems will change what we call lighting today. While the concepts of digitalisation and Industry 4.0 are progressing fast into the manufacturing world, in the lighting industry, the front-end product design is still using traditional simulation techniques. An innovative approach is to couple digital twins with Artificial Intelligence to offer unlimited possibilities to the “first build and then tweak” approach. The main goal of AI-TWILIGHT is to merge the virtual and physical worlds to pave the way for innovations in fields where the European lighting industry is likely to be competitive. Self-leaning digital twins of lighting systems (LED source, driver of a lighting application) will be created and used as input for predicting performance and lifetime of product and infrastructure design and management in an autonomous world. Tests will be carried out in selected application domains e.g. automotive, horticulture, general and street lighting. The key technical and exploitation objectives of the AI-TWILIGHT consortium are: • To create and digital twins of LED light-sources and electronics (driver) • To create self-learning models using AI and analytics techniques • To facilitate the implementation of the digital twins in digitalized design flow (for SSL product design) and facilitate their applications upstream, up to digital twins of lighting systems of large infrastructures (e.g. for building design). • To implement the AI-TWILIGHT methods, models and tools within consortium partners to harvest its benefits When translated to business goals, objectives will result in the introduction of more customised and connected products by 20% while reducing the time to market by 30%, and reducing by 25% the total cost of ownership of a “AI-TWILIGHT powered system.

The main objective of UltimateGaN is to safeguard Europe’s leading position in terms of power semiconductors and high performance RF applications by driving an innovative breakthrough change with the next generation of GaN-technologies. Several predecessor projects are the basis for the availability of the first generation of European based GaN-devices, also revealing that the challenges of these technologies have been heavily underestimated. This makes the high potential of GaN clearly evident to overcome the persisting threats of higher electric fields, current densities and power densities related to the necessity of device shrinkage. The new concept of following a vertical approach to address research through the entire supply chain of technology, packaging, reliability and application will enable a significant improvement of efficiency that goes beyond the limits of silicon based semiconductors in combination with packages that fully utilize the shrink-path of power GaN devices and which are not ready as of today. UltimateGaN’s unique approach addresses, among others, the following innovative applications with the scope to enable digitalisation and energy efficiency for 5G, Smart Grids and Smart Mobility that goes hand in hand with a significant reduction of the CO2 footprint: •Extremely efficient server power supply enabling lower energy consumption in data centres •Benchmark Photovoltaic inverters in terms of efficiency and size to foster the use of renewable energies •Affordable 5G-Amplifiers up to mm-wave enabling a faster 5G rollout •GaN powered LIDAR application to enable autonomous driving •Highest efficiency µ-Grid-converters and On-Board Chargers The global state-of-the-art first generation GaN devices are mainly based on US and Asian suppliers. Only a cooperative project like UltimateGaN with European market leaders and world-class researchers can take on the challenges and bring Europe at the forefront in terms of GaN enabled opportunities.

The main objective of the iDev40 project proposal is to achieve a disruptive or “breakthrough change” step toward speedup in time to market by digitalising the European industry, closely interlinking development processes, logistics and manufacturing. Ultimately, the project aims at suitable digital technology advancements to strengthen the electronic components and systems industry in Europe. It addresses various industrial domains with one and the same approach of digitalisation towards competitive and innovative solutions. The new concept of introducing seamlessly integrated development together with automation and network solutions as well as enhancing the transparency of data, their consistence, flexibility and overall efficiency will lead to a significant speedup in the time to market (T2M) race. iDev40’s unique approach addresses: • AI learning, Data Life Cycle Management and IP Protection • Embedding Digital Development in Digital Production (the digital twin) • Close the Knowledge loop in product life cycle management along the supply chain • Collaboration 4.0 and Development of highly skilled R&D and Manufacturing Teams • Prove the innovated technologies on selected use cases in real productive environment Progress in mastering these challenges will significantly impact the productivity of future design processes embedded in an Industrial Internet environment. The global state-of-art technologies already offer tremendous diagnostics algorithms, machine controls, simulators, optimizers, etc., but only an extensive framework like iDev40 can combine them into effective integration into the development process enabling such powerful simulations like “digital twins” that ever more govern the hardware, manufacturing service and business functions. To cope with the exceptional complexity it becomes even more crucial to be competitive leaders in developing virtual representations of real physical implementation.

The key objective of PowerBase “Enhanced substrates and GaN pilot lines enabling compact power applications” is to ensure the availability of Electronic Components and Systems (ECS) for key markets and for addressing societal challenges, aiming at keeping Europe at the forefront of the technology development, bridging the gap between research and exploitation, creating economic and employment growth in the European Union. The project PowerBase aims to contribute to the industrial ambition of value creation in Europe and fully supports this vision by addressing key topics of ECSEL multi annual strategic plan 2014. By positioning PowerBase as innovation action a clear focus on exploitation of the expected result is primary goal. To expand the limits in current power semiconductor technologies the project focuses on setting up a qualified wide band gap GaN technology Pilot line, on expanding the limits of today’s silicon based substrate materials for power semiconductors, improving manufacturing efficiency by innovative automation, setting up of a GaN compatible chip embedding pilot line and demonstrating innovation potential in leading compact power application domains. PowerBase is a project proposal with a vertical supply chain involved with contributions from partners in 7 European countries. This spans expertise from raw material research, process innovation, pilot line, assembly innovation and pilot line up to various application domains representing enhanced smart systems. The supporting partners consist of market leaders in their domain, having excellent technological background, which are fully committed to achieve the very challenging project goals. The project PowerBase aims to have significant impact on mart regions. High tech jobs in the area of semiconductor technologies and micro/nano electronics in general are expressed core competences of the regions Austria: Carinthia, Styria, Germany: Sachsen, Bavaria and many other countries/ regions involved.