Smart-MEMPHIS project addresses the increasing demand for low-cost, energy-efficient autonomous systems by focusing on the main challenge for all smart devices - self-powering. The project aims to design, manufacture and test a miniaturized autonomous energy supply based on harvesting vibrational energy with piezo-MEMS energy harvesters. The project will integrate several multi-functional technologies and nanomaterials; lead-zirconate-titanate materials in MEMS-based multi-axis energy harvester, an ultra-low-power ASIC to manage the variations of the frequency and harvested power, a miniaturized carbon-nano material based energy storing supercapacitor, all heterogeneously integrated with new innovative flat panel packaging technologies for cost effective 3D integration verified through manufacturability reviews. The performance of the system will be demonstrated in two demanding applications: leadless bio-compatible cardiac pacemaker and wireless sensor networks (WSN) for structure health monitoring (SHM). For the pacemaker, a smart energy autonomous system will accelerate the paradigm shift from costly, burdensome surgical treatments to cost-effective and patient-friendly minimally invasive operations enabled by leadless pacemakers capable of harvesting energy from the heart beats. The key challenges for the energy harvesting arise from the extremely stringent reliability requirements, the low vibrational energies and frequencies and the small size required for a device implanted inside a heart. With the 2nd demonstrator the consortium consisting of multi-functional value chain will show a wider applicability for the technologies complementing the medical application. A WSN with acoustic sensor nodes will be demonstrated in SHM applications. SHM enables real-time monitoring of complex structures e.g. survey and detection of micro-cracks for example in composite aircraft wings, bridges or rails, or detection of corrosion or leakage in pipes solving.

Computer clock speeds have not increased since 2003, creating a challenge to invent a successor to CMOS technology able to resume performance improvement. The key requirements for a viable alternative are scalability to nanoscale dimensions – following Moore’s Law – and simultaneous reduction of line voltage in order to limit switching power. Achieving these two aims for both transistors and memory allows clock speed to again increase with dimensional scaling, a result that would have great impact across the IT industry. We propose to demonstrate an entirely new low-voltage, memory element that makes use of internal transduction in which a voltage state external to the device is converted to an internal acoustic signal that drives an insulator-metal transition. Modelling based on the properties of known materials at device dimensions on the 15 nm scale predicts that this mechanism enables device operation at voltages an order of magnitude lower than CMOS technology while achieving 10GHz operating speed; power is thus reduced two orders.

For the latest generation of micro-fabricated devices that are currently being developed, no suitable in-line production inspection equipment is available, simply because current inspection equipment expects planar processing while most of the devices are often highly 3D in nature e.g. medical. This lack of automated processing feedback makes it difficult to steer process development towards higher yields in micro-components and MEMS production. Another visible problem is the need to document and record process data, even on the individual device level, with the degree of traceability as is required for example, for medical devices fabricated under ISO13485. Both factors in the end limit the possibility of reliable and cost effective manufacturing of MEMS and micro-components. Thus, CITCOM has been proposed to address the industrial needs of MEMS and micro-manufacturing which will offer an in-line production inspection and measurement system for micro-components. The system will be developed and demonstrated at TRL7. The system will be based on optical and X-ray techniques combined with computer tomography and advance robotic system capable of analyzing defects that occur in production of micro components e.g. stains, debris, fracture, abnormal displacements, chemical composition of surface coatings, surface traces etc. enabling 98% yield and 100% reliability. Ultimately, CITCOM will cut such costs by 60% as it will offer a system with automated knowledge and inspection data based process feedback that will allow the detection and traceability of faults that may occur in MEMS production, especially for critical applications like aerospace, space and healthcare. CITCOM will give Europe a technological and competitive advantage in the growing manufacturing and production industry. The consortium behind this action is strongly driven by industrial need and problem having Philips and Microsemi as end users and validators of the technology.

The HINA project proposes to consider the hybrid integration of alkaline niobate-tantalate thin films (materials with the highest known experimentally measured electro-optic, nonlinear, piezoelectric, elasto-optic coefficients) in photonic and acoustic devices for advanced semiconductor photonics platforms. The final goal of the project is to develop a thin film technology not only offering the state-of-the-art performances but also with reasonable price and viable for real industrial applications in order to stimulate the transfer of newly developed products and technologies by the industry and to help enterprises to withstand global competitive pressures. The HINA project links world-leading research groups at Academia and Industry to give a combined, integrated approach of synthesis/fabrication, characterization, modeling/theory linked to concepts for materials integration in devices and systems. Such a science-supported total engineering approach will lead towards highly efficient electro-active and nonlinear materials designed towards integrated device needs and viable for industry. Doctoral Candidates will focus on this common research objective, applying a multidisciplinary bottom-up approach, which can be summarized by: "engineered molecule- advanced material- designed device - smart system". The HINA project also seeks to intensify the relationship between academic and private sectors, and to train highly skilled young researchers for new materials and device technologies. Both are essential to provide a strong European lead over the rest of the world in this highly competitive technologies.