The project deals with the replacement of hydrazine within space propulsion systems. It improves significantly the ADN-based propellants currently existing and enables the replacement of hydrazine within the whole operational area of currently used hydrazine propulsion systems. The objectives of the project are: 1.) Replacing hydrazine by adapting the propellant to currently existing materials available in Europe 2.) Development of a cold-start capable ignition system to replace hydrazine in the whole operational area 3.) Verification of the technology within battleship unit(s) to reach a Technology Readiness Level of 5 4.) Adapted numerical models to describe the processes within such propulsion systems. To reach these objectives, the following development will be done within the project A) Propellant development in order to obtain maximal temperatures within the combustion chamber that can be withstand with currently available materials in Europe. Additionally, the propellant will have increased specific impulses in relation to hydrazine. B) Development of catalytic ignition systems to withstand the thermal and mechanical shocks while having cold-start capability C) Design and testing of the corresponding battleship units within the project to verify the achievement of the project experimentally (reach TRL of 5) D) Generating validation results for future purposes to adapt the technology to future purposes. Therefore, the relation to the work programme "Alternative to hydrazine in Europe" is achieved by a replacement of the currently hydrazine based propulsion system with a green propellant system with higher specific impulse.

Particle physics attracts a global community of more than 10,000 scientists, and Europe’s leadership, with CERN as its major laboratory, is internationally recognised. Discoveries are technology-driven; more performant accelerators require innovative detectors to unfold their scientific potential, driving available or emerging technologies beyond their limits. The role of industry is rapidly increasing, due to the need for highly specialised equipment and due to the scale of the installations, where thousands or millions of components require industrial-scale infrastructure. AIDAinnova advances the European detector development infrastructures through fostering an intensified co-innovation with industry. Based on the success of the previous EC-funded initiatives AIDA and AIDA-2020, the project as a novel element fully integrates commercial players, 10 industrial companies and 3 RTOs, together with academic institutions into the consortium, which comprises 46 partners from 15 countries. Knowledge transfer will be catalysed through co-innovative work in common detector projects, and it will strengthen the competence and competitiveness of the industrial partners in other markets. AIDAinnova provides state-of-the-art upgrades of research infrastructure such as test beam and irradiation facilities, and it covers all key technologies for future detectors, following the guidance by the European Particle Physics Strategy Update. The focus is on strategic developments at intermediate technological readiness levels TRL 2-7, where developments are not yet as specific to one particular experiment as in the engineering phase, and it also includes prospective R&D at TRL 1. Therefore, AIDAinnova will unfold synergies by bringing together the expertise from communities aiming at various future projects and maximise the use of resources. Through the large leverage on matching funds from national sources the project leads to enhanced coherence and coordination at a European level.

BiCeps aims to revolutionize mechanical motion generation by designing, developing, and fabricating muscle-inspired actuators. These innovative microscale devices will be based on active cellular metamaterials capable of contracting in response of a stimuli, emulating the functional mechanisms of a remarkable biological actuator. This objective will be realized through the continuous integration of stiff structural materials with active stimuli-responsive counterparts. Multi-material additive manufacturing and allied technologies will allow the fabrication of artificial sarcomere, incorporating into 2D and 3D actuator arrays, and enabling macroscopic-scale contraction generating force through collective unit cell deformation. This groundbreaking approach overcomes the limitations associated with current active polymeric materials in soft robots, particularly their lack of structural stability. BiCeps aims to produce robust, enduring, and reliable actuators suitable for various technical applications, potentially replacing conventional electric motors and combustion engines in diverse sectors such as industrial, residential, and transportation. A critical priority for BiCeps is addressing the challenges associated with fabricating micro-architected cellular materials using high-strength materials. The risk involves uncovering optimal additive manufacturing, post-processing conditions and elucidate the principals of the actuator. The consortium's expertise in multi-material additive manufacturing will play a crucial role in ensuring precision and performance of muscle-inspired actuators. The potential market opportunities for these new actuators are immense. Even capturing a modest 1% of the global motor market could represent a significant investment opportunity, given the projected growth and value of the sector.

ZDZW excels in offering a catalogue of IoT based non-destructive inspection technologies, providing an accurate inline evaluation of key product parameters that have an effect in quality requirements within different technical areas, such as: Part Integrity, Visual Requirements and Thermal Process efficiency. The ZDZW Inspection Solutions follow the concept of Inspection as a service, guaranteeing its cost effectiveness and improved return of investment, offering different types of subscription and pay-per-use models depending on the offered functionalities. To pursue the main goal of reducing defects and the waste generated in manufacturing processes, ZDZW addresses defects and waste reduction in three key areas that cover the entire manufacturing process and product lifecycle: (i) Monitoring and control improvement for process quality assurance, where first-time-right manufacturing rate can be increased, including improved durability properties and reduced waste generation; (ii) digitally enhanced Rework & Repair procedures for necessary part recovery and scrap reduction; and (iii) Continuous Sustainability evaluation to ensure the efficient use of materials and components across the full production line. ZDZW is strongly supported by collaboration with relevant EU initiatives such as ZDMP and i4Q, providing components and services that enhance key ICT aspects such as interoperability, interlinking, security, data reliability and digital platforms. ZDZW will demonstrate its ZD and ZW approach in 6 Pilots involving production processes with an important waste reduction potential, such as injection moulding, thermoforming, welding and coating, induction hardening, lithography and packaging, involving key industrial sectors as automotive, home appliances, renewable energy, e-health, and food and beverages.

OSTEONET aims to (i) build a multidisciplinary research network involving experts of technical and medical disciplines to merge their expertise and exploit possible synergies for the development of reliable and sustainable 3D in vitro cell models of healthy and aged bone tissue and (ii) train a cohort of scientists and technologists in exploiting the model features to increase knowledge on the effects of ageing on bone biology and mechanobiology, and on bone response to drugs, to leverage the use of 3D cell models in clinics and basic/industrial research labs. Bone ageing reduces the quality of life of the elderly and puts social and economic burden on society. Ageing bones fail more easily when challenged mechanically or with toxicants or pollutants, and respond differently to drugs than healthy bone. To personalize therapies and enable better preventive care for the elderly it is essential to develop reliable and sustainable in vitro models of aged bone tissue alternative to animal tests which often fail to capture human-specific features. Several scientific studies support the idea that in vitro models of bone tissue are an outstanding resource for (i) the comprehension of bone physiology, (ii) a better understanding of pathological pathways in most bone dysfunctions, (iii) testing new or repurposed drugs for bone treatment before preclinical trials with animal models. The networking activities planned in OSTEONET will unravel and share knowledge on the mechanisms driving the information transfer from the biochemical and biomechanical levels, which drive osteosynthesis and osseointegration, to the cascade of molecular and cellular events emerging as an elaborated and physiological bone, and on the mechanisms of the different response of healthy and aged bone tissue to mechano-biological stimuli and drugs.