Towards a Platform for Widespread Embedded Intelligence - ERCIM

Photo by courtesy of EPoSS.
66
EVENTS
EPoSS – A new European Technology Platform
on Smart Systems Integration
by Erwin Schoitsch
The European Technology Platform on Smart Systems Integration (EPoSS)
was launched in Brussels on 7th of July 2006. Information Society and
Media Commissioner Viviane Reding officially opened the event and
outlined in an encouraging manner the major issues to be tackled by
EPoSS.
EPoSS brings together European private
and public stakeholders in order to coordinate
and to bundle efforts and to set-up
sustainable structures for improving the
competitiveness of European R&D on
Smart Systems Technologies and their
integration. Smart system integration is
an emerging area with applications in
many industrial sectors. A particular feature
of the technology is its interdisciplinarity
and the holistic viewpoint
required for successful implementation.
Systems combining sensing, processing
and actuating functions are increasingly
complex, involving a variety of disci-
ERCIM News No. 67, October 2006
plines and principles from physics,
chemistry, engineering and biology. The
systems may also integrate mechanical,
electrical and biological functions in
Information Society and Media Commissioner Viviane Reding.
order to create new features like uninterrupted
access to information, security
and ease of use.
New business opportunities - for example
for automotive industries, a strong pillar
of European economy (road safety, environment)
- are also in the focus of EPoSS.
Europe has a good position in micro/
nanosystems, advanced technologies and
embedded systems. Further progress,
however, requires a change in the level
and nature of these activities: regrouping
the scattered industry and research communities
and developing new instruments
for interdisciplinary R&D activities
as well as new models and formats of
policy support for a fast transfer of
research into innovative products.
Areas covered by EPoSS include:
• Automotive
• Aerospace
• Telecommunications
• MedTech Systems
• Logistics/RFID
• Commonalities (Cross Cutting Issues).
Rosalie Zobel, EC Director for
Components and Systems welcomed the
expected co-operation with the ETP
ARTEMIS (embedded systems) and
ENIAC (European Nanoelectronics
Initiative Advisory Council).
Important industrial players are supporting
and actively participating in
EPoSS, such as EADS, Airbus, Thales,
VW, Fiat, Siemens, Bosch, Infineon, to
name just a few.
ERCIM members participating in
EPoSS are Fraunhofer Gesellschaft and
VTT. ARC Seibersdorf research (a
member of the Austrian ERCIM member
AARIT) will also join EPoSS.
The author, as the chairman of the
ERCIM Working Group on Dependable
Embedded Systems and member of the
DECOS coordination team, was
attending this event. Information on
ERCIM and DECOS was distributed
among the about 200 participants.
Link:
http://www.smart-systems-integration.org/
Please contact:
Erwin Schoitsch
ARC Seibersdorf research, Austria
E-mail: erwin.schoitsch@arcs.ac.at