EUROPEAN COMMISSION
ICT - INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES
A Theme for research and development under the specific programme "Cooperation"
implementing the Seventh Framework Programme (2007-2013) of the European
Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities
(European Commission C(2007)560 of 26.02.07)
Work Programme 2007
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Changes to the Cooperation Work Programme: ICT Theme
This work programme is an update with respect to the provisional version adopted on 21
December 2006. The substantive modifications are as follows (changes are underlined or
struck through):
p9 - International cooperation:
1. SICAs: '..will have specific rules for participation and specific evaluation criteria.'
2. 'A total of up to 12 M is expected to be devoted to international cooperation activities'
p11 - Joint Technology Initiatives: Last paragraph of section 2.9 is replaced with 'The
Commission is planning to propose two Joint Technology Initiatives to be funded from the
ICT theme in the Cooperation programme in FP7 in the areas of Nano-electronics and
Embedded Computing Systems. Parts of research under Challenge 3 on electronic
components and systems are expected to be implemented through these two Joint Technology
Initiatives. The Commission envisages making specific proposals in 2007 to set up these
Initiatives.'
p21 - Critical Infrastructure Protection / Topic ICT-SEC-2007-1.0-04: 'See as well topic SEC-
2007-4.3.03 Personal equipment with a view to compatibility and complementarity.'
p29 - Indicative budget distribution: 'CP 29 M of which a minimum of 4 M to IP [IP apply
to target outcome b)-2) only] and a minimum of 16 M to STREP'
p57 - FET Open Call
1. Continuous, receivable from 19 March 2007 (instead of 6 March 2007) onwards (see also
p72)
2. An amount of 6 M has been added to the budget (see also overview table on page 68)
p58-59-60 - FET Proactive: The budgets of Proactive Initiatives ICT-2007-8.1, -8.2 and -8.3
have been reduced by 2 M each (total: 6 M - see also overview table on page 68)
p70 - ICT Call 1:
1. Closure date: May 8, 2007 instead of May 3, 2007
2. ICT-2007.3.2 Organic and large-area electronics, visualisation and display systems (see
page 27)
3. ICT-2007.3.3 Embedded systems design: funding schemes are CP, NoE, CSA (see page 29
for details)
p72 - FET Open Call:
1. Correction of call identifier (correct identifier: FP7-ICT-2007-C)
2. Date from which proposals are receivable: 19 March 2007 instead of 6 March 2007
3. Reference to specific evaluation criteria set out in Appendix 5
p73 - FET Open Call: Change to start date for 'STREP' proposal submission period; Batch 1:
New start date 19/3/2007 (previously 6/3/2007)
p82 - Introduction of new Appendix 5 setting out the specific evaluation, selection and award
criteria for the FET Open call for proposals (already available in FET Open Guide for
Applicants).
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ICT - Information and Communication Technologies ......................................................... 5
1 Objective ........................................................................................................................... 5
2
Policy and socio-economic context.................................................................................. 5
2.1
i2010, achieving the renewed Lisbon agenda......................................................... 5
2.2
Partnering in ICT research and development....................................................... 6
2.3
ICT in FP7: An approach focused on a limited set of challenges ........................ 6
2.4 Funding
schemes ...................................................................................................... 7
2.5
Involving SMEs and feeding innovation ................................................................ 8
2.6
Developing global partnerships............................................................................... 8
2.7
The socio-economic dimensions of ICT................................................................ 10
2.8
European Technology Platforms in ICT and the Work programme................ 10
2.9
Joint Technology Initiatives .................................................................................. 10
2.10 Co-ordination of non-Community research programmes.................................. 11
2.11 Links with other Programmes .............................................................................. 11
3
Content of calls in 2007.................................................................................................. 12
3.1
Challenge 1: Pervasive and Trusted Network and Service Infrastructures ..... 12
3.2
Challenge 2: Cognitive Systems, Interaction, Robotics ...................................... 22
3.3
Challenge 3: Components, systems, engineering................................................. 25
3.4
Challenge 4: Digital Libraries and Content......................................................... 35
3.5
Challenge 5: Towards sustainable and personalised healthcare ....................... 39
3.6
Challenge 6: ICT for Mobility, Environmental Sustainability and Energy
Efficiency............................................................................................................................. 45
3.7
Challenge 7: ICT for Independent Living and Inclusion ................................... 50
3.8
Future and Emerging Technologies...................................................................... 54
3.9
Horizontal support actions .................................................................................... 64
4
Implementation of calls.................................................................................................. 67
5
Indicative priorities for future calls.............................................................................. 74
Appendix 1: Minimum number of participants .................................................................. 75
Appendix 2: Funding schemes .............................................................................................. 76
Appendix 3: Coordination of national or regional research programmes ....................... 80
Appendix 4: Distribution of budget commitment ............................................................... 81
Appendix 5: FET Open evaluation, selection and award criteria ..................................... 82
Glossary................................................................................................................................... 84
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This Work Programme for the ICT theme of the FP7 Specific Programme "Cooperation"
defines the priorities for the calls for proposals to be launched in 2007 and the criteria that
will be used for evaluating the proposals responding to these calls.
The priorities reflect the input received from the Programme Committee, the IST Advisory
Group1 (ISTAG), the European Technology Platforms2 in ICT and other preparatory activities
including workshops involving the main stakeholders. The Work Programme is also in line
with the main ICT policy priorities as defined in the i2010 initiative3 - a European
Information Society for Growth and Employment.
The Work Programme will be updated on a regular basis.
1 The ISTAG report on the recommendations for the Work Programmes in FP7, the strategic research agendas of the
European Technology Platforms in ICT and other reports on preparation workshops and Commission internal groups are
available on the IST Web page http://cordis.europa.eu/ist.
2 http://cordis.europa.eu/technology-platforms/
3 http://ec.europa.eu/i2010/
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ICT - Information and Communication Technologies
1 Objective
Improving the competitiveness of European industry and enabling Europe to master
and shape future developments in ICT so that the demands of its society and economy
are met. ICT is at the very core of the knowledge-based society. Activities will
strengthen Europe's scientific and technology base and ensure its global leadership in
ICT, help drive and stimulate product, service and process innovation and creativity
through ICT use and ensure that ICT progress is rapidly transformed into benefits for
Europe's citizens, businesses, industry and governments. These activities will also help
reduce the digital divide and social exclusion.
2 Policy and socio-economic context
2.1
i2010, achieving the renewed Lisbon agenda
Today Europe faces an urgent need to reshape its economy and society to meet the challenges
of the 21st Century. We must realise higher economic growth through improved
competitiveness and productivity, whilst ensuring a sustainable future4. We have to adjust to
the changing economic realities brought about by the globalisation of markets and the ever-
faster pace of technological change. At the same time, we have to modernise our public
services and tackle emerging challenges in areas such as health, ageing, inclusion, energy
efficiency5, safety and security.
In its Communication on "Working together for growth and jobs: A new start for the Lisbon
Strategy"6, the Commission highlights the importance of ICT for Europe's economy and
society. It underlines that "our innovation performance is crucially dependent on
strengthening investment in and the use of new technologies, particularly ICTs, by both the
private and public sectors. Information and Communication technologies provide the
backbone for the knowledge economy. They account for around half of the productivity
growth in modern economies."
One of the key objectives of the i2010 initiative7, that sets the strategic framework for ICT
policies in the Union, is to achieve "world class performance in research and innovation in
ICT by closing the gap with Europe's leading competitors". Leading the progress in ICT is
essential to be able to address Europe's key socio-economic challenges and to reinforce its
industrial competitiveness. ICT research in FP7 aims at enabling Europe to master ICT
development so that it corresponds to the needs of its citizens and businesses. The current
4 Cf. the renewed sustainable development strategy; see European Council: Austrian Presidency Conclusion: 16th June 2006
http://ec.europa.eu/sustainable/sds2006/index_en.htm
5 Cf. Energy efficiency Action Plan, COM(2006)545.
6 COM (2005) 24
7 "i2010 A European Information Society for growth and employment", COM(2005) 229
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Work Programme provides the detailed priorities for Calls for Proposals to be launched in
2007.
2.2
Partnering in ICT research and development
Increasing competition on a global scale gives Europe no other choice than to mobilise its
resources to attract both investment in ICT research and development and the best researchers
to its public and private labs. Europe has great knowledge and industrial assets. It has one of
the world's largest markets. It should be a leader and be a first choice for ICT research and
development and it has the capacity to do so.
More than ever before, partnering at European level is needed to keep pace with soaring
research costs in an era of global competition, and increasingly complex and interdependent
technologies.
The ICT theme of the Cooperation specific programme in FP7 offers a stable (seven years)
framework for collaboration and partnership building in ICT research. It builds on the
successes of previous Community RTD programmes in this field that have enabled European
industry to lead in world markets in areas like mobile communications, embedded systems or
microelectronics.
2.3
ICT in FP7: An approach focused on a limited set of challenges
Achieving the best possible impact for Community support requires focusing and
concentrating effort on key RTD challenges. This Work Programme proposes a structure
around seven challenges that should be addressed if Europe is to be among the world leaders
in next generation ICT and their applications.
The challenges are driven either by industry and technology objectives or by socio-economic
goals. For each challenge precise targets and deliverables are identified in a 10 year time
frame.
In pursuit of the challenge targets, a set of research objectives will be called for in 2007.
These objectives are described in the next chapters of the Work Programme and will provide
the focus for the Calls for proposals. For each objective, the Work Programme defines the
target outcome of the supported research and the expected impact of these outcomes on the
European economy and society.
2.3.1 Overcoming technology roadblocks and reinforcing Europe's industrial strengths
For European industry to be among the leaders in ICT in the next ten years, our researchers
and engineers have to master three ICT challenges. These have been identified in
particular with the help of the European Technology Platforms in ICT and are as follows:
The converged communication and service Infrastructure that will gradually replace
the current Internet, mobile, fixed and audiovisual networks.
The engineering of more robust, context-aware and easy-to-use ICT systems that self
improve and self-adapt within their respective environments.
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The increasingly smaller, cheaper, more reliable and low consumption electronic
components and systems that constitute the basis for innovation in all major products
and service.
2.3.2 Seizing new opportunities and applying ICT to address Europe's socio-economic
challenges
Four challenges for ICT research are driven by socio-economic goals and are in line with
the flagship initiatives of i2010:
Digital libraries, knowledge and content development tools and applications that will
help us preserve, develop and disseminate our cultural assets, improve our learning and
education systems and strengthen the creativity of our society.
ICT tools for sustainable Health systems enhancing our ability to monitor our health and
well-being and to treat major illnesses and diseases.
Intelligent and safe vehicles and technologies for environmental sustainability and
energy efficiency that are key requirements of our citizens.
ICT systems and applications for better inclusion and independent living of all citizens.
In addition to the seven Challenges, a Future and Emerging Technologies activity will
continue to foster trans-disciplinary research excellence in emerging ICT-related research
domains.
The Challenges in this Work Programme build on and extend the Ambient Intelligence
vision developed in the previous Framework Programmes.
2.4
Funding schemes
The activities supported by FP7 will be funded through a range of "Funding schemes" as
specified in Annex III of FP7. These schemes will be used, either alone or in combination, to
fund actions implemented throughout the Framework Programme. The funding schemes used
for the research objectives identified in this Work Programme are the following:
1.
Collaborative projects (CP)
Support to research projects carried out by consortia with participants from different
countries, aiming at developing new knowledge, new technology, products, demonstration
activities or common resources for research. The Funding Scheme allows for two types of
projects to be financed: a) "small or medium-scale focused research actions"(STREP), b)
"large-scale integrating projects" (IP).
2.
Networks of Excellence (NoE)
Support to Joint Programme of Activities implemented by a number of research organisations
integrating their activities in a given field, carried out by research teams in the framework of
longer term cooperation.
3.
Coordination and support actions (CSA)
Support to activities aimed at coordinating or supporting research activities and policies
(networking, exchanges, coordination of funded projects, trans-national access to research
infrastructures, studies, conferences, etc). These actions may also be implemented by means
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other than calls for proposals. The Funding Scheme allows for two types of projects to be
financed: a) "Coordination Actions"(CA), b) "Specific Support Actions" (SA).
This work programme specifies for each of the research objectives, the type(s) of funding
scheme(s) to be used for the topic on which proposals are invited.
2.5
Involving SMEs and feeding innovation
The role of SMEs in innovation is undisputable. In ICT, they play a vital role in the
development of new visions and in transforming them into business assets. They have a large
capacity to focus their research effort and to take fast technical and business decisions.
The Community research programmes in ICT provide major opportunities for SMEs to
finance high-risk, early-stage research and development, to build strategic partnerships and to
operate outside their local markets with higher value innovative products and services.
Particular attention is paid to SMEs' needs and potential in the definition of the priorities of
the ICT Work Programme. Building on the experience of SMEs' participation in ICT research
under FP6, the aim is to ensure that SMEs constitute an important part of the ICT research
consortia together with large companies, universities, and public research labs.
The rules for participation in FP7 will also encourage further SME participation. For SMEs in
FP7 projects, the Community financial contribution may reach a maximum of 75% of the
total eligible costs (as compared to 50% in FP6 and before). The ICT theme in FP7 is
therefore expected to draw a high number of innovative SMEs that are ready to undertake
research and development both in emerging technology fields with high growth potential and
in key ICT application fields.
2.6
Developing global partnerships
The external dimension of the programme aims at supporting European competitiveness
through research partnerships with third countries and at addressing issues of common interest
and mutual benefit in support of other EU policies, in particular development policies.
International cooperation will be implemented through:
The opening of all ICT programme objectives to the participation of third country
organisations from all International Cooperation Partner Countries (ICPC, see Annex 1)
and industrialised countries. All of the ICT theme is open to third country participation. In
addition, for several Objectives of the Work Programme, the participation of third country
partners is particularly encouraged.
Specific International Cooperation Actions (SICAs) consisting of collaborative projects
with ICPC countries in areas of mutual interest and dedicated to cooperation on topics
selected on the basis of their scientific and technological competences and needs. Political
dialogues with third countries and regions as well as international support projects have
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allowed the identification of potential cooperation priorities that are of mutual interest and
benefit. The SICAs will have specific rules for participation8.
The international cooperation activities proposed in this Work Programme have three main
objectives:
To improve cooperation in the development of standards and interoperable solutions and
in roadmapping in order to enable the wider uptake of the results of European research
and to improve the competitiveness of European industry. This will contribute to the
achievement of economies of scale in the global context of technology exploitation. It
will be implemented by supporting mainly Coordination and Support Actions bringing
together European and international stakeholders. Depending on the areas addressed, they
will target industrialised regions such as the USA and Japan and/or emerging economies
such as China, Russia, India and Latin America.
These Coordination and Support Actions will be called for within the relevant objectives
and under horizontal support actions for international cooperation. Examples include the
areas of future networks, security, networked media, nanoelectronics, photonics, control
systems, ICT for co-operative transport systems, and ICT for independent living and
inclusion.
To improve scientific cooperation for the mutual benefits of Europe and target regions.
This will be implemented with third countries where there is clear reciprocity in
knowledge sharing and in the areas where there is value for European and third country
organisations to cooperate. It will also help support other Community policies notably the
development policy.
Support will be provided to SICAs in the areas of 'ICT for risk assessment and patient
safety' and 'ICT for environmental disaster reduction and management'. In addition
international collaboration actions will be supported in the areas of "Open Source
Software", "language and speech technologies" and "accessible and inclusive ICT". A
total of up to 1212 M is expected to be devoted to international cooperation activities.
These are described in detail in the relevant objectives and in the horizontal action on
International Cooperation.
In addition, third country participation is particularly encouraged in collaborative projects
on specific topics addressed in the objectives on Embedded Systems design, Future and
Emerging Technologies (FET) and through the Intelligent Manufacturing Systems
scheme.
Finally support to activities linked to ICT-based research infrastructures: This will be
done mainly in the FP7 Capacities programme but parts related for example to the future
Internet are addressed in this Work Programme.
In order to support coherence at the Framework Programme level, coordination will be sought
with ICT-related international cooperation activities launched under the Capacities9 and
People10 Specific Programmes.
8 For Collaborative Projects, at least four independent legal entities of which at least two must be established in different
Member States or Associated countries and at least two must be established in different ICPC countries.
9 http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/capacities/home_en.html
10 http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/people/home_en.html
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2.7
The socio-economic dimensions of ICT
The economic and social transformations triggered by ICT are wide-ranging, complex, and
multifaceted. We are no longer at the dawn of the Information Society but witnessing and
experiencing its deployment at all levels of economic activity and social interaction. In
addition, technological roadmaps are pointing to even more radical socio-economic changes.
Most R&D projects have a clear socio-economic dimension from the outset. This may
include, for example, evidence-based impact assessment and pro-active initiatives in order to
accelerate diffusion and societal acceptance.
The programme will also support social and economic research, launched through calls for
tenders, to create a better understanding of trends and impacts at the level of society and of
the economy, including the global economy. This will complement assessments of the impact
of individual projects, help assess the impact of the ICT programme as a whole, and support
impact assessments of specific policy options.
In addition, wider benefits are expected to arise from the research projects and actions
supported under this programme in terms of their contribution towards science education, and
outreach and communication activities.
The pursuit of scientific knowledge and its technical application towards society requires the
talent, perspectives and insight that can only be assured by increasing diversity in the research
workforce. Therefore, a balanced representation of women and men at all levels in research
projects is encouraged.
2.8
European Technology Platforms in ICT and the Work programme
European technology Platforms (ETPs) bring together the main industry and academic
research stakeholders in a particular field with the aim of better coordinating their research
and related activities and achieving common goals. An important outcome of each ETP is a
Strategic Research Agenda agreed by its members that also commit to its implementation.
These Strategic Research agendas11 constitute an important input to the Work Programmes in
FP7.
The industrial and academic research stakeholders in ICT have at the time of publication set
up European Technology Platforms in nine ICT fields. These cover the fields of nano-
electronics, photonics, micro-systems, embedded systems, software and services, mobile
communications, networked media, satellite communications and robotics.
2.9 Joint Technology Initiatives
The Commission's proposal for the Cooperation Programme indicates that in a limited
number of cases, the scope of an RTD objective and the scale of the resources involved justify
setting up long term public private partnerships in the form of Joint Technology Initiatives.
These initiatives, mainly resulting from the work of European Technology Platforms and
covering one or a small number of selected aspects of research in their field, will combine
11 Individual Strategic Research Agendas of the European Technology Platforms in ICT are available on the following Web
page: http://cordis.europa.eu/ist/about/techn-platform.htm
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private sector investment and national and European public funding, including grant funding
from the Research Framework Programme and loan finance from the European Investment
Bank. These will be implemented on the basis of the appropriate articles of the EU treaty
including Article 171.
The Commission is planning to propose two Joint Technology Initiatives to be funded from
the ICT theme in the Cooperation programme in FP7 in the areas of Nano-electronics and
Embedded Computing Systems. Parts of research under Challenge 3 on electronic
components and systems are expected to be implemented through these two Joint Technology
Initiatives. The Commission envisages making specific proposals in 2007 to set up these
Initiatives.
2.10 Co-ordination of non-Community research programmes
The actions undertaken in this field in FP7 include the coordination of national or regional
research programmes or initiatives (see Appendix 3) and the participation of the Community
in jointly implemented national research programmes (Treaty Article 169). The actions will
also be used to enhance the complementarity and synergy between the Framework
Programme and activities carried out in the framework of intergovernmental structures such
as EUREKA, EIROforum and COST.
The coordination of national or regional research programmes or initiatives are called for
within several objectives in this Work Programme. In addition, the participation of the
Community in national research programmes jointly implemented on the basis of Article 169
is planned in the area of ICT for Ambient Assisted Living. This will be the subject of a
separate decision.
Objectives under Challenges 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 as well as FET call for the coordination of
national or regional research programmes or initiatives. There is in addition a horizontal
action concerning International cooperation.
2.11 Links with other Programmes
Links with ICT in the CIP
The ICT theme in FP7 is one of the two main financial instruments in support of the i2010
initiative that is the Union's policy framework for the information society. The other main
financial instrument is the ICT specific programme within the Competitiveness and
Innovation programme (CIP). ICT in the CIP aims at ensuring the wide uptake and best use of
ICT by businesses, governments and citizens. ICT in FP7 and ICT in the CIP are therefore
complementary instruments aiming at both progressing ICT and its applications and at
making sure that all citizens and businesses can benefit from ICT.
Links with the Research Infrastructure part of the Capacities Programme
Support will be provided to ICT-based research infrastructure (eInfrastructure) under the
Research Infrastructures part of the Capacities programme. This will build on the success of
the GEANT research network and the research Grids infrastructure supported in FP6 and will
provide higher performance computing, data handling and networking facilities for European
researchers in all science and technology fields. Coordination between this activity and the
ICT theme in the cooperation programme will ensure that the latest and most effective
technology is provided to European researchers. Support will also be given to other ICT
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research infrastructure under the targeted calls of the Capacities programme. These will cover
areas such as ICT Living Labs, clean rooms for nano-electronics and Embedded Systems
research facilities.
Links with the other Specific Programmes in FP7
In addition to the ICT theme in the Cooperation Specific Programme, the ICT research and
development community will also be able to benefit from the other specific programmes that
are open to all research areas including the Ideas, People and Capacities programmes.
3 Content of calls in 2007
3.1
Challenge 1: Pervasive and Trusted Network and Service Infrastructures
With its strengths in communication equipment, devices, networks and eServices, Europe is
well placed in the world-wide race to define and develop the network and service
infrastructures of the future. These will generate new economic opportunities with new
classes of networked applications, whilst reducing operational expenditures. The current
internet, mobile, fixed and broadcasting networks and the related software service
infrastructure need to progress accordingly in order to enable another wave of growth in the
on-line economy and society over the next 15 years.
The challenge is to deliver the next generation of ubiquitous and converged network and
service infrastructures for communication, computing and media. This entails overcoming the
scalability, flexibility, dependability and security bottlenecks, as today's network and service
architectures are primarily static and able to support a limited number of devices, service
features and limited confidence. Such new infrastructures will permit the emergence of a large
variety of business models capable of dynamic and seamless end-to-end composition of
resources across a multiplicity of devices, networks, providers and service domains.
The future infrastructures envisaged will need to:
- Be pervasive, ubiquitous and highly dynamic. They have to offer almost unlimited
capacities to users, by supporting a wide variety of nomadic interoperable devices and
services, a variety of content formats and a multiplicity of delivery modes. They also have
to support context awareness and the dynamic behaviour needed for applications with
requirements that vary with time and context ;
- Guarantee robustness, resilience, trust and security compatible with networks and
software service platforms reaching a complexity and scale that are an order of magnitude
greater than those of today's infrastructures;
- Support networked and managed business and service convergence across a multiplicity
of environments such as the home, businesses, or nomadic situations.
This entails addressing the evolution from today's large legacy infrastructures towards new
infrastructures by striking a balance between backward compatibility requirements and the
need to explore disruptive architectures to build future internet, mobile, broadband, and
associated service infrastructures.
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The evolution drivers of this Challenge relate primarily to the technological evolution of
ubiquitous mobile and broadband networks, the availability of dynamic services platforms,
trust and security, in the context of converged and interoperable networked environments. In
this respect, the proposed activity largely relates to the technological roadblocks and socio-
economic scenarios identified in the Strategic Research Agendas of the eMobility, NESSI,
NEM and ISI European Technology Platforms.
Participation of organisations from third countries is encouraged for those research activities
where mutual benefits can be demonstrated. This relates notably to i) the possibility of
progressing through joint strategic research partnerships towards global consensus and
standards; ii) opportunities for mutual benchmarking; iii) the exchange of best practices,
including regulation and socio-economic issues as technological drivers; iv) large-scale
validation of technologies and networked applications in a global context. The participation of
third country partners and the selection of the most promising targeted regions are left to the
initiative of the proponents.
Proposals for large scale integrating projects cutting across several of the objectives 1.1 to 1.5
of Challenge 1 and addressing interrelated objectives from an overall system perspective are
encouraged. The intention is to significantly advance the state-of-the-art for each of the
targeted objectives and to obtain a federating, multiplier and catalytic effect on the expected
impacts.
Objective ICT-2007.1.1: The Network of the Future
Target outcome
a) Ubiquitous network infrastructures and architectures supporting: i) convergence and
interoperability of heterogeneous mobile and broadband network technologies ii) flexible
and spectrum efficient radio access enabling ubiquitous access to broadband mobile
services for short range to wide area networking ; iii) elimination of the barriers to
broadband access and ultra high speed end to end connectivity with optimised protocols
and routing; iv) context awareness; v) optimised traffic processing between core and edge
networks; vi) scalability, delivering an order of magnitude increase in the number of
connected devices and enabling the emergence of applications that are machine-to-
machine or sensor-based - beyond RFID - and are capable of functioning within a
multiplicity of public or private operating environments.
b) Optimised control, management and flexibility of the future network infrastructure,
supporting the evolution towards cognitive networks and capable of: i) enabling seamless
end to end network and service composition and operation across multiple operators and
business domains; ii) supporting a wide diversity of service attributes and requirements,
which will be an order of magnitude more complex than those of today's infrastructures,
through support of programmability and dynamic features, with reconfigurability of
resource allocation, of protocols and routing, self organisation and management; iii)
managing in real time new forms of ad-hoc communications with intermittent
connectivity requirements and time-varying network topology; iv) enabling intelligent
distribution of services across multiple access technologies with centralised or distributed
control.
c) Technologies and systems architectures for the Future Internet, aimed at overcoming
the expected long term limitations of current internet capabilities, architecture and
protocols, driven by the need for: generalised mobility; scalability from the perspective of
devices, service attributes and application environments; security; trusted domains; new
forms of routing and content delivery with dynamic peering of end to end delivery and
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control, of ad-hoc connectivity in a generalised wireless environment. The work of
exploratory nature will address how various classes of new requirements constrain the
foreseeable evolution of the internet and identify corresponding long term solutions.
d) Coordination and support actions: i) roadmapping and conference support; ii) co-
ordination with related national or regional programmes or initiatives
Expected impact
· Global standards for a new generation of ubiquitous and extremely high capacity network
and service infrastructures. These should support convergence, full interoperability, a
significantly larger and diverse number of devices, new services and complex user
requirements.
· Reinforced European industrial leadership in wired and wireless networks; developing
stronger synergies between various sector actors and contributing to new business models
that take advantage of convergence and full interoperability.
· New industrial/service opportunities in Europe, especially in the field of Internet
technologies, where Europe has not yet reached a position commensurate to its
technological potential.
Funding schemes
CP, NoE, CSA
Indicative budget distribution
17112 M:
- CP 154 M of which a minimum of 72 M to IP and a minimum of 36 M to STREP;
- NoE 12 M;
- CSA 5 M
Call
FP7-ICT-2007-1
Objective ICT-2007.1.2: Service and Software Architectures, Infrastructures and
Engineering
Target outcome
a) Service architectures, platforms, technologies, methods and tools that enable context-
awareness and discovery, advertising, personalisation and dynamic composition of
services. They should support flexible business models, provide for service management,
and guarantee end-to-end quality of service. They will cater for multiple component
technologies and support vendor independence. Opportunities for standardisation should
be exploited.
b) Service/software engineering approaches development processes, product lifecycle and
tools for dynamically composed systems with dependable quality of service and reliability
properties and promoting new open development paradigms with a higher degree of
involvement of joint user and development communities.
12 An amount from the 2008 budget is expected to be added for which a new financing decision to cover the budget for that
year will be requested at the appropriate time.
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c) Strategies and technologies enabling mastery of complexity, dependability, and
behavioural stability in complex systems and in systems evolving over time without
central design. Appropriate mechanisms should guarantee end-to-end quality of service.
d) Virtualisation tools, system software, middleware and network-centric operating
systems, including Grid-based systems, that orchestrate unlimited, heterogeneous and
dynamic resources distributed across multiple platforms as a single entity, and provide
platform-independent access and sharing of knowledge, processing, communication,
storage and content. They also enable the definition and execution of tasks and workflows
for collaboration and operation across multiple domains and optimise usage of distributed
resources.
e) Coordination and support actions for: i) roadmapping, strategy and policy formulation,
clustering of activities, support for standardisation and conference support; ii) co-
ordination with national or regional programmes or initiatives.
Expected Impact:
Improving the competitiveness of enterprises and the efficiency of organisations in Europe
by:
· Allowing the creation of dynamic services with guaranteed properties and new
networked applications capable of interoperation across a wide variety of business
domains and organisations of all sizes. Supporting all organisations developing or using
software and services, particularly SMEs, to improve their competitiveness and adjust to
the emerging global service economy.
· Increased efficiency and productivity in software development and higher level of
software reliability through novel service and software engineering tools and improved
mastering of complex systems.
· New opportunities, notably for SMEs, through open and standard platforms and
interfaces for: software and service development; middleware for resource sharing; and
next generation operating systems.
Funding schemes
CP, NoE, CSA
Indicative budget distribution
10212 M:
- CP 91 M of which a minimum of 38 M to IP and a minimum of 30 M to STREP;
- NoE 9 M;
- CSA 2 M
Call
FP7-ICT-2007-1
Objective ICT-2007-1.3: ICT in support of the networked enterprise
Target outcome
a) Generic integrated solutions for inter-enterprise interoperability and collaboration in the
context of the networked enterprise.
b) Architectures and platforms for the integrated enterprise supporting massively distributed
networked devices, notably enhanced RFID-based systems.
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c) Tools and technologies that enable intra-enterprise collaboration and the definition and
execution of tasks and workflows for operation across multiple domains.
Research results should support highly distributed operations, reduced life cycle cost, and
integration with legacy systems. The work should in particular support business networks
addressing the specific needs of SMEs.
Expected Impact:
· Improving the competitiveness of enterprises in Europe by fostering the creation of new
networked applications and services capable of interoperation across a wide variety of
business domains and organisations of all sizes.
· Reinforcing Europe's technology and industry strengths in application and business-
specific software, service and applications development.
Funding schemes
CP, CSA (one CA for coordination of EU activities on RFID and one SA for global RFID-
related standardisation activities involving in particular organisations from China, Japan,
Korea and USA)
Indicative budget distribution
2612 M:
- CP 25 M of which a minimum of 9 M to IP and a minimum of 9 M to STREP - 1 M for
2 CSAs
Call
FP7-ICT-2007-1
Objective ICT-2007.1.4: Secure, dependable and trusted Infrastructures
Target outcome
a) Security and resilience in network infrastructures: building and preserving flexible,
scalable and context-aware, secure and resilient architectures and technologies to enable
dynamic management policies that ensure end-to-end secure transmission of data and
services across heterogeneous infrastructures and networks, including dynamic networks
of tiny insecure devices, and multiple provider, business and residential domains; real
time detection and recovery capabilities against intrusions, malfunctions and failures;
b) Security and trust in dynamic and reconfigurable service architectures supporting
assured and scale-free composition of services and service coalitions with managed
operation across several administrative or business domains, enabling flexible business
models;
c) Trusted computing infrastructures ensuring interoperability and end-to-end security of
data and services; increased security and dependability in the engineering of software and
service systems to ensure the design and development of trustworthy applications and
services;
d) Identity management and privacy enhancing tools with configurable, context-
dependent and user-controlled attributes in static and dynamically changing environments;
trust policies for managing and assessing the risks associated to identity and private data.
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e) Longer term visions and research roadmaps; metrics and benchmarks for comparative
evaluation and open technology competitions, in support of certification and
standardisation; international cooperation and co-ordination with developed countries;
coordination with related national or regional programmes or initiatives and; coordination
of FP7 projects addressing security, dependability, privacy and related ethical issues
across different challenges and objectives of this work programme.
Expected Impact
· ICT users empowered to handle their digital identity and personal data and to protect their
privacy, turning the European view on privacy into an economic advantage; strengthened
trust in the use of networks, software and services for governments, businesses and
consumers.
· A strong and competitive ICT security industry in Europe.
· Substantially improved security and dependability of networks and service infrastructures
having a complexity and scale that are an order of magnitude greater than those of today's
infrastructures.
· Wider use of metrics, standards, evaluation and certification methods and best practices in
security of networks, infrastructures, software and services.
Funding schemes
a-d): CP, NoE; e) CSA
Indicative budget distribution
7712 M:
- CP 69 M of which a minimum of 24 M to IP and a minimum of 24 M to STREP;
- NoE 5 M;
- CSA 3 M
Call
FP7-ICT-2007-1
Objective ICT-2007.1.5: Networked Media
Target outcome:
a) Interoperable multimedia network and service infrastructures that
- offer a seamless, personalised and trusted experience of i) multimedia services and
applications; ii) home management and control services; iii) media content, for users
in a variety of roles (consumer, producer or manager of communication and media),
locations, contexts and mobility scenarios;
- maintain the integrity and the quality of the media whilst enabling automatic and
intuitive enrichment at every step of the media lifecycle;
- are optimised in particular for unstructured distribution, delivery, sharing, storage and
intelligent retrieval of media and applications, and that enable variable media
distribution patterns between multiple users.
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b) End-to-end systems and application platforms that enable i) intuitive, intelligent,
professional and non-professional creation, manipulation, storage/handling/search,
management and rendering of media; ii) new creative forms of interactive, immersive and
very high quality media (such as 3D, virtual and augmented reality) as well as new forms
of experiences for individual users or user communities.
c) Roadmapping and conference support, for co-ordination with related national or
regional programmes or initiatives, for international standardisation and interoperability
initiatives.
Expected Impact:
· World leadership in a new generation of media technologies providing significantly
higher performances in terms of intelligence, scalability, flexibility, speed, capacity, ease
of use and cost.
· New and sustainable market opportunities based on converged business models between
content, telecom, broadcast and consumer electronics industries. Reinforced European
position vis-à-vis global interoperability and standardisation initiatives.
· Widespread adoption of new digital media consumption and production patterns.
Enhanced quality of life through new usage forms contributing to social, intellectual and
leisure well-being. New opportunities for content production and exploitation.
Funding schemes
a-b): CP, NoE; c): CSA
Indicative budget distribution
7312 M:
- CP 65 M of which a minimum of 26 to IP and a minimum of 20 M to STREP;
- NoE 6 M;
- CSA 2 M
Call
FP7-ICT-2007-1
Objective ICT-2007.1.6: New Paradigms and Experimental Facilities
Target outcome
a) Advanced networking approaches to architectures and protocols, designed to cope
with increased scale, complexity, mobility and requirements for security, resilience and
transparency of the Future Internet coupled with their validation in large scale testing
environments based on a combination of physical and 'virtual' infrastructures.
b) Interconnected test beds addressing novel distributed and reconfigurable protocol
architectures; novel distributed service architectures, infrastructures and software
platforms; and advanced embedded or overlay security, trust and identity management
architectures and technologies. Test beds for systems that provide trusted access to e-
services with users requiring no administration and security skills.
c) Coordination and support actions for: i) standardisation and conference support; ii) co-
ordination with related national or regional programmes or initiatives.
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Expected Impact
· Strengthened European position in the development of the Future Internet.
· Wider take-up of technological developments in networks and service infrastructure
facilitated by a comprehensive validation of the technological and service choices.
· Global consensus towards standards and strengthened international co-operation through
interconnected test beds and interconnection capabilities offered to third countries.
· Higher confidence in the secure use of the Internet through test beds enabling trusted
access to e-Services.
Funding schemes
CP, NoE, CSA
Indicative budget distribution12
Call
FP7-ICT-2007-2
Objective ICT-SEC-2007.1.7: Critical Infrastructure Protection
(Joint Call between ICT and Security Themes FP7-ICT-SEC-2007-1 )
The interoperability and interconnectivity of supply systems is one of the cornerstones of the
functioning of our societies. The vulnerabilities in the intercommunication of systems,
equipment, services and processes and their resilience against malicious attacks of terrorism
and (organised) crime are elementary to the security of the citizens.
The objective of the joint call is to make key infrastructures of modern life, such as energy
production sites and transmission systems, storage and distribution, information and
communication networks, sensitive manufacturing plants, banking and finance, healthcare, or
transportation systems more secure and dependable. The aim is to protect such critical
infrastructures that can be damaged, destroyed or disrupted by deliberate acts of terrorism,
natural disasters, negligence, mismanagements, accidents, computer hacking, criminal activity
and malicious behaviour and to safeguard them against incidents, malfunctions and failures.
The joint call is structured around two specific foci.
1. Focus of the ICT Theme
The first focus is called for by the ICT theme and is addressing technology building blocks for
creating, monitoring and managing secure, resilient and always available information
infrastructures that link critical infrastructures so that they survive malicious attacks or
accidental failures, guarantee integrity of data and continuous provision of responsive and
trustworthy services, and support dynamically varying trust requirements. This includes:
a) Understanding and managing the interactions and complexity of interdependent critical
infrastructures; mastering their vulnerabilities; preventing against cascading effects;
providing recovery and continuity in critical scenarios (including research towards
designing and building self-adapted and self-healing complex systems); security and
dependability metrics and assurance methods for quantifying infrastructure
interdependencies.
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b) Designing and developing secure and resilient networked and distributed information
and process control systems; systemic risk analysis and security configuration and
management of critical information infrastructures and dynamic assurance frameworks
for interconnecting them with critical infrastructures; availability of security forensics.
c) Developing longer term visions and research roadmaps; metrics and benchmarks for
comparative evaluation in support of certification and standardisation; international
cooperation and co-ordination with developed countries; coordination with related
national or regional programmes or initiatives.
Funding schemes: a) and b): CP (STREP only); c) CSA
2. Focus of the Security Theme
The second focus is called for by the Security theme13 and is addressing technology building
blocks for creating, monitoring and managing secure, resilient and always available transport
and energy infrastructures that survive malicious attacks or accidental failures and
guaranteeing continuous provision of services. The following topics are called:
Topic ICT-SEC-2007-1.0-01: Risk assessment and contingency planning for
interconnected transport or energy networks
Technical content / scope: The task is to develop integrated frameworks and agreed, common
methodologies for (a) global analyses and assessment of risks, failures and vulnerabilities of
transport or energy infrastructures, and (b) management and contingency planning based on
the compilation and analyses of emergency plans, to ensure interoperability between
interconnected and interdependent heterogeneous transport or energy infrastructures.
Funding scheme(s): Collaborative project and Coordination and support action (aiming at
supporting research activities.
Topic ICT-SEC-2007-1.0-02: Modelling and simulation for training
Technical content / scope: Security crises concerning cross-border interconnected European
transport or energy infrastructures can lead to effects with high impacts of disruption. The
task consists of modelling & simulation including scenario building for handling security
incidents to support the training of crisis managers.14
Funding scheme(s): Collaborative project.
Topic ICT-SEC-2007-1.0-03: Optimised situational awareness through intelligent
surveillance of interconnected transport or energy infrastructures
Technical content / scope: The task consists of developing tools that integrate smart
surveillance information from interconnected and heterogeneous transport or energy
infrastructures in order to build up high level situation awareness. The objective is to enable
optimized decision making required for cross-border interoperable crisis management to
ensure secure, resilient and always available transport or energy infrastructures.15
13 For more details concerning these topics consult the Security Work Programme.
14 See also COM(2005) 576 final. Green Paper on a European Programme for Critical Infrastructure Protection.
15 Same as previous footnote.
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Funding scheme(s): Collaborative project.
Topic ICT-SEC-2007-1.0-04: ICT support for first responders in crises occurring in critical
infrastructures
Technical content / scope: The task consists of developing novel technologies for personal
digital support systems as part of an integral, secure emergency management system to
support first responders in crises occurring in various types of critical infrastructures under all
circumstances. The action has to build upon ongoing research on emergency management,
secure wireless communication, first responder technologies, etc. See as well topic SEC-2007-
4.3.03 Personal equipment with a view to compatibility and complementarity16.
Funding scheme(s): Collaborative project.
Expected impact:
· Significant improvement in the security, performance, dependability and resilience of
complex and interdependent critical infrastructures while considering as well
organisational dynamics, human factors, societal issues and related legal aspects.
· Reinforce European industry's potential to create important market opportunities and
establish leadership.
· Contribution to establishing, strengthening and preserving trust in the use of technologies
for the protection of critical infrastructures. This includes creating sufficient awareness and
understanding of all relevant issues for the take-up of their outcome (e.g. regarding
potential classification requirements, international co-operation needs, communication and
implementation strategies etc.), in order to ensure acceptance of such technologies by
relevant stakeholders.
· More effective protection through enhanced co-operation, coordination and focus across
Europe, and contribution to the development and promotion of metrics, standards,
evaluation and certification methods and best practice in security of critical infrastructures.
Indicative budget distribution12
Call
FP7-ICT-SEC-2007-1
16 For more details concerning this topic consult the Security Work Programme.
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3.2
Challenge 2: Cognitive Systems, Interaction, Robotics
The increasing complexity of our society and economy places greater emphasis on artificial
systems such as robots, smart devices and machines which can deal autonomously with our
needs and with the peculiarities of the environments we inhabit and construct. This challenge
is to extend systems engineering methods to deal with open-ended and frequently changing
real-world environments. A primary aim is to develop system capabilities to respond
intelligently to gaps in the system's knowledge and to situations or contexts that have not been
specified in its design. In order to meet this challenge, a mix of innovative scientific theory
and technology is needed, based on natural and artificial cognition, in conjunction with new
systems design and engineering principles and implementations for machines, robots and
other devices which are robust and versatile enough to deal with the real world and to behave
in a user-friendly and intuitive way with people in everyday situations.
Artificial cognitive systems, advanced interaction technologies and intelligent robots will help
open up new opportunities for industry in Europe. Reinforcing leading edge research in these
domains will help extend technologies into tomorrow's industries and markets, in fields of
potentially high socio-economic significance like industrial production, learning, healthcare,
public safety, environmental monitoring, and in emerging sectors such as service robotics.
Autonomous surveillance systems can, for example, save crucial time in emergencies or
hazardous situations. Artificial cognitive systems and intelligent robots can extend the
capabilities of people to perform routine, dangerous or tiring tasks, especially in previously
inaccessible, uncharted, or remote spaces on land, sea or air.
Scientific research will also improve our understanding of the mechanisms underlying
artificial and natural cognition, in particular learning and the development of competences
requiring goal-setting, reasoning, decision-making, language, communication and co-
operation. It will enable us to build machines that can understand, learn and generate concepts
and translate them across languages with degrees of robustness and versatility not possible
today. And it will spur breakthroughs in advanced behaviours of robots, such as in
manipulating objects and interacting socially, which are key to their further penetration into
real world environments.
The proposed activity supports industrial competitiveness by addressing technological
challenges and socio-economic scenarios as identified inter-alia in the Strategic Research
Agenda of EUROP, the European Technology Platform on robotics.
Objective ICT-2007.2.1 (ICT-2007.2.2): Cognitive Systems, Interaction, Robotics
Target outcome:
a) Artificial systems that fulfil one or both of the following requirements:
· they can achieve general goals in a largely unsupervised way, and persevere under
adverse or uncertain conditions; adapt, within reasonable constraints, to changing
service and performance requirements, without the need for external re-programming,
re-configuring, or re-adjusting.
· they communicate and co-operate with people or each other, based on a well-
grounded understanding of the objects, events and processes in their environment, and
their own situation, competences and knowledge.
Work will result in demonstrators that operate largely autonomously in demanding and
open-ended environments which call for a suitable mix of capabilities for sensing, data
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analysis, processing, control and acting; and for communication and co-operation with
people or machines or both. Where required, systems will integrate high-level cognitive
competencies; for example, for reasoning, planning and decision-making, and for active
environmental modelling.
Proposals satisfying the above requirements should focus on one of the following areas:
Robots handling, individually or jointly, tangible objects of different shapes and sizes,
and operating either fully autonomously (as for instance in difficult terrains with a need
for robust locomotion, navigation and obstacle avoidance) or in co-operation with
people in complex, dynamic spatial environments (e.g. domestic environments).
Robots, sensor networks and other artificial systems, monitoring and controlling
material and informational processes e.g. in industrial manufacturing or public services
domains. This may include information gathering and interpretation in real-time
emergency or hazardous situations (e.g. through multi-sensory data-fusion) or in virtual
spaces related to real world objects and people.
Intuitive multimodal interfaces and interpersonal communication systems providing
personalised interactivity in real-world and virtual environments, based on improved
human interaction modelling and understanding of contextually-referred
communication, for example, by signs and signals in all modes (such as sound, vision,
touch) and modalities (such as natural language, both spoken and written), through
autonomous adaptation and by addressing user needs, intentions and emotions.
Work proposed in any of these areas should, as appropriate:
· develop and apply engineering approaches that cater for real-time requirements (if
present) and systems modularity, and ensure the reliability, flexibility, robustness,
scalability and, where relevant, also the safety of the resulting systems; and develop
criteria for benchmarking these properties;
· contribute to the theory and application of learning in artificial systems, tackling
issues related to the purposive and largely autonomous interpretation of sensor-
generated data arising in different environments, and to novel design and
implementation principles of pertinent systems architectures.
· explore and validate the use of:
> advanced sensor, actuator, memory and control elements, components and
platforms, based on new, possibly bio-mimetic, materials and hardware designs
e.g. for the realisation of systems with greater structural and functional diversity and
modularity,
> new, possibly bio-inspired, information-processing paradigms, and of models of
natural cognition (including human mental and linguistic development), adaptation,
self-organisation, and emergence; and take account of the role of systems
embodiment and affordances.
> new ways of combining statistical, knowledge driven and cognitive approaches to
language understanding, generation, and translation by machines.
b) A principled approach to structuring research in relevant areas, addressing in
particular learning in artificial systems, the requirements for cognitive capacities of
robotic, interactive and language support systems, and including the development of
experimental scenarios, the development or construction of resources for experimentation,
and the development of performance metrics and definitions of autonomy levels for
artificial systems.
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c) Co-ordination with related national or regional research programmes or initiatives.
Expected impact:
· Leading-edge technology companies creating new products and services, and enhancing
existing ones.
· New markets such as: extending the industrial robotics market to flexible small scale
manufacturing, opening up services (professional and domestic) markets to robots, novel
functionalities for embedded systems and assistive systems for interpersonal
communications, such as support of dynamic translation, and effective medical
diagnostics and therapeutics.
· Robust and versatile behaviour of artificial systems in open-ended environments
providing intelligent response in unforeseen situations, and enhancing human-machine
interaction
· Extended capabilities of people to perform routine, dangerous or tiring tasks in previously
inaccessible, uncharted or remote spaces; saving critical time in emergencies or hazardous
situations.
· Leading-edge research in Europe through collaborative and multidisciplinary
experimentation with approaches to achieving machine intelligence and artificial cognitive
systems, and through investigation of what artificial and natural cognitive systems can and
cannot do.
Funding schemes
a): CP; b): NoE; c) CSA (CA only)
Indicative budget distribution
ICT Call 1:
8212 M:
- CP 74 M of which a minimum of 39 M to IP and a minimum of 13 M to STREP;
- NoE 7 M;
- CSA 1M (CA only)
ICT Call 312:
Calls:
ICT Call 1 [82 M]; ICT Call 312
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3.3
Challenge 3: Components, systems, engineering
The share of electronic components in the value of engineered products and their impact in
terms of added functionality and cost-efficiency is expected to reach unprecedented levels
over the next few years. Europe has major strengths in the supply of hardware and software
components and their integration and deployment into intelligent systems, from portable
devices to cars, airplanes, health systems and manufacturing plants.
The challenge is to strengthen Europe's position as a leading supplier of electronic
components and systems. This will support the competitiveness of industrial strongholds such
as automotive, avionics, industrial automation, consumer electronics, telecoms and medical
systems. In all these domains Europe's leadership depends heavily on the capacity to engineer
and produce electronic components and systems and to integrate these into products across all
sectors. Furthermore, the social dimension is not to be underestimated given the increasingly
important role of electronics in the functioning of modern society.
In addition to input received through various consultations with a large group of research
stakeholders, research orientations under this Challenge are in line with the Strategic
Research Agendas of European Technology Platforms ENIAC (on nanoelectronics), EPoSS
(on systems integration), PHOTONICS21 (on photonics) and ARTEMIS (on embedded
systems).
Research addressing this Challenge in particular will encourage international cooperation
under the Intelligent Manufacturing Systems scheme.
This research will enable Europe's industry to stay at the forefront of electronics
developments and applications. As industry depends ever more on chip making and on
embedded software, it is of strategic importance to maintain vibrant chip making and chip
integrating functions in Europe as well as the related industries further down the electronics
"food chain". All these need early access to latest ICT. Intelligent functions embedded in
components and systems will be a key factor in revolutionising many different applications in
health, safety and security, transport, and provision of environmentally friendly sustainable
applications, and many more. These will also greatly improve industrial production processes
by adding intelligence to process control and the manufacturing shop floor, and in helping to
improve logistics and distribution, thereby increasing productivity.
Objective ICT-2007.3.1: Next-Generation Nanoelectronics Components and Electronics
Integration
Target outcome:
The objectives are to advance miniaturisation in baseline CMOS technology targeting digital
components and complex digital Systems on Chip ("More Moore"); to master diversification
targeting non-digital applications, heterogeneous integration in Systems-on-Chip or Systems-
in-a-Package ("More than Moore") and to prepare for the technology generation beyond the
CMOS scaling limits ("beyond CMOS").
a) "More Moore" targets nanoelectronics devices beyond 32 nm following the International
Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS). Specific issues are the increasing
process variability and expected physical and reliability limitations of devices and
interconnects as well as the need for new circuit architectures and characterisation
methods and techniques.
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"More than Moore" targets heterogeneous System-on-Chip (SoC) i.e. cost efficient
integration of computing, processing and storage with other system functions of various
scaling factors (such as analogue, RF [from extremely low frequency up to millimetre-
wave and beyond], high speed, high power, high voltage, and interface technologies) on a
single chip. It also targets System-in-Package (SiP) i.e. integration of different types of
chips and devices in a single package or compact subsystem. Specific issues are power
consumption, electro-magnetic interference and heat dissipation.
Industrially-driven projects will target:
1. Advances in Integration and Miniaturisation Technologies, and in Devices
covering nanoelectronics process technology, metrology, materials, basic device and
interconnect structures and related concepts and tools for modelling and simulation for
below 32 nm CMOS and for System-on-Chip. Changes in the electrical
characteristics, in thermal and mechanical behaviour, in performance, reliability,
testability, manufacturability and power consumption of the components need to be
addressed. Integration technology also includes wafer level packaging, assembly
technology, integration of passives and 3D packaging.
2. Design technologies for next-generation components and electronics integration.
They must support a chip complexity of billions of transistors and take into account
the increased process variability and changing performances of the advanced devices
and processes. This requires a step increase in design productivity for instance through
standardised Intellectual Property reuse and scalable and programmable chip
architectures. Also targeted are design platforms for SoC and SiP supporting a
heterogeneous, global and comprehensive performance simulation of different
technologies covering multiple aspects including electrical, optical, mechanical and
thermal behaviour. Emphasis will be put on SoC and SiP system design solutions from
formal application specification down to physical implementation, and on the
effectiveness of co-simulation between different description levels.
3. Manufacturing technologies for: reliable, cost effective industrial manufacturing of
sub-45 nm chips; SoC and SiP processes; flexible, automated, adaptive, on-demand
and short cycle time manufacturing under economically favourable conditions. This
will be based on: (i) models, tools and equipment for AEC/APC-based17
manufacturing and maintenance; supporting metrology, characterisation and
information tools and methods; (ii) advanced modelling techniques and chip design
for increasing manufacturability, production yield, testability and reliability and
linking manufacturing with design; (iii) alternative pattern transfer technologies, such
as maskless lithography; (iv) characterisation techniques supporting multi-site and
single wafer, small batch manufacturing; (v) handling of thin wafers and assembly of
single chips. This also includes preparatory activities for 450-mm wafer processing
and joint assessment of manufacturing and metrology equipment for chips and SiPs by
equipment suppliers and users.
b) "Beyond CMOS" targets advanced technologies and functional devices beyond the
traditional ITRS shrink path. It involves new non-FET based logic and memory, and its
possible integration with CMOS. A matching of integration, manufacturability and system
capability requirements shall be demonstrated in industry-guided pilot projects.
c) Support measures will complement the research activities:
17 AEC/APC Advanced Equipment and Process Control
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- Access to prototyping, design expertise and training for SMEs.
- Access for universities and research institutes to affordable industrial design tools,
state-of-the-art technologies for prototyping and training.
- Roadmapping, benchmarking and definition of selection criteria for the industrial use
of "Beyond CMOS" technologies.
- Stimulating the interest of young people in pursuing a multidisciplinary career
encompassing electronics.
- Supporting the development of RTD strategies through roadmapping, consensus
building, coordination with Member or Associated States, and international
cooperation.
- CSA aiming at coordinating related national, regional and EU-wide RTD programmes
or activities.
Expected impact:
· Strengthened competitiveness of European nanoelectronics supply industry across a
complete value-chain involving large, mid-sized and small companies, enabling European
industry to lead and anticipate progress in the context of the ITRS roadmap.
· New electronics applications of high economic and socio-economic relevance in e.g.
communications, health, environment, transport and security.
· European research organisations in leading positions with an increased number of high-
skilled jobs in design and user industries and related services.
Funding schemes
a-b): CP, NoE; c): CSA
Indicative budget distribution
7312 M:
- CP 59 M of which a minimum of 23 M to IP and a minimum of 18 M to STREP;
- NoE 7 M;
- CSA 7 M
Call
FP7-ICT-2007-1
Objective ICT-2007.3.2: Organic and large-area electronics, visualisation and display
systems
Target outcomes
a) Organic and large-area technologies for logic, memory and light-emitting
functionalities addressing e-paper, smart systems on tags, low-cost RFIDs, lab on chip
devices, intelligent packaging, displays, signage, and intelligent lighting systems.
Emphasis will be: on large-area and low-cost manufacturing technologies like printing
involving additive processes and related materials; on new device structures; on advanced
modelling, simulation, and characterisation for circuit design; on encapsulation,
interconnects and system in foil integration; on innovative sensing, energy storage and
scavenging, and power management functions. Attention should be paid to the overall
manufacturing aspects including cost, capital investment and environmental impact.
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Support measures will include access to advanced manufacturing and design
competences, training and education for organic and large area electronics, joint user
assessment of prototype equipment from European suppliers and will develop synergies
between the electronics and the printing sectors on circuit design, manufacturing
equipment and standardisation.
b) Advanced visualisation systems and novel display technologies. Visualisation systems
extending colour gamut and dynamic range beyond current state-of-the-art, taking into
account human vision and perceptual models. They should support multi-viewer, unaided
and unrestricted 3D viewing, as well as natural interaction modalities. This includes signal
acquisition, processing and representation technologies for 3D-systems. Research results
are to be integrated into working prototypes addressing key professional and consumer
applications. Further outcomes will be portable display systems such as zero-power /
'ruggedised' displays, flexible and/or transparent devices, energy efficient micro-
projectors, and lightweight high-resolution vision glasses.
Expected impact
For large area and printed electronics:
· Reinforcement of Europe's leading role in this promising technology domain enabling
traditional industry to benefit from progress in these fields.
· New market possibilities and new manufacturing paradigms, thereby creating new
opportunities for local employment.
· New generation of electronic devices opening up a range of new usage opportunities.
For visualisation and display systems:
· Strengthening of European scientific and business position leading to breakthroughs and
innovative solutions for professional and consumer markets.
· Wider use of the third physical dimension for professional applications, movies, games
and TV.
Funding schemes
CP, NoE, CSA
Indicative budget distribution
5412 M:
- CP 48 M of which a minimum of 12 M for IP, and a minimum of 19 M for STREP;
- NoE 3 M;
- CSA 3 M
Call:
FP7-ICT-2007-1
Objective ICT-2007.3.3: Embedded Systems Design
Target outcomes
a) Theory and methods for system design: Methods that can increase system development
productivity while achieving predictable system properties, including dependability and
security. This will require a formal framework for systems design in addition to holistic
and adaptive component-based design and verification methods. Key issues encompass
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heterogeneity (building embedded systems from components with different
characteristics); composability; predictability of extra-functional properties such as
performance and robustness (e.g. safety, security, timing and resources); concepts and
tools for specifying and evaluating security properties; adaptivity for coping with
uncertainty; and unification of approaches from computer science, electronic engineering
and control. International cooperation should address foundational research challenges
and provide mutual benefits; cooperation activities with the US National Science
Foundation (NSF) will continue and extend to other countries.
b) Suites of interoperable design tools for rapid design and prototyping: integrated tool
chains that respond to the needs of industry for designing and prototyping embedded
systems. Research will contribute to one or more of: (1) increased interoperability of tools
from SME vendors (Funding schemes: STREP, CSA); (2) consolidating tool developer's
joint RTD work through strong long-term partnerships that enjoy the commitment of
major tool users (Funding schemes: IP); and (3) open tool frameworks facilitating new
entrants and the integration of the tool chain including associated standardisation
(Funding schemes: STREP, CSA). Key issues include: (i) technology for efficient
resource management, (ii) optimising compiler technologies, including parallelisation,
taking into account features of the targeted execution platforms and extra-functional
requirements; (iii) optimised tools respecting trade-offs when co-developing hardware and
software; and (iv) model-driven development.
c) Coordination of national, regional and EU-wide R&D programmes: initiatives to
advance the European Research Area in the field of embedded systems.
Expected impact
· Increased productivity of system development by at least one order of magnitude, making
it possible to assemble systems in modular fashion.
· Improved competitiveness of European companies that rely on the design and integration
of embedded systems in their products by reducing costs and time to market.
· Emergence and growth of new companies that supply design tools and associated
software. Stimulate high-tech European companies that offer innovative solutions and
tools for embedded systems design.
· Reinforced European scientific and technological leadership in the engineering of
complex systems.
· Enhanced synergies between national policies, stronger impact of European RTD
strategies and emergence of a European Research Area in embedded systems.
Funding schemes
a): CP (STREP only), NoE; b): see details in the text above; c): CSA
Indicative budget distribution
3412 M:
- CP 29 M of which a minimum of 4 M to IP [IP apply to target outcome b)-2) only] and a
minimum of 16 M to STREP;
- NoE 4 M;
- CSA 1 M
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Call
FP7-ICT-2007-1
Objective ICT-2007.3.4: Computing Systems
Target outcomes
a) Novel architectures for multi-core computing systems: New architectures and the
corresponding system-level software and programming environments advancing from
single to multi-core scalable and customisable on-chip systems incorporating multiple,
networked, symmetric or heterogeneous, fixed or reconfigurable processing elements.
Priorities include: (1) versatility in terms of performance, power and coping with the
requirements of entire classes of applications and markets, ranging from low-end
consumer electronics to high-end computing architectures and applications; (2)
programmability to allow harvesting the full potential of the hardware at reasonable effort;
and (3) reliability and availability. This includes interconnection (from bus to network-on-
chip), memory hierarchies, security, operating systems and run-time tools, languages and
resource/domain-aware compilers supporting parallelism and concurrency.
b) Reference architectures for generic embedded platforms: Development of a limited
number of reference designs/architectures for embedded platforms that allow industrial
users to engineer new applications with minimal effort. Reference designs/architectures
should be as generic as possible, cutting across application domains, and be accompanied
by appropriate tools and component libraries. The initial priorities are conceptualisation,
analysis, design, demonstration and evaluation of the prototype platforms. The
architectures will concentrate on composability, networking, robustness/security,
diagnosis/maintainability, and resource management, evolvability and self-organisation.
Expected impact
· Mastery of new computing architectures allowing European companies to achieve world-
leading positions in computing solutions and products.
· Increased market share of European suppliers through the availability of inexpensive
generic embedded platforms.
· Widespread integration of powerful computing solutions in products.
· European excellence in computing architectures, system software and platforms.
Strengthened European competence in the use of high-end computing to enable the
development of new applications.
Funding schemes
a): CP (STREP only), NoE; b): CP (STREP only)
Indicative budget distribution
2112 M:
- CP 17 M;
- NoE 4 M
Call:
FP7-ICT-2007-1
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Objective ICT-2007.3.5: Photonic components and subsystems
Target outcomes
a) Core photonic components and subsystems, which are essential in multiple application
fields: (1) High performance lasers. (2) High brightness, power efficient solid-state light
sources for ICT and general lighting applications. (3) Optical fibres for high performance
and for specific functions. (4) High performance image sensors. (5) Sensors exploiting
innovative sensing principles.
b) Application-specific photonic components and subsystems for application fields, which
are strategic for Europe and which are important drivers of photonics technology
development: Components and subsystems for: (1) truly cost effective broadband core
networks at 40 Gb/s or beyond per channel. (2) scalable, future-proof and economic
broadband access and local area networks. (3) minimally invasive medical diagnosis and
prevention. (4) sensing for environment, well-being, safety and security.
RTD on photonic components and subsystems may also cover related materials and
fabrication technologies (including mounting and packaging), and related photonic system
concepts.
c) Underlying technologies: (1) Integration and manufacturing technologies: Holistic
approaches for: reducing the size and cost of photonic components and subsystems;
improving their performance, manufacturability and testability; increasing their degree of
functional integration; advancing photonic/electronic convergence. (2) Design
methodologies and tools: Holistic and widely applicable approaches for designing
photonic components to improve design quality and efficiency. This includes work on
modelling, simulation and characterisation.
d) Complementary measures
-
Joint assessment by users of prototype components, subsystems and equipment
from European suppliers.
-
Networking, integration and structuring of advanced photonics RTD capacities and
activities.
e) Support measures
-
Access to centres of expertise and foundries to facilitate the deployment of
advanced technologies.
-
Raising the interest of young people in careers in photonics, and stimulating cross-
national schemes for graduate education.
-
Supporting the development of RTD strategies through roadmapping, consensus
building, coordination with Member or Associated States, and international
cooperation.
Expected Impact
· Leading position of European industry in high-value photonic products.
· New photonic based applications in several industrial sectors with emphasis on
communications, health, well-being, environment, safety and security.
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· Continued European leadership in RTD in photonics from components to systems,
securing the necessary human resources and knowledge to design, produce and use new
generations of photonic components.
Funding schemes
a-c): CP; d): CP, NoE; e): CSA
Indicative budget distribution12
Call
FP7-ICT-2007-2
Objective ICT-2007.3.6: Micro/nanosystems
Target outcomes:
a) Next-generation smart systems18: Major breakthroughs in intelligent sensor and actuator
systems complexity, miniaturisation, networking, and autonomy. Micro/nanoscale smart
systems with higher performance at lower cost and lower power consumption for specific
applications. Energy-management, scavenging and storing techniques. Design and
packaging technologies for new sensors, actuators and microsystems, their combination
and integration. Innovative devices and integrated systems with very high density mass
storage capacity building upon progress in solid-state semiconductors, micro/nanodevices,
mechanics, optics, electronics and magnetism.
b) Micro/nano/biotechnologies' convergence: Converging micro/nano, bio and information
technologies for the development and production of integrated systems for specific
applications, such as environmental monitoring, agriculture and food quality management,
safety, security, biomedical and lifestyle applications. Innovative bioMEMS, biosensors,
lab-on-chip microsystems and autonomous implants and bio-robots. Research will also
address packaging, multilevel interfacing, manufacturing, as well as ethical and societal
issues.
c) Integration of smart materials: Integration of micro-nano technologies and smart
systems into new and traditional materials, e.g. textiles, glass, paper, etc. Major outcome
is a new generation of advanced polymeric, biocompatible, bioconnective, flexible and
very durable materials. Emphasis is on integration into, for example, smart fabrics
(SFIT19) using micro/nanosystems at the fibre core, microelectronics components, user
interfaces, power sources, software, all-in-one fabric, for personal (wearable) or other
applications. Issues such as user-friendliness, quality, cost and comfort should be
considered.
d) From smart systems to viable products: Advanced microsystems manufacturing
technologies for the whole value chain (design, materials, processes, micro-/nano-scale
devices, packaging testing and reliability) with a focus on cost-effective sensor/actuator
and system integration technologies, supported by alternative fabrication and testing
18 Smart systems are understood as systems able to sense, diagnose, describe and qualify a given situation as well as able to
mutually address and identify each other. They are able to interface, interact and communicate with their environment and
with other smart systems.
19 Smart Fabric Interactive Textiles
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processes for short time-to-markets. Pre-industrial validation of new manufacturing
concepts suitable for large-scale production will also be addressed.
e) Smart systems for communications and data management: Smart micro/nanosystems
enabling wireless access and facilitating intelligent networking with emphasis on the
hardware required for communications and the management of smart device information.
This includes solutions for adaptable RF and HF technologies (e.g. RFID, RF-NEMS and
HF-NEMS). Data management, storage and processing functions of smart systems will
also be addressed.
f) Support actions will ensure broad access to micro/nanosystems manufacturing
technologies, in particular by SMEs, identify training and education needs of the area
proposing appropriate measures and establish specific measures aiming at coordination
and dissemination of smart systems integration RTD at European level.
Expected impact
· Substantial improvement on various aspects of smart systems integration: Higher product
quality and reliability, increased miniaturisation, integration and functionality, lower
costs, reduced power consumption, higher speed requirements and/or shorter time-to-
market.
· Transformation of industrial production by adding intelligence to process control and the
manufacturing shop floor, and by improving logistics and distribution - thereby increasing
productivity.
· Increased market share for European companies across different industrial sectors by
delivering systems with new functional capabilities and improved quality within a
competitive timeframe.
Funding schemes
a-e): CP, NoE; f): CSA
Indicative budget distribution12
Call
FP7-ICT-2007-2
Objective ICT-2007.3.7: Networked Embedded and Control Systems
Target outcomes:
a) Middleware: seamless connectivity and inter-working of embedded systems through new
platforms that support composability, scalability and minimal power consumption while
offering open interfaces to third parties for application development. Emphasis is on (1)
programmability; (2) dynamic reconfiguration and ontologies; (3) enabling privacy,
security and trust; and (4) predictable connectivity and QoS awareness. Priority
application domains are: private/home/building, nomadic and manufacturing. Support
may also be provided to industry-driven initiatives for sharing software source code and
for standardisation activities in the broader embedded systems domain.
b) Cooperating objects and Wireless Sensor Networks: spontaneous cooperation of
objects in spatial proximity in order to jointly execute a given task. This will require (1)
new methods and algorithms to support different cooperation concepts and modes; (2)
hardware/software platforms including operating systems or kernels and communication
protocols to enable distributed optimal execution; and (3) programming abstractions and
support tools to facilitate third party programming of self-organising systems composed of
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heterogeneous objects. Research challenges also include dynamic resource discovery and
management, semantics that allow object/service definition and querying for data and
resources, advanced control that makes the systems reactive to the physical world, as well
as security and privacy-enabling features. While the developed technology should be
generic, it should be driven by an entire class of ambitious future applications in which
scalability and deployment should be addressed. International cooperation on foundational
research with the USA and other countries is encouraged.
c) Control of large-scale complex distributed systems: New engineering approaches that
ensure efficient, robust, predictable, safe and secure behaviour for manufacturing and
process plants and for large scale infrastructures such as distributed energy production,
energy distribution, airports or seaports etc. Key challenges include (1) developing
generic modelling and design methods, dynamically reconfiguring architectures,
languages and scalable algorithms for the control of evolvable, distributed and adaptable
systems; (2) mastering complexity, temporal and spatial uncertainties such as delays and
bandwidth in communications and node availability; and (3) integrating advances in
sensor networks for closing the control loop. Research should strengthen and consolidate
European excellence in systems sciences and engineering by encouraging the control,
computer and communications sciences and engineering communities to work together.
International cooperation with the USA, Russia and W. Balkans is encouraged.
Expected impact:
· Control of 10 times more complex systems at 10% of today's effort. Achieve 100% plant
availability, reduce maintenance time and cost by 50% and industrial accidents by 30%.
· New services and applications that are tailored to specific needs, seizing new market
opportunities.
· More efficient, flexible, secure, easier to maintain and more productive large
infrastructures (e.g. power grid, water supply), manufacturing and process plants.
· Enable low-cost monitoring of the environment and natural resources.
Funding schemes
a) CP (STREP only), CSA for source code sharing and for standardisation initiatives
b) CP (STREP only), NoE
c) CP (STREP only), CSA for international cooperation
Indicative budget distribution12
Call:
FP7-ICT-2007-2
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3.4
Challenge 4: Digital Libraries and Content
In today's society individuals and organisations are confronted with an ever growing load and
diversity of information and content, and with increasing demands for knowledge and skills.
Coping with these demands requires progress in three closely related domains. First, content
should be made available through digital libraries and its long-term preservation, accessibility
and usability must be ensured. Second, we need more effective technologies for intelligent
content creation and management, and for supporting the capture of knowledge and its
sharing and reuse. Third, individuals and organisations have to find new ways to acquire,
contribute and exploit knowledge, and thereby learn.
The challenge, therefore, is to harness the synergies made possible by linking content,
knowledge and learning; to make content and knowledge abundant, accessible, interactive and
usable over time by humans and machines alike. This should take into account current trends
in content production and consumption and particularly the move from few-to-many to many-
to-many models. Europe, with its unique cultural heritage and creative potential, is well
placed to take advantage of this paradigm shift and to be a key actor in the knowledge
economy.
The research is expected to firmly establish digital libraries services as a key component of
digital content infrastructures, allowing content and knowledge to be produced, stored,
managed, personalised, transmitted, preserved and used reliably, efficiently, at low cost and
according to widely accepted standards.
The support of more personalised and collaborative services, particularly within self-
organising communities, will lead to more creative approaches to content and knowledge
production.
Improvements are also expected in terms of the usability, accessibility, scalability and cost-
effectiveness of the resulting methods, technologies and applications with respect to large
amounts of data and concurrent users.
The work will strengthen the link between content, knowledge and permanent learning
processes. It will improve our ability to master and exploit content and knowledge and to
learn in increasingly dynamic working environments.
The work carried out under this challenge will contribute to the implementation of the "i2010:
Digital Libraries" initiative.
Objective ICT-2007.4.1 (ICT-2007.4.3): Digital libraries and technology-enhanced
learning
Target outcome
For digital libraries
Medium term:
a) Large-scale European-wide digital libraries with innovative access services that
support communities of practice in the creation, interpretation and use of cultural and
scientific content, including multi-format and multi-source digital objects. They should be
combined with robust and scalable environments which include semantic-based search
capabilities and essential digital preservation features. Particular attention is given to cost-
effective digitisation processes and to the use of digital resources in multilingual and
multidisciplinary contexts.
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Longer term:
b) Radically new approaches to digital preservation, such as those inspired by human
capacity to deal with information and knowledge, exploring the potential of advanced ICT
to automatically act on high volumes and dynamic and volatile digital content,
guaranteeing its preservation, keeping track of its evolving semantics and usage context
and safeguarding its integrity, authenticity and long term accessibility over time.
There is a specific focus on the creation of a network of centres of competence for digitisation
and preservation, building upon, pooling and upgrading existing resources in the Member or
Associated States.
For technology-enhanced learning
Medium term:
c) Responsive environments for technology-enhanced learning that motivate, engage and
inspire learners, and which can be embedded in the business processes and human
resources management systems of organisations. They support the transformation of
learning outcomes into permanent and valuable knowledge assets. Focus is on the mass-
individualisation of learning experiences with ICT (contextualized and adaptable to age,
situations, culture, and learning abilities), through pedagogically-inspired solutions for
competency, skills and performance enhancement. Activities integrate pedagogical and
organisational approaches and exploit, where relevant, interactivity, collaboration and
context-awareness. Interdisciplinary research should deliver a convincing and
theoretically sound body of evidence as to which approaches are effective and under
which circumstances.
Longer term:
d) Adaptive and intuitive learning systems, able to learn and configure themselves
according to their understanding and experience of learners' behaviour. Cross-disciplinary
research on the synergies between learning and cognition in humans and machines should
lead to systems able to identify learner's requirements, intelligently monitoring progress,
capable of exploiting learners' abilities in order to let them learn better, and able to give
purposeful and meaningful advice to both learners and teachers either for self-learning or
for learning in a collaborative environment.
Research on both themes of this objective is to be carried out by cross-disciplinary teams and
it should include empirical evaluation studies assessing the broader socio-economic context in
which technology is to be embedded.
Expected impact
· Unlocking people's and organisations' abilities to access content, master it, transfer it to
the desired contexts and preserve it over time. Widespread use of these resources in the
collaborative creation of cultural experiences.
· EU-wide migration of content to digital form involving memory institutions (libraries,
archives and museums), leveraging national initiatives, and resulting in a significant
increase of content available through digital libraries.
· Faster and more effective acquisition of knowledge, competences and skills, increased
knowledge worker productivity, and more efficient organisational learning processes.
Funding schemes
CP, NoE, CSA
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Indicative budget distribution
ICT Call 1:
4412 M:
- CP 38 M of which a minimum of 17 M to IP and a minimum of 9 M to STREP;
- NoE 4 M;
- CSA 2 M
ICT Call 312
Calls
FP7-ICT-2007-1 [44 M], FP7-ICT-2007-312
Objective ICT-2007.4.2 (ICT-2007.4.4): Intelligent Content and Semantics
Target outcome
Medium term:
a) Advanced authoring environments for the creation of novel forms of interactive and
expressive content enabling multimodal experimentation and non-linear story-telling.
These environments will ease content sharing and remixing, also by non-expert users, by
automatically tagging content with semantic metadata and by using open standards to
store it in networked repositories supporting symbolic and similarity-based indexing and
search capabilities, for all content types.
b) Collaborative automated workflow environments to manage the lifecycle of novel and
legacy media and enterprise content assets, from the acquisition of reference materials to
the versioning, packaging and repurposing of complex products, including their linguistic
and cultural adaptation to target markets and user groups. Empirical results from the
psychology of human perception and attention will be used to identify salient multimedia
segments and apply summarisation and encoding schemes that will improve content
storage and transmission without affecting its perceptual properties.
c) Architectures and technologies for personalised distribution, presentation and
consumption of self-aware, adaptive content. Detecting and exploiting emergent ambient
intelligence they will use features embedded in content objects and rendering equipment
to enable dynamic device adaptation, immersive multimodal experiences and contextual
support of user goals and linguistic preferences. Privacy preserving learning algorithms
will analyse user interactions with devices and other users so as to update and effectively
serve those goals and preferences.
d) Actions geared towards community building, intended to stimulate cross-disciplinary
approaches and a more effective user/supplier dialogue, and other measures, including
field validation and standards, aimed at a faster uptake of research results. Usability and
technology assessment studies, economic analyses and roadmaps to chart the
democratisation of personal and community based multimedia production and
management tools.
Longer term:
e) Semantic foundations: probabilistic, temporal and modal modelling and approximate
reasoning through objective-driven research moving beyond current formalisms.
Theoretical results will be matched by robust and scalable reference implementations.
Usability and performance will be tested through large scale ontology mediated Web
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integration of heterogeneous, evolving and noisy or inconsistent data sources ranging
from distributed multimedia repositories to data streams originating from ambient devices
and sensors, supporting real time resolution of massive numbers of queries and the
induction of scientific hypotheses or other forms of learning.
f) Advanced knowledge management systems for information-bound organisations and
communities, capable of extracting actionable meaning from structured and unstructured
information and social interaction patterns, and of making it available for activities
ranging from information search through conceptual mapping to decision making. Such
systems will exploit semantics embedded in multimedia objects, data streams and ICT-
based processes, and rely on formal policies to manage user access as well as audit trails
in support of dynamic virtual organisations. Research advances will be embedded within
end-to-end systems using computer-tractable knowledge in support of dynamic data and
application integration, automation and interoperation of business processes, automated
diagnosis and problem-solving in a variety of domains. Robustness, scalability and
flexibility will be tested in real-life settings, together with interworking with legacy
systems.
Expected impact
These activities will make digital resources that embody creativity and semantics easier and
more cost-effective to produce, organize, search, personalise, distribute and (re)use, across the
value chain.
· Creators will be able to design more participative and communicative forms of content.
· Publishers in creative industries, enterprises and professional sectors will increase their
productivity with innovative content of greater complexity and ease of repurposing.
· Organisations will be able to automate the collection and distribution of digital content
and machine-tractable knowledge and share them with partner organisations in trusted
collaborative environments.
· Scientists will operate more efficiently by automating the link between data analysis,
theory and experimental validation.
Funding schemes
CP, NoE, CSA
Indicative budget distribution
ICT Call 1: 4412 M:
- CP 40 M of which a minimum of 17 M to IP and a minimum of 10 M to STREP;
- NoE 1 M;
- CSA 3 M
ICT Call 312
Calls:
FP7-ICT-2007-1 [44 M], FP7-ICT-2007-312
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3.5
Challenge 5: Towards sustainable and personalised healthcare
Europe is facing the challenge of delivering quality healthcare to all its citizens, at affordable
cost. Prolonged medical care for the ageing society, the costs of managing chronic diseases,
and the increasing demand by citizens for best quality healthcare are major factors. Healthcare
expenditure in Europe is already significant (8.5% of the GDP on average) and rising faster
than overall economic growth itself20. The emerging situation calls for a change in the way
healthcare is delivered and the way medical knowledge is managed and transferred to clinical
practice. ICT are key to implement these changes in this information-intensive domain.
ICT may offer useful capability to improve illness prevention and safety of care, facilitate
active participation of patients and enable personalisation of care that open new opportunities
in health and disease management. The new capabilities of modelling, simulation and
biomedical imaging, combined with knowledge about diseases that ranges from molecular to
organ and system levels, give rise to a new generation of predictive medicine. This will bring
radical improvements to the quality and efficiency of our healthcare systems.
In this challenge support will go to highly interdisciplinary research aiming at:
· Improved productivity of healthcare systems21 by facilitating patient care at the point of
need, health information processing and quicker transfer of knowledge to clinical practice.
· Continuous and more personalised care solutions, addressing the informed and
responsible participation of patients and their informal carers (family/friends) in care
processes, and responding to the needs of elderly people.
· Savings in lives and resources by focusing on prevention and prediction rather than on
costly medical interventions after symptoms and diseases have developed.
· Higher patient safety by optimising medical interventions and preventing errors.
· Leadership of the eHealth and medical imaging/devices industry that is well rooted in
Europe, and attracting back to Europe research activities of the pharmaceutical industry.
All activities will address user needs, personal data security, confidentiality, privacy as well
as the reimbursement scheme and legal framework for using new systems. Validation should
include quantitative indicators of the added value and potential impact of the proposed
applications. The integration in healthcare processes and the interoperability of eHealth
systems should be part of the design and validation of the proposed solution. Solutions for
chronic disease management will address the needs of many citizens (notably the elderly) for
better health, well-being and mobility therefore contributing directly to the priority of
achieving an Inclusive European Information Society as set in the strategic framework,
i2010 European Information Society 201022.
20 Health at a Glance: OECD Indicators 2005.
21 It is estimated that redundancy and inefficiency account for 25-40% of the $3.3 trillion spent worldwide on healthcare
every year ("The no-computer virus", Economist, 28 April 2005).
22 See COM (2005) 229 final : "i2010 A European Information Society for growth and employment"
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Objective ICT-2007.5.1: Personal Health Systems for Monitoring and Point-of-Care
diagnostics
Target outcome:
a) Personalised Monitoring: Innovative systems and services aimed at health status
monitoring for persons at risk or with chronic health conditions, including those associated
with ageing23. Solutions will be based on wearable or portable/mobile ICT systems, which
empower citizens to participate in healthcare processes and facilitate remote monitoring and
care at preferred environments, including homes. Emphasis will be on non-invasive or
minimally-invasive, multi-parametric monitoring, combined with expert feedback and care, in
closed-loop systems. Multi-parametric monitoring will encompass various health parameters
(e.g. vital body signs or biochemical analytes) that determine the health state of an individual,
and can also include information regarding activity, location, social and environmental
context. Intelligent systems will combine and correlate multi-parametric data with expert
biomedical knowledge. The developed systems will be interoperable with electronic medical
records and the proposed solutions will have potential for adoption in actual healthcare
systems. Specific focus will be on:
1) Chronic disease management: Proposed solutions will have potential for integration in
the healthcare process, including nursing care, primary or secondary healthcare and
homecare. Intelligent closed-loop approaches will detect and assess trends and
episodes, facilitate adaptive care (e.g. drug administration or new treatment regime)
and promote doctor-patient interaction. This will be done, where clinically valid,
remotely, anytime, anywhere, avoiding hospitalisation of patients.
2) Preventive monitoring for people at risk (e.g. with personal/family history related to a
disease or medical episode) to identify evolving patterns/trends in health and lifestyle
parameters (e.g. in immune system status, sleep, nutrition, activity), which indicate
elevated risks of developing diseases or reveal episodes at early stages. Solutions will
ensure the necessary involvement of healthcare professionals, facilitate personalised
guidance, encourage citizen compliance or prompt for early medical intervention.
b) Point-of-Care diagnostics: Systems for multi-analyte screening applications at primary
care level. These will be portable or handheld devices, based on e.g. microarray and Lab-
on-a-Chip technologies, capable of carrying out multiple tests at e.g. genome, proteome,
metabolome levels. They will be able to identify predisposition to diseases, enable early
diagnosis of a disease or their recurrence, and also provide detailed information to aid
treatment, such as dosage advice or indicate when an individual should not be treated by a
particular drug. Systems will demonstrate significant advances in sensitivity and
specificity, and also in processing, analysis and quality control of the data produced.
Particular attention will be paid to the interface with hospital and laboratory information
systems and with electronic medical record systems.
Projects will aim at targeted solutions that integrate all necessary technologies and
components (e.g. sensors and networks, interfaces, intelligent algorithms, services over
converged platforms). Wherever necessary, new technologies and components will be
developed.
c) Coordination and Support Actions on the following three topics: (1) RTD roadmap on
Personal Health Systems identifying emerging technologies and potential applications,
23 Specialised activities related to elderly, such as integration of health and social care systems, will be coordinated with
Challenge 7.
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taking into account user demand, business aspects, ethical and legal considerations. (2)
Reliability aspects of wireless transmission of health-related information and any needs
for exclusive radio frequency bands for continuous provision of care. (3) Promotion and
further recommendations for interoperability of Personal Health Systems with other
eHealth systems, in the landscape of continuous care.
Expected impact:
· A valuable contribution to the stabilisation of the cost of the health delivery systems
without compromising the quality and efficiency of healthcare. Improving the
productivity of healthcare systems by facilitating of patient care at the point of need
and through better health information processing. Accelerating the establishment of
interoperability standards and secure and seamless communication of health data
between all involved partners, including patients.
· Reinforced leadership of the EU Personal Health Systems industry, including
consumer ICT products for initial assessment, monitoring and management of the
health status.
· Higher quality care at the patient location, and resource savings by reducing
hospitalisation and costly medical interventions. Better support and increased
reassurance for people at risk. Facilitation of more active participation of citizens in
illness prevention and care processes.
Funding schemes
a-b): CP (IP only); c): CSA
Indicative budget distribution
6012 M:
a-b): CP 59 M; c): CSA 1 M Up to one CSA of maximum 500 K EC funding and 1 year
duration for each topic
Call:
FP7-ICT-2007-1
Objective ICT-2007.5.2: Advanced ICT for Risk Assessment and Patient Safety
Target outcome:
a) Advanced computerised adverse event systems: Identification of common patterns in
safety-relevant events beyond merely reporting nosocomial infections and/or Adverse
Drug Events (ADE). These alerting and management support systems must incorporate
new tools for prediction, detection and monitoring of adverse events and other relevant
events impacting on patient safety. The solutions should be based on innovative data
mining, integration techniques of existing databases and electronic health record systems,
decision support systems, intelligent medication delivery (e.g. RFID-based), and adverse
event reporting systems. Emerging technologies like semantic mining and semantic
information integration should be validated on multimedia databases. Each proposal will
include a validation scheme leading to quantitative benefits.
b) New risk prediction for large scale events: Investigation of all aspects related to ICT
research in new risk prediction, assessment and management tools for preparation,
surveillance, support and intervention in case of large-scale adverse health events. All
relevant stakeholders in Europe and worldwide will be involved. This will complement
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the efforts made by Directorate General Health and Consumer Protection's Health
Emergency Operations Facility (HEOF) which uses a set of ICT tools to facilitate the
spread of information concerning health related crisis24.
c) Collaboration with Latin America countries: Following previous and existing
activities such as @Health project and @LIS programme (Alliance for the Information
Society)25, a research project (SICA) will aim at establishing collaboration between EU
constituency and their Latin America counterparts in the area of patient safety. The
proposal should build cooperation, transfer of technology and demonstration activities in
the area of alert and decision support systems based on Electronic Health Records. The
proposal should focus on the use of EU standards in this area.
Expected impact:
· World-leading levels of patient safety with fewer medical errors and optimised
medical interventions resulting in savings of lives and resources.
· Early alerts and improved management of large scale health-related crises through
effective and automated risk prediction, assessment and management.
· Accelerated and wider adoption of future electronic health record systems.
· International cooperation between EU constituency and the Latin America
counterpart. Uptake of EU standards in the electronic Health Records area in Latin
America.
Funding schemes
a): CP; b): CSA (Up to one CSA of maximum 1 year duration); c) CP (STREP only / SICA)
Indicative budget distribution
2612 M:
a): CP 22 M of which a minimum of 8 M for IP and a minimum of 8 M for STREP
b): CSA: 1 M
c) CP (STREP only / SICA): 3M
Call
FP7-ICT-2007-1
Objective ICT-2007.5.3: Virtual Physiological Human
Target outcomes:
Patient-specific computer models for personalised and predictive healthcare and ICT-
based tools for modelling and simulation of human physiology and disease-related processes.
a) Patient-specific computational modelling and simulation of organs or systems
targeting specific clinical needs such as prediction of diseases, early diagnosis, disease
quantification, surgery planning, treatment and training. The computational models
should go beyond the state of the art of available models and be multilevel when
24 See http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_threats/com/Influenza/influenza_en.htm
25 See http://ec.europa.eu/comm/europeaid/projects/alis/index_fr.htm
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appropriate. Projects will address one or more of the clinical application areas defined in
the paragraph below "Clinical applications and demonstrations".
b) Data integration and new knowledge extraction: Innovative software tools for data
mining, representation, formalisation and image processing able to integrate
heterogeneous multimedia information from distributed databases. These tools will be
developed specifically for (1) Coupling scientific research data with clinical and large
empirical databases with focus on the association of genotype-related data and
phenotype-related data with specific computational models of diseases and treatments;
(2) Automated image processing and analysis for the extraction of bio-medical
parameters/markers used to assess the presence or evolution of a disease, focusing on
specific organs and/or disease and demonstrating quantitative benefits in diagnosis and
prognosis. Projects will address one of the clinical application areas defined in the
paragraph below "Clinical applications and demonstrations".
c) Clinical applications and demonstration of tangible benefits of patient-specific
computational models: All projects addressing the two technical bullets above will fall
into one of the following application areas: (1) Intelligent medical simulation
environments for surgery training, planning and interventions; (2) Prediction of disease or
early diagnosis by integrating patient specific knowledge and predispositions obtained in
biomedical imaging; (3) Advanced environment for simulation and assessment of the
efficacy and safety of specific drugs.
All models will be fully verified and validated, so that they can be deployed as part of an ICT
infrastructure that provides integral access to clinical users. The use of open environments and
open-source software is expected to allow for future extensions of models.
d) Networking action on integrating European research in the field of multilevel modelling
and simulation of human anatomy and physiology. Sustainable integration will be
achieved through a rather limited partnership with demonstrated scientific excellence.
Jointly executed research will focus on methodological issues and mechanisms that
favour sharing knowledge, multidisciplinary training programmes and reusable software
tools.