How are we to assess the distance between basic research and the essential technologies of the modern age? Are we in the process of building the bridge that will unite the two domains or is the gulf between them growing wider by the day?
UNIPI reconciles the two spheres. Science “bricks” of new knowledge, theories and methodologies are at the basis of novel or improved technologies that will deal with today’s challenges thanks to applied research.
Let’s think about robotics, used to improve surgical methods and to replace human limbs, as well as to improve efficiency and security in industrial processes (Industry 4.0). Or Nanotechnologies and Synthetic Technologies applied to cultural heritage restoration, nano-medicine, as well as sustainable and secure nano-materials. Another example is given by Biotechnologies: biological process can be used to reduce waste and reuse what was previously considered as by-products (circular economy), but also to improve health in animals and humans with new bio-pharmaceutical and genome editing.
At UNIPI this research area provides an “umbrella” for those essential inter-disciplinary research activities which address the development and application of technologies as well as the social, cultural, economic, and political aspects of digitization.
NANOTECHNOLOGIES
New concept of genome engineering based on nanotransducers (NT), to make safe previously impracticable applications of genome editing;
Graphene and 2D Electronics, printable nano-electronic systems.
ROBOTICS
Design, planning and control of soft and adaptive robots;
Underwater robotics;
ICT for industrial processes;
Industry 4.0 and advanced manufacturing.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Computational intelligence and machine learning, recurrent and recursive neural networks and distributed/embedded learning systems;
Big Data Analytics and Ecosystem, Social Network Analysis and Mining, Analysis of Human Mobility, Privacy-by-Design and Ethical Data Mining; Fraud Detection.
Flagship projects
Funding programme: H2020 – ERC Consolidator Grant
PEP2D aims to pioneer the realization of fully printed electronic circuits on flexible substrates like paper, leveraging the exceptional electronic properties of inks based on novel two- dimensional materials (2DMs), and through the wide-spread and low-cost inkjet printing technology.
The development of fully printed electronic systems on flexible substrates as paper could have an unpreceded economic and societal impact on the European Union and could open new and wide applications, ranging from bio (e.g. smart patches for biometric readings), to food/medicine quality control (e.g smart tags for checking the breaking of cold chain), or to anti-counterfeiting of valuable goods.
Funding programme: H2020 - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP
Artificial intelligence designs computer systems able to perform and automate tasks normally requiring human intelligence or human supervision, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and vehicle guidance. The impact of this development is transformational. The EU-funded TEACHING project addresses the challenge by integrating Artificial Intelligence with fundamental concepts of security and dependability while including feedback from the AI-human-CPSoS interactions.