Building cyber-physical products for the IoT market

“European companies wishing to enter IoT markets often lack knowledge about the value chain and the skills to master the entire design process from ideas to products,” explained EuroCPS Coordinator Isabelle Dor (CEA Leti).

“In response, EuroCPS set up a one-stop shop, providing an easy way to access technical expertise, business coaching and advanced cyber-physical platforms. To help lessen the risks involved launching a new product, EuroCPS also provided seed funding of up to €150,000 per SME.”

By facilitating access to the latest technologies, along with the combined expertise of a cluster of research technology organisations and universities, EuroCPS has allowed companies to speed up product development and accelerate market entry, creating jobs and driving new business along the way.

The project linked the software, system and nanoelectronic industries along the full cyber-physical system (CPS) value chain to demonstrate a new cooperation model. This was demonstrated by 34 novel industrial experiments funded through three open calls to develop CPS products.

Among the success stories benefiting from this ecosystem of smart technologies are the following:

• CARDIO from Spark Works, which combines edge analytics and a wearable device for patient-centered healthcare. Based on Intel platforms, CARDIO provides on-the-spot, reliable and accurate heart monitoring. Spark Works expects to increase its staff to 40 people and its turnover to €2.5m with the wearable ECG system, developed in the framework of EuroCPS.
• CNODE from EncoreLab, which uses IoT technology to make farming more sustainable with fewer pesticides. Based on the STM32 platform from STMicroelectronics, the sensing node should allow pesticide use to be reduced by up to 35% while using up to 50% less water. Substantial growth in terms of staff and turnover is expected in the coming years.
• SelfCommNet from WP2P, providing smart phone functionality in harsh environments, aimed at the walkie-talkie market. Sales are expected to double in 2018 from 1.7m SEK in 2017.
• IMICRASAR from Hipperos: a high-performance, multicore mixed-criticality platform for aerospace, robotics and autonomous systems. Based on the Thales Freescale PowerPC multicore board, this results were incorporated into Hipperos’ technology offerings, with use cases including image processing, navigation, collision avoidance and medical devices. IMICRASAR resulted in a 30% increase in staff for the company and a two-digit growth in turnover for the period 2016-2017.
• SmartFlush from Van Mierlo, a smart, low-cost electronics system based on an Intel platform which optimises pipe flushing in shower facilities, reducing the risk of Legionella infections. Commercial product launch is expected in 2018.
• SmartSSL from Hungaro Lux Light: smart street lighting which increases safety while reducing energy use. Using Intel technology, it provides innovative features such as informing operators when lighting elements should be replaced and reducing the electric current in cooler weather conditions, when LEDs are more efficinet. PearlLight luminaires are expected to go into production before the end of the year.
• SolarSensNet from Alitec: combining Alitec’s patented solar-irradiation sensors with metering points, the Solar SensNet system, which is based on an Infineon platform, teaches heating systems to respond to changing weather conditions. Sales are expected to exceed €1m by 2020.