In the initial phase of MOZART, the primary focus was on educating the consortium about the application domain. Our company partner, an established food technology provider, offered insights into the technology currently used in food processing. They facilitated a visit to a chicken processing plant, providing the consortium with a firsthand experience of how the AUTOMAT technology could be applied.
Additionally, our network partner raised awareness on the state of the poultry industry in the European Union. Our social science and humanities team provided background information on social science and humanities research and its relevance to the technical work. Lastly, our standardization partner explained the role of standards in the process of commercializing a novel technology.
Based on this background, the technical development commenced with the drafting of AUTOMAT specifications. Our three technical partners then initiated the development of the AUTOMAT, which was divided into three key components: sensing technology, actuation technology, and electronics infrastructure. The AUTOMAT is planned to go through three iterations, and the first one was successfully completed on time at the end of the first year and in the second year, following the plan outlined in the project description.
In the second period as the hardware became available, significant efforts were made to develop the control systems for AUTOMATs through simulation and for the real system as it became available.
The social science and humanities (SSH) team played a crucial role in the project by developing the “Affordance Canvas,” an interdisciplinary tool meant to reflect MOZART's approach to usability and sustainability. The team investigates sociotechnical implications of MOZART combining methodologies, insights and perspectives from the history of technology, women’s history, science and technology studies, and human-robot interaction (HRI). The SSH team also fosters interdisciplinary and integrated collaboration by organizing collaborative workshops and other activities with the STEM team.
The MOZART innovation and IPR (intellectual property rights) management plan was designed to ensure that the multifaceted innovation potential of the project is fully developed. In the meantime, a preliminary mapping of the project results were carried out and potential exploitation strategy were identified for the post-project phase. These strategies will be continually refined and developed throughout the project's duration, guiding our approach to strategic communication and dissemination activities. Adopting this approach since the very beginning of the project is key to maximise the project impact.
