Periodic Reporting for period 2 - ReACTIVE Too (Reliable Electronics for Tomorrow’s Active Systems)
Berichtszeitraum: 2023-08-01 bis 2025-07-31
What is the problem/issue being addressed?
ReACTIVE To is a multidisciplinary and intersectoral that brings together a unique team of academic and industrial to form a tight confederation that work with stakeholders to tackle challenging aspects of reliability and future developments in electronic systems. The team has develop novel tools for agile design, testing, analysing and improving the reliability of new devices in various demanding applications and environments, such as in automotive user experience and active safety applications and active and assisted living, which will help manufacturers identify and mitigate failure risks during the design stage; and consequently help to optimise reliability in all applications, moreover realise substantial design time efficiencies and cost savings.
The project also addresses the challenges of wearable electronic related to short battery life while developing technologies for harvesting energy from diverse sources.
The ReACTIVE Too equally addresses Europe’s ageing population challenges by applying the DfS methodology, using modular design and stakeholder co design to support sustainable independence and ageing in place.
Why is it important for society?
The ReACTIVE Too project is important for society because it has:
• Developed advanced tools, methods, and materials to improve the safety and reliability of critical electronic systems, contributing to reduced road traffic risks and enhancing the performance of electronics-based technologies used in transport and other essential sectors.
• Strengthened healthcare and assisted living solutions through innovations in ambient assisted living with co-development of solutions with diverse stakeholders, improved energy efficiency, and the integration of active energy harvesting technologies into products. These contributions also support more sustainable use of scarce materials, reinforcing environmental protection efforts.
• Stimulated innovation and economic growth by creating new market opportunities for industrial partners and strengthening Europe’s technological competitiveness.
The project’s societal relevance is amplified by Europe’s ageing population and the rising prevalence of non communicable diseases, which often result in long term disabilities. The team has codeveloped smart furniture and assistive technology solutions with real users and healthcare professionals, ensuring they address local needs across different European regions. These innovations support independent living and ageing in place, helping to reduce pressure on social and healthcare systems while improving user safety, autonomy, and overall quality of life.
Furthermore, through strong collaboration across ReACTIVE Too’s 15 partners, supported by 168 secondment months, numerous workshops, the monthly Connect & Share series, and more than 50 publications, the project has significantly strengthened skills development across Europe. It has also contributed to job creation through prototype manufacturing and ongoing R&D efforts, ultimately advancing safer mobility, more efficient healthcare, and greener technologies for citizen.
What are the overall objectives?
The overall objective is to form an international and inter-sectoral network of organisations working on a joint research programme in the fields of Active Safety or Smart Systems for Automated Driving, Active/Ambient assisted Living, Active Health, and Active/Green Energy. Specific objectives are to
1. Make a significant contribution to the European Union research on Smart Systems for Automated Driving.
2. Share existing understanding and experiences of enhancing the design and manufacture of flexible and wearable electronics.
3. Generate new knowledge on the integration of electronic devices in connected wearable and portable settings (e.g. textiles, flexible or stretchable substrates), interconnection, compatibility with low-cost manufacturing, efficient energy scavenging and storage, functional performance, and durability/reliability.
4. Develop Design for Reliability techniques for Electronics Based Systems deployed in User Experience and Safety Applications for Automotive and Wearables.
5. Share this new knowledge in order to develop Design for Reliability techniques for Electronics Based Systems deployed in User Experience and Safety Applications for Automotive and Wearables to contribute to EPoSS (European Technology Platform on Smart Systems Integration) European Roadmap Smart Systems for Automated Driving.
ReACTIVE To is a multidisciplinary and intersectoral that brings together a unique team of academic and industrial to form a tight confederation that work with stakeholders to tackle challenging aspects of reliability and future developments in electronic systems. The team has develop novel tools for agile design, testing, analysing and improving the reliability of new devices in various demanding applications and environments, such as in automotive user experience and active safety applications and active and assisted living, which will help manufacturers identify and mitigate failure risks during the design stage; and consequently help to optimise reliability in all applications, moreover realise substantial design time efficiencies and cost savings.
The project also addresses the challenges of wearable electronic related to short battery life while developing technologies for harvesting energy from diverse sources.
The ReACTIVE Too equally addresses Europe’s ageing population challenges by applying the DfS methodology, using modular design and stakeholder co design to support sustainable independence and ageing in place.
Why is it important for society?
The ReACTIVE Too project is important for society because it has:
• Developed advanced tools, methods, and materials to improve the safety and reliability of critical electronic systems, contributing to reduced road traffic risks and enhancing the performance of electronics-based technologies used in transport and other essential sectors.
• Strengthened healthcare and assisted living solutions through innovations in ambient assisted living with co-development of solutions with diverse stakeholders, improved energy efficiency, and the integration of active energy harvesting technologies into products. These contributions also support more sustainable use of scarce materials, reinforcing environmental protection efforts.
• Stimulated innovation and economic growth by creating new market opportunities for industrial partners and strengthening Europe’s technological competitiveness.
The project’s societal relevance is amplified by Europe’s ageing population and the rising prevalence of non communicable diseases, which often result in long term disabilities. The team has codeveloped smart furniture and assistive technology solutions with real users and healthcare professionals, ensuring they address local needs across different European regions. These innovations support independent living and ageing in place, helping to reduce pressure on social and healthcare systems while improving user safety, autonomy, and overall quality of life.
Furthermore, through strong collaboration across ReACTIVE Too’s 15 partners, supported by 168 secondment months, numerous workshops, the monthly Connect & Share series, and more than 50 publications, the project has significantly strengthened skills development across Europe. It has also contributed to job creation through prototype manufacturing and ongoing R&D efforts, ultimately advancing safer mobility, more efficient healthcare, and greener technologies for citizen.
What are the overall objectives?
The overall objective is to form an international and inter-sectoral network of organisations working on a joint research programme in the fields of Active Safety or Smart Systems for Automated Driving, Active/Ambient assisted Living, Active Health, and Active/Green Energy. Specific objectives are to
1. Make a significant contribution to the European Union research on Smart Systems for Automated Driving.
2. Share existing understanding and experiences of enhancing the design and manufacture of flexible and wearable electronics.
3. Generate new knowledge on the integration of electronic devices in connected wearable and portable settings (e.g. textiles, flexible or stretchable substrates), interconnection, compatibility with low-cost manufacturing, efficient energy scavenging and storage, functional performance, and durability/reliability.
4. Develop Design for Reliability techniques for Electronics Based Systems deployed in User Experience and Safety Applications for Automotive and Wearables.
5. Share this new knowledge in order to develop Design for Reliability techniques for Electronics Based Systems deployed in User Experience and Safety Applications for Automotive and Wearables to contribute to EPoSS (European Technology Platform on Smart Systems Integration) European Roadmap Smart Systems for Automated Driving.
The ReACTIVE Too team has demonstrated outstanding performance across all major components of the project, including scientific research with more than 50 publications, training activities, and secondments. Over 95% of the committed secondment months have been successfully completed, highlighting the consortium’s dedication and strategic coordination.
A total of six knowledge transfer workshops were delivered, each aligning closely with specific work packages (WPs).These workshops featured a well-balanced representation from both academia and industry, promoting fruitful roundtable discussions. Notably, these engagements led to the conceptualisation of new project ideas and proposals including MSCA Staff Exchange proposal.
Significant scientific progress has been made across the consortium, leading to new collaborations, joint publications, project proposals, and prototype development. WP2 produced tangible results in the form of smart furniture prototypes (smart mirror, cloth, table, and chair) with Junet Ltd ready to integrate several of these innovations into its product line, demonstrating clear market potential.
A comprehensive need mapping questionnaire, developed with ethics approval from the University of Wolverhampton was used to gather user feedback through online workshops and surveys. An English version with video demonstrations was shared internationally, while a Finnish version was used locally. Insights from this initiative supported three peer-reviewed publications and shaped the development of the prototypes, such as comfortable EEG electrodes, a smart chair based on an earlier Baltse@nioR design, a smart table by Junet Ltd, and a smart mirror by Silesian University of Technology.
The project has indeed made strong strides in applied R&D through collaboration with industrial beneficiaries, establishing pathways for future market introduction of developed technologies
Other Key Highlights include
• A highly successful Mid-Term Review Meeting, during which the ReACTIVE Too project was recognised by the Research Executive Agency (REA) as an exemplar initiative.
• The launch of a monthly “Connect and Share” seminar series, enhancing ongoing knowledge exchange between the project team and broader partner institutions.
• Delivery of four hybrid public lectures, including one on Current Advances in IoT Teaching (based on the IoT-OPEN.EU project) hosted by UoW and delivered by the SUT team, highlighting effective synergies between EU funding programmes.
• Development of new active electronic device prototypes, utilising materials from industrial beneficiaries. This approach supports both route‑to‑market strategies and material validation in new applications.
• Strengthening of fundamental scientific knowledge, laying the foundation for future product development across multiple domains.
A total of six knowledge transfer workshops were delivered, each aligning closely with specific work packages (WPs).These workshops featured a well-balanced representation from both academia and industry, promoting fruitful roundtable discussions. Notably, these engagements led to the conceptualisation of new project ideas and proposals including MSCA Staff Exchange proposal.
Significant scientific progress has been made across the consortium, leading to new collaborations, joint publications, project proposals, and prototype development. WP2 produced tangible results in the form of smart furniture prototypes (smart mirror, cloth, table, and chair) with Junet Ltd ready to integrate several of these innovations into its product line, demonstrating clear market potential.
A comprehensive need mapping questionnaire, developed with ethics approval from the University of Wolverhampton was used to gather user feedback through online workshops and surveys. An English version with video demonstrations was shared internationally, while a Finnish version was used locally. Insights from this initiative supported three peer-reviewed publications and shaped the development of the prototypes, such as comfortable EEG electrodes, a smart chair based on an earlier Baltse@nioR design, a smart table by Junet Ltd, and a smart mirror by Silesian University of Technology.
The project has indeed made strong strides in applied R&D through collaboration with industrial beneficiaries, establishing pathways for future market introduction of developed technologies
Other Key Highlights include
• A highly successful Mid-Term Review Meeting, during which the ReACTIVE Too project was recognised by the Research Executive Agency (REA) as an exemplar initiative.
• The launch of a monthly “Connect and Share” seminar series, enhancing ongoing knowledge exchange between the project team and broader partner institutions.
• Delivery of four hybrid public lectures, including one on Current Advances in IoT Teaching (based on the IoT-OPEN.EU project) hosted by UoW and delivered by the SUT team, highlighting effective synergies between EU funding programmes.
• Development of new active electronic device prototypes, utilising materials from industrial beneficiaries. This approach supports both route‑to‑market strategies and material validation in new applications.
• Strengthening of fundamental scientific knowledge, laying the foundation for future product development across multiple domains.
The project has established effective multidisciplinary collaboration and co-design practices, bringing together stakeholders from fields such as electronics, materials science, nursing, and furniture design. It has also strengthened international industry-academia partnerships, supporting joint development and applied research with long-term impact.
User involvement, including that of vulnerable groups, has been a key focus. Their participation has enabled more inclusive, user-driven product development and fostered new collaborative methods.
Technological innovations include advanced solders, electronic designs, and reliability testing, which significantly improve system durability. The use of novel nanoparticles enhances solder joint strength by up to 20% and reliability by over 40%, extending the lifespan of electronic systems. These improvements benefit safety-critical sectors, healthcare, automotive, aerospace, and contribute to sustainability by reducing waste and energy use.
The project has indeed expanded the scientific and technical base required to support future generations of product development in active systems, IoT, smart interfaces, and related fields.
User involvement, including that of vulnerable groups, has been a key focus. Their participation has enabled more inclusive, user-driven product development and fostered new collaborative methods.
Technological innovations include advanced solders, electronic designs, and reliability testing, which significantly improve system durability. The use of novel nanoparticles enhances solder joint strength by up to 20% and reliability by over 40%, extending the lifespan of electronic systems. These improvements benefit safety-critical sectors, healthcare, automotive, aerospace, and contribute to sustainability by reducing waste and energy use.
The project has indeed expanded the scientific and technical base required to support future generations of product development in active systems, IoT, smart interfaces, and related fields.