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Acoustic and mechanical metamaterials for biomedical and energy harvesting applications

Project description

European network to advance research into metamaterials

Metamaterials can transform healthcare by manipulating sound and mechanical waves in ways that traditional materials cannot. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the MetacMed project will bring together experts and 10 doctoral candidates to explore innovative uses of metamaterials. These include improving ultrasound imaging for cancer diagnostics, designing advanced spinal implants, monitoring bone healing and creating insoles to aid walking. Another focus will be on developing metamaterials for energy harvesting as a sustainable power solution for medical devices. MetacMed will combine fundamental research and practical applications, with input also from industry in areas such as metamaterial fabrication and use. Doctoral researchers will receive comprehensive training and will attend regular meetings to foster collaboration.

Objective

MetacMed aims to link basic research on acoustic and mechanical metamaterials (MMs) to health and well-being issues. MMs have some remarkable properties, though to make them properly applicable to the targeted applications, their design must be carefully tailored. This will be achieved by bringing together a range of supervisory expertise and creating a network of 10 doctoral candidates (DCs), some of whom will work in the industry. The team includes beneficiaries and associated partners who, if working separately, would not be able to make the planned advances in research and innovation. DCs will each consider ways in which human health can be improved using MMs, e.g. improvement in the resolution of biomedical ultrasound imaging for e.g cancer diagnostics, the design of better spinal implants, monitoring of bone healing, the use of insoles to aid human walking. Another area of interest is to develop MMs that can be used for energy harvesting, to better power e.g. medical devices and reduce reliance on conventional power sources. These are all backed up by fundamental studies into the MMs themselves to provide the background to achieve these tasks. The balance of the network has thus been carefully considered in terms of basic science and applications, with input from industry in areas such as MMs fabrication and exploitation. Associated with the above is a strong set of training events, where the basic features of acoustic and mechanical MMs and their applications will be considered, together with soft-skills training such as writing, presenting, entrepreneurship, gender balance issues, stress management. Regular meetings of the DCs at various member locations will foster collaboration, and this will be reinforced by a carefully-selected set of secondments. A proper management system for both running the network effectively and properly monitoring and supporting PhD progression is built into the proposal, ensuring that successful outcomes are achieved by DCs.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

Keywords

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Funding Scheme

HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-DN - HORIZON TMA MSCA Doctoral Networks

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Call for proposal

(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2022-DN-01

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Coordinator

UNIVERSITA DELLA CALABRIA
Net EU contribution
€ 518 875,20
Address
VIA PIETRO BUCCI 7/11/B
87036 ARCAVACATA DI RENDE
Italy
Region
Centro (IT) Lazio Roma
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost
No data

Participants (3)

Partners (10)