The project of the Institute of IMZ and FEL to create devices and services for sports training and remote healthcare received a grant under the EU Horizon Europe program.
According to the authors of the development, in December 2023, the project of scientists from the Institute of IMZ and FEL "Towards an Ecosystem of User-centric devices and services for multisport Training and Remote healthcare enabled by an Artificial Intelligence-based Network of Sensors" (EU-TRAINS) won the competition of the EU Horizon Europe program. Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute received the grant as part of a consortium of 19 organizations from Austria, Germany, Italy, France, Finland, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain. Among them are high-tech companies, research institutions and universities. The project coordinator is SILICON AUSTRIA LABS GMBH. The amount of the grant is 315,000 euros for three years, starting in May 2024.
The project is supervised by Professor S.I. Sydorenko, and will be implemented by the research groups of the E.O. Paton Institute of Materials Science and Technology (headed by Professor Svitlana Voloshko, Department of Physical Materials Science and Heat Treatment) and FEL (headed by Anton Popov, Associate Professor of Electronic Engineering).
The research will primarily focus on the development of the latest sensors for analyzing biomechanics and monitoring the cardiovascular system in real time for use in sports, fitness, and healthcare. It is planned to use powerful digital microsystems, integrated smart textiles, and advanced biomedical data processing methods based on artificial intelligence. The entire development and supply chain will be implemented in Europe.
As a result, the scientists plan to create textile integrated electronic systems for real-time monitoring of cardiovascular, respiratory and motor activity in air and water, as well as semiconductor technologies that will allow the reuse of micro- and nanosystems in both sports and healthcare. In particular, this will require miniaturized devices that can measure biochemical parameters under aggressive external conditions (salt fog, chlorine, detergents, high and low temperatures, etc.).
In the course of their work, researchers from the Institute of IMZ and FEL will develop, prototype, and demonstrate universal sensors with artificial intelligence functions of increased accuracy and reliability that can be integrated into textiles, as well as smart wristwatches and sports equipment for use underwater. In addition, they plan to demonstrate combined approaches to collecting, processing, and analyzing AI-based data in the cloud and on the end device for reliable diagnostics of body parameters. At the same time, FEL scientists intend to apply machine learning to sensor data, remote updating, multi-purpose approaches to analyzing biosignals based on sensor networks, etc. And the scientists of the Institute of IMZ will present new materials that will support the printing of electronics on textiles with stretchability and self-healing.
"The peculiarity of this project is its interdisciplinarity," the researchers say, "because the requirements for innovative technologies for the manufacture of practical and durable fabrics for sportswear will be implemented based on a combination of ideas from sports hygiene, physical materials science, and artificial intelligence.
The project's importance lies not only in its scientific but also in its social component. According to the performers, the social benefit is seen in the transition to a healthy lifestyle by promoting regular physical activity through accessible means and services for a wide audience, including people with disabilities.