Research, Design and Engineering of complex systems for Health, Security and Environment
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The mission of this program can be summarized as the research, design and engineering of complex (tera-scale) systems and networks to monitor and connect humans and/or the environment. The underlying enabling technology is provided by micro/nano-technologies and their applications to distributed, networked embedded-system design. The stringent requirements of embedded systems on size, weight, energy supply, power dissipation and communication range demand major innovation in micro/nano-technologies. While the existence of such synergy opportunities between nano-devices and tera-scale applications are widely recognized, an ambitious large-scale holistic integration approach such as the one proposed by the Nano-Tera.CH initiative is still unheard of.
In this section, first, we introduce the target application areas, highlight their relationship to the program objectives and identify their salient technological challenges. Next, we describe the enabling technologies in detail, as well as specific technological strategies to meet the overall program objectives.
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Application systems
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Wearable Embedded Systems
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The technology pursued by Nano-Tera will miniaturize electronics and sensors on flexible bases to integrate them in "smart textiles" or within the body. Applications are very promising in medical monitoring and health assistance, sports, or personal communication and entertainment.
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Ambient Systems
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Large-scale distribution of auto-configurable networks of miniature sensor nodes will provide intelligence for: environmental monitoring, building intelligence and beyond. such augmented reality will change our perception of the world.
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Remote Systems
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Ambient and micro systems will also communicate on large distances, taking lightweight intelligence from cities and environment into longer distance remote challenges.
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Enabling technologies
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Micro / Nano Electronics
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Micro-electronics' progressess, guided by Moore's law, have to make a leap forward with new concepts to reach the nano-scale world of Nano-Tera's applications. Emerging technologies using nanowires, nanotubes, polymers, will push devices towards ultra-low consumption and ultra-thin layers.
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Sensors
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Nano-Tera type of demands in biology, environment, medical applications need new sensors. Ultra-low powered cantilever or nanotubes arrays, single photon optics, cell- and microfluidics-based chips, bio-compatible coatings, are important challenges for sensor research.
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MEMS / NEMS
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As the interface between the human and nano-systems, they are a corner stone in Nano-Tera's ambitions. These nano-systems holding together sensors and actuators will have to be integrated in or around the human body, harvest their energy, use novel materials.
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Systems & Software
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On a larger scale (Tera), nano-systems will interact in a social and autonomous way. This implies new strategies for wireless networks and systems: self-organization, dependability, resource awareness with safe and secure real-time operation.
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Information & Communication
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On the higher level, the application level, unprecedented amounts of data will have to be gathered and processed. Distributed design, signal processing, data management and web connectivity will be addressed by Nano-Tera, as well as the design tools to reach their goals.
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Images: © IBM Research, © Netdts, © Electronic-Labs.com, © IBM Research, © Trutrack, © Sandia Labs
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