The University of Luxembourg’s Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT) has secured a 1.4 MEUR FNR IPBG grant to spearhead a cutting-edge research programme, titled “Autonomous systems for Land, Air and Space” (ATLAS). Thanks to the IPBG grant, and additional co-funding from nine partners, nine groundbreaking research projects are set to launch.
Unveiled at SnT Partnership Day, SnT’s flagship event, the research initiative is to receive over 1.4 MEUR in funding through the FNR’s Industrial Partnership Block Grant (IPBG) scheme, one of Luxembourg’s largest funding programmes for collaborative industrial research.
The research projects are co-funded by SnT and by a consortium of industrial partners and administrations, including eBus Competence Center, GomSpace, Gradel, IEE, Nexxtlab, Post, Proximus, Ville de Luxembourg and Voyages Emile Weber.
The funding will support nine research projects, each run by a PhD student who will be immersed in both the industrial setting of the respective partner and the academic environment of SnT, with a strong collaboration between all parties involved.
Unified by interdisciplinary applications of automation, the research projects will drive advancements in key areas such as energy optimization, orchestration of autonomous systems, and cybersecurity. Leveraging state-of-the-art technologies including AI systems, machine learning and robotics, these projects will address critical challenges in autonomous and intelligent systems for earth and space.
Beyond the immediate scope, the goal is to build an innovation centre in this strategic area, fostering long-term collaboration and innovation. SnT will centralize all the research efforts and facilitate the exchange of ideas between project stakeholders. In addition, the results of the projects will be open sourced to catalyse further innovation and entrepreneurship.
“The aim is to create a long-term, open and collaborative programme. This initiative marks the first step in building expertise in autonomous and intelligent systems, positioning it as a cornerstone for Luxembourg,” said Raphaël Frank, Head of UBIX Research Group at SnT and principal investigator. “Through an open, interdisciplinary approach, we want to cultivate a fertile ground for innovative ideas and start-ups.”
“This research programme aims to help prepare Luxembourg for the future. The rise of applications relying on autonomous systems underscores its strategic importance. With a collaborative vision, we seek to harness the full potential of this disruptive technology,” said Yves le Traon, SnT’s director.
The projects are scheduled to kick off in June 2024. Regular updates and public events will be organised to showcase project advancements and facilitate knowledge exchange among stakeholders.