Two reports on the Human Brain Project and the Graphene Flagship initiatives have been published giving a comprehensive overview of the main scientific, technological and industrial achievements in two important technology fields.
Both were launched by the Commission in 2013 as Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) Flagships, with a combined budget of EUR 1.2 billion and with the overarching aim of mobilising researchers, academics, industry and national programmes to tackle major challenges in science and technology.
The reports showcase some of the many achievements of these two decade-long initiatives. The Graphene Flagship has demonstrated the potential of graphene, which consists of a single layer of carbon atoms and has many highly useful properties, as well as of other new 2D materials. It has laid the groundwork, for instance, for graphene-based brain-computer implants that can help to reduce the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, de-icing systems to help planes fly safely, and more efficient batteries and solar panels. The Graphene Flagship has also created a flourishing EU ecosystem, built on in-depth collaborations between over 200 scientific and industrial partners. The project has launched the careers of around 1,000 doctoral and postdoctoral students, created 20 spin-offs, and brought more than 100 products onto the market.
The Human Brain Project, brought together over 500 scientists, engineers, and clinicians from across Europe to unravel the mysteries of the human brain. The Human Brain Project opened up new perspectives in the study of the brain. It resulted in a new paradigm for digital neuroscience and generated major advances in basic neurological research, brain medicine, AI and computing, including via the creation of digital atlases of the brain. In turn, its insights are also feeding back into cutting-edge technologies, from brain-inspired AI and neuromorphic computing to cognitive robotics. The project also delivered EBRAINS, an open research digital infrastructure which is set to continue its transformative impact on human brain research. With over 10,000 users from more than 1,500 research and medical institutes worldwide, EBRAINS is set to be the source of many more groundbreaking discoveries.
Both reports not only describe the initiatives’ key achievements but also evaluate how they contributed to strategic EU goals and the visibility of European research in these fields. They highlight what can be achieved by dedicated teams of researchers from across Europe working together over a ten-year period.
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Source: European Commission (Shaping Europe’s digital future) | News & Views (https://shorturl.at/1ZLT0)