More information
Description
The evolution of the paradigm of modern bio-mechatronics can be seen in two main directions: increasing the performance and miniaturization of the hardware platform and increasing the intelligence of the integrated systems. Based on the experience and expertise gained in the field of bio-mechatronics and 3D printing within previous research and institutional EU projects led by the University of Agder of Norway (UiA) , Technical University of Cluj-Napoca , Politehnica University of Bucharest , Poznan University of Technology (Poland) , it has been identified one new direction for continuing the research, but also to boost the scientific excellence in teaching in the field of conceiving and realizing of new types of biomimetic mechatronic systems for people with special needs (e.g. with amputated arms). In consequence, 8 course modules will be realized for providing the necessary knowledge for materializing of the biomimetic mechatronic systems in concordance with the curriculum, followed by the conceiving of one e-toolkit manual that is aimed to expand the knowledge gained from the theoretical point of view at courses to the practical level of building biomimetic mechatronic systems to be used for teaching purposes. Sharing of experience and expertise in the field of e-health, artificial intelligence, mechatronics through the events organized at the University of Agder will be really valuable since many examples of good practice in teaching and research observed at UiA will be aimed to be scaled up and implemented at the Higher Education Institutions in Romania and Poland as primary beneficiaries of the EMERALD project, but the involvement of professors and students in pilot studies that are focusing on assessing the impact of the VR/AR content in this context will be significantly important also in the case of UiA, since the possibility of adopting virtual reality or augmented reality in the learning process is one top key priority of this institution in the future.
Summary of project results
All targets & objectives of the EMERALD project were successfully met within the planned implementation period & it is important to be mentioned that there were no delays in reaching all the assumed results & indicators of the EMERALD project in the timeline as they have been stated in the proposal, starting from the development of advanced educational resources & ending with research tools that were necessary to create an European network for further collaboration & innovation in the domain of conceiving of bio-mechatronic systems for people with special needs (amputated arms). In terms of educational resources, the EMERALD project consortium has managed to develop 8 comprehensive course modules (1 e-book), 1 e-toolkit manual & 1 e-learning virtual laboratory platform incorporating modern learning methods like VR/AR/Mixed Reality to provide anyone interested the necessary knowledge & skills in designing & conceiving of personalized biomimetic mechatronic systems for people with special needs (amputated arms). To validate the practical application of the EMERALD project''s resources, several case studies were conducted on real patients with amputated arms. In terms of activities stated in the proposal, all events have been organized as they were stated in the proposal, mentioning here the 2 summer schools which have been organized at the University of Agder (UiA) from Norway in 2022 & 2023, gathering more than 70 participants from different EU countries in total. Furthermore, there were 3 multiplier events which have been organized in 2022 & 2023 in which more than 250 experts coming from the higher education & industrial sector have managed to be in contact with the EMERALD consortium partners, to be informed about the results reached within the EMERALD project & to join & exploit the resources realized by the EMERALD consortium partners on a larger scale in the future. Staff for training event organized in the premises of Bizzcom company in Bucany (Slovakia), in which professors of the EMERALD consortium have got training in VR/AR/Mixed reality programming have constituted one added value in the EMERALD project, many of the applications developed as result of this training being used for the international summer school organized with students in Norway in 2023 & for improving the e-learning virtual laboratory platform that has been conceived & realized by the EMERALD consortium partners in the frame of O3.
The EMERALD project''s primary focus was oriented on the creating of advanced educational resources & research tools for those who are keen on getting the right knowledge & experience in developing robotic arms, personalized medical prostheses & orthotics, using 3D printing technologies, for people with special needs (amputated arms). Within the project, 1 e-book comprising 8 course modules, 1 e-toolkit manual & 1 e-learning virtual laboratory platform which are incorporating modern learning methods like VR/AR/Mixed Reality were developed for designing & conceiving of personalized biomimetic mechatronic systems. In order to demonstrate the efficiency of the EMERALD project''s resources, several case studies have been conducted on real patients with amputated arms. Robotic arms, prostheses & orthoses have been successfully produced for these patients by the EMERALD consortium partners using 3D printing methods. They were highly motivated & they have been factors of motivating the others after they have been returning back home from Norway. Same effect was visible also in case of professors from Beneficiary states that have been involved in participating to the summer school events in Norway. Number of attendees participating to the summer school organized in Norway in 2023 has been increasing as compared with the number of attendees who joined summer school event organized in 2022. One other aspect to be mentioned related to the EMERALD project is the engagement with advanced institutions like the University of Agder in Norway which finally enabled professors from Beneficiary states to adapt & integrate more modern teaching methods in their educational materials & tools used with their students. This was particularly significant in the post-pandemic period when digitization & virtual teaching methods became crucial. The EMERALD project also emphasized the importance of engaging higher educational institutions with industrial stakeholders during the organized multiplier events. The EMERALD project ensured the relevance of its outputs, judging by the number of participants of companies coming from the industrial sector & the partnership agreements that have been signed through which companies agreed to join the EMERALD network, being ready to ensure a sustained impact & collaboration on long term basis in the future.
Regarding the EMERALD''s achievements, it’s worth mentioning 2 summer schools that were organized at the University of Agder (Norway) in 2022 & 2023, gathering more than 70 attendees from different EU countries, 1 training event on VR/ AR/ Mixed Reality programming that was organized for 14 professors of the EMERALD consortium in 2023, as well as 3 multiplier events that were organized in 2022 & 2023, gathering more than 250 experts coming from Higher Educational & industrial companies that are activating in 3D printing / biomechatronics sector. 10 co-supervised diploma projects & conceiving of 4 ISI articles with impact factor realized with the contribution of all partners in common have also been submitted to peer-review journals. Over 10 partnerships agreements with EU-based industrial companies have been signed, constituting the European Network for 3D Printing of Biomimetic Mechatronic Systems in the EMERALD project & boosting in this way the cooperation between higher educational institutions & companies that are interested in conceiving & realizing of personalized biomimetic mechatronic systems for people with special needs (amputated arms) on a larger scale in the future.
Summary of bilateral results
In the EMERALD project, having University of Agder (UiA) from Grimstad, Norway, as donor partner was highly important for all partners involved in this project.The experience & expertise they brought in the bio-mechatronics domain enriched the knowledge level of the whole consortium, especially during the events (international summer schools) that were organized at UiA in 2022 & 2023. Attendees coming from the consortium, both professors & students got very consistent experience on a highly advanced academic environment, having the chance to get familiarized with the tools & teaching methods that are being used at the UiA. Beneficiary states, including Technical University of Cluj-Napoca (TUCN), University Politehnica Bucharest (UPB), Poznan University of Technology (PUT) & Bizzcom s.r.o. company in Slovakia, have utilized this collaboration to realize at their home institutions important updates concerning the content of several disciplines that are being delivered to students of different specializations like Mechatronics, Robotics, Industrial Engineering, etc. Collaborative efforts at the level of whole consortium has been put also on low-cost robotic arms, orthoses & prostheses that have been realized during the organized events at UiA for people with special needs (amputated arms). PUT has contributed in bringing very specific case studies of real patients with amputated arms, TUCN has contributed through CAD/CAE analyses, UPB provided expertise in material selection & BIZZCOM & PUT have been working on VR/AR/ Mixed reality applications related to this topic. Parts have been finally produced by 3D printing jointly by TUCN, PUT, UPB & UiA. Dissemination of these case studies were revealed at multiplier events that were organized within the EMERALD project, new partnership agreements being signed with industrial companies that are interested in continuing to invest in this direction in the future.