Increasing the scientific excellence and technological innovation capacity in Functional Materials for Medical Devices and Robotics of the University of Tartu

ended

The aim of the TWINNIMS project is to enhance the scientific and technological capacity of the consortium partners, with a principal focus on the University of Tartu (UTARTU), and to raise its research profile in the field of Functional Materials for Medical Devices and Robotics, in particular in the research application sub-field of minimal invasive and wearable medical robotics, that have a huge potential in terms of solving the global challenges in the quality of life and wellbeing. The internationally leading partners in the project are the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT, Italy) and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR 8520 (CNRS, France). Resources and competences will be shared and advanced across 3 capacity building focus areas (CBFAs): Bioinspired Soft Robotics, Soft Robotics Materials and Soft Materials Microfabrication Technologies. The activities targeted both to the researchers and early stage researchers (ESRs) strengthen the scientific excellence, technology transfer and innovation capacity (industry-academia collaboration) and skills for research communication and societal acceptance of the applications (social sciences and humanities, SSH involvement). For ESRs the benefits are 4 rounds of mobility (incl. 1 industry traineeship), 1 joint summer school (incl. ESRs-researchers joint session involving SSH), international summer/winter school attendance, joint supervision and mentoring. Activities for researchers include 4 mobility rounds on the CBFAs and technology transfer, 3 from researcher to researcher master classes, 1 virtual training, establishment of an industry-academia network, organization of 3 TWINNIMS annual panel sessions, 1 hackathon (also for ESRs),industry and SSH mentoring, attendance at conferences and trade shows. This leads to increased number of high-impact articles, research grants, EU projects, service contracts to the international industry (high-tech applications), new research topics and wide-scale impact