The joint implementation of research projects constitutes one of the objectives of the visit of Joint Research Centre representatives to the Łukasiewicz institutes. Experts from the Brussels-based organisation, which is the research and analysis base of the European Commission, visited the Łukasiewicz Research Network for the second time. This time, they met with researchers from Łukasiewicz – PIAP, Łukasiewicz – PIMOT, Łukasiewicz – ILOT, and Łukasiewicz – ITECH.
Director Matthias Oel, Joaquim Fortuna-Guasch (Senior Expert), and Paul Hansen (Project Manager) started it off with a meeting at Łukasiewicz – PIMOT. The hosts presented the R&D facilities and key elements of the Institute’s infrastructure. Therefore, the visitors had the opportunity to see sites that play an important role in the development of innovations for automotive, safety, and sustainable transport, and to see the results of R&D projects.
The following item on the agenda was a meeting with representatives of Łukasiewicz – ITECH. Our guests had the opportunity to learn about the institute’s range of activities in the areas of technology assessment, foresight research, responsible technology development, social innovation and public policies. The parties exchanged experiences in the area of establishing interdisciplinary consortia, working with the startup ecosystem, and insights on shaping the innovation ecosystem.
On the second day, the delegation from Brussels visited Łukasiewicz – PIAP, where experts from the institute presented, among other things, incremental technologies in construction, WAAM technologies (Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing) and medical technologies, the main exoskeletons for telerehabilitation. There was no shortage of presentations of mobile robots and unmanned ground platforms to enhance safety during inspection tasks, the latest version of the PIAP HUNTeR combat robot and the PIAP-AMR X550 mobile industrial robot. The guests also had the opportunity to see a unique kinetic process laboratory.
The visit ended with a meeting at the Łukasiewicz – Aviation Institute. Our guests saw, among other things, the T-3 wind tunnel test hall. They learnt about the tunnel’s main technical parameters, its history and plans for upgrades. Sources of funding for research conducted in the tunnel were also outlined. Visitors, interested in the scale of the infrastructure, enquired about the technical parameters of the tunnel and the accreditation certificates held by the laboratory for the implementation of testing techniques. JRC representatives also had the opportunity to see the HA-ASTA unmanned system and visit the Laboratory Centre for Missile and Satellite Propulsion, where they saw, among other things, a chemistry laboratory.
The visit to the institutes provided an opportunity to share experiences and discuss potential areas of cooperation.
Our guests were impressed not so much by the sites or laboratories visited, but above all by the people working on these projects, who are very passionately involved. As part of the visit, JRC representatives invited our specialists to join their expert teams and offered the opportunity to revisit their laboratories. The joint implementation of research projects opens up new perspectives for our cooperation.
Rafał Łukasik, dyrektor Departamentu Badań i Innowacji w Centrum Łukasiewicz, Pełnomocnik Prezesa ds. Relacji Międzynarodowych