European Commission announced list of projects to be financially subsidized within the European Defense Fund (EDF). Among them two Łukasiewicz – PIAP designs were selected. One of them – DeterMine – is the first one in EDF history under coordination by company from Poland.
Research network Łukasiewicz – Industrial Institute for Automation and Measurement PIAP submitted two applications in competition of EDF 2022. Both of them were accepted. The projects granted financial subsidy are DeterMine (Detect and Recognize Mines and IEDs hidden in the environment) which were selected in category of digital transformation and SWAT-SHOAL in category of underwater technology.
Better detection of mines and explosive charges
The aim of DeterMine project is verification of module concept, multisensory and multiplatform solution for detection and identification of hidden threats, in multi configured environment accounted for different types of such threats along with changing environmental terms. Within the project solutions worked out by different consortia will be compared.
The project will facilitate development of European knowledge data base and creation of universal templates of validation of land mines detection systems and improvised explosive devices (IED). Finally it will provide personnel and infrastructure with better protection and wider margin in actions carried by armed forces.
Scientists from Łukasiewicz – PIAP within the project will take responsibility for organization of entire consortium working activities as its leader whereas from substantive approach – for integration of technical results delivered by consortium partners – said Jakub Główka, project’s leader, head of the Safety Systems Branch.
As a stage of the project’s implementation process will be connection of many sensors of threats of different types and integration of manned and unmanned vehicles. Special attention will be paid to effective data collection, enlargement of detection and identification possibilities of threats through fusion of data and artificial intelligence algorithms along with upgrade of main factors – accuracy in detection and classification of hidden threats along with assessment of their characteristics. Project’s development will be based on agile approach enabling testing of different technologies, different combinations of sensors and different algorithms of data synthesis.
As the DeterMine consortium members, supervised by Łukasiewicz – PIAP, participated experts from five European countries specializing in different fields. There are institutions engaged in project such as Small and Middle Companies (MŚP), research units and industrial partners with wide experience gathered in previous European initiatives in area of detection of hidden threats such as EDA IEDDET program.
They connect vehicles into swarms
The SWAT-SHOAL project develop System of Systems concept (SoS) integrating into swarms different types of manned and unmanned vehicles. This is done in order to attain wider effectiveness in underwater missions such as surveillance, reconnaissance, mining and demining activities or support of landing operations. The project is concentrated on technological innovations such as swarms of unmanned systems, underwater communications and autonomy of vehicles in order to upgrade versatility and ability of navy actions.
The scope of project covers three different stages of mission – emplacement of swarms, initial self-organization, routes planning, execution of tasks, regain of swarms and integration with command and control systems, including interactions with sonar buoys, divers and support vessels. General stages of SWAT-SHOAL project cover operational concept definition, research of technology and validation through simulation and sea performance.
Within the SWAT-SHOAL project that is supervised by Navantia company and technically coordinated by SENER company are engaged 20 subjects from 11 countries including major companies, research units, Small and Middle Companies and companies of middle capitalization.
Role of Łukasiewicz – PIAP scientists within the project is concentrated on support of works related to standardization of collaboration mechanisms in unmanned platforms and communications among platforms and crews. Our experts are also involved in coordination of work of some subsystems in simulated environment – highlighted Jakub Główka.
The SWAT-SHOAL project assumes to attain significant competitive superiority through definition of new defense markets as well as products with such features where many of them are of double use. The purpose of this project is also its positioning within European market products where so far they are not present.
