EU Research Project Focuses on Developing Smart Automation Software

Along with SAP and involved partners from seven European countries, EU-funded research team targets SmartProducts project. It also received € 6.9 M funds from the European Commission.

Smart products feature in-built artificial intelligence and communication capabilities. In addition, smart products also incorporate actuators, sensors, and ambient intelligence. Interaction is feasible via multimodal interfaces.

Dr Schreiber directed the technical development of novel software and systems for the product.

The team employed core technologies, through which the products can effectively store and share its proactive knowledge. The challenge was to bring ubiquitous computing closer to ontologies-based knowledge management.

A set of ontologies and reasoning methods representing proactive knowledge were formulated by the researchers. When embedded within smart products, these features will promote context-aware interactions with other products and users. Usually, knowledge will directly be stored within the product, whereas a simple RFID chip will allow detection of product and knowledge from a distributed database via internet connection. “MundoCore”, a ubiquitous computing middleware was also designed by the team. This innovation allows interoperability by integrating varied communication methods.

The technology was in-built within the SmartProducts platform, using OSGi and Java.

The system’s varied application features three demonstrators within real-world scenarios as follows:

• The team joined with Philips to demonstrate the potential application of the technology to kitchen appliances.
• In the second scenario, the team implemented the system within product-lifecycle management of vehicles, in association with Centro Ricerche Fiat.
• The third application scenario is industrial application. Along with EADS, the SmartProducts team deployed the system in tools and components for aircraft assembly.

The MundoCore middleware is currently being employed by the EU-funded Smart Vortex project that develops interoperable tools, methods and services supporting engineering projects focused on large-scale industrial innovation.

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