GUARDIAN ANGELS

Guardian Angels for a Smarter Life

Guardian Angels (GA) are future zero-power, intelligent, autonomous systems-of-systems featuring sensing, computation, and communication beyond human aptitudes. GA will assist humans from their infancy to old age in complex life situations and environments. Zero-power reflects system-of-systems ability to scavenge energy in dynamic environments by disruptive harvesting techniques. The project prepares zero-power technologies based on future energy-efficient technologies, heterogeneous design, and disruptive energy scavengers.

Three zero-power generations of GAs are foreseen:

  • Physical Guardian Angels are zero-power, on-body networks or implantable devices that monitor vital health signals and take appropriate actions to preserve human health.
  • Environmental Guardian Angels extend monitoring to dynamic environments, using disruptive scavengers, personalized data communication, and first "thinking" algorithms. They are personal assistants that protect their wearers from environment dangers.
  • Emotional Guardian Angels are intelligent personal companions with disruptive zero-power, manmachine interfaces deployed at large scale. They sense and communicate using non-verbal languages playing an important role in health, education, and security worldwide.

This project addresses the following scientific challenges for energy-efficient visionary Guardian Angel autonomous systems: (i) energy-efficient computing (down to E=10-100kT), (ii) and communication (approaching the limit of 1pJ/bit), (iii) low-power sensing, (iv) disruptive scavenging (bio-inspired, thermoelectric, etc, targeting energy densities of tens of mW/cm2), and (v) zero-power man-machine interfaces. A selection of emerging technologies based on energy efficiency is proposed. We will also develop design tools that integrate electrical, mechanical, optical, thermal, and chemical simulation tools over length and time scales currently not achievable.

Coordinator Ecole Polytechnique Federale De Lausanne (Switzerland)

Other participants:
Sanofi-Aventis Recherche & Developpement (France)
Intel Performance Learning Solutions Limited (Eire)
The Chancellor, Masters And Scholars Of The University Of Cambridge (UK)
Nxp Semiconductors Netherlands Bv (Netherlands)
Senarclens, Leu + Partner Ag (Switzerland)
Hiqscreen Sarl (Switzerland)
Ibm Research Gmbh (Switzerland)
Lunds Universitet (Sweden)
Kungliga Tekniska Hoegskolan (Sweden)
Instytut Technologii Elektronowej (Poland)
Infineon Technologies Ag (Germany)
Stmicroelectronics Crolles 2 Sas (France)
Commissariat A L’Energie Atomique Et Aux Energies Alternatives (France)
Interuniversitair Micro-Electronica Centrum Vzw (Belgium)
University College Cork, National University Of Ireland, Cork (Eire)
Institut Sinano Association (France)
Universite Catholique De Louvain (Belgium)
Centre National De La Recherche Scientifique (France)
Teknologian Tutkimuskeskus Vtt (Finland)
Siemens Ag (Germany)
Centre Tecnologic De Telecomunicacions De Catalunya (Spain)
Thales Sa (France)
Stichting Imec Nederland (Netherlands)
CSEM-Centre Suisse D'Electronique Et De Microtechnique Sa - Recherche Et Developpement (Switzerland)
Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (Switzerland) 
Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario Per La Nanoelettronica-IUNET (Italy), di cui sono "terze parti":
Università degli Studi di Pisa (Italy)
Università degli Studi di Udine (Italy)
Politecnico di Milano (Italy)
ALMA MATER STUDIORUM-UNIVERSITA DI BOLOGNA
- Centro di Ricerca sui Sistemi Elettronici per l'Ingegneria dell'Informazione e delle Telecomunicazioni "Ercole De Castro" - ARCES
- Resp. Scientifico: Prof. Enrico Sangiorgi


Start date 01/05/2011

End date 30/04/2012

Duration 12 months

Project Reference 285406

Project cost 1.712.293 EURO

Project Funding 1.404.838 EURO

Area FP7- COOPERATION – ICT

Subprogramme Area ICT-2011.9.5: FET Flagship Initiative Preparatory Actions

Contract type Coordination and support action