PONS IP, a global consulting firm specialising in intellectual property, is participating in H2TRAIN, the largest project funded under the European Chips Act, with 24 million Euros. The consortium consists of 35 public and private institutions, SMEs and large companies from six EU Member States (Austria, Germany, Spain, Finland, France, Italy, Poland), where Spain is the coordinating Member State represented by the University Institute of Applied Microelectronics (IUMA) of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
H2TRAIN, based on issues addressed by the ECS Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (ECS-SRIA), aims to apply the innovation potential of digital technologies to smart sports and health care with the support of Artificial Intelligence networks. The main challenges are the development of new prototypes of smart biosensors made of graphene that can be attached to the skin like a sticker or be part of the fabric of clothing. These biosensors will enable the continuous monitoring of athletes, chronic patients or patients undergoing rehabilitation processes, in whom it will be possible to measure, among other things, physiological signals from their bodies, as well as biomarkers related to stress, through measuring components in sweat (cortisol, lactate and C-reactive protein), which are manufactured through the functionalisation of graphene.
In addition, electrodes will also be attached to garments to sense different electrical parameters of human physiology and energy recovery by thermoelectricity and piezoelectricity. It will also be possible to develop this application for monitoring the elderly population who require regular medical care. In this way, the integration of 1D and 2D materials (1DM and 2DM) for self-powered biosensors in mature foundational layers of CMOS technology will promote the growth of AI-assisted e-health services and to serve applications of the Internet of Things (IoT) in health and wellness and the digital society.
The project brings together the entire supply chain, from R&D and manufacturing of microsystems to electronics assembly, physical integration in wearables and textiles and smart systems integration (implementation of software and AI algorithms). In addition, the design, testing and validation of the proposed solutions will be carried out with a medical approach and from the perspective of sports science experts, with a substantial contribution from social sciences and humanities, and with external guidance from end-user cohorts and the organisation of related parties concerned throughout the development cycle.
The PONS IP consulting firm, in turn, will prepare the protocol defining the process, conditions and restrictions for the public disclosure of the project results, representing the figure of “IP developer” in the H2TRAIN project, participating mainly in the preparation and management of the Personal Data Protection Report, leading WP7 in terms of IPR management, ensuring the implementation of the Dissemination, Exploitation and Communication Plan (DECP), and helping in the creation of a governance structure different from that of the consortium.
PONS IP thereby contributes to the path to market from the beginning of the temporary development of the H2TRAIN proposal through the dissemination and communication strategy and by providing intellectual property right management for the entire consortium.
For Isabel Marco, Head of Innovation Projects at PONS IP, participating in this project means consolidating the company’s presence and participation in consortium projects, with this project being the fifth one currently underway. “On this occasion the project is a new and exciting challenge where, once again, it is incredible to share time and ideas with some of the brightest minds in the sports and medical technology sector. We are proud that, from the coordination of the project, the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has relied on PONS IP for management of the Intellectual Property of the exploitable products stemming from the project, helping in project communication activities as well as safeguarding its exploitation plan.”
Juan Antonio Montiel-Nelson, professor in the Department of Electronic and Automatic Engineering at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and coordinator of the project, assures that “PONS IP’s experience provides a complementary and unique contribution to the entire value chain of the consortium.”
The project, which places Spain at the forefront in health care and intelligent sports training, also allows Europe to position itself ahead of the United States and China in semiconductor technology.
