LICOM +: Competence centre microsystems - liquid handling competence centre

• Unité de recherche: PCRD EU
• Numéro de projet: 02.0453
• Titre du projet anglais: LICOM +: Competence centre microsystems - liquid handling competence centre

Mots-clé (Anglais)

Information Processing; Information Systems; Innovation; Technology Transfer

Autre Numéro de projet (Anglais)

EU project number: IST-2001-34364

Programme de recherche (Anglais)

EU-programme: 5. Frame Research Programme - 1.2.4 Essential technologies and infrastructures

Description succincte (Anglais)

See abstract

Résumé des résultats (Abstract) (Anglais)

The ultimate goal of this project is to support industry, especially SMEs, to overcome impediments hindering transfer of know-how in microsystems technology into products thereby contributing to enhanced competitiveness of European industry. Access to technologies and infrastructures in the domain microfluidics with a focus on applications in Life Sciences. Companies will be supported by: Consulting and Information services to enhance confidence and know-how. Technology transfer and brokerage will help to bridge the gap between development and production. These activities will be supported by marketing to raise awareness. Close cooperations with other SPs will support brokerage services. The interdisciplinary composition and industry oriented approach of the consortium will result in new projects with a total volume of 6 MEuro.

Objectives:
The overall objective of LICOM is to stimulate the use of Microsystem Technology (MST) by facilitating access to and support take-up in the field of liquid handling. The focus is on a clearly defined target group: companies, especially SMEs, active in the field of Life Sciences. The take-up of these technologies will improve existing products, lead to new innovative products and services and will thus contribute to increased European competitiveness. This overall objective will be pursued by enhancing awareness on technology and market opportunities, facilitating access to RTD, design, prototyping and manufacturing, providing consultation and training services offering feasibility studies and building up European-wide co-operation networks. These services are based on the consortiums interdisciplinary scientific and technical competences gained not only in a previous project but in yearlong experience.

Work description:
In order to enhance awareness on microsystems technology and to get in contact with potential users, various tasks based on the experience made in the previous project have been designed. A brochure dedicated to inform on the defined technologies and to facilitate the initiation of new developments will be elaborated. The professional website including an encompassing database will be adapted to the consortium and continuously maintained. Special effort will be put to update the mentioned database giving profound information on the field. Presentations at international exhibitions will raise additional awareness for the project. Potential customers will be pro-actively contacted continuously. At the start project presentations in different European countries will be given. Consultation services will provide further assistance to interested companies. These will be in form of answering individual questions and/or in form of different workshops. Innovation workshops are at least half day events that bring together heads of development, production and marketing with MST experts aimed at finding new application areas by the cross-fertilisation of ideas. Application oriented workshops are addressed to a number of companies interested in the same application area. These workshops will bring together four to five experts in MST and experts in the area of life sciences (application) with some user companies. They will throw light on a certain development from an application oriented point of view. A new international exhibition with accompanying symposium will be launched in order to address a larger group of potential clients but still with a well focussed topic. Feasibility studies and training services will complement the offer. Technology transfer and partner search will be offered on the basis of the existing large European contact network. Services like design and manufacturing will be offered also, including own ones and services offered by EUROPRACTICE partners.

Milestones:
The work of the Competence Centre will ease access to MST, more specifically to fluid handling systems in the area of life sciences and thereby improve European competitiveness. It will strengthen and complement the already existing offers within the EUROPRACTICE network. The results in terms of new contracts initiated by the project are expected to exceed 4 MEuro. Milestones: Mid term assessment, final report.

Références bases de données (Anglais)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 02.0453