Step into future leading smart technologies for biological apps with EC support

LYON, FRANCE: The COWIN project re-inforces its activities in the field of smart technologies for diagnostic and medical applications. This project, supported by the European Commission has been launched for three years and is dedicated to facilitate access to advanced technologies developed in the course of FP6 and FP7 European research projects.

Smart technology and sensors experience a huge growth in the Life Sciences field due to their unique ability to interact with their environment and to act consequently. Diagnostic and life science applications for smart systems saw an estimated 14 percent growth in 2009 to become a $1.5 billion market for the first time in 2010 according to Yole Développement estimates.Source: Yole Développement, France.

The European Commission is very supportive to innovation in miniaturized smart systems for biological applications since it represents a strong opportunity to strengthen the European Competitiveness while answering to today’s societal challenges.

Indeed, if smart technologies are well known in IT and communication as illustrated by the smart phones revolution, smart systems are also very promising in the Life Sciences field. They make especially possible earlier in vivo and in vitro diagnostic of diseases. They lead also to innovative medical devices for better treatment. The growing quality control market in the agro-food industry and the market for environment safety are also taking benefit of the smart systems innovation.

In this context, part of the current FP7 European Call closing in January 2012 is especially dedicated to micro and nano bioconvergence systems’ research projects driven by applications’ requirements. Results of such R&D projects are expected to bring key differentiation to support the market penetration of smart systems in the Life Science field. A budget of 39 M€ is dedicated to this topic.

The European Commission is also facilitating the access to advanced smart systems technologies through the COWIN action that extracts and promotes the best of the European FP6 and FP7 R&D projects’ results. It includes in particular for biological applications:
* Fully integrated detection platform.
* Chemical and gas smart sensors with higher specificity and sensitivity.
* Innovation process for cartridge production.
* Newly solution for reagents integration.
* Data transmission monitoring.
* Innovation in sensors for Body Area Network (BAN).
* Innovative sensors for medical imaging.
* Innovative robotics and surgical tools.

Smart systems for biological applications represent a real business opportunity. The European industry is well positioned to reach a leading position in this field since it benefits of key players and competencies all along the value chain.

Large companies, but especially SMEs and start-up companies, are strongly encouraged to take benefit of the European Commission’s support to optimize their access to this promising innovation, reduce their time to market and strengthen their leadership in their targeted markets.