The project partners are listed in the following table.
| Role(*) | Participant name | Short name | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CO | 1 | Centre Suisse d´Electronique et de Microtechnique SA | CSEM | Switzerland |
| CR | 2 | Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique | CEA | France |
| CR | 3 | Smartex s.r.l. | SMARTEX | Italy |
| CR | 4 | University of Pisa | UP | Italy |
| CR | 5 | Thuasne | THUASNE | France |
| CR | 6 | Penelope SpA | PENELOPE | France |
| CR | 7 | Sofileta | SOFILETA | France |
| CR | 8 | Dublin City University | DCU | Ireland |
(*) CO = Coordinator and CR = Contractor
CSEM is an applied research and development company involved in the design
and development of micro and miniaturised systems for industry. It has 270 employees
(mainly engineers and scientists) on three sites (Neuchâtel, Zurich and
Alpnach in Switzerland).
CSEM has long term and widespread competencies in the development of complex
systems and microsystems with medical monitoring applications. CSEM has a strong
R&D axis in Nanotechnologies for bio-applications. It participates together
with CEA-LETI, IMEC, NMRC and FhG in the Europe’s wise integration initiative
of Micro and Nanotechnologies Infrastructures, MNT Europe I3 project.
Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique (CEA) (France) is a public research organization with focus technological in innovation and technology transfer. The CEA-LETI (Laboratory for Electronics & Information Technology) is one of the largest applied research laboratories in Europe in the field of electronics and micro & nano-technology. Its main fields of technologies are Silicon Technologies, Optical components and multimedia, systems for biology and healthcare, data transmissions and telecommunications. Beginning of 2004 CEA-LETI launched a regional initiative called METIS in partnership with Rhône-Alpes industries in textile and paper market. METIS objective is to enhance and accelerate micro and nanotechnology diffusion in traditional industrial sectors by creating close contact relationship between applied research laboratories and industries including SME’s.
Smartex s.r.l. is a limited liability company founded in 1999 with the aim to
develop research and innovation activities in the textile field. The company was
created to answer the need of innovation and hi-technology transfer processes towards
the textile world by several leading manufacturing textile industries like Milior SpA
and Lineapiù Spa and financial partners like Gabbiano SpA.
The main activity of Smartex at present is the development of sensorised garments for
the monitoring of important vital signals, like electrocardiogram (ECG), respiration
rate, body activity (actigraphy), using yarns as sensors themselves, to be used in
biomedical and sport sectors.
Centro "E. Piaggio" is an Institute of the University of Pisa, working
to promote and perform multidisciplinary research in the fields of Bioengineering,
Robotics and Automation.
The mission of this Centre is to perform research work and form research personnel
for the study, design and exploitation of automation and biomedical devices. It
cooperates with private and public companies to study specific application problems
that need advanced or innovative solutions.
Close collaboration with the Department of Chemistry (University of Pisa) and with
the Institute of Clinical Physiology (National Research Council) allow involving further
researchers with expertise in analytical chemistry, medicine and sensor systems. Among
the wide range of research projects conducted by the Department of Chemistry and
Industrial Chemistry (DCCI), one can note biochemistry, organo-metallic chemistry and
polymers.
The main research areas of the Institute include materials engineering (piezoresistives,
piezoelectric polymer, polyelectrolyte gel, conducting polymer), and bioengineering:
"intelligent" materials and systems for sensing and actuation (i.e. artificial
senses - touch and olfaction, biosensors, pseudo-muscular actuators).
Thuasne is a producer of high added value finished products for the medical market
and sports protection. THUASNE is a European leader for elastic compression products.
Thuasne products also cover material for helping disabled people, as well as Home
Hospitalisation of patient (medical bed).
Thuasne will brings to the consortium its expertise and facilities in elastic textile
weaving or knitting, final garment design and confection, soft silicone moulding and
integration to garment.
Thuasne industrial activity relies on an extensive network of exclusive sales in all
Europe and North America, representatives in France regularly visits doctors, chemists,
orthopaedists, hospitals and clinics (specialised service for geriatrics and heavily
burned patient).
Penelope Group is a leading fabric manufacturing based on cotton and wool experience
where the Italian style tradition is combined with an incessant research of innovation.
Penelope Group production is oriented for the 50% on wool fabric, for the 20% on cotton,
20% viscose and the last 10% is represented by innovative materials as stain steel,
glass fibres and other smart materials fruit of the more advanced technological
innovation.
Furthermore, Penelope SpA participates in the company Luminex, a new Italian enterprise that,
thanks to their knowledge in optical fibres, integrates them into fabrics (they produces bags,
shoes, pillow, dresses, etc. that "glows" in the dark).
Due to the constant investment of the group in research (1 million Euros only in the
2001/2002 period), the weight of the production of innovative fabric is foreseen to
increase. Actually Penelope Group products are largely positioned in the Italian market
and for 5% oriented to international markets. The Group, employing 192 people with a core
of 20 highly qualified technicians, involves nine Italian companies all located in the
Prato district.
Sofileta, a SME based in the Rhône-Alpes region of France, is an integrated textile
manufacturer including weaving, knitting, dyeing, finishing, lamination and coating
(individual protection clothes - law enforcement, fire fighter, petrol industry,
mechanical industry).
Sofileta will bring within the consortium its expertise in textile manufacturing.
Furthermore, as a specialist of the market field of protective apparel, Sofileta will
help to establish the requirement of the individual protection needs. At the end Sofileta
will use is wide network of final end user and dedicated garments manufacturer for the
final product dissemination. Sofileta is in direct connection with most important
fire-fighter brigades, BSPP of Paris, Ministry of security and industry.
The National Center for Sensor Research (NCCR) has activities in three fields relevant to this project:
Project coordinator:
Jean Luprano
CSEM SA
Jaquet-Droz 1
CH-2007 Neuchâtel
Switzerland
T: +41 32 7205 378
F: +41 32 7205 720
