October 14, 2011 — The COWIN project is a European Commission (EC) initiative under FP6 and FP7 European research projects for smart nano and micro technologies benefiting diagnostic and medical applications. The 3-year project has a January 2012 closing for micro and nano bioconvergence systems’ research projects.
Smart technology and sensors interact with environments and act on the data collected. Diagnostic and life science applications for smart systems saw an estimated 14% growth in 2009, and became a $1.5 billion market in 2010, according to Yole Développement. The European Commission expects smart sensors to grow in the life sciences field like they have taken off in smartphone applications. Uses include earlier in vivo and in vitro diagnosis of diseases, better medical devices, quality control in the agro-food industry, and environment safety.
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| Figure. Microsystem devices for healthcare applications, 2009-2015 (US$ million). SOURCE: Yole, September 2011. |
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.
Also read: European competitiveness in miniaturized smart systems
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.
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.
COWIN is a support action launched under the 7th framework Program for 3 years to strengthen the European competitiveness in miniaturized smart systems. Learn more at www.cowin4u.eu.