The aims of the project are experimental and computational research of strong transition metal sulfate solutions, in close collaboration with Boliden Kokkola. These transition metal electrolyte solutions, such as zinc, cobalt, and nickel sulfate solutions, are industrially relevant eg. due to the increased use of lithium-ion batteries. New scientific data of the solubility properties of metal salts is produced, with the aim to understand related process phenomena at the fundamental level. This data is applied to control and/or even to prevent industrially relevant process challenges. Project is highly ambitious, because the properties of electrolyte solutions are not known, and reference data does not exist. Thus, modelling requires also new reliable experimental data, which is produced.

Extended reality and immersive digital environments will set extremely high-performance requirements for wireless networks. Field tests in the first 5G networks have proven 5G capability for a Gbps access link on mm-waves. However, immersive viewing in multi-user environments requires extremely high area capacity, which is not yet achieved with 5G. In this project, Nokia Bell Labs and Centre for Wireless Communications of University of Oulu devise an emerging vision of mmWave-based mobile immersive digital environment, delivers a physical layer connectivity framework accounting for specific effects of directional mmWave connectivity, and allows efficient utilization of the increasingly affordable in-device memory via multipoint coded caching.

The Body Mass Index (BMI) has increased and today over 50% are considered obese. High BMI increases risks for diabetes and metabolic syndrome. The reasons are that calorie intake exceeds consumption, and ageing is associated muscle reduction thus reduced energy consumption. Physical exercise affecs positively these conditions includingthe brain by increasing cardiovascular performance and brain gas exchange. Two challenges will be targeted between the academic and Polar company: 1) How to motivate laymen and diabetic people of at high risk for this for physical exercise and 2) How to establish novel rewarding biofeedback biosensor loops that will illustrate clearly, rapidly and in exiting ways the positive impact of the physical and associated mental exercise to the performer.

Wearable non-invasive molecular sensing technology will be an essential part for future personalized medicine. Current non-invasive wearable devices monitor heart rate and other physical, kinetic values such as temperature and body gestures, steps and location. It would be of tremendous added value if they could identify and quantify health factors that take part in control of human physiology, such as sweat glucose that reflects blood glucose level. Failure to control blood glucose increases Body Mass Index, resulting in tremendous health risks in current society. This project aims to develop a wearable optical sensor on skin by integrating an electro-plasmonic chip into an optical watch that together allows controllable sweat stimulation and on-watch detection of the sweat glucose.