The COREnext project aims to build a computing architecture and digital components for sustainable and trustworthy B5G and 6G processing. This architecture must support an open, multi-vendor and multi-tenant disaggregated RAN by employing virtualization technology. A step forward in digital component design must be made to address the compute throughput and energy-efficiency requirements. This is addressed by the development of powerful and efficient heterogeneous accelerators, purpose-built for RAN computation and signal processing, as well as ultra-high-speed and low-power interconnects to support disaggregation of compute resources. A cornerstone of the project is trustworthiness. The pervasiveness of B5G and 6G use cases requires deeply embedded hardware trust anchors to fulfil the vision of secure disaggregated compute systems. To realize these goals, the project brings together major telecommunications and microelectronics players as well as academic research partners. A strategic roadmap will offer a transparent path towards future exploitation of the generated research results, fostering a continuing European strategy for the emergence of European digital capabilities in this communication-computing domain.

During the last decades, supply chains have become huge networks of heterogeneous organisations involved in the manufacturing and delivery of products to end users. The appearance of IoT is transforming every sector subject to be digitalized. After a period of evaluation of the use of IoT, companies are now moving to complete digitalization of their supply chains. Under this paradigm, iNGENIOUS (Next-GENeration IoT sOlutions for the Universal Supply chain) will exploit some of the most innovative and emerging technologies in line with the standardised trend, contributing to the Next-Generation IoT (NG-IoT) and proposing technical and business enablers to build a complete platform for supply chain management. iNGENIOUS embraces the 5G Infrastructure Association (5G IA) and Alliance for Internet of Things Innovation (AIOTI) vision for empowering smart manufacturing and smart mobility verticals. The iNGENIOUS network layer brings new smart 5G-based IoT functi¬onalities, federated Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC) nodes and smart orchestration, needed for enabling the projected real-time capable use cases of the supply chain. Security and data management are fully recognized as important features in the project. iNGENIOUS will create a holistic security architecture for next-generation IoT built on neuromorphic sensors with security governed by Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms and tile-based hardware architectures based on security by design and isolation by default. In the application layer, iNGENIOUS new AI mechanisms will allow more precise predictions than conventional systems. Project outcomes will be validated into 4 large-scale Proof of Concept demonstration, covering 1 factory, 2 ports, and 1 ship, encompassing 6 uses cases. iNGENIOUS is formed by 21 partners from eight countries, including three telecom vendors and manufacturers, two network operators, four logistics partners, two universities, three research institutes and seven high-tech SMEs.

To deliver on our European 6G vision for the 2030s, and to tackle opportunities and challenges of increasing magnitude, e.g., sustainability, trustworthiness, green deal efficiency, digital inclusion, there is need for a flagship project, towards the elaboration of a holistic 6G network platform and system. To fill this need, Hexa-X-II is proposed with the ambition of being this flagship project, and of inspiring the world for digital transformation through novel 6G services. Hexa-X-II will work, beyond enabler-oriented research, to optimized systemization, early validation, and proof-of-concept; work will progress from the 6G key enablers that connect the human, physical, and digital worlds, as explored in Hexa-X, to advanced technology readiness levels, including key aspects of modules / protocols / interfaces / data. Hexa-X II includes: (a) the provision of advanced / refined use cases, services, and requirements, ensuring value for society; (b) the delivery of the 6G platform blueprint, which will encompass enhanced connectivity for 6G services, mechanisms realizing the “networks beyond communications” vision (sensing, computing, trustworthy AI), efficient network management schemes; (c) the realization of extended validation at system and component level; (d) actions for global impact, while assuring strategic autonomy in critical areas for the EU. Europe is starting from the pole position with 6G research and is leading wireless network technologies today. Now is the time to leverage our joint research ambition with a flagship project that will lead the R&D effort towards end-to-end systemization and validation. The Hexa-X-II flagship is a unique effort and a holistic vision, of a 6G system of integrated technology enablers, which accomplish “beyond the sum of the parts”, and of a “network beyond communications” platform for disruptive economic / environmental / societal impact; these are vital for establishing the European 6G technology leadership!

For the EU health industry to be competitive and to sustainably deliver internationally leading care quality, it is important that EU regulation, guidelines and standards enable effective and interoperable digital health innovation and promote a vibrant entrepreneurial EU sector. Safety and competitiveness are not mutually exclusive. To deliver on them requires a pace and intensity of technological innovation that is matched by intensive regulatory innovation. Smarter, adaptive, dynamic, and evidence-based regulatory approaches are needed, based on real world experience in representative use scenarios. CYMEDSEC has been designed with an optimum consortium of regulatory, cybersecurity, technology, evaluation, and clinical EU experts to address exactly this challenge. It provides close feedback loops between new technological paradigms and recommendation of regulatory approaches, fostering regulatory science fresh thinking. It will deliver novel security-by-design solutions for the oversight of ‘Internet of Medical Things’ (IoMT) devices, including connected in vitro diagnostics. IoMT ‘fleet’ cybersecurity oversight systems will be developed. Use cases explored include remote patient monitoring and critical care scenarios, for which the project will develop novel and highly secure gateway middleware. Our technological and methodological advancement will go hand-in-hand with detailed review of regulations and guidelines, the formal creation of a new IoMT cybersecurity standard, and evidence collection from representative case studies. These objectives are holistically interlinked, with learnings form each work area feeding into development and proposals in other areas. Key to this is the in-project development of a cybersecurity benefit-risk toolbox, which will further develop the state of the art, using qualitative and quantitively approaches, and will make these available as easily usable and findable Open-Source resources for manufactures and regulatory bodies.

The challenges and major HiCONNECTS objectives are to transform the centralized cloud platform to decentralized platforms which include edge cloud computing in a sustainable, energy-efficient way. This will bring cloud services including Artificial Intelligence (AI) closer to the IOT end-users, which enables them to really use the COT and IOT efficiently. The technologies underpinning this revolutionary step include the development of high-performance computing, storage infrastructure, network interfaces and connecting media , and the analysis of IOT sensors and big data in real-time. This major step forward will enable, for example, the mobile clients (during the 5G deployment phase and 6G exploration) to move among different places with minimum cost, short response time and with stable connection between cloud nodes and mobile devices. The main underlying technology to be developed by the HiCONNECTS consortium, comprising large industrial players, universities and RTO’s, and many SMEs, can be summarized under the title: ’heterogenous integration’ (HI) which is needed to meet the computing power, bandwidth, latency and sensing requirements for the next generation cloud and edge computing and applications. The HI revolution brings the electronic components and systems (ECS) into a new domain, which combines traditional silicon wafers integrated circuit (IC), InP based high speed electronics , and Si and InP photonics devices and interconnect. The HiCONNECTS ambition is to demonstrate, through HI development, a leap in computing and networking reliability and performances across the full vertical and horizontal ECS value chain (i.e. essential capabilities and key applications) in a sustainable way. In addition, HiCONNECTS will focus on the development of next generation design, algorithms, equipment (HW/SW), systems and Systems of Systems (SOS).