Ministers Harris and Coveney announce €2.4 million funding for Defence Forces to develop innovative solutions to challenges facing them
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Ó: An Roinn Breisoideachais agus Ardoideachais, Taighde, Nuálaíochta agus Eolaíochta
- Foilsithe: 17 Feabhra 2022
- An t-eolas is déanaí: 12 Aibreán 2025
The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris, and Minister for Defence and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, today (Thursday) announced €2.4 million in funding to develop disruptive solutions to challenges facing the Irish Defence Forces.
10 research teams have been shortlisted for the SFI-Defence Organisation Innovation Challenge. These teams will collaborate with the Defence Forces and compete for funding to develop disruptive solutions to a number of challenges identified by the Defence Organisation that are of broad relevance to society.
Ideas include a portable device that detects biological agents, AI technology to assist the Irish Air Corps fight wildfires, reducing the carbon footprint of its vehicle fleet to a novel prototype marine electric motor and a co-operative system that will allow a human controller and robot to work together to manoeuvre aircraft.
Speaking today, Minister Harris said:
“This is a really exciting announcement. Today’s announcement shows the value of a partnership between our research community and the Defence Forces. The innovation on display can help address existing and future challenges within our Defence Forces.
“There is a myriad of innovative ideas and expertise from machine learning and virtual reality to data analytics, engineering, and robotics. Today, the ten projects will be awarded funding to initiate their projects and one will secure €1 million in funding.”
Congratulating the shortlisted teams, Minister Coveney said:
“From the time we launched this challenge last July, I believed that it would confront emerging issues within the Defence Forces head-on, through the collaboration of leading researchers with the talented people behind our Defence Forces.
“At EU level, the role of innovation and disruptive technologies in delivering next generation military capability is already well recognised. I am looking forward to seeing the results that this synergy of innovators and practitioners under this challenge will undoubtedly generate for the Defence Forces going forward.”
Prof Philip Nolan, Director General, Science Foundation Ireland, said:
“Challenge-based research funding empowers talented teams to address significant national and global challenges. This kind of collaboration between Government Departments, agencies such as the Defence Forces, companies, researchers, and entrepreneurs is just one of the ways science delivers real and tangible benefits for our society and economy.
“I want to commend each team on their hard work and dedication and wish them every success in the rest of the competition. Having this level of talent compete in this Challenge not only bodes well for this particular initiative but the future of scientific research more generally. I look forward to seeing the different solutions that develop as the competition continues.”
Notes
About Science Foundation Ireland
Science Foundation Ireland Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) is the national foundation for investment in research in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), which assists in the development and competitiveness of industry, enterprise and employment in Ireland. It also promotes and supports STEM education and engagement to improve awareness and understanding of the value of STEM to society and to support the STEM careers pipeline.
We believe that scientific knowledge and understanding benefit the whole of society and the economy – join the conversation online at #BelieveInScience on Twitter at @scienceirel. See the Science Foundation Ireland website for more information.
Defence Organisation
The Department of Defence and Defence Forces make up the Defence Organisation.
About the SFI-Defence Organisation Innovation Challenge
Challenge-based funding is a solution-focused approach to research funding that uses prizes, strict timelines, teamwork and competition to direct research activities at ambitious societal problems.
The Challenge consists of three phases: Concept, Seed and Prize Award. 10 successful teams were today awarded funding to initiate their projects. They will then undergo a rigorous progress review after 3 months and up to 5 shortlisted teams will be provided with further funding of €200k to validate and prototype their proposed solutions. Finalists will then compete for the overall prize award of €1m.
The teams are drawn from various disciplines, including computer science, mechanical engineering, and natural sciences. They bring forward a myriad of innovative ideas and expertise from machine learning and virtual reality to data analytics, engineering, and robotics.
For more visit the SFI Challenge website.