Europe currently has a leading position in key digital technologies. However, functional electronics is one of several emerging digital transformation areas with no established players, but with the potential to significantly disrupt strategic sectors. Harnessing the full potential of functional electronics will enable Europe to exploit cutting-edge climate-neutral digital solutions to strengthen its leadership, and to seize on emerging opportunities by addressing existing technological gaps in multiple sectors. Functional Electronics has found application in a wide range of sectors and domains including in hybrid Integrated circuits (ICs) or flexible systems. Its global market was worth €15.4billion in 2017 and is expected to reach €37.7billion by 2023, a CAGR of 11%. Despite this growth, functional electronics can generate additional value via the adoption and implementation of new and efficient eco-design approaches at product, process, and business model levels. SusFE will advance the development of functional electronics for green and circular economy by developing a sustainable design and production platform for roll-to-roll manufacturing of the next generation of wearable and diagnostic devices that combine a SusFE toolbox of sustainable components comprising novel flexible integrated circuit (FlexIC) on polymer substrate with ultra-low power printed sensors/biosensors, and wireless communication driven by an organic and recyclable bioenzymatic fuel cell. This will lead to highly integrated and autonomously operating systems that are lightweight, environmentally sustainable, and low cost. SusFE uses of a combination of sustainable materials and processes to deliver climate-neutral digital solutions including wound monitoring, self-blood sampling/testing and point-of-care devices.

Research on Poverty-Related Diseases (PRDs) in sub-Saharan Africa suffers from major technological and non-technological challenges that prevent high quality healthcare to reach many areas. Not only their performance, but also the affordability, manufacturability, suitability for Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) and deployment of the (few) available diagnostics are main barriers to ensure good quality of healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa. The HoliCare project aims to tackle such challenges from a holistic perspective, by bridging the gap between technological excellence, available infrastructures, capacity, and local uptake of new technologies. We have chosen to work with lower respiratory infections as a blueprint for our new approach due to their huge clinical and socioeconomic impact, and relevance to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Technology-wise, we propose a 2-tiered, digitally interfaced diagnostic approach that will start in the field using multiplexed lateral flow tests for rapid screening and triage, followed by a referral to a hospital (when needed) and a follow-up detailed diagnosis using a POC-Instrument performing simultaneous nucleic acid amplification (LAMP) for pathogen identification and immunoassays for host biomarker quantitation. Digital and manufacturing infrastructures will encompass these technology innovations to ensure future local product development. Quality controlled biobanks will be developed for executing reliable clinical studies. Training and human capital investment will be achieved by focussed and high-level training activities. Adoption and implementation activities will pave the way for the proposed diagnostic solutions to be successfully deployed, fitting the purpose of the local populations. Our developments will be scalable, adaptable and transferrable to other diseases and national (eco) systems, aiming to contribute to the improvement of healthcare delivery in sub-Saharan Africa.

To enable retailers in collaboration to develop sophisticated e/m/omni-commerce activity via online 'Independent Retailer Department Store' and a Carlisle market place ' app.

To produce a toolkit for reduction in carbon emissions in self-catering properties by engaging owners in best practice and installing and monitoring energy efficiency improvements.

To create, implement and exploit a GIS-enabled, standards-compliant on-line recording tool for collating freshwater biological records for use by non-scientists and investigate sustainable income streams.

To develop and implement an integrated plan for landscape carbon management.