The 2DNEURALVISION project receives EU funding to develop a novel low-power consumption, adverse weather, low light computer vision system
The Horizon Europe project 2DNeuralVision kicked off on 9th – 10th October in Castelldefels, Barcelona. Funded with 5.5 million euros from the European Commission, this initiative seeks to develop the enabling photonic and electronic integrated circuit components to achieve a novel computer vision system that could be used under any weather and low light conditions, while also keeping low power consumption. Its results can lead to disruptive innovations in sectors like the automotive industry.
“I am very excited and proud to coordinate this multidisciplinary effort that aspires to achieve breakthroughs in computer vision technology for machine imaging and automotive industry applications. 2DNeuralVision will innovate image sensors with high performance, low cost and scalable manufacturing technologies as well as demonstrate optical neural networks with unprecedented power efficiency and computation capabilities.
At the heart of this Horizon Europe project lie 2-dimensional materials (Graphene and TMDCs – Transition Metal Dichalcogenide monolayers) and quantum dots, two material platforms whose impact and importance have been recognized with 2 Nobel Prizes. I am looking forward to closely working with all partners that are leaders in their corresponding fields, to bring this technology closer to market for the benefit of society at large.”
Gerasimos Konstatantos, project coordinator at ICFO
The consortium of 2DNeuralVision is formed by 7 organisations from 4 different European countries, coordinated by ICFO (ES). The other project partners are QURV Technologies (ES), BLACK – Black Semiconductor GMBH (DE), UHEI – Heidelberg University (DE), IMEC (BE), Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft (DE), and FI Group (PT). Moreover, the project takes part in Graphene Flagship, a large-scale European initiative to advance Europe’s strategic autonomy in technologies that rely on graphene and other 2-dimensional materials, such as Transition Metal Dichalcogenide (TMDC).
The EU project celebrated its kick-off meeting on the 9th and 10th of October 2023, hosted at ICFO, in Barcelona. The event propelled the first contact between all partners, who shared their technical backgrounds and presented their expected contributions to 2DNeuralVision. The meeting ended with a Lab tour, followed by a planning of the upcoming activities and deliverables.
2DNEURALVISION, a major step toward optical neuromorphic systems
The Horizon Europe project aims to develop the enabling components for a low-power consumption, computer vision system that could be used for adverse weather and low light conditions. These components involve a 2-dimensional enhanced wide spectrum image sensor and optical neural network with enabling 2-dimensional passive and active elements.
Moreover, using 2-dimensional materials will allow for smaller devices with greater functionality, when compared to the silicon technologies of today. Therefore, the project results will enable disruptive improvements in areas such as the automotive industry, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), service robotic, and mobile device sectors.
A wider impact on European autonomy in strategic areas
2DNeuralVision will make significant progress towards the integration of 2D materials technology by developing European competence in semiconductor process technologies, with the development of waferscale black end-of-line processes for graphene and Transition Metal Dichalcogenide (TMDC).
Consequently, the EU project will have a wider impact on Europe’s strategic autonomy by sustaining first-mover advantages in strategic areas, including artificial intelligence (AI), data, robotics, quantum computing, and graphene, which can be key to sectors like the automotive industry.At the same time, it will invest in emerging enabling technologies, reinforcing the European industry leadership across the digital supply chain and generating robust European industrial and technology presence in all key parts of a greener digital supply chain, from low-power components to advanced systems, future networks, new data technologies and platforms.
