CTEC identified as a key innovator by European Commission’s Innovation Radar
The Innovation Radar is a European Commission website that identifies high potential innovations and innovators related to EU-funded research and innovation projects. The goal of this website is to give anyone the opportunity to identify the innovators who will create the future success stories of European industry.
In the frame of the H2020 PULSE-COM project (grant agreement 863227), CTEC was involved in the development of actuators and mechanisms based on photomobile polymers. Following the project results, CTEC has been identified in 4 innovations:
- A novel harvesting topology of combined photomobile polymer and piezoelectric films in solar concentrating systems.
- A photoactivated mechanical switch based on photomobile materials.
- A photoactivated mechanical valve based on photomobile materials.
- A photoenergy harvesting system based on solar turbines for green energy.
These innovation add to innovations previously listed from other projects, and confirm the role of CTEC as a key innovator in European technologies.
Photomobile polymers are a new class of smart materials that convert light into mechanical movement, which offers opportunities of creating innovative solutions such as actuators, mechanisms, or energy harvesters. With a technology controlled by light, working without batteries nor electricity, many common engineering issues can be solved: integration with feedthroughs, EMC compliance, non-magnetic environment, ATEX areas, product maintenance.
The potential markets that can be addressed by these innovations are green energy, biotechnologies, Internet of Things in remote areas, space, instrumentation.
