Future European platforms for the Edge: Meta Operating Systems (RIA)

ExpectedOutcome:

Proposal results are expected to contribute to the following expected outcomes:

• Next generation of higher-level (meta) operating systems for the smart Internet of Things with strong computing capacity at the smart device, system and edge-level, embedded in a compute continuum from IoT-to-edge-to-cloud. Such Operating system should be device independent and implement advanced concepts such as ad-hoc clouds, time-triggered IoT, and decentralised intelligence.
• Increasing European autonomy in data processing required to support future hyper-distributed applications by building open platforms and an open edge ecosystem including business models, driven by European actors.
• Achieving trust in these (meta) operating systems among actors in diverse industrial ecosystems by leveraging open standards and – where applicable – open source.
• Emergence of an open edge ecosystem including midcaps, SMEs and start-ups that foster the up-take of an edge operating system, e.g. through a modular functional spectrum of executable apps and services, for nurturing a European network of innovators and developers.
• Demonstrators in key industrial and societal applications, which in future require more power at the edge.

Scope:

Europe needs to strengthen its supply and value chains in cloud to edge computing by integrating relevant elements of computing, connectivity, IoT, AI and cybersecurity. Exploiting network functions such as adhoc – cloud/fog communication not limited to 5G , the objective is to develop meta operating systems for the edge that enable cloud and edge computing orchestrations by bringing computation, data and intelligence closer to where the data is produced (sensors and devices) and by which volume, variety, interoperability, and velocity should be handled efficiently and securely. This will make AI training and inference at the edge viable and lead to a next generation of internet-enabled automation concepts virtualizing computing and networking functions, multi-state analytics and digital twinning of underlying objects to improve end-to-end response time, to optimise the CO₂ footprint and benefit from the use of renewable energy sources. Validation should be done through proof of concept or prototype implementations for at least 3 different applications in domains such as mobility, logistics, manufacturing, energy and other utilities, buildings or farming.

Proposals are expected to use financial support to third parties (FSTP) to support industry, in particular SMEs, in take-up of emerging edge topologies, for populating and validating relevant use cases through experiments. A maximum of 20% of the budget is expected to be dedicated to FSTP and the maximum amount of FSTP is EUR 150.000 per third party for the entire duration of the action.

In this topic the integration of the gender dimension (sex and gender analysis) in research and innovation content is not a mandatory requirement.

Specific Topic Conditions:

Activities are expected to start at TRL 4 and achieve TRL 5 by the end of the project – see General Annex B.

Cross-cutting Priorities:

Digital Agenda
Artificial Intelligence