Home of Innovation 2018 by TU Delft

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Innovation Stories about knowledge transfer by Valorisation Centre Removing barriers Driving innovation within the EU Interview Lotte Leufkens â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I want to be a role model for female entrepreneursâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Experimenting in the wild A special lab report

Home of

Innovation Stories about knowledge transfer by Valorisation Centre

Colophon Contents Production TU Delft Valorisation Centre Malou Spruit, Jurjen Slump Text and Editing Jurjen Slump Infographic Pascalle Karthaus Lay-out

‘Digital is the new foundation of our society’ Interview Gerard de Graaf

Six million euros in research funding to prevent sports injuries

Edauw en Johannissen © TU Delft Valorisation Centre - 2018

Prevention and improvements

Liesbeth van Dam, TU Delft Media Solutions Print

Performing under (water) pressure Water management

Jasper Deuten about living labs

Labs Research | Field | Living

Research Lab RADD

Research Lab Delft Blockchain Lab

Field Lab Field lab in the North Sea

‘Living labs important for solving social issues’

Introduction

TU Delft Labs Infographic

Field Lab RoboHouse

Living Lab The Green Village

Living Lab Medical Delta

Living Lab AMS Institute

‘I want to be a role model for female entrepreneurs’

‘Our connection is through the people’

Interview Lotte Leufkens

Column Marja van Bijsterveldt

In the third edition of Home of Innovation, we take an in-depth look at a phenomenon that has become increasingly popular in recent years: living labs. More and more frequently we see new applications being tested in small-scale, more or less uncontrolled urban environments. End users, often residents, are essential for research outcomes. Co-creation is the magic word. Living labs and field labs are powerful tools for knowledge valorisation. But what makes an experimental test site a living lab? How do we explain its overnight popularity? And what is the difference with smart industry field labs, which are also becoming increasingly widespread? Researcher Jasper Deuten of the Rathenau Institute, who has carried out a research study on living labs, will explain it all to us. Of course, we also take a closer look at a number of initiatives in which TU Delft is involved. In this edition, we pay special attention to the European Union. The large-scale research and development programmes have fuelled Brussels’ ambitions to become a major driver of innovation. But what is the underlying vision of the European Commission on innovation? How does the EU encourage technology transfer, entrepreneurship and how does Brussels regard the activities in the Netherlands? Read the long interview with Gerard de Graaf, a Dutchman who is partly responsible for shaping the digital market in Europe. TU Delft has traditionally been a male stronghold, but fortunately many women are also making their mark today. Student Lotte Leufkens, who launched the start-up CloudCuddle a few years ago, talked to us about entrepreneurship, the challenges she faces and her role as a female entrepreneur. With her inspiring story, she will hopefully pave the way for many women after her. Finally, I’d like to point out that, from this edition onwards, Home of Innovation can also be found online. All our stories from this edition as well as previous ones are available in an attractive long-read format on tudelft.nl/kennisvalorisatie/ home-of-innovation. A more detailed overview of the (living) labs at TU Delft will also be offered online.

Paul Althuis Director Valorisation Centre and Delft Enterprises

Interview with Gerard de Graaf, Director for the Digital Single Market at the European Commission

‘Digital is the new foundation of our society’ By Jurjen Slump

The European Union is an important driver of innovation. Both TomTom and Skype originated from EU research and development programmes. Brussels is therefore of great importance for scientists, as well as for startups and SMEs. What is the EU’s underlying vision on innovation and how does the European Commission regard the Netherlands and TU Delft in this respect? Someone who knows all about this is the Dutchman Gerard de Graaf, Director for the Digital Single Market at DG CONNECT.

he example comes up a few times during the interview to illustrate the importance of a single internal digital market, because that’s where it all starts. “Paradoxically enough, today it’s easier to send a box across the border than it is to transmit bits and bytes for providing digital services throughout Europe,” says De Graaf. And this in a time when a society without digital services is unimaginable. “In the past, ‘digital’ was an industry. Today it’s the foundation of our entire society.”

Free flow of data “The economy is all about data,” he

continues. “All of us are occupied with artificial intelligence, highperformance computing, the cloud and 5G.” A precondition, however, is a “free flow of data” throughout the EU. “What’s the use of high-performance computing if the data to be run through those computers are missing? And what’s the use of artificial intelligence if the algorithms do not have any data to process?” According to De Graaf, data are “absolutely essential”, and this “free flow” of data is a prerequisite for investing in these new technologies. All the more so because Europe does not have large platforms such as Google, Amazon or Facebook giving access to enormous amounts of data.

Removing obstacles Creating the right preconditions and removing obstacles: that’s how De Graaf summarises the core of the European Commission’s policy on innovation. “Only then will we have a large, single market. If the EU remains fragmented, we will not get the advantages enjoyed by the Americans and the Chinese and we will not be able to achieve our goals.” De Graaf emphasises that, in order to remove the obstacles, it is important to pay due attention to technological developments. “Technology and policy must go hand-in-hand, because technology works within a broader context.” A context that also involves related issues such as the protection

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Start-up Europe Removing obstacles, free flow of data, a single internal market: these are all abstract things. What does this policy actually mean for start-ups, SMEs and researchers in practice? How do you bring the 27 Member States, with all their differences, in line with one another? The answer is: customised solutions. Linking up with existing, successful initiatives and trying to strengthen these further. “Of course, a lot of this is already in place. It’s not that we want to set up new structures. There are ongoing initiatives in many countries, such as RoboValley in Delft, which are doing exactly what we have in mind. They should definitely continue with what they are doing,” says De Graaf. “If we can strengthen these initiatives from within the EU, then that’s what we should do.” For example, we have the Startup Europe programme initiated by former

European Commissioner Neelie Kroes, specifically for start-ups. The aim of this programme is to connect the various pockets of excellence within Europe - one of which is Delft with one another. As a result, start-ups can scale up faster and come into contact with investors, accelerators and knowledge institutions via the Startup Europe network.

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of personal data, cybersecurity and intellectual property.

Digital Innovation Hubs For small and medium-sized businesses that want to make use of new technological innovations, socalled Digital Innovation Hubs have been set up. These are ‘local ecosystems’ comprised of large and small companies, start-ups, incubators and investors, centred around a large research institution or university. The aim is to help companies, and particularly SMEs, to deploy new technology.

“One of the big challenges is how we can make our industry even more competitive with the help of digital innovations,” explains De Graaf. Large companies, such as those in the automotive industry, are already doing this, but it is more difficult for small and medium-sized >>

companies to translate new technology into new business models or production processes. “This is where we feel that the Digital Innovation Hubs can play an important role.” Companies can approach these hubs for getting advice from scientists, while other companies could be brought up to speed on, for example, artificial intelligence or big data. They will receive assistance in developing a new business model and testing and implementing the necessary technology. In the field of robotics, the smart-industry field lab RoboHouse will be opened in Delft this year for this very purpose.

Living labs

Here too, the keyword is customisation. “‘Digital Innovation Hub’ is a bit of a catch-all term.” Many existing knowledge clusters do the same work, without actually being labelled as such. “But naturally we’re not going to tell the Member States: this is how we want you to do it. No. If it’s working well: no need to change a winning formula.” The Netherlands leads the way in this respect. “There’s still a lot we can learn from the approach adopted by certain Member States,” says De Graaf. “For example, what’s happening in Delft is extremely interesting: YES!Delft is a fantastic initiative!” According to him, living labs can also add value. “Absolutely. That’s exactly the sort of ecosystem you need. Where each organism plays its role, thereby enhancing the whole.” Yet, at the same time, this is part of the problem: not every Member State has reached the same level in the area of digital innovation. “There is not enough oxygen in the ecosystem to go around. Certain organisms are missing.” That is why the EU wants to connect several Digital Innovation Hubs with one another. “Some Member States, including the Netherlands, are world leaders. If we succeed in propagating these best practices and thus encourage the stronger States to lift up the weaker ones, we will all benefit in the end,” predicts De Graaf. “It is a race we all win.”

TU Delft

SME Instrument

By now, the answer to our earlier question is clear: De Graaf in Brussels holds the Netherlands and TU Delft in high regard. “In the digital area, the Netherlands is a pioneer in Europe.” The country regularly tops the list when it comes to connectivity, i.e. the availability and use of the internet. But the Netherlands is also a strong player from a technological and innovative perspective. Within the Netherlands, TU Delft is a “very important partner” of the European Commission. “Because TU Delft leads the way in a number of areas: robotics, quantum computing and blockchain technology. And I’m not saying that just because I’m Dutch or because I come from Delft, but because the Netherlands, and TU Delft in particular, rank among the very best in Europe.”

Back to Brussels. The Horizon 2020 programme is very important for the research activities of many scientists and companies that are seeking funding for innovative projects. However, an often-heard complaint is that the application process would be too complex for SMEs. De Graaf admits that it should be easier for small businesses to apply for funding under Horizon 2020. That is why a separate counter for entrepreneurs, known as the ‘SME Instrument’, has been set up. Proposals submitted should not exceed 10 pages and once selected, the funds will be transferred within three months. The selection procedure remains strict: 8 or 9 out of 10 proposals are rejected. “That’s not so much because the process is bureaucratic, but because the competition is very strong.” This strict selection procedure may also lead to a certain amount of frustration, De Graaf suspects. But these procedures are necessary. “After all, we are an organisation that must be able to justify its handling of public funds.”

QuTech De Graaf expects TU Delft to continue playing an important role in a number of projects which are still in the pipeline, such as those in the area of quantum computing. “We plan to launch a European flagship project of about one billion Euros in the area of quantum computing, and TU Delft has a great deal of expertise in this area.” With this, he is referring to QuTech, the institute for quantum computing where TU Delft and TNO work in collaboration with chip manufacturer Intel, software developer Microsoft and other parties. “Some of the real authorities in the area of quantum

‘In the digital area, the Netherlands is a pioneer in Europe’ computing can be found at TU Delft. Together with other universities in Europe, research institutes and companies, they will have to take the lead in this initiative.” He is also full of praise for Delft’s contribution in other areas. “Whether we are talking about robotics, blockchain or related areas: TU Delft has an excellent reputation.”

Transparency At the same time, De Graaf feels that there is room for improvement. He is surprised that an investment programme as large as Horizon 2020 - with funds totalling more than 70 billion Euros over a period of seven years - should have attracted so little attention from venture capitalists, investors, business angels and incubators. “You would expect them to be hovering around the programme, on the look-out for attractive companies.” And justifiably so: after all, TomTom originated from the framework programme (the forerunner of Horizon 2020), just as Skype and ARM. From this spring onwards, more information about companies and innovations receiving European funds will be made publicly available by the European Commission via the Innovation Radar Platform. This will also include information on the distance-to-market, the need for investors and assistance in the area of strategy. “Everyone will be able

to search quickly for information by theme, country or technology in areas such as robotics, quantum computing

‘If we do not join forces, we will be blown away by the Americans and the Chinese’ or biotechnology.” Clear information about everything going on in Europe will be just a click away: expected breakthroughs, the people behind them, the required capital, etc. De Graaf hopes that this will help create an ‘ecosystem’ around the European research and innovation programme. That’s what Europe needs.

“We excel in science, but our go-tomarket capabilities are insufficient.” More clarity about what the EU wants to invest in would help in this respect. “That is also a way to valorise knowledge.”

Smart investments But, in the end, money alone is not enough. Europe can only remain competitive in the global market by working - at a European level - on issues such as data protection, privacy, cybersecurity and the single digital market. “If we can bring together the best of Europe, we stand a good chance,” says De Graaf. “We need to do this by being smarter. It’s not just about investing, but investing smartly.” De Graaf has been working for the European Commission for 27 years now, which he calls a “fantastic

organisation”. “Of course there is a lot of criticism about Europe, and that is partly justified,” he acknowledges. But one must not overlook the “many important things” done by the EU, especially in the area of new technology. “The scale is such that it’s no longer feasible to do this at a Member State level. If we do not join forces, we will be blown away by the Americans and the Chinese.” <<

Valorisation Centre and the EU

Discussion partner “TU Delft is much more than just a recipient of research funds. We actively

Valorisation Centre “At the TU Delft Valorisation Centre, we have a team that helps researchers apply for funding for various projects, including the ERC grants. There are six grant advisers who guide researchers through the entire application process. We also have a team of project managers who coordinate the largescale EU projects. Currently, there are about 30 such projects.”

“TU Delft ranks in the top 10 of EU-funded R&D projects in higher education in Europe. A large part of this involves the ERC grants for excellent research. Each year, we receive between 50 and 60 million Euros from Brussels. The majority of these funds (42 million) come from Horizon 2020, while the remainder is supplied by other funds such as regional development funds, as well as via the KICs (Knowledge and Innovation Communities) in the field of Climate, Health and Raw Materials.”

“The research projects financed with European funds ensure a rich diversity within the researcher and student community. We work together with universities and partners from all over Europe and many research talents find their way to Delft. Collaboration is not only required, but it also makes sense because it delivers true added value for the scientific research. Researchers from different countries will look at things differently.”

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Top 10

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Head of Unit Research Funding EU andInternational Programmes

engage in a dialogue with European politicians and policymakers about how TU Delft can make an impact on creating a better society. That means we listen to the EU and the EU listens to us. This exchange takes place on equal terms. We are truly partners. For example: many researchers in Delft also serve as experts on EU advisory committees. There is ongoing interaction.”

Servaas Duterloo

Six million euros in research funding to develop technology that prevents sports injuries

In 2016, 121,000 people in the Netherlands sought emergency care for sports injuries. Every year, there are 4.5 million injuries in the Netherlands, accounting for 5 billion euros in direct medical costs. Half of these injuries could potentially be prevented through effective support and selfmanagement. In a new, wide-ranging research project, universities, businesses and sports organisations are set to join forces in an effort to reduce this large number of sports injuries with the help of technology.

he Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) provided a grant of 4 million euros to support the project. In addition, businesses and sports organisations are jointly investing 2.2 million euros in the project. Delft University of Technology and VU University Amsterdam take the lead in this nationwide research consortium that aims to make injury-free exercise possible for everyone.

Overheating Running causes the body temperature

to rise. In the Zevenheuvelenloop (Seven Hills Run), held last November in the Dutch city of Nijmegen, 15% of runners had a body temperature above 40Â° Celsius by the time they reach the finishing line. In order to identify potentially dangerous situations at an early stage, sensors can be embedded into clothing to measure skin and core temperature and camera systems can be used during running competitions. During exertion in hot conditions, like at the upcoming Olympic Games in Tokyo, preventive measures could be used to regulate body temperature, such

Citius | Altius | Sanius Injury-free exercise for everyone

as a vest that cools the body based on information from these sensors. This is one of the concrete future applications featured in the extensive research proposal Citius Altius Sanius (Faster, Higher, Healthier) that was awarded a grant worth 4 million euros by NWO Applied and Engineering Sciences. The proposal aims to promote participation in sport, prevent injuries and improve performance in both amateur and top-level sport. This can be achieved by providing the athlete with information via sensors, data science technology and psychology-inspired smart feedback devices in order to influence their behaviour. Examples could include a 24/7 monitoring system that provides runners with information on the optimum levels of training difficulty and the best time to train in the day or week in order to prevent injury. The research is being conducted by an alliance of eight universities and university medical centers and six universities of applied sciences who will collaborate on the project with NOC*NSF (Dutch Olympic Committee/Dutch Sports Federation), more than 20 businesses (including Royal Dutch Gazelle, Adidas and insurance company Zilveren Kruis), several sports associations, including those representing football (KNVB), hockey (KNHB), baseball (KNBSB) and tennis (KNLTB), sports teams (including Team Sunweb), sports physicians and sports physiotherapy practices.

Hamstring injuries Citius, Altius, Sanius is based on three fundamental lines of research. The first of these is sensor technology. Innovative and easy-to-wear sensors (integrated into sportswear) and advanced cameras with real-time imaging will assess the mechanical and physiological strain on the athlete. For football and hockey, there will be a special focus on hamstring injuries, which often result from overexertion. In cooperation with the KNVB, special clothing will be developed fitted with sensors that can accurately record football or hockey playersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; movements.

This will not inhibit performance and can easily be worn during training and matches. The two other lines of research, alongside the use of sensors, are data processing and feedback. Programme leader professor Frans van der Helm (director of the TU Delft Sports Engineering Institute): â&#x20AC;&#x153;The information provided will be tailored

The proposal aims to promote participation in sport, prevent injuries and improve performance in both amateur and toplevel sport to the individual athlete. This can be achieved by taking account of his or her specific characteristics and providing effective and personalised feedback. Data science will be used to forge a link between levels of exertion and potential injuries and to provide individual advice on training.â&#x20AC;?

Cycle safety In addition to the three fundamental lines of research, there will be six specific projects that focus on sports in which injuries are particularly common. The sensors for use in

football and hockey, the overheating research and the 24/7 monitoring of runners are examples of these projects. But there will also be a focus on cycle safety, aimed both at elderly people who cycle relatively slowly and professional cyclists who negotiate steep descents at high speed. Solutions will be developed in the coming years to maintain bicycle stability at very low speeds, enabling older people to get on and off easily. Professional cyclists will receive feedback information for safer downhill cycling.

Fitness With 3.1 million practitioners in the Netherlands, fitness and power training is another highly relevant subject for this research. Since most fitness equipment is in a fixed position, it is relatively easy to mount power sensors and cameras to record movement. In combination with physical information (heart rate, etc.) and even an assessment of facial features (gauging the level of exertion), tailored advice can be provided.

Coordination sports Finally, in coordination sports, such as tennis and baseball, the focus will be on elbow and shoulder injuries. A wearable sleeve and power meter built into the racket can together provide information on exertion and movement. Again, feedback can be provided to improve movement in order to help prevent injuries. <<

Performing under (water) pressure Amidst dense fog, an inland navigation vessel crashed into the weir on the River Meuse at Grave. As a result, the water level in the river dropped to a critically low level. Shipping traffic became impossible and the houseboats on the river turned over on their sides. Dirk Bon and Bart Burggraaf from the start-up Mobiele Dijken came to the rescue by quickly installing a temporary dyke. By Inge Snijder

mergencies such as the one in Grave underline the importance of smart solutions for protection against water-related calamities. VPdelta develops field labs, where start-ups such as Mobiele Dijken can test their solutions. The temporary dyke in the Meuse was 7 metres wide, 3.5 metres high and 78 metres long, enough to close off the harbour in Gennep. Mobiele Dijken, together with contractor Liebregts, constructed the dyke at the request of the Netherlands Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management (Rijkswaterstaat). After the installation of the dyke, the water level returned to its original level. As a result, the boats came afloat and could be towed to a safer location. Eventually, the houseboats returned to an upright position after three days.

Gradual increase Bon explains that it is important to allow the water level to increase gradually: “This prevents the spit of land, which closes off the harbour from the Meuse, from breaking up under the pressure of the water. Since the water level increases gradually, the boats can come afloat in a controlled manner. The first task was to make the temporary dyke high and strong enough to withstand the gradually rising water level. Within four hours, the temporary dyke was ready and Rijkswaterstaat could start pumping extra water into the harbour.”

Stable solution The mobile dykes are filled with water. Bon explains: “This means that we use water to stem the flow of water. It is possible to set up the temporary dyke with two to four people and we do not need any heavy machinery for water levels up to 150 cm. Curves, height differences and different subsoils exert additional pressure on the dykes. The specially designed net around the water-filled

compartments absorbs all that pressure and distributes it evenly.”

Flood Proof Holland Mobiele Dijken proved that it was possible to quickly create a stable dyke with a good safety margin. The testing of their dyke at the Flood Proof Holland field lab was essential to ensure that they were capable of completing this task properly. Bon: “At Flood Proof Holland, we can simulate a flood in order to test whether the flow of water has been stemmed properly. It’s brilliant that this emergency at the Gennep harbour gave us a chance to prove that our experiences in the VPdelta field lab with our smaller dykes could also be applied to this large dyke.”

Safe test environments The Netherlands has many examples of remarkably innovative solutions that contribute to liveable delta areas. Project Leader Hans Brinkhof of Rijkswaterstaat encourages the use of these innovations created by start-ups and small SMEs: “Companies such as Mobiele Dijken should be able to find a broader platform within our organisation.” More and more parties are realising that experimental living labs such as Flood Proof Holland are relatively safe environments where they can prepare themselves for ‘the real job’. This makes experimental living labs an essential part of the innovation chain for making that leap from idea to market introduction.

WaterStraat experimental lab In addition to dykes for protecting the Dutch harbours and coastline against high water, there are many other innovative products that focus on rainwater flooding in cities caused by more extreme weather. For example, water buffers built under houses, smart rainwater containers placed against façades or water storage facilities on roofs.

The temporary dyke in the Meuse.

A new experimental living lab - WaterStraat - has been set up to test these solutions. Government bodies, entrepreneurs and knowledge institutions are working together in this lab to develop practically applicable solutions to make the city future-proof, thereby limiting flooding and damage and optimising quality of life.

A sea shell buffer One of these entrepreneurs is Henk Pannekoek of Ecologisch Waterbeheer (EWB). He has designed an underground system made up of sea shells, which buffers and purifies rainwater from heavy showers: “At WaterStraat, we want to show that our water purification installation can be easily integrated into the existing infrastructure. This can help avoid complicated and costly renovations.”

‘By now we have set up experimental living labs in Europe, Asia and Africa for local testing and innovation, adapted to the specific country and its water challenges’ Pannekoek is happy with the new experimental living lab. He continues: “Thanks to WaterStraat, our system has gained the necessary visibility helping us to market our sea shell buffer faster. In addition, it offers us the opportunity to get the operation of our system validated and documented by TU Delft, and to answer any outstanding research questions.”

Collaboration Apart from research, collaboration is also an important aspect. Pannekoek: “We are already seeing the positive effects of collaborating with other entrepreneurs to find solutions for a future-proof city. On the one hand, this has

helped create a market and, on the other hand, it has also helped establish a very tangible link between solutions and innovations in practice, thereby enhancing each other’s added value.” Businesswoman Dorian Hill (Hill Innovation BV) agrees: “The unique thing about WaterStraat is that we address the larger research questions together with other entrepreneurs. Instead of working on our own, we are looking for suitable combinations for linking together multiple innovations. The fact that the research is carried out by specialised scientists makes it objective and interesting.”

Bufferblock Bufferblock is Hill Innovations’ solution for water storage in urban areas. “In many cities, groundwater levels are very high. The concrete Bufferblock can be placed just below the road surface but can still store high volumes of water. Rainwater enters the hollow spaces of the Bufferblocks via water-permeable road paving or storm drains, after which the water infiltrates further into the soil or is drained off. In addition, the block has been made so strong that lorries can still drive over the road with no problems. The combination of capacity, strength and relatively low costs can offer an integral solution for a large urban area.”

More effective water management In addition to promoting more effective water management in our own delta and cities, field labs are also a showcase for other water managers in the Netherlands and beyond. “By now we have set up experimental living labs in Europe, Asia and Africa for local testing and innovation, adapted to the specific country and its water challenges,” says Marjan Kreijns, Programme Director of VPdelta. That’s good news, because it means Bon does not have to limit himself to Dutch disasters. >>

WaterStraat WaterStraat is a new field lab for the development of innovative products to make roads and neighbourhoods more resistant to extreme weather, such as heavy precipitation or drought. This experimental living lab will be officially opened on 16 May. We are facing increasingly extreme weather conditions. Longer periods of dry weather alternate with large amounts of rain within a short period of time. During long dry periods, the atmosphere in the city will become stuffy. And during heavy downpours, in combination with the many pavements, asphalting and tiles, the sewer system can no longer handle the vast amounts of water.

This makes the city vulnerable and affects us all: residents, businesses and government bodies. That is why government bodies, entrepreneurs and knowledge institutions are jointly searching

This field lab offers the possibility of testing, further developing and demonstrating concepts and products for new, practically applicable solutions to make the city futureproof, thereby limiting flooding and damage by water and optimising quality of life. Inhabitants can

also make a contribution to changing the design of their living environment. The Delfland Water Authority, VPdelta and The Green Village have set up WaterStraat for this purpose. This field lab offers the possibility of testing, further developing and demonstrating concepts and products. For example, water buffers built under houses, smart rainwater containers placed against faรงades or water storage facilities on roofs. Entrepreneurs, researchers and area managers are working together to prepare the city for the future. WaterStraat is located in The Green Village, a Delft University of Technology site.

‘Living labs important for solving social issues’

By Jurjen Slump

n Toronto, Google’s parent company Alphabet is building a futuristic residential neighbourhood where everything is connected via cameras, sensors and the internet. The Quayside project promises a revolution in the area of urban development. Selfdriving cars, robots that collect household waste, toilets that keep track of water consumption, heated bicycle paths to keep out snow, and many other innovations in the areas of sustainability, mobility, housing and public facilities are expected to dramatically change the streetscape. Here, everything is measured. A city as a platform, which uses its residents’ data to tweak their living environment further. The city as one big experiment, for learning how to best organise the society of the future. Something similar is taking place in Amsterdam. The former industrial area of Buiksloterham is being transformed into a sustainable residential area. Various parties, including residents and research institutes, are involved in developing this area into a ‘circular neighbourhood’, where all products and raw

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Every university including TU Delft - or a big city invariably has a few of these labs. But what are they exactly? And is the hype justified? Home of Innovation spoke with researcher Jasper Deuten of the Rathenau Instituut, who has studied the phenomenon in depth.

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materials will be recycled to the maximum extent. At Delft too, we are witnessing a shift from controlled, lab-based experiments to experimenting ‘in the wild’. In The Green Village, which is a part of the campus that has been

‘Living labs are a new way of developing and applying knowledge’ declared ‘rule-free’, new building techniques and other innovations are tested in a lifelike environment. >>

For example, student accommodation is rented out with the purpose of testing new materials and energysaving measures. The students make sure that the houses are thoroughly tested, providing valuable information to researchers.

Big data and algorithms The three examples described above have a common denominator: all of them are so-called living labs. The concept of living labs has become increasingly popular in recent years. Leaving the traditional research laboratory behind, researchers are venturing out into the wider world. In the process, gas burners and test tubes have given way to big data and algorithms. Living labs are a new way of developing and applying knowledge. It is not just about technical progress, but also about social innovation. Today’s guinea pigs are ordinary citizens and their data -

that’s what it’s all about. Living labs are ‘hot’, but what exactly are they? Why are they emerging now? In what way do they differ from field labs, which are also on the rise, and how are government and industries involved? What role do living labs play with respect to technology transfer?

‘In cities, we often see multiple problems come together, and living labs are a particularly suitable tool for addressing these types of complex problems’ Do the labs really add value or is it simply a hype promoted by cities and companies eager to clean up their image? Jasper Deuten from the Rathenau Institute has studied the phenomenon and he is quite optimistic. According

to him, living labs can “genuinely contribute to finding a solution to the major social challenges of today”.

Four variants The Rathenau Instituut has made an inventory of all the initiatives claiming to be living labs. Four basic types have been launched so far, only one of which actually qualifies as a living lab. The other three are commercial urban testing facilities, field labs set up by the manufacturing industry, and open scientific research facilities (see box below). The four types differ in terms of collaborating parties and the ‘lifelikeness’ of the setting in which the experiment takes place, explains Deuten. Real living labs take both aspects to the limit. “There is a whole range of partners involved,” he says. “Not just knowledge institutions, companies and government bodies, but also end users, citizens or social organisations.” Living labs involve

LEVEL OF CO-CREATION

High Type 4. Living Labs Type 3. Commercial urban testing facilities Type 2. Fieldlabs set up by the manufacturing industry Type 1. Open scientific research facilities

Low In a building

TEST SITE

In the wild

all the different parties required for identifying solutions to social issues. Moreover, these labs are often found in urban environments. “In cities, we often see multiple problems come together, and living labs are a particularly suitable tool for addressing these types of complex problems.” In short, living labs carry a high social component.

Internet of Things Deuten attributes the emergence of living labs to a number of recent developments. Firstly, there is the ambition to tackle truly complex social issues, where technological innovations can only provide a small part of the solution. “Some of the living labs we studied deal with poverty in neighbourhoods or low literacy levels. In such cases, sheer technological solutions just won’t do.” Nevertheless, technology plays an important facilitating role. Smart algorithms, increasingly smaller sensors, more powerful computers and mobile internet are turning the city into a so-called robot network, where people and devices are connected seamlessly. The Internet of Things enables real-time measurements, so that the city can also be used as a laboratory.

Regional innovation policy Living labs have also emerged because urban and regional authorities are pursuing an increasingly active innovation policy. In part, this is prompted by local economic policy and the development of regional ecosystems, which are good for employment. But it is also partly motivated by the ambition to solve social issues, says Deuten. Complex social issues can be best tackled at a local or regional level. The national government can play a significant role in scaling up solutions from local experiments. It is quite clear that both government bodies and knowledge institutions could benefit from living labs.

Commercial benefits But what’s the catch for companies? The commercial benefits of living labs are somewhat less prominent than

those of urban test facilities or field labs, where the testing of prototypes and the training of personnel are of central importance. Participation in living labs often involves a certain degree of corporate social responsibility, adds Deuten. “But here too you see that, for companies, a good business model is often important for scaling up solutions from a living-lab level. Companies want solutions that can also be sold elsewhere.”

Technology transfer When it comes to the valorisation of knowledge, each type of lab contributes in a different way to making new knowledge available for social innovations. Open scientific research facilities are ‘classic’ valorisation tools, according to Deuten. “You’ve performed research on something and you also want the world to benefit from this in some way. You can easily facilitate this by opening up the lab to the business community

‘For companies, a good business model is often important for scaling up solutions from a living-lab level’ and giving companies access to the knowledge and research facilities.” In field labs, the emphasis is shifting from scientific research that needs to be translated into innovative products, to companies that want to use new digital technologies in their production process. Field labs such as RoboHouse are intended to help manufacturing companies implement new production technology. In contrast to this, living labs focus on the joint development of solutions for social problems. Every partner - university, government, industry, citizen, social organisation - is part of a co-creative process for finding solutions. Knowledge valorisation through collaborative knowledgebuilding, as Deuten describes it.

Ethical issues So although living labs can undoubtedly contribute to solving

social issues, Deuten still has a few recommendations to make in this area. An important challenge is to ensure that living labs do not remain limited to isolated bouts of enthusiasm or one-off initiatives. For this, it is useful if the data from different living labs are collected in a systematic way and made accessible to other living labs. In addition, it helps if living labs are set up as part of a coherent group of experiments. “Researching something in Amsterdam, Groningen and Twente at the same time will yield much more robust knowledge than if you limit yourself to Amsterdam alone.” Other aspects which, according to Deuten, need further attention are the ethical and social aspects and the establishment of good practices for living labs. “Citizens should not become part of a living lab without them being aware of this and unwittingly be monitored all the time.” When you work with test subjects, there are certain ethical aspects involved. “It’s much the same as working with lab animals: you can’t simply use them any way you want.” To ensure that living labs are accepted by society, it is essential to set out clear rules for such labs. The reverse is also true: living labs may lead to a feeling of exclusion. “Why is there no living lab in my neighbourhood? I also want a living lab!”

Hype There is a big hype around living labs. Various cities and regions profile themselves as living labs. Is that actually justified? This raises questions in Deuten’s mind as to what really constitutes a living lab. The key question here - to separate the wheat from the chaff so to speak - is whether any real experiments are being carried out. “If it is not set up as an experiment, then the word ‘lab’ does not make sense.” The Green Village (see page 29), however, can justifiably be called a living lab, according to the researcher. There are several parties involved, it is a lifelike experimental environment and the residents, i.e. the students, are taken seriously as co-developers of knowledge. “To me, this seems like a good example of a living lab.” <<

Research Lab: RADD

RADD Research lab Automated Driving Delft

Over the next pages we highlight a number of living labs, field labs and research labs that TU Delft is involved in.

The Researchlab Automated Driving Delft (RADD) offers an open and easily accessible platform for conducting research on self-driving vehicles.

s far as the development of self-driving vehicles goes, further technical developments are needed in connection with the control of the vehicle, observation of the environment and prediction of traffic situations. In addition, the introduction of automated vehicles in traffic presents major challenges. Research in real-life situations is essential because it is difficult to simulate the interaction with road users and appropriate responses to unpredictable environments in a standard lab environment. RADD offers a unique opportunity for knowledge institutions, companies and the government to test products, concepts or models and observe traffic in a range of environments, varying from a closed environment (enclosed test site, test track) or a semi-closed environment (site with regulated access) to testing on public roads as well as on and around the TU Delft campus.

Control room Since the opening of RADD in June 2017, we have worked hard to build its facilities. A control room has been set up, test vehicles were built and a measuring system is being designed to study and measure self-driving vehicles in a way that facilitates scientific analysis.

On RADD:

In addition to the facility extensions, agreements have been made with various bodies to ensure that experiments are conducted safely and in accordance with applicable legislation and regulations. This is not always straightforward, since the tests are conducted with vehicles that are not yet regulated under the law. In the meantime, RADD has received permission for The Green Village, the campus and a number of other projects to test the vehicles in public spaces. Protocols have also been agreed upon with respect to ethical aspects so that the tests can be performed in a responsible manner, while a satisfactory understanding has been reached with an insurance company.

Last mile RADD is part of the Fieldlab Automatic Transport Last Mile (AVLM). This is a collaboration between various government bodies, knowledge institutions and SME entrepreneurs within the region. Studies that have outgrown the test phases of RADD can make the transition to one of the field labs within this collaboration, where the systems can be monitored and studied over a longer period of time. www.raddelft.nl

Bart van Arem Professor Transport Modelling, Delft University of Technology ‘Collaboration between science, government and industry is thriving within RADD. The enthusiasm about RADD’s facilities and the efforts of employees and researchers facilitate the collaboration between transport, robotics, policy-making, psychology and mathematics. As a living lab, RADD considers itself fortunate that there is a good relationship between the RADD team and the regional authority.’ <<

Research Lab: Blockchain Lab

Delft Blockchain Lab 20

The Delft Blockchain Lab (DBL) coordinates all blockchain research and education at Delft University of Technology. Delft is one of the early pioneers in blockchain technology, as researchers from the university deployed the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first primitive distributed ledger in 2007. Eleven years later, research is centred around developing the next-generation blockchain that is scalable and secure.

lockchain technology has become popular by the Bitcoin cryptocurrency, which is in fact a single, worldwide, decentralised bank account with public, encrypted, chained account statements (blocks) that contain all jointly verified transactions of all participants. Through encryption, every participant can only read, and use the balance of, his own transactions.

Trustchain However, the blockchain can be used much more widely for any type of transactions or contracts that require trust among multiple parties, for instance in finance (mortgages, taxes), logistics (tracking products and related payments in multi-organisational supply chains), and legal contracts (the land registry, joint car ownership). For this purpose, DBL developed its own blockchain: Trustchain (see infographic). This technology protects the privacy of the participants, and it generates trust as the information stored in it is immutable, and hence, fraud and corruption can easily be detected. Contrary to bitcoin technology, the trustchain is scalable. It is very fast and holds the worldwide speed record for permissionless chains: 10,000 transactions per second. DBL is testing this technology

with partners such as the cities of Utrecht and Eindhoven (personal identification) and the Port of Rotterdam (logistical operations).

Dutch Blockchain Coalition The mission of DBL is to strengthen the scientific basis of blockchain technology, to provide education and training in blockchain technology, and to reach out to societal and industrial partners in order to support the use of blockchain technology. For this reason, DBL participates in the Dutch Blockchain Coalition, for which it provides the scientific leadership. The Dutch Blockchain Coalition tries to stimulate the large scale deployment of blockchain technology in the Netherlands. It is a joint venture between industry, government and knowledge institutions and is based on the campus of Delft University of Technology.

Fiedlabs Blockchain technology can disrupt economic sectors in a similar manner as the arrival of The Internet. Fieldlabs play an important role in the technology transfer process by confronting cutting-edge technology with real conditions, quantifying cost-savings, and communicating the technology maturity to decision makers and technology pioneers. blockchain-lab.org

On Blockchain:

Johan Pouwelse Associate professor at Delft University of Technology (Computer Science) healthcare, logistics and services, to name a few. For example, how can you store patient data safely? How can you identify yourself in a secure way without having to carry an ID card? Blockchain technology makes it all possible.”

Trust

100 students “The objective of the Delft Blockchain Lab (DBL) is to centralise all the blockchain research being performed at TU Delft under one roof. At present, this research is mostly conducted either at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science or under the Applied Sciences and Civil Engineering faculties. About 12 professors are involved in blockchain

‘The objective of the Delft Blockchain Lab (DBL) is to centralise all the blockchain research being performed at TU Delft under one roof’

“The basis for this is trust. Trust between two parties that conclude a transaction. You should feel safe in the knowledge that, for example, when you order a car via Uber, the driver will indeed drop you off at the agreed location. But how do you know that the other party can be trusted? For this, we’ve developed our own blockchain - Trustchain - where this trust is, quite literally, recorded and irrefutably established. Any kind of tampering or cheating becomes impossible thanks to this technology. With this, we are trying to build up a real sense of trust in digital technology.”

Partners “We also test out our technology in practice. For example, the municipalities of Utrecht and Eindhoven are important partners with whom we are collaborating for the use of TrustChain for identification purposes. Citizens no longer need

an ID card to identify themselves. TrustChain facilitates a legally valid electronic signature via your smartphone. Together with the Port of Rotterdam, we are looking at how we can use Trustchain for logistic processes. This technology can create a much more efficient flow-of-goods in the logistics sector, because it eliminates much of the paperwork.”

Ethics “Since a lot of data can be gathered using blockchain, it is important to properly define its security and privacy aspects. This is one of the reasons why we are carrying out these projects: to prove that the technology is safe and reliable. Moreover, we do a lot of research into the ethical aspects of blockchain, because the technology can have major implications for the privacy of individuals.”

Dutch Blockchain Coalition “We are part of the Dutch Blockchain Coalition because we believe it is important that our research finds a place in society as soon as possible. By showcasing our numerous success stories, we can prove that our technology really works. And for this we need partners.” <<

research at Delft. We also offer a miniMaster’s programme on Blockchain Engineering for 70 students per year. We are aiming to increase our capacity to 100 students by next year. This will make it one of the largest academic groups in Europe involved in blockchain research and education.”

Bitcoin “Delft has been active in the area of blockchain research for 11 years now, but we’re much more in the spotlight today. Of course, this is all thanks to the bitcoin hype. But the DBL mainly focuses on other applications:

The blockchain can be used for any type of transactions or contracts that require trust among multiple parties.

Field Lab: North Sea

Field lab in the North Sea Offshore test site for the maritime sector

A field lab (‘Proeftuin op de Noordzee’) is being constructed off the coast of Scheveningen. This field lab (covering an area of 10x10 nautical miles) will be equipped with an extensive data infrastructure. Here, the maritime sector will be able to test its new products and applications in practice. Think of, for example, a tracking system for kite surfers or a system for providing realtime information during sailing competitions.

his field lab is an initiative of TU Delft, KPN, TNO, the Sailing Innovation Centre, the Royal Netherlands Watersports Association (Watersportverbond), Svašek Hydraulics and the Municipality of The Hague. These parties will receive a 1.7 million Euro grant from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and also contribute their own funds to the lab. This creates a total funding of 4.3 million Euros. The field lab consists of a network of smart buoys fitted with a whole range of measuring equipment, and a network to send the collected data to the shore. Companies (start-ups, SMEs as well as the manufacturing industry) that want to test any application are welcome to use this infrastructure. The various partners contribute to the project based on their specific

Smart buoys power the maritime field lab.

expertise. For example, KPN will install the data network and TU Delft will focus on the scientific data science research to be carried out at sea. Svašek Hydraulics is an engineering firm that develops flow models. They will use the field lab to expand and optimise their flow models. The project also focuses on the development of the port of the future, where big data will play an ever greater role and the port office will increasingly take on the function of a control room. To encourage the involvement of SMEs, a separate SME scheme has been set up for entrepreneurs. Under this scheme, SMEs are eligible to receive a 25 thousand Euro grant for concrete projects. The Sailing Innovation Centre will act as a ‘counter’ for the entire programme, where demand and supply meet.

On Field Lab in the North Sea:

Anoek van Vlaardingen Project Manager

Sail Coach Cockpit

TNO intends to conduct a study to determine what the port office of the future should look like.”

“One of the projects involves a smart coach boat. At present, coaches often lack access to adequate information. By fitting sailboats and sailors with various sensors, the coach can gain access to such details. Based on this, they can decide to change course, if required. Today captains often make such decisions based purely on instinct, but soon they will have access to all the relevant data via smart buoys to help them make more informed choices.”

TU Delft “TU Delft will mainly focus on sailing as a sport. We want to find out how information can be provided in the most optimal manner. How can you make all the data coming in from the smart buoys about wind conditions, currents and the sailor’s behaviour available to the coach in a clear and easily understandable manner? We also want to try to make sailing competitions more attractive to onshore visitors. Using 3D techniques, virtual and augmented reality, we will try to give them a better view of the competition.”

Offshore industry and fishing

Smart buoys “Many companies are already carrying out tests on inland waterways - for example, for autonomous sailing or the use of drones for inspection and maintenance activities - but they are not yet ready to make the transition to the open seas. The Proeftuin op de Noordzee field lab offers them the opportunity to do this. Smart buoys packed with sensors will be placed within the test area. The data will be sent ashore via a 4G network to be analysed there. This will include information about currents, wind levels or wave heights, but it’s also possible to collect personal data such as the heartbeat of sailors during sailing races.”

“The same information can also be relevant for the offshore industry or the fishing sector. For example, this information can be used to map out the most energy-efficient route for maintenance vessels of offshore wind farms or fishing vessels. The smart buoys can also be used for safety purposes: tracking kite surfers or locating drowning people with the help of drones.”

Volvo Ocean Race “This project offers TU Delft a unique opportunity to bring their research to the market more quickly. The technology transfer component is built into the project right from the start. Thanks to the SME scheme, we also hope to attract many companies that want to test their applications. Scheveningen is increasingly becoming the Mecca for Dutch sailing. This year, the Volvo Ocean Race will finish in Scheveningen. During this event, we will be at the innovation pavilion to demonstrate to the general public the first prototypes to be tested at Proeftuin op de Noordzee.” <<

Digitisation on the high seas “Digitisation at sea is progressing at a slow pace. We expect it to take at least another decade before internet connectivity at sea is just as readily available as it is on land. This project is intended to speed up the process. This will also have consequences for the harbour master’s job. The port office will increasingly become a control room, with lots of data pouring in.

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Field Lab: RoboHouse

RoboHouse Smart Industry Fieldlab for Advanced Cognitive Robotics Applications

RoboHouse is RoboValleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fieldlab where manufacturing companies and innovative organisations can discover the possibilities cognitive robotics offer, develop their own applications and test them in an industrial setting.

he rapid developments in robotics will have a major impact on many sectors. A few organisations already make use of advanced robots, which apply artificial intelligence, are self-learning and can work autonomously. Machines that interact with their surroundings and can collaborate with people. These cognitive robotics enable many new applications. Think of robots that can identify and process a variety of unknown objects and that can be deployed for order picking tasks in warehouses. Another example are inspection robots for remote and dangerous areas or production processes where humans and robots work together to solve complex tasks. Most manufacturing companies are aware of the existence of these intelligent technologies and would

RoboHouse is located on the campus of TU Delft.

like to gain practical experience with them. RoboHouse is the place where they can, in a practical way, learn to understand the potential â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and limitations â&#x20AC;&#x201C; of these robotics systems. A test facility to work on their own applications and a place to train their employees to collaborate with robots. RoboHouse is an initiative of RoboValley, Festo, ABB, Exact, Innovation Quarter, TNO, The Hague University of Applied Sciences and Delft University of Technology. It will open its doors in 2018. Based on the campus of Delft University of Technology, RoboHouse offers direct access to the research of TU Delft Robotics Institute and hardware of industrial partners, such as ABB and Festo. robovalley.com/robohouse

On RoBoHouse:

Egbert-Jan Sol TNO - Partner, RoboHouse

Jaimy Siebel manager RoboHouse

Smart Industry Implementation Agenda

Mission

“All the field labs in the Netherlands - by now more than 30 in total - are part of a national Smart Industry programme. I work in the programme office, on behalf of TNO. In essence, field labs like RoboHouse bring about radical digital innovations in the industry and ensure that the workforce is trained to handle these innovations. ”

Skills training “The basic principle of Smart Industry, or ‘Industrie 4.0’ as the Germans call it, is that the pace of digitisation in the industry is accelerating. How do you ensure that the working population is trained to deal effectively with more advanced robotics or blockchain technology? If we don’t get to grips with this right now, it may become a real social problem. The industrial environment of the field lab is actually the perfect place to train employees in these skills.”

SMITZH “It’s important for the various field labs to collaborate efficiently, at both regional and national levels. In South Holland, we’ve set up the SMITZH programme (Smart Manufacturing: Industrial Application in South Holland) for this purpose. Entrepreneurs with questions about automation and digitisation can approach a SMITZH counter in the province. In addition, these regional smart industry hubs are also connected at the national level via a national expertise centre.”

RoboHouse “At RoboHouse, TNO mainly provides expertise in the field of technology, for example, about sensors that help automate horticulture. At the same time, we are also involved in flexible manufacturing: making production processes more flexible with the use of robots. I think

‘The industrial environment of the field lab is actually the perfect place to train employees in these skills’ it would be a good idea to work on developing a fully autonomous greenhouse at RoboHouse. This means that in a few years we will no longer be an exporter of tomatoes and cucumbers only, but also of high-tech systems emerging from this same greenhouse!”

“It’s essential for the Netherlands to take advantage of the opportunities offered by new robotics technologies in a sustainable manner. RoboHouse is a veritable Mecca for advanced robotics in the Netherlands, enabling companies, knowledge institutions and other organisations to gain insight into the opportunities and limitations of robots in a practical manner. As a part of RoboValley, we have strong ties with start-ups and researchers in the field of robotics.”

Experience “RoboHouse offers visitors a unique experience. The moment you come in, you will be confronted by the range of possibilities offered by intelligent systems. For example, a projection of red dots follows the visitor through the entrance and predicts where he or she is going. We try

‘Anyone can become a member of RoboHouse: students, employees of knowledge institutions, start-ups or individuals’ to incorporate as many interactive, playful elements as possible: for example, you can only ring the bell to enter if you smile.”

Network “We collaborate closely with other regional field labs within the SMITZH programme. There are currently eight such labs, each with a different area of competence. Thanks to SMITZH, we now have a one-stop shop for companies that want to find out what ‘smart industry’ signifies for their own processes. At a national level, we also collaborate with other field labs involved with robotics, to ensure that learning and training opportunities in the field are properly aligned.”

For everyone “Anyone can become a member of RoboHouse: students, employees of knowledge institutions, start-ups or individuals. For 199 Euros per month, you’re welcome to build and program your own robots at our facility. Non-members may also follow workshops and courses organised by us without any obligation. In this way, we make advanced technology accessible to everyone.” >>

Field Lab: RoboHouse On RoBoHouse:

Jan Koudijzer (Festo) – partner RoboHouse “We feel it’s important to work together with parties that are able to take automation to ever-higher levels. As a supplier of all kinds of motion components and control technology, Festo is a robot enabler. Rather than build ready-made robots, we deliver the components and composite functional modules. We want to demonstrate our competence and technology.”

as RoboHouse can do. In addition, we must continue developing our organisation further. Apart from the new generation, our current employees should also receive continuous training, preferably in a way that is enjoyable for them. The RoboHouse and other field labs also provide opportunities for doing this.”

Experience centre

Success

“We’ve also set up our own experience centre at Festo: not just as a means to showcase our capabilities to our clients but also for our own employees, so that they can gain experience with the new solutions they devise. At RoboHouse, our primary aim is to demonstrate our experimental set-ups. On the other hand, we also want the RoboHouse demonstrators to be seen at Festo.”

“We’ll consider RoboHouse a success once it starts doing well within a few years. With visitors following courses or working on projects in RoboHouse and where, hopefully, Festo technology will also be optimally showcased. It

Collaboration

Society

“As a Delft establishment, we feel responsible for our immediate environment. We’ve already been contributing to this for a while now, together with the municipality of Delft and TU Delft. It’s important to get young people excited about technology, which is what an initiative such

The RoboHouse Test Centre will be open to the public.

‘It’s important to get young people excited about technology, which is what an initiative such as RoboHouse can do’ should not be a short-term project. RoboHouse must prove that it can exist independently in the long term: that the research is adequately funded, the developed technology is actually implemented at companies, and that it is able to become cost-efficient. <<

Living Lab: The Green Village

The Green Village Accelerating innovation for a sustainable future The Green Village is a living lab for sustainable innovations in home, work and living environments. Located at the centre of the TU Delft campus, this test site offers opportunities for entrepreneurs and researchers to develop, test and demonstrate their experimental projects in close collaboration with government bodies and the public.

he Green Village was set up because TU Delft needed a more effective manner of testing and validating ideas, projects and research originating from faculty research labs. A special feature of this spatial platform is that it is a ‘rule-free’ zone. This means that various types of rules as well as the Buildings Decree (Bouwbesluit) are, so to speak, ‘switched off’ here, thus creating more opportunities for testing innovations. This practical approach will enable parties to validate their innovation and work, scaling them up from idea to practice. The special thing about The Green Village is that it is truly a ‘living lab’ because there are people who actually work and live here. The Green Village currently has five official residents who, along with the people working there, take part in various experiments.

Collaboration and co-creation Besides the physical and data platform, The Green Village also offers a platform as a collaboration network. Various parties are involved in the collaborative efforts around The Green Village, including the central government, Province of South Holland, Delfland Water Authority, Municipality of Delft, NEN and other market parties. Through the Green

Deal The Green Village, these parties help to identify bottlenecks that stand in the way of more structural solutions. Here, integrated efforts are being made to develop innovations based on four perspectives, i.e. Technology & Systems, Business Model, Societal Embracement and Legislation & Regulation.

Projects At The Green Village, you will find a clustering of projects. These projects focus on circularity, water, energy, buildings, intelligent outdoor spaces, and smart mobility. The Green Village team assists parties, providing support during the preparation, implementation and testing phases of their innovation projects in the field. These innovation parties are very diverse, ranging from researchers from different knowledge institutions such as TU Delft, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences and The Hague University of Applied Sciences, to start-ups and corporates. A number of projects carried out at The Green Village are highlighted elsewhere in this magazine, such as the Researchlab Automated Driving Delft (page 18) and WaterStraat (page 14). >> thegreenvillage.org

Living Lab: The Green Village

‘This is how things work in practice! It may be unplanned, but it provides valuable information for testing, demonstrating and validating’ ROBERT VAN LEEUWEN Project Manager, Energy

‘Even coincidences, such as a lorry happening to be driving past, proved to be a good test for one of the WaterStraat projects’ SERGE SANTOO Manager, Marketing & Co-creation

Projects

Direct Current Office The DC Office project is aimed at creating a brand new energy grid. The current Alternate Current (AC) network is inefficient. Because of the use of rectifiers and inverters (converting DC/AC and AC/DC) energy is lost. Besides that a lot of material (copper) is needed for every conversion. The use of Direct Current (DC) in buildings creates the possibility to increase the energy efficiency of distribution systems and applications while also reducing the amount of

materials needed. By first combining AC and DC hybridly loss of energy will be reduced. The ultimate goal will be full direct current. The companies Rexel and Engie started the “DC Office” research at The Green Village to test the concept of the AC/ DC mix and thus prevent energy loss. By including solar panels in this test, even greater savings could be realised. This could mean the creation of a brand new energy grid.

Prêt-à-Loger A particularly striking project is Prêt-à-Loger, where a common terraced house has been made energy-neutral and is currently occupied by one of the students. Its unique design - created by students - forms a ‘second skin’ around the house, consisting of improved insulation, a green roof and a smart extension for solar panels.

What makes this concept unique is its focus on the existing housing stock rather than on new construction. This existing stock is one of the biggest challenges in terms of energy savings. The concept can subsequently be applied to the 1.4 million terraced houses in the Netherlands and therefore offers a potential solution to an ever-growing problem.

Circular Garage The Circular Garage Box is a study of ‘circular’ construction: by recycling materials from an old garage on the TU Delft campus that is being demolished to make room for new buildings. The objective of the project is to find out how feasible this is. For example, can all the materials - including the foundation - be reused and how does this play out in

practice? And how sustainable is circular construction compared to other alternatives? As part of this project, all the materials will be identified and labelled, and the entire process will be monitored. This will clearly show the advantages of breaking down and rebuilding buildings and the lessons to be learned from this. <<

Living Lab: Medical Delta

Medical Delta Living Labs Creating real-life experimental environments

Medical Delta is a dynamic network of organisations active in the life sciences, health and technology sector. Together, they develop innovations to meet current and future challenges in the health care sector.

ne important tool for achieving this is the concept of ‘Living Labs’. These offer companies and care providers the opportunity of developing, testing and implementing their solutions in real-life settings, whether physical or digital, with actual clinicians, patients, nursing staff and people who provide care at home. In this way, it is ensured that effective, relevant care innovations get to market faster and are optimally aligned with the wishes and needs of the end-users and the requirements of the clinicians and/or carers. For companies, this means that their product launches will be more successful, while for the care

sector it means that they will be able to implement the innovative products or services in an efficient and effective way.

Living Lab infrastructure Medical Delta is currently setting up a Living Lab infrastructure in the province of ‘Zuid-Holland’ in the Netherlands. This infrastructure offers an attractive environment for companies in life sciences, health and technology, with high quality Living Lab services raising the chance of conquering the market and reaching the general public with relevant new products, services or social initiatives. medicaldelta.nl

The Research Operating Theatre develops systems to improve patient safety during operations.

Seven Medical Delta Living Labs In 2017, Medical Delta started setting up the infrastructure for the first Medical Delta Living Lab. Currently, seven Living Labs are active in the areas of patient safety, rehabilitation, living a safe and healthy life at home, vitality and prevention. There are nine projects currently underway at these labs. In addition, we work together with various partners: hospitals, care institutions, knowledge institutions (universities and universities of applied sciences), government bodies and the business community. Naturally, everything revolves around the end user. Patient safety The Medical Delta Living Lab Research Operating Theatre develops systems to improve patient safety during operations. One of the systems being tested is a real-life operating theatre equipped with all kinds of measuring equipment and sensors.

Rehabilitation Another lab - the Medical Delta Living Lab Rehabilitation Technology - deals with innovations that improve the quality and intensity of rehabilitation. One of the companies involved in this project is Sense Glove from Delft. With the help of robotics and virtual reality, this start-up has developed a smart glove that makes it seem as though the user is holding a real object. Thus, people can be ‘re-trained’ to perform everyday tasks in a more challenging way.

Greater chance of success The objective of our Living Labs is to ensure that innovative products have

a greater chance of success, namely by involving the end user very early on in the innovation process. By first testing innovations and implementing them on a small scale within a lifelike environment (hospital, rehabilitation centre, at home), we can launch them more successfully.

Network of Medical Delta Living Labs

In the coming years, the existing Medical Delta Living Labs infrastructure will be expanded further. The ultimate goal is to create a central point of contact in the province of South Holland which interested parties, from either the Netherlands or abroad, can approach for Living Lab services in the field of medical technology. <<

Themes & Living Labs overview Caroline Rian Duterloo Rijnsburger

programme programme manager Medical manager Medical Delta Living Labs Delta Living Labs Hospital Safety • Medical Delta Living Lab ResearchOR • Living Lab Medical Delta Instruments

Healthy Lifestyle & Prevention • Medical Delta Living Lab for Vitality • National eHealth Living Lab

Fast & Effective Rehabilitation • Medical Delta Living Lab Rehabilitation Technology

Healthy at Home • Medical Delta Living Lab Care Robotics • Medical Delta Living Lab Domestic Hospital Care

Living Lab: AMS Institute

AMS Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions

AMS Institute is an internationally leading institute where engineers, designers and researchers jointly develop integrated metropolitan solutions. What makes AMS Institute unique is that its research is validated and implemented in practice using the city of Amsterdam as a living lab.

he world is urbanising at a tremendous rate. Cities increasingly face challenges of sustainability and quality of life, challenges that put our resources, food security, mobility and logistics, water and waste management, health and wellbeing at risk. Cities need metropolitan solutions, made possible by revolutions in new technologies, research and design methods. But no stakeholder can do this alone: finding metropolitan solutions requires cooperation between knowledge institutes, companies, cities and citizens. For this reason, AMS Institute was founded in 2014 by Delft University of Technology, Wageningen University & Research and Massachusetts Institute of Technology in close collaboration with a group of private, public and societal partners, with of course the city of Amsterdam as key partner. The institute wants to develop a deep

Aerial view of Amsterdam.

understanding of the city (â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;sense the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;) to design solutions for its challenges, and integrate these into the city of Amsterdam, during and after which consequences are being measured and investigated again to enable iterations of these solutions. Its research evolves around applied technology in themes related to city metabolism, such as water, energy, waste, food, data and mobility, and the integration of these themes for a prosperous society. Using the city as a living lab is unique as it provides a valuable context for experiments that helps develop and test advanced solutions for challenges in urbanised metropolitan areas around the globe. The living lab approach is important, as it forms an important step to achieve more impact faster, and above all better societywide implementation. ams-institute.org

On AMS Institute:

Arjan van Timmeren Scientific Director, AMS Innovation for the city “The AMS Institute is a public-private partnership with a turnover target of 250 million Euros over 10 years. In June this year, we will complete four years of operations. By then, we will have built up a research portfolio of 81 projects, as well as running a Master’s programme on Metropolitan Analysis Design & Engineering (MADE) and teaching about 30,000 students worldwide via MOOCs. The research projects are centred on three themes: Circular City (sustainable solutions in the fields of energy, water, materials & buildings and nutrient extraction), Connected City (mobility and data) and Vital City (resilience, climate adaptation and urban food systems). Most projects are a cross-over between traditional Delft engineering and contemporary innovative Delft IT engineering, i.e. a lot of robotics, algorithms and smart concepts, but always linked to real problems in the living environment and focused on solutions.”

Artist’s impression of the Roboat.

Urban metabolism “We focus a lot of attention on what I call ‘urban metabolism’: everything that flows into and out of the city. We’re looking for solutions for the city as a whole, because small-scale solutions will not be enough to address imobility and climate issues. We test the possible solutions

‘Working with living labs is an essential part of our working method: it is this particular institutional innovation that gives the AMS Institute an edge worldwide’ within a defined area, after which we make the leap to the city and society as a whole. Roboat, a research project set up in collaboration with MIT Boston for the development of autonomous vessels, is being tested on the Amsterdam canals. Various use and business cases are developed as part of the research, for example, for using these autonomous vessels for sensing, as self-driving taxi boats or for food distribution and waste collection. At present in Amsterdam only, but later this will be extended to cities and deltas worldwide.” >>

Living Lab: AMS Institute Living labs “Working with living labs is an essential part of our working method: it is this particular institutional innovation that gives the AMS Institute an edge worldwide. Our experimental living labs revolve around our end users because we want to get them involved right from the start. After all, better than anyone else they know where exactly current solutions fall short. Their continuous feedback ensures that the innovations

tested here will work better in cities characterised by a dual complexity of, on the one hand, urban (technical) systems and, on the other hand, of people and the actual day-to-day life in these urban environments, which do not always follow the rules of logic.”

Faster-to-market “TU Delft benefits greatly from the collaboration within the AMS Institute. Most importantly, this collaboration ensures that scientific research

The Roboat research project is set up in collaboration with MIT Boston.

reaches the market much faster than it normally would. We combine speed with fundamental expertise, which allows us to carry out implementations and tests very quickly. Once again, the living labs are crucial for this. For the AMS Institute, they form an important link between fundamental research and scale-ups, on the one hand, and a faster and broader acceptance in society, on the other. Which is absolutely essential in view of the major challenges we will be facing.” <<

Prove it. Proef ‘t Discover, move and marvel, that's the International Festival of Technology! A technology festival at the TU Delft campus where technological innovations, music and art form a tasty fusion. We invite you to come and see how robotics, quantum technology and circular economy will impact our society. What’s the future of autonomous driving? What if you could make almost anything from plastic waste? How fast can you leave the Quantum Escape Room?

6-8 June www.ifot-delft.com

Technology Music Art Food

Especially for entrepreneurs Ronald Giphart, Julia Cramer and Daniel Coolen feature together at the opening show on Wednesday, each representing one of the themes of this year’s edition: robotics, quantum technology and circular economy. Every day there are lectures and workshops from 12 pm onwards. For example on Tech and Trends in Communication. Or do you want to discover how addicted you are to plastic yourself? Come and join us on one of the evening tours on Wednesday or Thursday and discover places at the TU Delft campus you’ve never seen before. Music starts at around 4 pm every day to bring you in the festival mood. And have you ever eaten a meatball heated in a washing machine? Played Jenga with a robot? It’s all possible at the International Festival of Technology!

CloudCuddle, a start-up launched by student/entrepreneur Lotte Leufkens

‘I want to be a role model for female entrepreneurs’ She has won prize after prize in the past year, lunched with King WillemAlexander and Queen Máxima and the Dutch newspaper FD voted her one of the 50 under-35 talents of the year. Lotte Leufkens (25) is founder of CloudCuddle, a start-up company that has developed an innovative mobile bed tent for disabled children to sleep safely away from home. In an interview with Home of Innovation, Leufkens talks about entrepreneurship and her role as a female entrepreneur in a man’s world. “I want to show that women can also start a successful business.”

By Jurjen Slump

Own bed The CloudCuddle has been on the market since June 2017 and about 50 pieces were sold in the first half of the year. Customer reactions are quite positive. “It’s really nice to get photos and videos from them, to see that they can finally go on holiday or have a sleepover at a friend’s place,” Leufkens says. “That they could even go to hospital without feeling too much stress and the mother no longer has to sleep on the floor with her child on a mattress, but that they both had their own bed. That´s really fantastic.” She adds that it

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know a great deal about steel and wood. But not much about inflatable things,” says the Mechanical Engineering student as she describes the birth of CloudCuddle. Nevertheless, an inflatable bed frame turned out to be the Egg of Columbus. The frame ensures that the CloudCuddle weighs just three kilos and fits into a small weekend bag. This offers a number of major advantages over existing systems, which are much heavier and bulkier. And usually the space just isn’t there. “Families with disabled children already have many aids and devices to carry around. They easily fill up the entire boot of their car.”

Lo t t eL

is also a “huge motivation” for her to continue with the company. The idea behind CloudCuddle came to Lotte three-and-ahalf years ago, when she was doing her minor in Biomedical Engineering along with co-founder Francesca Lucas, an Industrial Design student. “During the minor, a family from Delft came to visit us with their disabled son and talked to us about how it affected their daily life. Sleeping away from home was the biggest problem.” This inspired the duo to develop a solution for this. “When the minor ended, the family said: ‘If you really put this on the market, you could help so many people’!”

Kitesurfing technology Since they were both full-time students at the time, Lotte and Francesca decided to work on this project on a parttime basis, combining it with their studies. They managed to raise capital for building the prototypes, but finding the right partner to produce an inflatable frame was not easy. “Eventually we ended up with a kitesurfing company.” Kites have inflatable frames and CloudCuddles are made using the same technology. It makes the bed tent robust enough to ensure that children do not fall out. “Kites hit the water at gigantic speeds, so they have to be incredibly sturdy and strong,” explains Lotte. They have tested the prototypes extensively in people’s homes. “Often in weekends, because we were studying during the week.” This turned out to be extremely useful. “You actually get a chance to visit your target group at home. You see how they live, where the problem really lies and what you have to take into account when designing your product such as, for example, the fabric cover that goes over the frame.” After another six months of development, the CloudCuddle was launched last year. The fact that two students ended up creating a small revolution in the area of assistive devices for disabled people doesn’t really surprise Leufkens. “There is relatively little innovation taking place in the disability sector.” It mostly involves customised devices, and often they are specifically related to various rare diseases. As she says, that makes it “extremely difficult” to offer a universal solution.

CloudCuddle Senior This is what prompted Leufkens to start working on the CloudCuddle Senior, which can be used in geriatric care. Here too, there is great need for a solution that would allow elderly people suffering, for example, from Alzheimer’s or dementia to live in dignity. “Once they develop this

condition, it becomes difficult to keep them in their beds,” she says. “At the moment, these people either need to be locked up in their rooms or be monitored all night by a carer. Not only is this very disrespectful, it’s also unsafe.” Healthcare costs for elderly with episodes of falling amount to about 12,000 Euros. Given the rapidly aging population, these costs are expected to increase significantly in the

‘It’s a man’s world and if you want to change that, you have to put women in the spotlight every now and then’ longer term. In this scenario, the CloudCuddle Senior is a relatively inexpensive solution, because development in the field of geriatric care is almost at a standstill, while current alternatives such as hospital beds protected by a large cage are much more expensive and take up a lot of space. “By 2040, there will be more than two million people over the age of 80. We should at least be able to find a simple solution for older people to sleep in a manner that protects their dignity.”

Investors CloudCuddle aims to grow considerably in the coming years. Leufkens is in the process of applying for a grant for the development of the CloudCuddle Senior. In addition, she wants to attract new investors for the CloudCuddle Junior. Marketing efforts need to be intensified to ensure that brand awareness increases. “We’ve noticed that customers are really happy when they purchase a CloudCuddle, which is why we want to reach out to more people.” >>

Alongside all her entrepreneurial activities, Leufkens also plans to graduate. The combination of studying and doing business has been “very tough” in recent years, but it is also a great learning experience. “In the past year, I’ve learned a lot about setting goals. What I want, why I want it, when and how,” she says. And that has helped. Her graduation studies are now progressing in a very structured manner, taking up two days a week. The rest of the time is spent on the start-up.

Delft Enterprises

CloudCuddle is located in the YES!Delft building, and being a spin-off from TU Delft it has received an investment from Delft Enterprises (DE). She has also received a lot of technical support from DE in recent years. “Whenever we faced any financial or legal issues, we could always contact DE and there was someone available to help us out the very next day. That was amazing.” Finding capital was and remains a challenge. But selling her product also proves difficult at times. “People have to be convinced that, even though the CloudCuddle is inflatable, it is resilient, does not leak and is safe,” she explains. “It’s not yet common to use inflatable objects as pieces of furniture, although they could potentially be used for this purpose.” So it is mainly a question of changing certain perceptions. That is why her marketing is also aimed at bringing as many people as possible in direct contact with the CloudCuddle, so that they can see for themselves how strong and sturdy the product is. Taking on responsibility for a company at a young age has also been a challenge from a personal perspective. What

helped her were her talks with fellow entrepreneurs. “After winning all those prizes, I met a lot of people. They hear your story and ask critical questions. And that helped by giving me further food for thought.”

Role model There was also a lot of attention from the media. Although this interest was partly due to the intrinsic appeal of the product, Leufkens suspects that it also has to do with the fact that she is a woman. “I think it’s also one of the reasons why I was invited to the royal lunch for exceptional performers (Uitblinkerslunch) with the King and Queen,” she says. “It’s a man’s world and if you want to change that, you have to put women in the spotlight every now and then. I understand that.” Leufkens would also find it “pretty cool” to be able to serve as a role model. “Since winning the TedXAmsterdamWomen Start-up Award in November, I’ve been receiving more and more invitations to give talks. Because people find it fascinating to hear me talk about the company and the fact that I am a female entrepreneur.” After all, the stage is often dominated by men. “Not that I have any problem with that, but it’s just that female entrepreneurs are a much rarer breed. Especially in Delft.” So we can certainly expect to hear a lot more from Leufkens in the future. “I’d like to prove that just because it’s all men out there doesn’t mean that women can’t do it too!” << cloudcuddle.com

Mayor Marja van Bijsterveldt talks about the collaboration with TU Delft

‘Our connection is through the people’ What impact does TU Delft have on the city of Delft? How do the municipality and the university collaborate? Who better to ask than the mayor of Delft, Marja van Bijsterveldt: “For me, knowledge becomes really valuable and useful when it connects with social challenges.” By Marja van Bijsterveldt

ollaborating with the university and science or rather with people from the university and the field of science - how do we do it in Delft? I promise to give a very short answer to this question. But I will start (I’m a politician, after all) with the somewhat longer version. In Delft, we work together with TU Delft in many areas. Together we develop the area in and around the TU campus. We work jointly on a form of economic development of Delft that taps into the strengths of Delft: robotics, quantum, circular. Together we want to connect various groups of people living in Delft - students and scientists, ‘ordinary’ Delftians as well as those who may need extra attention. In the course of the past year, we have set out the agreements relating to our collaboration in a covenant. But to have such an intensive collaboration between a university and the city: is that really possible, aren’t they two very different worlds? It’s true, it hasn’t exactly been straightforward till now. After all, by its very nature a university is more international, more globally oriented, whereas a municipality will be locally oriented. A university focuses on the technology of tomorrow to solve the problems of the day-after-tomorrow, while as a municipality you mostly seem to be dealing with the business of the day.

Strongly connected And yet: the city and TU Delft are strongly connected to one another. We also need each other, and we believe in

shared tasks: ensuring a pleasant living environment and comfortable housing for citizens as well as for students and scientists, and creating a liveable city where everyone feels good, an accessible campus and an active, bustling city that capitalises on our strengths. Delft has a population of just over 100,000 and is home to over 30,000 students from TU Delft and the two universities

‘The City Deal is good for the city, because the available knowledge is used to jointly create a better version of the city’ of applied sciences. About 20,000 of these students also live in Delft. The higher-education footprint and especially that of TU Delft is, therefore, considerable. In addition, with 5,000 employees TU Delft is the largest employer in Delft. Our connection is through the people: all the students, teachers and scientists are also Delftians. They are all part of the Delft community. When it comes to complex construction projects, we rely on our experts at TU Delft. For example, if a rail tunnel has to be excavated. In soft soil. With a high groundwater level. We also want to create a completely new neighbourhood called ‘Nieuw Delft’. For this, TU Architecture & Built >>

Environment will give advice, incorporate the project into its study programmes and use the site as a research area. For example, to monitor the effects of the construction process in detail.

City Deal on Education

TU Delft is also involved in the City Deal on Education (City Deal Kennis Maken). This deal is a joint effort of 10 university cities, universities, universities of applied sciences, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations. The initial idea for this deal can be traced back to the Network of Dutch Knowledge-oriented Cities (Netwerk Kennissteden Nederland). The question asked by this network was: how can we solve social issues more quickly? The answer to this question was: by involving researchers, teachers and students in this effort. That’s the City Deal in a nutshell. A win-win situation. The City Deal is good for the city, because the available knowledge is used to jointly create a better version of the city. At the same time, the City Deal enriches education by presenting the city as a living lab, a ‘lecture hall’ or ‘practical lab’ for the students, thereby contributing to educational innovation. It also offers room for other talents to flourish, such as entrepreneurship. And it creates a link between knowledge and social involvement.

Social challenges Acquiring knowledge for the sake of knowledge - not because we must but because we can where’s the value in that? For me, knowledge becomes really valuable and useful when it connects with social challenges. It is good for students to start thinking about this already: ‘What can I actually do with the knowledge I have, what value can I add?’ After all, they are being trained for a job in the future, a job that often does not even exist today. The City Deal helps students by making them more aware of how they can utilise their professional knowledge and skills. It helps students to establish that link between technology, knowledge and social challenges. That’s also what students want to do: contribute something meaningful to society through their knowledge. Today’s student doesn’t just want to get rich through technology, they also want to add value.

Adding value to the city Collaboration between universities and the city helps to add value to the city. To make this better version of the city happen as a collaborative effort. That is only possible in

an undivided city. Concerns about the increasing divide between people, or as Kim Putters of the Netherlands Institute for Social Research (SCP) aptly puts it ‘between the cans and cannots’, are stronger in Delft than in the average city. In Delft, we have this world of knowledge on the one hand: a world where it all seems to be happening, where young students can easily get involved in the dynamics of lightning-fast technological developments. A group for whom every change represents a new opportunity, a new inspiring challenge. However, Delft also has groups of people who are not or are barely aware of these developments. Who feel that they are just not part of this dynamic world of progress. Those who see the old certainties, on which their existence was based, rapidly disappearing. There is a high risk of such people feeling alienated and simply dropping out of society. Currently, we have about 3,000 functionally illiterate people in Delft, the ‘City of Knowledge’. That is why, at the start of the renewed collaboration with TU Delft, I insisted that the connection between the various communities within the city and the university should also be included on the agenda.

Undivided city Fortunately, we are gradually seeing many wonderful initiatives unfold within our city. For example, the TU Delft Honours Programme is challenging students to apply their knowledge of leadership to addressing problems in our most vulnerable neighbourhoods. In addition, students and student associations are organising themselves to do valuable volunteer work in various areas. In the interests of an undivided city, but also in the interests of the young people themselves, we want to scale up this commitment over the coming years. To ensure that they become good leaders in the positions they will hold in the future and that they have at least made an attempt to look beyond their own, often very comfortable, bubble. The efforts made by students and scientists in terms of achieving local social objectives are wider in scope: closer to the study programme itself, enabling people to live independently at home longer with the help of technology or providing assistance to healthcare professionals in the operating theatre via DORA (Digital Operating Room Assistant), a digital OT assistant. DORA checks and double-checks the safety and quality of the medical equipment in the OT, so that the professionals can fully focus on complicated medical interventions. Reinier de Graaf Hospital in Delft, which has recently reached a much higher ranking (not entirely by coincidence) among the top hospitals in the Netherlands, is the first hospital to start working with DORA. DORA can assist with all surgical procedures.

Better version of our city So this was the longer version of the answer to the question of how we collaborate with people from the university and the field of science. To summarise, the short answer is: to everyone’s satisfaction.

The covenant and the City Deal give our collaboration a sustainable structure. We work together to create that better version of our city. And the city becomes part of the students’ curriculum - and it is just a matter of time till each student graduates with honours in Delft. Or in another city, which is also equally commendable. I have only referred to technology and science initiatives,

‘Opportunities for a strong city, opportunities for strong education, opportunities for strong leadership for the future!’ but if the mayor of Leiden had been here, he would undoubtedly have provided fine examples of how Arts and Social Sciences students contribute to a better version of Leiden. Numerous examples of similarly meaningful collaborations with universities can be found in the Netherlands.

SmartPort Rotterdam As vice-chair of the supervisory board of the Erasmus University, I am especially proud of two outstanding examples of collaboration. One of them is the collaboration between Erasmus, TU Delft and the Rotterdam business community on the SmartPort Rotterdam project. Together, the parties are committed to transforming the port of Rotterdam into the Smartest Port in 2030, i.e. the most sustainable and intelligent port in the world. The driving force behind this is joint demand-driven research and the desire to make a significant impact in SmartPort’s five focus areas, known as the ‘Roadmaps’. These five Roadmaps revolve around the themes of Smart Logistics, Future-proof Port Infrastructure, Smart Energy and Industry, World Port City and Port Strategy. The second example relates to wonderful community projects in which medical students work with the Public Health Service of Amsterdam (GGD) or the Erasmus Governance Design Studio, under the public administration study programme where students design a plan for the selfmanagement of green areas in neighbourhoods.

Golden opportunity In short, opportunities galore! For the university cities, the universities represent a golden opportunity. Besides all this knowledge, it is also all the energy from those young people in our universities that offers amazing opportunities. Opportunities for a strong city, opportunities for strong education, opportunities for strong leadership for the future! <<

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