andVehiclesAutonomousIoT
The internet of things (IoT) and autonomous cars, robots, and drones are changing the way we experience everyday life. Our researchers are building secure and safe solutions for connected systems within highly complex and dynamic sectors. The limitless possibilities for these technologies stand to revolutionise industries in Luxembourg and beyond, allowing them to discover new markets and innovative processes.
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One revolutionary technology after the next, our world’s industries are transforming. To stay ahead of the competition, Luxembourg’s companies are embracing the digital transformation to maintain their competitive edge. Whether it’s automating laborious processes, steering the state-of-the-art in autonomous vehicles, or helping to create a digital twin of Luxembourg, our researchers are bringing innovative solutions to modern day companies.
• Houses the Luxembourg National Competence Centre in HighPerformance Computing (HPC), which gives HPC access to companies of all sizes, as well as research organisations.
Luxembourg
• Developed a Third Industrial Revolution strategy to position Luxembourg as a ‘flagship nation’ of the future smart digital societies in the European Union.
• Offers access to a cross-border digital testbed for autonomous and connected driving, with 215 km of public motorways across the Grand Duchy, France and Germany.
• Supports industry with the Digital Innovation Hub for industry 4.0, to enable networking, innovation skills and training, as well as investment.
• Well-developed digital infrastructure, with high-speed internet connectivity, widespread 5G coverage and easy access to the national high-performance computer.
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Driving a future for smart mobility and industry 4.0
We are your experts in vehiclesautonomousandIoT
• Home to around 300 industry 4.0 enablers.
5 SnT Autonomous Vehicles and IoT Know-how 14 Ongoingprojects 8 Researchinvolvedgroupsin AV and IoT projects 59 Completedprojects 4 Dedicated labs 17 Collaborations TECHNOLOGIES • Communication technologies (6 / 5 / 4G, V2X, Zigbee, NFC, and more) • Edge / cloud computing • Artificial intelligence • AI-based software testing • Explainable machine learning • Computer vision (and other perception technologies) • Situational awareness for autonomous systems • Automation • Path / motion planning and control • Data analytics • High-performance computing • Localisation APPLICATIONS • Automated software verification and validation • Connected and automated driving • Unmanned aerial vehicles • Digital high-definition maps • Distributed systems and control • Connected insurance • Cybersecurity • Robotics • Industry 4.0 • Digital twins • Smart cities • Water and wastewater networks
Boston Dynamics ‘Spot’ robot dog
Pierre-Yves Houitte working on a drone Miniature robots demonstrating swarm technology
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Prof. Symeon Chatzinotas Ever-evolving wireless communications and sensing require increasingly efficient systems to transmit, analyse and receive highquality data. SIGCOM conducts research aimed at designing, emulating and testing new high-performance systems for the future of mobile and satellite communications, and radar signal processing. Fields of applications range from 5G / 6G telecommunications to satellite-based internet connectivity, and radar sensing in automotive and indoor applications.
Computer Vision, Imaging and Machine Intelligence (CVI²)
Parallel Computing and Optimisation Group (PCOG)
Prof. Lionel Briand Ensuring the security, safety, and reliability of software systems is crucial to our lives. SVV conducts research in automated testing, as well as requirement engineering, design-time and runtime verification, security analysis and testing, and regulatory compliance to create reliable, scalable solutions to real-world challenges. Current fields of application include space, FinTech, legal, automotive, and e-government.
Our Research Groups
Signal Processing and Communications (SIGCOM)
Prof. Djamila Aouada CVI² conducts research in real-world applications of computer vision, image analysis, and machine intelligence, with extensive development of AI approaches. Typical fields of application are space, Industry 4.0, surveillance, cybersecurity, healthcare, and automotive. The expertise of CVI² spans all stages of computer vision, including acquisition, processing, analysis, and decision.
Prof. Pascal Bouvry Solving today’s scientific and real-world problems not only requires high-performance computing (HPC), but also new generations of artificial intelligence algorithms. PCOG conducts research in parallel computing, as well as search and optimisation techniques, to provide efficient, scalable and robust solutions to state-of-the-art, large-scale discrete / combinatorial problems.
Software Verification and Validation (SVV)
Automation and Robotics (ARG) Prof. Holger Voos Many complex technical systems need to execute their tasks efficiently with an increasing degree of autonomy, requiring flexible and intelligent automation. ARG conducts research to enable mobile and industrial robots, autonomous vehicles, as well as space and energy systems, to better perceive the world around them and to interact with it in an optimal and intelligent way.
Services and Data Management (SEDAN) Prof. Radu State Businesses and citizens alike need trusted and efficient solutions to transmit, secure, store and analyse ever-increasing volumes of data. SEDAN conducts research in data analytics and machine learning in FinTech, security for blockchain applications and decentralised finance (DeFi). The group also directs projects on the security aspects of networking, vehicular networks and cloudbased infrastructures.
The new space age relies on advanced technology for its breakthroughs – with robotics at its very core. SpaceR conducts research in autonomous planetary and orbital robotics for space exploration, in-situ resource utilisation and orbital servicing. In addition, the group also focuses on aerial and ground robotics and multi-robot cooperation.
Space Systems Engineering (SpaSys) Prof. Andreas Hein Services and infrastructures in space are vital for our society, and rely on increasingly sophisticated systems. The SpaSys group aims to research and develop novel space services based on miniaturised and distributed space systems, including ChipSats and CubeSats, operated in swarms and formations, as well as inspace manufacturing, and in-situ resource utilisation.
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Space Robotics (SpaceR)
Prof. Miguel Angel Olivares Mendez
360Lab team working on the INTEREG TERMINAL project 360Lab tested on Luxembourg roads
The SatComLab gives researchers and students the opportunity to test and validate their algorithms in conditions that reflect the challenges and constraints of real-world communications platforms. It explores research topics such as precoded downlink beams, ISL data / payload synchronisation and DVB-S2 / 5G NR communication standards.
A flight arena comprising a fleet of multicopters and different types of sensors. This lab is also equipped with a motion capture system and allows the testing, evaluation and validation of autonomous navigation approaches on perception, state estimation, control and trajectory planning. This is a cooperation between SnT and the Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine of the University of Luxembourg.
Our Labs 360Lab
The first thematic research laboratory focusing on smart mobility, it serves as an umbrella for research projects sharing common equipment and complementary expertise, to conduct strategic and collaborative research in the broader area of mobility innovation.
The Computer Vision Lab provides state-of-the-art facilities for controlled measurements, testing and validation, essential to support experimental research in computer vision and imaging. Research activities are focused on 3D sensing and analysis, with applications ranging from security to assistive computer vision for healthcare.
SatComLab
AeRoLab Computer Vision Lab
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‘Spot’ dog patrolling Stugalux construction site Hriday Bavle and Muhammad Shaheer with the ‘Spot’ dog
ConstructionInspecting Sites
Robots are becoming ever present in our daily life, with many industries now implementing them to acquire precise data, assist production lines, and ease the workload of human experts.
In 2019, American robotics manufacturer Boston Dynamics released a robot that has the potential to overhaul the construction industry. The ‘Spot’ dog is intuitive, and can inspect dangerous or remote environments, collecting data as it explores its surroundings.
The Robot Dogs
In 2020, the Luxembourg-based construction company Stugalux became the first in Europe to purchase the robot, and began working with SnT to refine its implementation into their many construction sites. Using laser scanners and onboard cameras, the robot captures data that is used to oversee the construction process. In their partnership with SnT, their goal is to build artificial intelligence that will allow the robot to autonomously navigate, rather than using a remote control. “Having these new features will make data collection on construction sites even more efficient and reliable,” said M. Joel Schons, CEO of Stugalux. “In the case that our construction plans have deviated, we will be able to take early corrective actions. This will prevent costly delays in the development.”
5G Drone Systems for Emergency CommercialandServices
Funded by the Luxembourg Government’s Department of Media, Telecommunications and Digital Policy (SMC), the researchers are working to move complicated processing tasks to the mobile edge, a distributed system that aims to improve the efficiency of the algorithms, minimise end-to-end latency and increase the autonomy of unmanned aerial vehicles. This will enable extended flight times for drones, safer flights beyond visual line of sight, as well as a more interactive integration of 5G technologies.
In the project entitled MICRO5G, a team of researchers, led by Prof. Symeon Chatzinotas and Dr. Jorge Querol, are exploring ultra-low latency and reliability communications, as well as mobile edge computing, in order to bring significant improvement to existing systems, which will enable better deployment and support for drone services.
The rise of 5G technologies has had a wide impact on many industries, with the potential applications for drones in our society steadily growing as we adopt a smarter society. From health and logistics, to transportation and public safety, drones integrated with 5G technology stand to have a substantial impact on our industries for decades to come.
Jorge Querol A drone in the AeRoLab
Researchers at SnT have been testing the capabilities of 5G technologies for many years, pushing the state-of-the-art across its ranging applications.
Supporting Functional Safety in Autonomous Systems
“These types of systems have to comply with safety standards, and since they have the potential to be responsible for human life, it’s important that they work accurately – and that there are appropriate countermeasures in case of a system failure,” said Prof. Fabrizio Pastore, a research scientist of the SVV research group.
Artificial intelligence has been widely implemented across the world over the last few decades to simplify so many of our tasks. Nowadays, it is common to implement types of AI that truly thinks for itself, using a technology called deep neural networks. These programs work as a ‘black box’, meaning that a decision is made – but how it makes the decision is not explained.
Fabrizio Pastore IEE’s system scans inside the car
In the project entitled Supporting Functional Safety in Autonomous Systems, the Software Verification and Validation (SVV) research group are working with IEE, a global manufacturer and supplier of advanced sensing solutions across varying industries, including healthcare and automotive. Their aim is to ensure the accuracy of systems that can enable cars to make autonomous decisions in the case where an accident may occur. IEE’s system scans the inside of a car, and detects signs that an accident may occur, so that the car may slow down or alter its course. This can be useful in the case that a driver is affected by drowsiness, or if a child is left inside.
Rapid advancements in technology have spurred on a fourth industrial revolution – also known as industry 4.0. In its wake, we’re seeing companies adapt their manufacturing processes with software and robotics capable of operating autonomously, selfperforming maintenance, and collecting invaluable data.
Laying Foundationsthe for Smart Factories
Bjorn Ottersten, director of SnT, with René Elvinger, CEO of the Cebi Group
SnT researchers working on the factory simulation
In partnership with Cebi, a worldwide expert in the manufacturing of electromechanical components, researchers from SnT’s Security Design and Validation (SerVal) research group have been working to develop technology that will enable Cebi to have a manufacturing process that’s robust, flexible, and produces minimal waste – all the while improving quality. Their project saw them link Cebi’s machines, so that data can be collected in one central location. To practise this implementation, they created a copy of the factory, called the FischerTechnik factory simulation, as a test environment for their research. This was created to apply scenarios that can be implemented into the end result without consequences on their actual production. This allowed the researchers to develop an AI to analyse factory data, and make suggestions for better optimisation. As an example, Dr. Julien Polge – a post-doctoral researcher working on the project – proposed the use of an AI-based approach using the factory’s sensor data to replace the rigid and manually programmed controller programs that limit the improvement of the production flexibility. In the meantime, Dr. Paul-Lou Benedick, another postdoctoral researcher working on the project, studied the robustness of AI with regards to the different perturbation that could happen in such an industrial environment. He is now working on the improvement of the AI robustness. It’s these types of adaptations that are shaping the future of our industries, and allow factories to run much more efficiently.
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Founded in 2014, Motion-S creates solutions that objectively assess risk for accidents, offering detailed fleet analytics. The company allows insurance companies to adjust their pricing based on the driver’s behaviour – ultimately offering an incentive to help improve driving skills.
Founded in 2016, LuxAi designs intuitive and smart social robots for everyone. Among its products, QTrobot, a visually appealing, talking robot, offers an innovative approach to therapy for children with autism.
Our Spin-offs Motion-S
DataThings
LuxAi
Founded in 2017 by Thomas Hartmann, a researcher in the SerVal group, DataThings develops intelligent software systems to transform data into actionable and valuable insights. Applicable to a variety of sectors, its solutions aim to support companies in taking the best operational decisions.
LuxAi’s QT robot
18 SnT Headquarters JFK Building University of InterdisciplinaryLuxembourgCentrefor Security, Reliability and Trust 29, Avenue J.F. Kennedy L-1855 Luxembourg Connect with www.uni.lu/sntus SnT,SnT_uni_luInterdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust snt@uni.lu For partnership enquiries: snt-tto@uni.lu