Eight new projects within Research for innovation
Just before the end of 2019, Halmstad University received the positive announcement that the Swedish Knowledge Foundation grants more than SEK 37 million for eight new projects within the Knowledge and Competence Center, Research for Innovation. The projects are now underway and the ninth year of the center has begun, with a total of about 80 ongoing research projects within Research for Innovation.
“This is fantastic! We now have very good coordination and focus in the Knowledge and Competence Center’s work. We have succeeded in broadening and including more of the University’s researchers, while focusing even stronger within the University’s two profile areas. This was the second consecutive year that the Knowledge Foundation was positive to essentially our entire operational plan”, says Thorsteinn Rögnvaldsson, Programme Director for Halmstad University’s Knowledge and Competence Center.
What is a Knowledge and Competence Center?
Halmstad University is one of five universities in Sweden that has qualified to be a Knowledge and Competence Center by the Knowledge Foundation. The other Knowledge and Competence Centers are at University of Skövde, Mid Sweden University, University West and Jönköping University. The Knowledge and Competence Centers receive funding from the Knowledge Foundation through yearly plans, instead of applying in separate calls.
Through the Knowledge and Competence Center, the Knowledge Foundation provides support for research efforts that are gradually developing an increasingly profiled educational and research institution, with the highest quality, clear positioning and with activities that have a strong relevance for the development of industry and society.
Halmstad University’s Knowledge and Competence Center was inaugurated in April 2012 and will run for ten years, until the end of 2021. The Knowledge and Competence Center is called Research for Innovation to reflect the University’s profile. Crucial to all research projects within the Knowledge and Competence Center is the close collaboration with industry, known as co-production. This means that companies are engaged in research projects together with the University’s researchers, and make important contributions to the research at their own expense.
Halmstad University’s Knowledge and Competence Center is called Research for Innovation and is focused on the two profile areas Health Innovation and Smart Cities and Communities. The research is done within three out of five research environments at Halmstad University. Eight new projects will start during 2020 and are granted a total of over SEK 37 million from the Knowledge Foundation. Five of the new projects are within Health Innovation and three within Smart Cities and Communities.
Value Creating Continence Care (V3C)
Research project, Health Innovation
The aim of this projects is to create methods for evaluating perceived values of importance in toilet visits and incontinence protection for elderly people in need of assistance. Project leader is Carina Göransson at the research environment Center for Research on Welfare, Health and Sport (CVHI). The research is done in collaboration with the company Essity Hygiene and Health.
V3C project webpage (in Swedish)
Analysis of Ambient Sound in Home Environment (AASH)
Research project, Health Innovation
By developing AI systems that can analyse everyday sounds, researchers aim to improve home-based security systems, especially for the elderly. Project leader is Mark Dougherty at the research environment Embedded and Intelligent Systems (EIS). The research is done in collaboration with NEAT Electronics, HFAB and Halmstad City Network.
A sleep intervention for children with neuropsychiatric syndromes and sleep problems (SLEEP)
Research project, Health Innovation
In this project, the researchers will study and evaluate how weighted blankets can help children with neuropsychiatric syndromes sleep better. Project leader is Ingrid Larsson at the research environment Center for Research on Welfare, Health and Sport (CVHI). The research is done in collaboration with the companies Novista and Carmona.
SLEEP project webpage (in Swedish)
Accelerating the roadmap for commercialising and adopting medical technology innovations – the role of different actors’ logics in a health innovation ecosystem (MeTARoad)
Research project, Health Innovation
The overall aim of MeTARoad is to improve the understanding of how commercialization and the uptake of medical technology innovations can be accelerated. The project also aims to develop empirically validated methods that are useful for MedTech companies in their development of viable business models. Project leader is Hélène Laurell at the research environment Center for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Learning research (CIEL). The project is done in collaboration with the companies Learning to Sleep, Cross Technology Solutions, 1928Diagnostics, Airsonett, Dendera Holding and Wictor Family Office.
Master by research
Education and research project, Health Innovation
Through this project, Halmstad University creates an opportunity for professionals in companies and the public sector to carry out development projects in their workplace while at the same time acquiring in-depth expertise in the subject area of the development work. Project leader is Jan Karlsson at the research environment Center for Research on Welfare, Health and Sport (CVHI). The project is done in collaboration with the companies Ensolution, Sensative, Carmona and Essity.
Innovation Ecosystems for smart autonomous vehicles (I-SAVE)
Recruitment, Smart Cities and Communities
An Associate Senior Lecturer within Smart Mobility will be recruited to the research environment Center for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Learning research (CIEL) and will collaborate with the companies Stena Recycling International and HEM.
Center for Applied Intelligent Systems Research (CAISR) ”plus”
Research profile, Smart Cities and Communities
CAISR is a long-term research program on intelligent systems established by Halmstad University in 2012. With the new grant from the Knowledge Foundation, CAISR will further focus the research on AI applications in predictive maintenance. The research projects within CAISR are done in collaboration with several Volvo Group companies and Toyota Material Handling. Programme Director for CAISR is Thorsteinn Rögnvaldsson.
Smart Industry Sweden
Industrial research school, Smart Cities and Communities
In 2020, a national industrial research school called Smart Industry Sweden will start in a collaboration between Halmstad University, University West, University of Skövde, Jönköping University and Mid Sweden University. It will be the largest industrial research school in Sweden within the Smart Industry area and is aimed at companies that want to strengthen their competitiveness with ’smart’ technologies (e.g., AI). Responsible for the research school at Halmstad University is Bengt-Göran Rosén at the research environment Rydberg Laboratory for Applied Sciences (RLAS).
More information about Smart Industry Sweden
External link, opens in new window.
Text: Louise Wandel
