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The i2CAT Foundation has recently joined FORGING (Forum for Emerging Enabling Technologies in Support to the Digital and Green Transitions through Value Sensitive Innovations), a Horizon Europe research and innovation project launched in October 2022. The project aims at boosting the digital and green transitions in Europe by actively supporting the co-creation and the uptake of the enabling technologies in Europe from a social and sustainable perspective. FORGING is funded by the European Commission with almost 2.5 million euros and will last 36 months. It involves 6 European partners, including research organisations and private companies.
FORGING intends to become a participatory forum aimed at catalysing multiple stakeholders from different sectors (academia, industry, society, policymakers, etc.) to contribute to innovation journeys and promote the co-creation and absorption of disruptive enabling technologies expected to bring about major transformative shifts.
For that, the researchers will develop a pioneering methodology based on a value-sensitive innovation process to promote new technological paths that are attentive to the environment and society. The project contemplates 3 different phases:
1. Technological discovery with technology experts from academia and industry to detect the first signs of emerging technologies.
2. Social confluence exploring social desirability and social impact.
3. The openness of complete co-creation to the broader community to develop concrete use cases for adopting the technology.
The project contemplates six major technology areas: Human-centric solutions & human-machine-interaction; Bio-inspired technologies and smart materials; Real time-based digital twins and simulation; Cyber safe data transmission, storage & analysis technologies; Artificial intelligence and Technologies for energy efficiency and trustworthy autonomy.
Researchers will develop a total of six technology pathways to transfer ideas and help the industry to engage with issues related to the uptake and deployment of use cases. The project will also provide three assets: The FORGING Forum (a European community of experts in enabling technologies), the FORGING Playbook and the FORGING ToolBox that will, respectively, bring methodology for guidance and facilitation materials for the exploration, reflection, co-creation and evaluation of emerging technologies.
Within the project, the Digital Social Innovation Area (DST) of the i2CAT Foundation will lead the evaluation and sustainability work package, which includes:
· Monitor and assess the progress and performance of FORGING while ensuring the expected results are met.
· Evaluate the societal and environmental impact of the FORGING outcomes.
· Foster the lessons learnt, good practices and recommendations for cross-pollination followers.
· Ensure the exploitation of outcomes through specific plans that guarantee their sustainability, replicability, and transferability.
“The process of supporting innovation and incorporating new enabling technologies needs to be robust and use the right tools to capture all ideas, what is important to individuals, groups, and societies, and seize on the best opportunities”, stand the researchers.
Find out more here!
