How can the EU’s 6 th Framework Programme support Virtual Environments Research ?

1. How can the EU’s 6th Framework Programme support Virtual Environments Research ? Eric Badique’ European Commission

2. Outline of presentation • The case for European research • Virtual Environments in the IST Program today • Framework Program 6 (FP6) • New FP6 funding mechanisms • Preparing for the future IST Program • Virtual Environments and FP6 ?

3. The case for European R&D ? • IST sector key to the economy • R&D essential to competitiveness and growth • Increasingly complex and interdisciplinary • Increasingly costly • Needs critical mass • Co-operation, co-ordination, networking and mobility are essential

4. IST: part of a competitive “race” to knowledge • The US invests 3 times more on RTD in IST 52% of RTD effort in IST is in the US only 17% in Europe (22% in Japan) • Public investment in the EU is 50% of the US effort …. and the gap is widening • The EU effort is fragmented ….critical mass is rarely reached in the member states • … and IST has shorter & shorter life-cycles...

5. Virtual Environments and related R&D in IST today Presence Research Simulation Mixed Reality Techs Content creation Interface research New methods of work Cultural heritage

6. Why Mixed Reality ? • Frontier between real and virtual is increasingly blurred (film making, TV, games, shared communication spaces, global economy..) • Most attractive and modern media exploit a form of mixed reality • Multi-disciplinary - good framework for collaborative projects • Convergence of image processing, coding, computer vision, computer graphics • A natural evolution in terms of combining the realism of real world pictures with the flexibility of computer graphics. • Enabling technology for the future of media ?

7. NOKIA VTT Tampere U. Erricson RSU U.LEEDS ~ 20 projects >60 organisations 15 countries SONY BT PHILIPS BBC UCL GMD HHI UCL KUL FHG Symah Siemens INRIA U.Munchen EPFL TU. Wien MATRA U.GENEVA CSELT REALVIZ P.Milano ADETTI UPC UPM IST INTRACOM

8. Audio-Visual Interactive Services Interactivity Content Merging Real & Virtual Analyzing and modeling the world Projects portfolio

9. The framework CG & Simulation ComputerVision Interfaces & Human Factors Standards Mixed Reality technologies Content, authoring tools & stories Applications Mobile services Culture & art Industry iTV

10. MR opportunities • Completely new markets ? • Provides bandwidth hungry applications: Distributed mixed reality environments are the essence of future communication services - provide requirements for future networks • “Revaluation” of manual work through AR • Next wave of innovation in industry following CAD and robotics • Next generation of interactive TV • AR as new telescope and microscope of the 21st century ? • Mixed Reality also to be seen in a wider context: Integration of visualisation and interfaces with mechanics, robotics and appliances

11. More info Mixed Reality http://www.cordis.lu/ist/ka4/vision/ - Project descriptions  - Reference documents - Info on events

12. FP6

13. Commission proposal for FP6

14. IST in FP6: Key elements Main objectives • Strengthening Europe’s competitiveness & technology base • Building the information and knowledge society for ALL • Strengthen co-operation between National and EU activities (ERA) Strategy • Concentration and focus, building critical mass • Capitalise on Europe’s strengths • Visionary, forward looking (longer term / high risk) • Flexibility and adaptability • Core technologies & “pull-through” applications

15. Budget (over 4 years) • Genomics 2200 M€ • Nanotechnologies, int.. 1300 M€ • Aeronautics and space 1075 M€ • Food quality and safety 685 M€ • IST 3600 M€

16. Trust & Security IST for societal challenges IST for economic challenges Demanding applications Applied IST for major societal and economic challenges Pervasive, mobile, wireless, trustful infrastructures Miniaturised, low cost low power components & µsytems Natural interactions with ‘ knowledge ’  Communication & networking Software µ, nano & opto electronics µ and nano systems Knowledge technologies interfaces Funding opportunities for VE research? Specific integration Anywhere anytime access to IST services for ALL Building blocks Generic

17. New FP6 funding mechanisms:Integrated Projects and Networks of Excellence • Simplification and streamlining: minimising the overheads - speeding up procedures • Flexibility and adaptability: adapting to changing circumstances • Increased management autonomy: increased autonomy for the consortia - more strategic monitoring of outputs (from EC) • ..while preserving public accountability: protecting the interests of the European Community

18. Integrated projects • Integration • All elements of technology chain to attain strategic objectives • Type of activities: • RTD, technology transfer, training, dissemination, demonstration… • Size • The necessary size to attain its goals (up to several tens Meuros) • Duration: 3 to 5 years • Participation • 3 legal entities at least (2 from Member States) • supports industry-academia collaboration including SMEs

19. IPs: implementation • Selection on a call for proposal basis • call for expression of interests, to select themes • Peer review (including presentation?) • Large degree of autonomy • Allocations of budgets • Possibility to launch calls for additional participation • Subsequent calls for additional “tasks” and funding by the Commission • Funding • Grant to the budget • Different ceilings depending on the activity (35 to 100%)

20. IPs : Three possible implementations • “Incremental” funding • objectives known • technology roadmap known • tasks to be completed • budget to be adapted • Participants as well • “Incremental” participation • Tasks identified • budget known • additional participants are • added • “Monolithic” • Partners known at outset • Tasks identified • budget known

21. Networks of Excellence (NoEs) • “Virtual” centre of excellence • addresses fragmentation of European research • brings together the research effort on a particular topic • a clearly identified “joint programme of activity” (JPA) • create a lasting integration • Size • Up to several MEuro funding per year (depending on nb of researchers) • Support to the JPA that includes various activities: • RTD, networking, infrastructure, training, mobility... • Participants • Minimum 3/3 countries: Universities, Research Labs, Industrial Labs

22. NoEs: Implementation • Selection on the basis of calls for proposals • following call for expression of interest • Large degree of autonomy • Possibility to modify plans and allocation of work • possibility to launch a call for extra participation • Funding • Grant as an incentive for integration • Should be less than 25% of total effort of the JPA • Compromise between support and avoiding ‘dependance’

23. Targeted RTD projects • Principle: focused on one specific activity & specific results • by supporting research activities of more limited scope & ambition than Integrated Projects • Similar to current RTD contracts • research (50%) • demonstration (35%) • combined research & demonstration • Participation: at least two independent organisations • from at least two Member States or Associated States

24. Participation 3rd Countries • Countries with co-operation agreement under specified conditions • Other countries on a case by case if properly justified Who? • Member States AND Associated candidate Countries, same rights & obligations • European scientific cooperation organisations (ESA etc) • Minimum nbr of legal entities - IP and NoE: 3 (2 from MS) - Other instruments: 2 (1 from MS). - Fellowships & support actions: 1 possible

25. Other novelties • Joint and several financial liability -> increase ‘quality’ of partnership • Streamlining procedures and providing greater autonomy • No binding budget distribution • No financial viability checks • 85% advance • IPR issues • Participants own IPR • Rules identical for all participants • Access Rights: possible to exclude specific pre-existing know-how • Access rights to knowledge granted on a royalty-free basis • Consortium agreement

26. Example of positioning Current Industrial strength/presence IPs « Monolitihic » Incremental IPs Industrial exploitability NoEs Fundamental research Basic research Industry-driven research

27. Invitation for expressions of interest • Focus on IPs and NoEs • Objectives: • Stimulate partnerships and proposal building • Focus and reduction of over-subscription • Input to the WP preparation • No pre-assessment or pre-selection ! • Deadline June 7 • Response will be published, analysed and a report produced http://www.cordis.lu/fp6/eoi-instruments/

28. If you want to be part of FP6… consider submitting an Expression of Interest • Need and relevance: Why ? • Excellence and ambition: Who ? • Integration and structuring effect: How ? • Scale, critical mass • Management Partner search service: www.ideal-ist.net

29. 3 questions • The IP question: Which areas need a push ? Where can we have an impact ? • The NoE question: What are the R&D communities that need more integration both within their borders and accross to other areas ? • The "FP5-like" project question: What should be the balance between large integrated projects and smaller, more focused projects ?

30. Conclusion • IST is an opportunity for the VE community • Establish networks • Launch partnerships -> Think strategic -> Show how to exploit the power of virtual and mixed environments..

31. Info IST helpdesk Fax : +32 2 296 83 88 E-Mail : ist@cec.eu.int www.cordis.lu/ist www.cordis.lu/rtd2002\ www.cordis.lu/fp6/eoi-instruments/ europa.eu.int/comm/research/nfp/networks-ip.html Khalil Rouhana & Morten Moller for FP6 material Acknowledgements