National Projects

Recovery of Critical Raw Materials, manufacturing of products with Secondary Raw Materials and traceability of their composition. The SENECA project, focused on the growing demand for mineral resources and strategic materials worldwide, investigates the potential of secondary sources of mining and industry through recovery and recovery processes of Critical Materials. The project seeks to develop the manufacture of products with Secondary Raw Materials for the manufacture of components for the battery and hydrogen industries, crucial for the energy transition. SENECA also boosts new innovative elements of traceability in these strategies through industrial research for new solutions. [...]

An innovative reclaimed water system based on separation and disinfection processes to reduce the environmental impact of the meat industry. The ElectroBioSafe project develops an innovative system for cleaning and disinfecting livestock transport trucks using reclaimed water and new sustainable products. The main objective is to replace the current system with a more efficient and environmentally friendly one. Eurecat participates in the ElectroBioSafe project through its Water, Air and Soil (WAS) Unit, in charge of: Obtaining, at slaughterhouse level, regenerated water suitable for cleaning livestock transport trucks. Evaluating the proposed water regeneration process at pilot plant [...]

The new panot of the XXI century. In 1906, Barcelona City Council ran a tender, which Escofet won, to standardise the designs of its “panots”, the paving stones that have fundamentally shaped the image of Barcelona's streets. One hundred and fifteen years later, through the BIT Habitat Foundation, it is launching a new challenge: “Rethinking the panot for the 21st century” to make it more sustainable while keeping its iconic design intact. The R3PANOT proposal, one of the three finalist projects presented by Escofet and Promsa, both companies from the Cementos Molins Group, and Eurecat, is [...]

High-performance sensor for an industry 4.0 with zero manufacturing defects. The VISIRIA4.0 project develops vision technology to establish a constant line of information that allows any industry to improve its production processes, thus reaching manufacturing with zero defects. VISIRIA4.0 develops a new high-performance sensor that works in the spectrum range 400 – 1700 nm. In this sense, the application of photonic technology will facilitate the automation of error detection in a non-intrusive and continuous way. This technology will be validated in two relevant industries such as textile knitting and plastic injection by silicone moulds. VISIRIA 4.0 [...]

Improvement of bee immunity and honey production thanks to the supplementation of food based on fungi. This project investigates new food sources for bees that allow them to improve their immune system, promoting in parallel new honey-based products through the use of fungal extracts. Specifically, the project develops the following products: Two solid foods for bees based on fungal extracts to boost their immune system, thus increasing their defences against diseases. Two honeys improved with these foods, enriched with compounds present in the fungi or the metabolites that are formed during the passage through the bees' [...]

Research and development of ceramic and metallic powder material from recycled sources for the additive manufacturing sector. The VIVALDI project promotes recovery processes for ceramic and metallic material waste through the generation of powder, to be used in additive manufacturing and other value-added applications, such as laser cladding or the development of light alloys. Eurecat participates in VIVALDI through different Technological Units: The Metallic and Ceramic Materials Unit manufactures powder by centrifugal atomisation from chips, develops new reinforced alloys with recycled particles, andvalidates the properties of the parts manufactured with these recovered materials. The New Manufacturing Processes Unit [...]

Development of innovative and of high-functional value fermented vegetables based on fruit and vegetables. The EKOFERM project aims to achieve a deeper understanding of the development of vegetable ferments, as well as fermented beverages such as kombucha. With this aim, EKOFERM identifies the raw materials and the critical points of the process, carrying out concept tests and product design and promoting a technological characterisation of innovative products. The development of these products is aimed at supporting small and medium-sized companies in the Catalan agricultural sector, increasing the value and giving way to the production of non-marketable [...]

Development of an overarching framework to achieve sustainable desalination strategies. The SUSTDESALT project tackles the environmental and economic issues related to using conventional reverse osmosis (RO) for desalting highly saline streams, recovering raw materials, and obtaining fresh water from non-conventional sources. For that, the project overcomes different challenges through the following objectives: low energy requirements, high water recoveries, low brine generation, and achieving brine valorisation and material recovery. SUSTDESALT studies new promising technologies using membrane processes to treat several non-conventional streams, such as industrial saline wastewaters, brackish groundwater, and seawater. The concept of SUSTDESALT is based on the belief that mining minerals [...]

Suspension vibratory system by means of rigid braces anchored to a fixed support. The INSTAVIB project allows the improvement of the performance and neuromuscular response of athletes training in suspension by vibration. INSTAVIB has developed a wireless laboratory prototype through an app with the mechanical capacity to vibrate loads of more than 100kg at the desired frequencies. This electronics, which has been validated with users, can measure different parameters to know the effort that the athlete is making. In addition, the system has different security mechanisms. The project has jointly applied the knowledge of motor mechanisms [...]

Promotion of the bioeconomy and climate resilience in Mediterranean landscapes based on scientific knowledge and co-design with socioeconomic actors. The BIORESILMED project generates the tools for the joint design of a plan and the execution of actions that promote bioeconomy in the two main types of Mediterranean landscapes, those of the coast and those of the interior. BIORESILMED uses participatory methodologies to provide innovative solutions, establishing a network of experimental farms to promote the bioeconomy. The purpose is to transform the bioeconomy of Mediterranean rural territories and extend the model to other similar landscapes through pilot tests, [...]

Investigation of 3D browsing in virtual environments and of an online interface that allows access and consultation of content by enriching it with artificial intelligence. The METAGLAM project focuses on the research of a 3D browsing interface and on carrying out a pilot test with the collections of the National Library of Catalonia linked to the artistic avant-gardes. The project includes, on the one hand, the enrichment of content through artificial intelligence and, on the other, the integration of users and the uses they make of this content in order to improve browsing and recommendations. Currently, browsing in [...]

Excellence in the execution of research and innovation projects participated by Eurecat and fundraising for their financing. The European Projects Office (OPE) “Horizon Eurecat” captures resources for the funding of research and innovation projects participated by the centre, mainly through the R+D+i Framework Program of the European Union. Moreover, this initiative ensures excellence in the execution of projects, especially those coordinated by Eurecat. The OPE of Eurecat ensures the success of the entire strategy of the centre, increasing European research projects and achieving the growth that the territory needs. General details Project Horizon Eurecat – [...]

Design of a pruning shears prototype to improve the competitiveness of the wine sector. The VIPO project creates a technological solution to facilitate, through a virtual reality training tool, the incorporation of qualified personnel into vineyard tasks, contributing to improving the competitiveness of the wine sector. VIPO designs a pruning shears prototype with sensors that allows to simulate in a virtual environment an experience close to reality and the parameters of a real vineyard. Moreover, VIPO launches a training platform based on artificial intelligence, which is easily usable and customised, through which an introductory pruning course [...]

Experimental development of tangible interfaces through furniture to improve the user experience during control and interaction in smart kitchens. The TANGIBLE project integrates tangible interface technologies (TUI, Tangible User Interfaces) on the surfaces and materials of the kitchen equipment. TANGIBLE offers new value utilities to professional and domestic kitchen users by developing an immersive online social interaction space based on an extended reality from a machine learning agent. The project also facilitates the control of the options of the digital environment, stimulating more inclusive co-creation activities in work processes. The use of new technologies such as [...]

Development of transparent agrovoltaic systems using customised organic photovoltaics (OPV) with complementary light absorption for plant growth. The SYNATRA project revolutionises the field of agrovoltaics by integrating transparent organic photovoltaic modules with tailored light absorption into agricultural structures to stimulate a synergistic co-production of energy and plants. The customisation of semi-transparent OPV modules for specific agrovoltaic applications aims to achieve the optimal conditions for plant growth: controlled light intensity, light diffusion, spectral composition of light, homogeneous planting coverage and mechanical protection against aggressive elements such as hailstorms, wind or rain. The SYNATRA project contributes to increase [...]