Fifth Framework Programme: Working Paper

Key Action 4:
Essential Technologies and Infrastructures

This is one of a set of pages forming the text of Annex 2 to a European Commission letter inviting early inputs regarding the workplan for the Fifth Framework Programme. For background and overall structure of the text see the letter and associated documents. [Text in square brackets = comments by European Telework Online].

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Rationale

With such a ubiquitous role in products and processes, competitiveness is critically dependent on the information society's essential technologies and infrastructures. At the same time, the

• usability,
• dependability and, above all, the
• affordability

The convergence of

• communications,
• computer networking and
• broadcasting

• Interoperability and
• interworking

• infrastructures and
• services

The rapid and coherent deployment of next generation infrastructures and services needs joint efforts to create the necessary critical mass.

Objectives and RTD priorities

• information processing,
• communications and
• networking

The priorities would be to

• enhance their applicability and
• accelerate their take-up.

those specific to one application only would be addressed in the context of that application in other parts of the Framework Programme.

Information processing, communication and network technologies

• heterogeneous multi-processor architectures

• broadband networks,

• wireless communications.

RTD priorities
concurrent systems:
technologies and tools for

• the sharing and interactive use of remote resources and
• concurrent activities in geographically dispersed locations,

• heterogeneous hardware and software architectures and systems;

real-time systems

• handling large volumes of data;

• basic technologies and tools

• real-time embedded systems applications

interoperability and interworking
particularly at the

• network management and
• service

• capacity,
• flexibility and
• functionality

• competition and
• new services

• generic service management models capable of handling the increased network complexity,
• new architectures

• network dependability and
• security

technologies for network integration
(fixed and mobile, including satellite links) and

new service independent architectures and systems,
to ensure all users have affordable access to broadband multimedia nomadic services;

reliable high capacity terabit optical transmission;

a major effort in photonic technologies for end-to-end optical transparency in core and access networks, including

communication management in the optical domain;

take-up:
measures

• to promote and transfer best practice,
• for concertation to contribute to standards, and
• to validate technologies and services in field trials

Engineering and technologies for software, systems and services

• development,
• deployment,
• operation and
• evolution

• software-intensive systems

as well as in

• production and enterprise processes.

RTD priorities:
software and systems engineering
work would focus on

• dependable,
• survivable and
• scaleable

• the development cycle and
• costs;

• reliable methods and tools

the integration of

• custom and
• off-the-shelf

service engineering
would address

• the integration of heterogeneous platforms and networks and
• the increasing complexity and sophistication of the new services

the objective would be to develop technologies and tools for

• rapid,
• customised and
• cost-effective

• creation,
• deployment,
• provision and
• management

• reliability,
• security and
• quality

software technologies
work would foster

• knowledge-based methods and tools,

• usability as well as the
• capability

• intelligence in the network,

• collection,
• production,
• dissemination and
• communication of

take-up:
best practice and other take-up measures will be a priority; work will be complemented by the

• validation and
• assessment

• field trials, and by

Mobile and personal communications and systems

• an integrated seamless network
  that ensures
• global personal connectivity
  and enables
• access to wireless multimedia communications and services
  • by anyone,
  • from anywhere,
  • at any time,
  with
  • capabilities,
  • quality and
  • performance
  comparable to those of fixed network services.

• new generations of affordable terrestrial and satellite broadband wireless
  • architectures,
  • systems and
  • technologies,
  for both private and public environments, supporting advanced services and maximising
  • spectral efficiency and
  • network performance;

• multiplicity of radio systems
  deployed in a
  • muli-layer,
  • multi-dimension
  cell architecture;

service mobility and terminal roaming
across wireless and wired networks would be a priority;

• software reconfigurable
  • networks,
  • systems and
  • terminals,
  
  to facilitate improved
• network planning,
• interoperability and
• interworking;

• miniaturised,
• low-cost,
• low-power

technologies, services and applications
supporting interactive mobile and personal multimedia services, with

• regional or
• global

• validations and
• demonstrations

a major effort will be dedicated to

• technology assessment and
• concertation measures

Multisensory interfaces and visualisation and simulation technologies

• intuitive ways to
  • capture,
  • deliver and
  • interact
  with systems.

• development and
• integration

• sensor,
• actuator and
• display

• simulation and
• visualisation

RTD priorities
multimodal multisensory interfaces and novel tools and devices - validation and assessment would be central to this work;

technologies including

• image and
• auditory

• processing,
• understanding and
• synthesis

• work and
• leisure/entertainment

the work would progressively facilitate the introduction of technologies such as

• augmented vision and
• virtual reality;

emphasis would be given to the development of low-cost and low-power interfaces [as] well as the use of new flexible materials for portable and mobile subsystems;

included are issues such as

• user adaptability,
• user interaction modelling and profiling;

• pre-processing,
• advanced post-processing (including visualisation and virtual reality)

• validation of simulation

tools to support the

• integration of simulation in industrial and business processes

work would also address tools to support the interoperability of heterogeneous software and hardware systems; the work will be complemented by validations and assessments, together with

• first-user actions

Peripherals, sub-systems and microsystems

Work on sub-systems would cover the building blocks of information processing and communications systems and networks. Work on intelligent microsystems would, in this context, cover miniaturised systems comprising sensing and/or actuating with processing functions, and normally combining two or more of electrical, mechanical, optical, chemical, organic, biological, magnetic or other properties, integrated onto a single chip or a multichip hybrid. RTD priorities:

• integration,
• low-power consumption and
• miniaturisation

• software and hardware modules
  for content
  • capture,
  • storage and
  • manipulation;

sub-systems:
in addition to basic building blocks a major focus will be

• home systems;

• broader application of intelligent microsystems,
  primarily for the
  • medical,
  • biochemical,
  • environmental,
  • automotive and
  • aerospace
  applications, as well as their use in
  • measurement and control systems or sub-systems;

• transfer competence from research to industrial use and to
• facilitate access to existing technologies for prototyping and small volume production;

the work will be supported through measures complementing those in Programme 3 addressing the manufacturability of intelligent microsystems and the associated assembly, interconnect, packaging, materials and equipment technologies, together with support for the appropriate design and simulation activities;

take-up:
the work will be complemented by

• concertation for coordination and to contribute to standards,

• first-user actions.

Microelectronics

• materials,
• equipment,
• processes,
• design and test methodologies and
• tools

• the development of electronic components,
• their packaging,
• interconnection and
• application.

• system-oriented and
• application-driven,

• reinforcing strengths and
• exploiting technological opportunities

the key technology requirements
would be addressed through support for

• semiconductor materials and equipment
  • development and
  • assessment,
  • packaging and
  • interconnect
  technology, notably for the most advanced generations;

• silicon,
• silicon-based, or
• compound

• mobility (low power, high frequency wireless communications),
• high complexity/high performance systems,
• systems resistant to hostile environments in terms of
  • reliability and
  • endurance,
  • measurement and
  • control;

macrocells and support tools
for classes of applications;

optical technologies:

• new optical sources,
• optoelectronic integrated circuits,
• active and passive optical components and devices at new wavelengths,

• optoelectronic devices based on organic compounds;

take-up:
promotion of application and design competencies will be addressed in thematic clusters; a major effort will be devoted to technology assessment, first-user and other best practice measures.