The challenges and major HiCONNECTS objectives are to transform the centralized cloud platform to decentralized platforms which include edge cloud computing in a sustainable, energy-efficient way. This will bring cloud services including Artificial Intelligence (AI) closer to the IOT end-users, which enables them to really use the COT and IOT efficiently. The technologies underpinning this revolutionary step include the development of high-performance computing, storage infrastructure, network interfaces and connecting media , and the analysis of IOT sensors and big data in real-time. This major step forward will enable, for example, the mobile clients (during the 5G deployment phase and 6G exploration) to move among different places with minimum cost, short response time and with stable connection between cloud nodes and mobile devices. The main underlying technology to be developed by the HiCONNECTS consortium, comprising large industrial players, universities and RTOs, and many SMEs, can be summarized under the title: heterogenous integration (HI) which is needed to meet the computing power, bandwidth, latency and sensing requirements for the next generation cloud and edge computing and applications. The HI revolution brings the electronic components and systems (ECS) into a new domain, which combines traditional silicon wafers integrated circuit (IC), InP based high speed electronics , and Si and InP photonics devices and interconnect. The HiCONNECTS ambition is to demonstrate, through HI development, a leap in computing and networking reliability and performances across the full vertical and horizontal ECS value chain (i.e. essential capabilities and key applications) in a sustainable way. In addition, HiCONNECTS will focus on the development of next generation design, algorithms, equipment (HW/SW), systems and Systems of Systems (SOS).

Europe’s leading position in photonics and electronics can only be secured by adapting to the next generation of optoelectronic devices requirements: high performance, multi-functionality and cost efficiency in miniaturized footprint. These can only be achieved if novel schemes for on-chip integration emerge. Among the established platforms for optoelectronic integrated circuits (OEICs), silicon nitride as a wide-band and low-loss material stands outs. However, Si3N4 itself has no active effect and the heterogeneous integration of active III-V and II-VI semiconductor chips is currently very complicated and costly. MatEl offers a unique solution to this challenge and promises to enable a novel on-chip integration scheme: Laser Digital Processing - Laser Transfer and Laser Soldering - will be employed for the accurate and fast alignment and bonding of any type of chip package (OEIC) on Si3N4. The hybrid platform will be enhanced bythe monolithic integration of advanced materials (graphene and high-quality PZT), which will enable multiple functionalities in miniaturized footprint. MatEl will thus demonstrate two next-gen optoelectronic devices at TRL5: 1) 2D light source for AR displays with integrated RGB lasers and OEIC-based demultiplexers. 2) Bio-photonic sensor for antibodies detection with on-chip VCSEL at 850 nm featuring graphene photodetectors. Overall, MatEl ’s hybrid platform will combine the wide bandwidth and high confinement provided by Si3N4 with the active functionality of III-V and II-VI lasers, supporting a broad spectrum of next-gen applications, extending far beyond these demo applications. Hence, MatEl will reinforce the existing collaborations within the consortium and introduce new eco-systems, estimated to strengthen the EU photonics and microelectronics industrial capability by generating multi M€ turnovers to the involved SMEs and more than 200 new employment positions by the end of its timeframe.

Imaging tools such as the Computed Tomography (CT) and the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) can offer diagnosis of the cancer and the cardiovascular disease (CVD), but not insight into the molecular mechanisms that promote their occurrence, progression and possible resistance to treatment. Information about these mechanisms is present however in the blood. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are secreted into the blood, and can inform us about the state of their cells of origin, and by extension, about the presence and progression of diseases. Unfortunately, their detection is still imperfect due to the ultra-small size (50-200 nm) of most of them. PHOREVER will develop a disruptive multi-sensing platform that will enable for the first time the reliable detection of EVs with size down to 80 nm, the detection of EVs with specific biomarkers (proteins) on their surface, and the calculation of the corresponding EV concentrations in the blood. Its operation will be based on 3 sensing modalities: Flow-cytometry (FCM) with 4 wavelengths (405, 488, 633 and 785 nm) as the main modality for EV detection and size classification, dual-channel swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) with 2.5 µm resolution for imaging of the sensing area and noise reduction of the FCM measurements, and fluorescence sensing at 488 nm for biomarker detection after staining. The key components will be the 2 photonic integrated circuits in TriPleX and the 3 microfluidic chips, which will be integrated as a compact point-of-care device. The medical impact can be ground-breaking. The first use case will be related to pancreatic cancer with focus on progression monitoring, metastasis risk assessment, and treatment efficacy evaluation. The second use case will be related to stroke with focus on its fast and precise diagnosis for time-to-treatment reduction. In either case, data analysis empowered by artificial intelligence will correlate the measurement data to disease specific medical information.

PUNCH offers a solution for time-deterministic and time-sensitive networks by developing a new optical switching paradigm which (I) breaks the trade-off between flexibility (ultra-dynamic reconfigurability) and determinism (guaranteed latency and jitter) by offering an all-to-all reconfigurable interconnect; (II) reduces congestion by activating bandwidth steering so that additional capacity can be allocated between hot nodes in the network; (III) provides unparalleled dynamics and bandwidth efficiency by further enabling multiplexing in the time domain with fast reconfigurable capability. A 2×2×8Lambda wavelength selective switching element will be scaled to a fully non-blocking 8x8x8Lambda and 16x16x8Lambda reconfigurable optical switch fabric. The development of a III-V foundry process for micro-transfer-printing-compatible semiconductor optical amplifiers enables loss-less optical switching on a silicon photonics platform. Custom configuration electronic ICs to actuate, control, and power-monitor a scaled switch fabric will be densely integrated with the photonic ICs into a heterogeneous fanout wafer-level package, processed on a 200mm reconstructed wafer platform. In addition, the optical interfacing to the photonic ICs will be accomplished using an optical redistribution layer, providing an optical fanout on high-density organic substrates, and allowing for a scalable optical fiber packaging solution. The novel integration and packaging processes will be applied for manufacturing 1.6 Tbit/s optical transceivers providing the interface between optical switches and electronic resources (compute, memory, and storage). The optical switch and transceiver prototypes will be demonstrated in a 5G RAN Transport Network, for TSN Fronthaul applications and for memory disaggregation in data centers.

SPRINTER will provide a set of low-cost, energy-efficient, and ultra-dynamic optical transceivers and an optical switching solution to cope with the diverse needs of the industrial networks and expedite their truly digital transformation. SPRINTER will combine the best-of-breed optical components and methods from various powerful but complementary photonic integration platforms to develop low-cost and energy-efficient 200 Gb/s optical transceivers, and ultra-fast wavelength-tunable 10 Gb/s optical transceivers. Leveraging well-proven integration techniques that allow for the fabrication of complex 3D photonic integrated circuits, the project will provide a disruptive low-loss and polarization-insensitive reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer, optimized for operation within space-division multiplexing networks. Considering the ultra-dynamic nature of the industrial networks due to the deployment of either temporarily fixed or moving remote nodes, SPRINTER will provide a set of groundbreaking photonics-enabled transceivers supporting wireless connectivity by means of a free-space optical or a mmWave channel. The transceivers will be able to operate reliably in indoor environments, as well as, outdoor environments thanks to the complementary characteristics of the two channels. The project will also develop a unified network platform, providing the required methods and tools to support time-deterministic operation, and enable real-time communication with guaranteed service quality. In order to showcase SPRINTER's full potential, the developed technology will be evaluated within application scenarios that will be deployed in a relevant industrial environment incorporating a fully operational closed-loop control system.