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Science is a Mirror of the Future. CxI Labs Are Working on the Challenges Awaiting Us
example a unique high-efficiency filter made up of special nanofibrous membranes for wastewater treatment, flood and fire protection systems to increase population protection and much more. CxI also presents the latest trends in 3D printing, promising research results focused on the use of nanofibers in medical field, an ongoing work on autonomous driving, as well as the development of special robots and augmented reality.
n AUTONOMOUS UTILITY
ELECTRIC VEHICLE
The Institute for Nanomaterials, Advanced Technologies and Innovation is a research centre of the Technical University of Liberec, which focuses on material research and competitive engineering with 10 scientific workplaces, 190 employees including 25 from abroad, working mainly on applied research. The CxI Institute at the Technical University of Liberec has been operating for ten years and its turnover from contractual research is around EUR 2.6 million per year. The Institute has a number of unique devices whose use for research and cooperation is crucial. At present CxI cooperates with more than 200 companies from the Czech Republic and abroad, as long-term cooperation with the application sphere is one of the core priorities of the Institute. CxI scientists have developed for the application sphere for | 34
At present, there is no doubt that in addition to the Internet of Things and Robotics, autonomous vehicles are the third most important innovation trend that will change the world of logistics in the coming years. The world sea of research, professional and business interest has so far focused mainly on applications in the area of transport of
persons and cargo on roads and in closed zones. The multidisciplinary university team led by associate professor Michal Petrů from the CxI went outside of well-mapped areas and focused on the development of autonomous “off-road” resp. autonomous utility electric vehicles. The vehicle on which a team of researchers from Liberec is working within the project “Modular platform for autonomous chassis of specialized electric vehicles for freight and equipment transportation“, reg. č. CZ.02.1.01 /0.0/0.0/16_025/0007293, funded by the Ministry of Education and European funds should perform logistical, transport and special operations in the off-road areas, on construction sites, on unpaved areas and in other demanding conditions. The development of such a vehicle bears several scientific and research challenges, which also determines the individual research intentions of the project. Experts deal with modular ar-
Photo: Technical University of Liberec archives
Autonomous commercial vehicles, nuclear power plants at the end of their lifetime, use of augmented reality in automotive or construction, for most of us these are talk topics about the near future, for scientists from the Institute of Nanomaterials, Advanced Technologies and Innovations - CxI at the Technical University of Liberec these are already their daily bread. They find material, construction, and IT solutions for a world that is still waiting behind the closed door, but is knocking impatiently and emphatically.
