Latest news with #VTT
Tahawul Tech
2 days ago
- Business
- Tahawul Tech
Thales takes a key role in industrial drone project
Thales is planning to take part in Finnish drone project to deploy unmanned aerial vehicles across a variety of industrial sectors. The French multinational is set to provide the Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT) with an unmanned traffic management system (UTM) to handle flight authorisation, geographic information and network identification, and traffic information services. Thales explained its UTM is the first step VTT is taking in Drolo 2, a project to develop and deploy automated drone systems. Work is initially focused on U-Space Finland, a set of regulatory frameworks covering unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) which forms part of wider European initiatives to enable drone operations. Thales stated the frameworks could pave the way for drones to be used in fields spanning 'logistics, agriculture, forestry, airport and construction operations'. Another element of the work involves creating a business environment for the UAV industry, with an overarching goal of putting Finland in the vanguard of drone launches and testing in compliance with European regulations. A testing site is located near the city of Oulu, which Thales explained is an ideal proving ground due to having a 'medium-sized international airport, seaport, inhabited island', a mid-sized city centre and a 5G development centre. Source: Mobile World Live Image Credit: Stock Image
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
EU selects SUPREME consortium to scale up industrial production of superconducting quantum chips
ESPOO, Finland, July 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SUPREME aims to develop stable fabrication processes for European superconducting quantum chips with improved repeatability and yield. A total of 23 partners from 8 Member States will participate in this effort coordinated by VTT. The Framework Partnership Agreement for SUPREME outlines a roadmap for the industrialisation of superconducting quantum chip technologies over the next six years. The goal of SUPREME is to develop stable fabrication processes for superconducting quantum chips and provide European academia, SMEs and large enterprises with access to these fabrication processes. This will support the European ecosystem and market development as well as the growth of startups and SMEs. "By developing stable fabrication processes for superconducting quantum chips, we push the boundaries of what is possible in quantum computing, sensing, and communication", says Pekka Pursula, VTT's Director for Microeconomics and Quantum Research and coordinator of the consortium. The SUPREME consortium will focus on developing technologies including angle evaporated and etched Josephson junctions, 3D integration methods, and hybrid quantum processes for quantum computing, sensing, and communication. These technologies will be validated through pilot line demonstrators, especially 3D-integrated qubit assemblies for large-scale Quantum processing units (QPU), travelling wave parametric amplifiers (TWPA), and superconducting nanowire single photon detectors (SNSPD). "Stability and yield challenges in superconducting quantum device fabrication have posed significant barriers to scaling quantum technologies beyond research prototypes," says Jorden Senior, Research Team Leader for Quantum Computing Hardware at VTT and Technical Manager of SUPREME. "We have focused on angle evaporated and etched Josephson junctions for their optimal balance of coherence and manufacturability, while our 3D and hybrid integration approaches enable the interconnected architectures essential for fault-tolerant quantum systems. These foundational technologies will determine Europe's competitiveness in the global quantum hardware race," he adds. Pilot lines are an essential step supporting technology development and market creation before industrial foundries can take up quantum chip manufacturing. The pilot line will engage in dialogue with industrial foundries and aim to facilitate technology transfer for enabling industrial manufacturing supply chain in the future. The pilot line will provide access to European academia, SMEs, and large industries for the developed stable fabrication processes through process design kits (PDKs) that enable users to design and develop their own devices and systems. SUPREME will collaborate with design platform and chip competence centres for access to PDKs and support the building of a European ecosystem. Access for stable fabrication processes is important for unlocking innovation and supporting growth of SMEs. "By establishing comprehensive PDKs and stable processing capability around these approaches, we are providing European quantum companies with reliable building blocks to focus on innovation rather than reinventing fabrication processes," says Pursula. The Chips JU has now approved the Framework Partnership Agreement (FPA), including technology roadmap for SUPREME. Once granted, the SUPREME roadmap will be executed in two phases and funded with two successive Specific Grant Agreements grants. The SUPREME pilot line is expected to kick off in early 2026 with first technologies available for external users in 2027. The consortium combines European expertise in superconducting technology from academia, RTO's, industrial technology developers and end-users. The consortium involves the following 23 partners from 8 Member States: Research organisations and academia: VTT (Finland), coordinator; TNO (Netherlands); Delft University of Technology (Netherlands); Technical University of Munich (Germany); Fraunhofer Gesellschaft für Angewandte Forschung e.V. (Germany); Max-Planck-Gesellschaft (Germany); Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology e.V. (Germany); The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission - CEA (France); University of Naples Federico II (Italy); Fondazione Bruno Kessler (Italy); Institut de Física d'Altes Energies - IFAE (Spain); Silicon Austria Labs (Austria) Large enterprises: Infineon Technologies AG (Germany); IQM Finland Oy (Finland) Small and medium enterprises: Arctic Instruments Oy (Finland); Alice & Bob (France); QuantWare BV (Netherlands); Single Quantum BV (Netherlands); QphoX BV (Netherlands); Peak Quantum GmbH (Germany); Silent Waves (France); Amires, The Business Innovation Management Institute (Czech Republic); Qilimanjaro Quantum Tech S.L. (Spain) Further information:VTT Technical Research Centre of FinlandPekka Pursula, Director for Microelectronics and Quantum Research and consortium tel. +358 407384986 PHOTO: Quantum chip (Photo source: VTT) Further information on VTT:Paula Bergqvist, Communications Manager+358 20 722 5161, This information was brought to you by Cision The following files are available for download: Superconductive qubits form the Quantum processor unit or QPU View original content: SOURCE VTT Info Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hypermine closes seed funding round to maximise mineral recovery and minimise environmental impact
With demand for critical minerals like copper surging, Hypermine's laser-based hyperspectral mineralogy sensor, developed at VTT, boosts decision accuracy by hundredfold, improves profit by up to 10%, and slashes energy and water use. ESPOO, Finland, June 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Hypermine spinout of VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, has today announced the successful closure of its seed funding round. The funding round consists of private equity investments from Stephen Industries and Sage Enterprises, as well as an IPR investment from VTT. The funding will be used to strengthen Hypermine's team, support current customers and acquire new customers, as well as achieve profitable growth. The demand for minerals is rapidly increasing across multiple industries, driven by global urbanisation, the clean energy transition, and growing agricultural needs. Critical materials like iron and aluminum are essential for construction, while agriculture faces rising pressure to secure non-renewable minerals such as potash and phosphates for fertiliser production. Clean energy technologies, including electric vehicles and battery storage systems, are driving unprecedented demand for minerals such as copper, cobalt, and lithium. Among them, copper has become a particular concern. Analysts warn that global supply is falling short of projected needs, raising alarms about the impact on climate transition targets. The shortage is influencing geopolitical strategies and prompting renewed attention to the role of mining technology. Rather than relying solely on increased exploration, the industry is looking to innovation in mineral processing and extraction methods to address the growing gap between supply and demand. Finding ore is not enough, however. The lower the quality of ore, meaning the less of the minerals it contains, the more must be mined. This results in more waste, higher consumption of energy and water, poorer efficiency due to low recovery rates, and increased cost. For example, in Chile, the average coper ore grade has declined by 30% over 15 years. Hypermine's technology, which combines laser illumination, hyperspectral sensing, and proprietary machine-learning algorithms, allows mine operators to sort the valuable minerals from the remaining mined material at the earliest stage of the mining process, improving resource recovery while minimizing the environmental impact. Mines can improve their profitability by 3-10% with the technology while extending their lifetime. Furthermore, Hypermine's technology helps cut down energy use by 10%, and it can reduce ore flotation acids and water usage by 15%. "Meeting society's material needs without damaging the environment is not an easy undertaking. We want to make mining more efficient, which is key for mining companies to extract more minerals at lower costs, while also minimizing environmental impact and reducing the use of water, acids, and energy. We've already proven our technology in multiple different environments and have vast market potential. We are continuing to partner with major players in the global mining industry and have ambitious growth plans," says Markku Makkonen, CEO of Hypermine. "Hypermine is truly a breakthrough technology for the mining industry," said Jake Greenberg, Managing Director at Sage Enterprises. "In the same way that sonar allowed navies to see enemy submarines, Hypermine's laser-based hyperspectral sensors allow mining companies to see the minerals in their orebodies in real time, improving decision-making accuracy to ensure that valuable ore gets processed while waste rock goes to the dump. This means the future of mining will be significantly more sustainable and more profitable." Hypermine's breakthrough innovation, broadband laser illumination, enables revealing mineral contents of ore surfaces remotely and under any environmental conditions. This makes it possible to use the technology already during the excavation stage, improving mining decisions significantly. "Currently, decision-making is based on inaccurate 3D block models that represent large sections of the mine, covering between 3,000 and 10,000 tonnes of material. Hypermine enables decision-making at truck load resolution, approximately 100 to 400 tonnes, making ore grade identification hundred times more accurate," elaborates Mikhail Mekhrengin, CTO of Hypermine. Hypermine's technology has been co-developed and validated with a leading mining company. The Hypermine product has ongoing pilots in the UK, South Africa, Brazil, and Canada. The technology's implementations in mines include, e.g., rock face, muck pile, loading, and hauling. "We pioneer cutting-edge technology to support mining providers in their most critical operations - from the excavation to ore pre-processing. Combining innovative techniques, precision engineering, and industry-leading expertise, we deliver reliable, high-performance solutions designed to perform with confidence and safety, even under the toughest mining conditions," says Andrei Rupasov, CPO of Hypermine. "The mining industry is facing declining yields and increasing environmental scrutiny globally while demand for minerals is set to increase," said Tor-Oskar Karlberg, Investment Director at Stephen Industries. "As an investor, we're focused on high-impact technologies with strong teams and potential to grow internationally. Hypermine fits this commitment and we're confident in the team's vision. We're excited to support Hypermine on their mission as they scale their technology and business." MEDIA MATERIAL (Photographed by Timo Kauppila)PHOTO 1: Andrei Rupasov, Mikhail Mekhrengin and Markku Makkonen:PHOTO 2: Hypermine product:PHOTO 3: Markku Makkonen:PHOTO 4: Mikhail Mekhrengin:PHOTO 5: Andrei Rupasov: For additional information: HypermineMarkku Makkonen, tel. +358 40 5588554VTTKari Rönkä, Executive Vice President, Sensing tel. +358 40 7795831 CONTACT: Further information on VTT:Paula Bergqvist, Communications Manager+358 20 722 5161, This information was brought to you by Cision The following files are available for download: HYPERMINE Rupasov Mekhrengin Makkonen HYPERMINE-1 Markku Makkonen Hypermine mikhail mekhrengin Hypermine Andrey Rupasov Hypermine View original content: SOURCE VTT Info Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
VTT has developed a degradable solar cell module to be attached to a plant leaf - agriculture needs green electronics
Globally, the digitalisation of agriculture requires the increasing use of measurement electronics in farming. However, power supply and electronic waste pose problems. VTT has now developed a biodegradable solar cell module power source in an international green electronics research project. ESPOO, Finland , June 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The solar cell module developed by VTT is so small and light that it can be attached directly to, for example, the stem of a cultivated plant or a large leaf. The cell is approximately the size of a credit card, very flexible and extremely thin. After the growing season, the cell decomposes along with the rechargeable power supply that the cell charges. "When a solar cell is used in an agricultural application, biodegradability is essential. In this case, there is no real harm caused if the cell cannot be removed from the field, even if it is in close contact with the soil. And, there are no harmful substances to leach into the environment or exacerbate the microplastics problem," says Maria Smolander, Research Team Leader at VTT. "Right now, sensors still aren't being used a great deal in agriculture, but this biodegradable solution makes it possible to more effectively implement them in agricultural applications," says Smolander. Compostable device developed in cooperation with six research institutes The aim of the three-year international research project is to create degradable cultivation sensors. In addition to VTT, Tampere University, University of Glasgow, Lukasiewicz Institute of Microelectronics and Photonics (Łukasiewicz-IMIF), Centre Suisse d'Electronique et de Microtechnique S.A. (CSEM) and McGill University contributed to the project, which was funded by the CHIST-ERA and national funding agencies (e.g. Research Council of Finland). "Although agriculture has served as a practical test platform for this green electronics project, the main idea is to explore how electronics can be made more environmentally friendly," says Liisa Hakola, Senior Scientist at VTT. In the project, VTT developed the solar cell and Tampere University developed a battery-like supercapacitor that stores energy. The project has also developed compostable sensors and modules that transmit collected data wirelessly. "The aim here is not to collect a large amount of energy - it's about low energy consumption sensors that can be used to monitor the state of the environment. The degradable solar cell is not intended to match the performance of conventional cells, and there is no need for a long service life", says Marja Välimäki, Senior Scientist at VTT. Development of a biodegradable cell set new requirements VTT has years of comprehensive experience in the manufacture of state-of-the-art solar cells. However, development of a biodegradable cell set new requirements. The structural components must not prematurely decompose or accelerate the decomposition of other components. "The biodegradable material is less resistant to environmental conditions, such as heat and moisture stress. It must also be ensured that the sensors are extremely light if they are going to be attached to a plant," says Liisa Hakola. Depending on the conditions, a biodegradable solar cell will decompose within weeks or months. Solar cell protection can be used to regulate its service life. The cell developed by VTT is made of a bio-based thin film substrate and has a partly inorganic structure. The manufactured solar cell is less than 35 micrometres thick and, even with protection added, the total thickness remains only tenths of a millimetre. Regulation requires more measurement technology for farms Measurement technologies employed on farms serve the growing needs of agricultural data collection, which is used to improve yields, combat plant diseases and reduce agricultural emissions. Regulation also requires increasingly accurate measurement data. "For example, EU regulations require that nutrient loads be studied regularly in soil samples. The new biodegradable solar cell offers a widely applicable way to collect energy, and sensoring enables more real-time data collection and environmental monitoring," explains Välimäki. VTT is also developing environmentally friendly electronics and solar cells as part of a EU funded IoT research project, whose objectives include combining sensor technology with a sustainable circular economy and clean solutions. Further information: VTT Technical Research Centre of FinlandMaria Smolander, Research Team Leader, tel. +358 (0)40 702 9933, Välimäki, Senior Scientist, tel. +358 (0)40 578 9014, Hakola, Senior Scientist, tel. +358 (0)40 841 5978, Further information on VTT:Paula Bergqvist, Communications Manager+358 20 722 5161, This information was brought to you by Cision The following files are available for download: aurinkokennomoduuli-vtt-21 View original content: SOURCE VTT Info
Business Recorder
06-06-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Remote sensing satellite project: VTT Global and SUPARCO collaborate on roadmap strategy
ISLAMABAD: VTT Global (Private) Limited, Pakistan's leading strategy and management consultancy firm, held a high-level workshop with SUPARCO to strategise the roadmap and potential impact for Pakistan's upcoming remote sensing satellite project and the broader expansion of space-based geospatial infrastructure. This satellite launch will unlock transformative impact across Pakistan's economic resilience, fiscal planning, space innovation, data sovereignty, and development priorities, anchoring the nation's place in the emerging global geospatial ecosystem. Designed through VTT's multidisciplinary approach, the project integrates legal, financial, and technical frameworks to ensure strategic alignment with Pakistan's Vision 2025, National Space Policy 2023, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2015. Space technology: PM expresses his desire to enhance ties with China Based on the proposed model for public-private partnerships, investment mechanisms, and regulatory pathways, the project has vast potential. It can catalyse entrepreneurial advancement and drive Pakistan's long-term economic sustainability. Moreover, with enhanced access to real-time, high-resolution satellite data, the initiative promises wide-ranging implications. These include agricultural optimisation, climate adaptation, national security, urban planning, and disaster risk management. Ultimately, this initiative positions Pakistan to build a self-sustaining, space-enabled knowledge economy by reducing dependence on external systems and contributing to long-term GDP growth through sovereign geospatial intelligence. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
