EXCELLABUST - Excelling LABUST in marine robotics

Name: EXCELLABUST - Excelling LABUST in marine robotics
Acronym: EXCELLABUST
Funding scheme: Horizon 2020 TWINNING
Grant Agreement Number: 691980
Total budget: 1,014,551.00 EUR
Start and end dates: 01/01/2016 - 31/12/2018
Coordinator: UNIZG-FER (HR)
Partners: UNIZG-FER (HR), Consiglio Nazionale delle Richerche - CNR (IT), University of Girona - UdG (ES), University of Limerick - UL (IE)

Project website: excellabust.fer.hr
Social media: LABUST Facebook profile and LABUST YouTube Channel

Abstract:

The Laboratory for Underwater Systems and Technologies (LABUST) at UNIZG-FER has in the recent years positioned itself at the very top of marine robotics sciences in the region – all it lacked at the beginning of this project was a higher level of research excellence which would bring it closer to internationally leading institutions in this field. This was the main goal of the EXCELLABUST project: to address networking gaps and deficiencies between UNIZG-FER and internationally leading counterparts at the EU level by significantly strengthening marine robotics research within LABUST through twinning with expert partners.

 

EXCELLABUST Kick-Off meeting

 

EXCELLABUST project meeting at Breaking the Surface

 

1. Excellence:

LABUST has the necessary staff, equipment and experience to consolidate its position at the top of marine robotics research in the region, and this project was to enhance its S&T capacity and help raise the staff's research profile in marine robotics with the help of the partner institutions: Consiglio Nazionalle delle Ricerche, University of Girona, and University of Limerick. Through providing trainings and tutorials on not only technology, research and robotics, but also innovation management, as well as by strengthening LABUST’s links to the marine robotics industry, academic circles and end-users, the project partners would ensure the success of this project and bling LABUST closer to its European counterparts in the field of marine robotics.
 

2. Impact:

LABUST has the necessary staff, equipment and experience to consolidate its position at the top of marine robotics research in the region, and this project enhanced its S&T capacity, and helped raise the staff's research profile in marine robotics with the help of the partner institutions: UNIZG-FER, Consiglio Nazionalle delle Ricerche, University of Girona, and University of Limerick. Through providing trainings and tutorials on not only technology, research and robotics, but also innovation management, as well as by strengthening LABUST’s links to the marine robotics industry, academic circles and end-users, the project partners would ensure the success of this project and bring LABUST closer to its European counterparts in the field of marine robotics.

 

The Croatian Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes published a brochure titled Horizon 2020 Success Stories in Croatia, which features EXCELLABUST as a successful EU-funded project in Croatia. The brochure can be found online.

The work done in EXCELLABUST was recognized by the European Commission and its Innovation Radar Prize, for which the UNIZG-FER LABUST team was selected as finalists in the Excellent Science 2018 category.

In September 2016, the Rijeka Nautic Show judges awarded LABUST with an Innovation Award for its showcased products, the ASV PlaDyPos and underwater tablet casing.

 

3. Implementation - Goals and Achievements:

EXCELLABUST has significantly helped in raising the research profile of UNIZG-FER and LABUST within the marine robotics research field. We experienced a high increase in scientific excellence, innovation capacity, and staff’s research profile. Measures that contributed to this increase include: staff exchanges, invited talks, tutorials, technical trainings, and innovation management trainings. There was also a significant increase in UNIZG-FER scientific involvement and visibility within the international marine robotics community, accomplished through the networking done on a series of events aimed towards strengthening links to marine robotics industry as well as end-users.

 

Research and innovation capacity

EXCELLABUST has also resulted in a significant leap forward in terms of UNIZG-FER reputation, attractiveness and opening of new networks. This is mostly visible through the following achievements:

 

increase in
citations by 70%

5 new collaboration agreements with industries and research institutions each

43 joint proposal submissions
with international partners

 

Another interesting product was created as part of the project: the Marine Robotics Database, the goal of which is to help connect marine robotics end-users of all kinds, including the academic community, industry, government, researchers etc. The database is a platform where all these stakeholders can connect with each other, share news and developments, and find out more about various products and services.

 

Outreach and networking

A complete set of outreach and networking measures were planned within the EXCELLABUST project to enhance the expected impacts of the project. A list of these measures, together with specific numbers of events organized within the project, is given below:

 

5 staff exchanges

27 expert visits, tutorials and management trainings

45 conferences and industrial events

7 on-site trainings and workshops

20 open-door events and 3 summer schools

 

 

Here are some of the events we visited, took part in and organized during the EXCELLABUST project's lifetime:

 

Ivan Lončar visited UdG
as part of a staff exchange

Polar training in Svalbard

Expert visit
by Massimo Caccia
Innovation mgmt. training by
Manuel Jimenez Diaz

 

University of Zagreb Fair 2018

We often collaborated
with national media

Festival of Science in Zagreb
EXCELLABUST presentation
at a H2020 info day event