CETIC, actor of the new mobility

Damien HUBAUX — 2009-03-18T16:52:34Z

CETIC is an active player in ITS FORUM “new mobility” launched in January 2004 during the International Brussels motor show. It is a non-profit association of companies having the common goal to develop a bright innovative set of solutions able to answer the “new mobility” challenges: “Move more goods. Move more persons. Move less”.

As an active player in the new mobility in Belgium, CETIC is part of the ITS FORUM “new mobility” (www.itsnewmobility.be)

ITS FORUM “new mobility”, launched in January 2004 during the International Brussels motor show, is a non-profit association of companies basically from the automotive and transport sectors but also from parallel sectors such as Telecommunication and Information technologies. These companies are working together to achieve a New Mobility for people and goods which means ITS (Intelligent Transport / Traffic Systems / Services).

The common goal of all these companies is to develop a bright innovative set of solutions able to answer the “new mobility” challenges we could summarize: “Move more goods. Move more persons. Move less”.

Regarding these challenges, the ITS sector have to face new growing needs such as:
More traceability,
More flexibility,
More security,
More users,
More mobility,
More profitability.

As academic advisor of the ITS FORUM “new mobility”, CETIC has a key role for technological transfer and real industry needs exchange between the High-tech European research world and the pragmatic Belgian ITS sector.

Therefore, CETIC has developed a real expertise in Intelligent Transport System as a part of its activity in embedded and wireless systems.

The presentation of CETIC's activities in ITS were made at the international Brussels motor show January 2005 in the ITS FORUM “new mobility” stand.

: Figure 1: ITS Forum stand at the Brussels motor show 2005

The Embedded Systems Team develops its core competence in the integration of wireless communicating capabilities with embedded intelligence in non originally communicating device. That means to enable any industrial equipment and electronic automotive system to communicate wirelessly.

Its applied developments have the chance to capitalize not only on research projects but also on real case studies with Belgian industrial partners.

Embedded Systems Team

Wireless laboratory

Philippe Drugmand — 2009-03-09T09:22:14Z

The wireless laboratory of CETIC provides access to several noteworthy equipment and tools dedicated to advanced development support of embedded systems. It is open to the enterprises for evaluation or specific tests; the ECS department can bring its expertise to assist enterprises if required

In order to significantly increase the probability for a project to be successful, it is mandatory to use the most appropriate tools and methods during all the project phases, from requirement engineering to support after delivery. When hardware is involved, the enterprises developing products face complex issues at several levels, especially with wireless technologies. In this case, they may encounter problems that are out of their scope of competences and tools, for example in cases of electromagnetic issues (propagation, EMC). Specific support tools and methods may be required to identify and fix these problems but also to prevent them during the test phases (“what if” scenarios).

Problems due to methodological or technical errors in the development process are very expensive to fix, especially for SMEs. On the other hand, access to the relevant tools and methods is difficult due to the high costs and specific know-how they require. The corresponding software and hardware means are expensive and often complex to use; their usage may be very limited in time for the enterprises because they are used for specific test phases, or only in case of problems. Tools are also often dedicated for one specific technology and must be multiplied to cover the different activities of the enterprise. The enterprises lack the time and means for mastering all these complex tools and methods. In such a case, they preferably call for external support by experts who are immediately operational.

The Wireless laboratory of the department has many development environments and specific measurement systems to lead these developments and to validate them. This laboratory is also accessible to companies for evaluations or specific tests (including access to software and platforms of prototyping, development and simulation of embedded systems…).

The team of the department can bring its knowledge of tools and assist companies during these phases.