Core

Use Cases

Industrial use cases

E

5 use cases in automotive build up UNICORN's core

E

Concrete and direct industrial applications of research

E

Introduction of quantified impact on 2 scales:

  • TRL (Technology Readiness Levels)
  • LoC (Levels of Circularity)
Use cases graphic

Use case 1

Composite Smart Battery Casing with Embedded Temperature and Strain Monitoring

E

Improve eco-circularity of battery casing while:

  • being lightweight for lower CO2 emission
  • integrating additional functionalities such as cooling or sensing
  • being crash-resistant to increase battery health and safety
Courtesy of Valeo

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Use case 2

Sustainable Functional In-Mould Electronics for Automotive Dashboard

E

Implement low-impact materials in in-mould electronics for new generation of dashboards while:

  • substituting petroleum-based materials by lower impact alternatives (bio-sourced …)
  • ensuring process efficiency
  • reducing overall weight and energy consumption
  • increasing functionalities for visual, acoustic and haptic feedbacks

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Use case 3

Printed Electronics for Human Detection and Alerting

E

Comply with future regulations requiring in-cabin safety systems for drivers and passengers, while:

  • testing recycled and/or bio-based materials
  • defining recycling scenarios for printed electronics
  • creating novel device designs easing disassembly
  • designing “connector-less” interconnections
  • reducing resources consumption during fabrication

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Use case 4

Tyres with Embedded Bio-based RFID for Tracking, Sensing and Communicating

E
  • sensing of tyre temperature and pressure with printed/hybrid or silicon-based sensors
  • communicating with RFID solution providing identification and communication of tyre information to digital management system tyres
  • Energy decarbonisation (Level 3): Low impact materials
  • Material circularity (Level 3): Enhanced transparency and traceability for high quality recycling
  • Energy decarbonisation (Level 2): Drivetrain optimisation with increased energy-efficiency from tyre in optimal conditions
  • Lifetime optimisation (Level 3): Condition monitoring for extended use and facilitating tyre-manufacturing decision-making

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Use case 5

Functional Electronics for Mobility as a Service

E

Translate mobility requirements into specifications for future electronic systems, while:

  • integrating demand-side requirements and current trends
  • focusing on utilisation improvement and lifetime optimisation
  • defining contribution of electronics to provide mobility-on-demand solutions

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Expected impact

Contribution to SDG’s

Life on land

Climate action

Responsible consumption and production

Industry, Innovation and infrastructure

Affordable and clean energy

Beyond

Use cases

E

Synergies in UNICORN and beyond to other application sectors

  • Substitution with sustainable materials (substrates, inks)
  • Improved system designs for increased recycling and recovery
  • Access to new sustainable form factors
  • Processes enabling higher circularity (additive, reversible, interconnections)
  • Transfer of functionalities (advanced HMI, functionalised lightweight composite materials)