Three Science, Technology and Innovation Institutions (ICTs) were selected as Embrapii Competence Centers for Intelligent and Connected Hardware Platforms. They will receive an investment of R$178 million for the development of technologies within this cutting-edge area of innovation. The resources invested originate from PPI HardwareBR, from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI). The model combines actions to expand and strengthen scientific and technological competence and RD&I, training and training of human resources, in addition to establishing technological associations with companies, attracting and creating startups.
“The Competence Centers will make relevant contributions to expanding frontier technological capacity to make our industry more competitive. Additionally, the Centers will help to face the challenges of a country so unequal and with immense potential”, said Chico Saboya, president of Embrapii.
Those selected are the Institute of Technology for Development (Lactec), which is located in Paraná and will work in the area of Electromobility and Smart Electrical Grids; the Senai Institute of Innovation (ISI) in Sensing Systems, from Rio Grande do Sul, which will develop technologies for Digital Agriculture; and Virtus (Center for Research, Development and Innovation in Information Technology, Communication and Automation) at the Federal University of Campina Grande (UFCG), in Paraíba, specialized in intelligent sensing platforms for industry with Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things.
“Digital transformation is fundamental to solving problems and improving people’s quality of life. It contributes to the formation of qualified jobs, encourages technological innovation, generates new businesses, increases company productivity and boosts the economy. In this context, digital transformation is part of the federal government's reindustrialization policy on new technological bases, and the implementation of Competence Centers is strategic for Brazil to face this challenge. By articulating actions aimed at strengthening skills in disruptive technologies, we generate knowledge to design the industry of the future”, stated the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Luciana Santos.
In practice, the Embrapii Competence Centers will work on the development of emerging technologies, such as, for example, fast charging of electric vehicles; integration of renewable energy sources into smart grids; monitoring smart and connected cities; large-scale distributed energy storage; embedded solutions to handle data processing driven by technologies such as 5G and IoT; techniques, methods and tools for improving quality and productivity in the software engineering process using intelligent approaches; among other areas.
For the agroindustry, research could be developed, for example, for production traceability and new sensors to improve sowing, fertilizers and georeferencing.
The expectation is that research at these Embrapii Competence Centers will expand opportunities to create new functionalities for Brazilian industry that go beyond the traditional boundaries of products and services. This knowledge can be responsible for major transformations, which, in the future, will redefine industrial concepts and processes, creating new sectors and competitiveness parameters.
Hardware platforms based on smart and connected products are the result of technological evolution, mainly in the area of semiconductors, which has allowed the miniaturization of electronic components, increasing performance and reducing costs of devices, communications infrastructure and connectivity. , in data processing and storage and the evolution of techniques for using artificial intelligence algorithms.
In 2022, Embrapii launched public calls for a total of nine Competence Centers, with a total investment of R$495 million. They will work in seven different areas and will be responsible for innovative solutions with the aim of enabling major industry trends for the future. The Competence Centers will build knowledge and create reference points for research in areas of frontier technologies.
The Competence Centers will attract companies and create qualified jobs, as well as investments, adding value to the region where they are located. Furthermore, they will leave a broad legacy that includes the training of high-quality human resources focused on academia and industry; international cooperation, including the development of joint research; encouraging the development of cooperative industry projects, involving startups; creation of infrastructure for research and development of solutions, in thematic areas, of global prominence.
In addition to the Competence Centers for Smart and Connected Hardware Platforms, the institutions responsible for three other units have also been announced. For the Embrapii Competence Center in 5G and 6G Connectivity Technologies and Infrastructures, the National Telecommunications Institute (Inatel), in Santa Rita do Sapucaí (MG), was selected; for the Embrapii Competence Center in Immersive Technologies Applied to Virtual Worlds, the Center of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence at the Federal University of Goiás (CEIA-UFG), in Goiânia (GO), was selected; and for the Embrapii Competence Center in Open RAN (Open Radio Access Networks), the CPQD (Telecommunications Research and Development Center) was selected, in Campinas (SP).
Another three new Embrapii Competence Centers will be announced, in the areas of Advanced Therapies, Cybersecurity and Quantum Technology.
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In comparison with July, increases reached more than 9%; Roraima sold a liter of common at R$ 7,06 and an increase of more than 18% was recorded in Alagoas
