PROJECTS
SPIRIT is an umbrella organization spanning projects over several disciplines and organizational units at BTH. Below, projects that are within the umbrella of SPIRIT are listed in alphabetic order.
Breakthrough in European Ship and Shipbuilding Technologies - BESST
Objectives: The strategic objective of BESST is to secure and improve the competitive position of European shipyards in a sustainable way, looking into the medium and long term future. Having in mind the comparatively high labour cost in Europe, the goal is to increase the competitiveness of European built ships through decreased life cycle cost, drastically reduced environmental impact and improved safety.
The technical objectives of BESST are twofold:
- To develop holistic life cycle performance assessment methods and tools comprising life cycle cost, environmental impact, safety and societal needs;
- To develop innovative technical solutions for the most important ship systems and to combine them in an optimal way on ship level.
The results of the project will be demonstrated in three virtual show cases, representing close-to-reality complex ships.
In medium and long term the project will thus contribute to the competitiveness of European shipbuilding and shipping, as well as to the reduction of emissions and the environmental footprint of ships.
- BTH project Leader: Prof Claes Hedberg, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Time span: 2009-2013
- More information at http://www.besst.it
Decision Support for Sustainable Value Chains (HNY)
TBC
DESIGN FOR WELLBEING
Objectives: Design for Wellbeing redirects the focus of product development from technology-based development, via needs-based development, to participative product development and innovation. By adapting a multidisciplinary approach, involving health sciences and engineering disciplines, we are able to manage the entire development cycle from an initial understanding of users needs to studies of finished products in use.
Design for Wellbeing is carried out in the form of research projects, application studies and student projects, building on experiences from research and education projects. The courses are project-based and team-structured, and students work closely with corporate partners on real-world innovation projects. Design for Wellbeing is an ideal framework for collaboration across distance, disciplines and disabilities.
- BTH project Leader: Prof Tobias Larsson, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Time span: 2004-
- Academic partners: BTH, Lund University, Stanford University, Hosei University, Luleå University of Technology, KTH.
- More information
Labeling and Procurement Support for Sustainable Product Innovation
Objectives: This project aims to investigate how a framework for strategic sustainable development (FSSD) could aid the criteria development process for product labelling and procurement schemes. We believe that product qualities and performance, and the way products are marketed, influence consumer behaviour and that this could be used more than today to promote more sustainable behaviours. Labelling and procurement schemes are important instruments for communication of demands and qualities, which affect both consumers and product developers. To utilize their full potential we believe that these instruments should be further developed to include a full socio-ecological perspective as well as the strategic dimension (development over time).
Some detailed research questions are; What are the essential steps/elements in the development process of criteria for labelling and procurement schemes based on a strategic sustainable development perspective? And How can both the ecological-and social dimension of sustainability be integrated in product labelling and procurement criteria? The research project is divided into 5 phases: Literature studies; Identification of the main issues in existing approaches; Understanding processes & issues in existing criteria development; Expanded sustainability criteria development; Integration and Practical Implementation.
- Project leader: Dr Sophie Hallstedt, sophie.hallstedt@bth.se, +46 (0)455 38 55 11.
- Participating BTH researchers: Dr. Sophie Hallstedt, Lic. Cecilia Bratt, MSc Cesar Franca, MSc Merlina Missimer, Prof. Göran Broman, Prof. Karl-Henrik Robèrt.
- Participating business/society partners: Svenska Miljöstyrningsrådet, SIS Miljömärkning, TNS International, Scandic Hotels, Cascades Djupafors, Tetra Pak International, Hammarplast AB, Auralight International, WSP Environmental
- Financiers/Funding (total and BTH part): KK Foundation: 2 739 kSEK, Företag: 4 085 kSEK, Blekinge Forsknings Stiftelse: 100 kSEK, BTH: 763 kSEK.
- Start and end time: 2009-04-01 - 2012-03-31
- More information
MINT - Measuring innovation performance in teams
Objectives: Innovation capability is important for industrial companies today in order to be competitive on the market. But the questions are first, how can the current state of innovation capability be known? And second, what need to be undertaken to increase the innovative performance? These were the guiding questions behind this research project being conducted at Volvo Construction Equipment regarding innovation performance in product development and R&D.
- BTH project Leader: Prof Tobias Larsson, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- BTH participants: Massimo Panarotto, Andre Benaim
- Time span: 2011-
- Academic partners: BTH
- Industrial Partners: Volvo Construction Equipment, Eskilstuna.
- More information
Modeling Social Sustainability for Sustainable Product Innovation (KHR)
TBC
PRIMCAREIT - HEalth on distance
Objectives: The project will provide a cost-effective development of sustainable e-health related services and products, especially focused on tele-consultation solutions. This should be done by pilot project demonstrators to create realistic scenarios for a future sustainable health care.
The overall aim of PrimCare IT is to raise the attractiveness of remote primary health care for medical professionals by the means of tele-consultation and tele-mentoring. Thereby the project counteracts brain drain and professional isolation in sparsely populated areas for more equal access to primary health care in the BSR.
A better deployment of tele-consultation and tele-mentoring including social media has strong potential to reduce professional isolation and to provide opportunities for professional networking, continuing medical education and career development for younger and experienced doctors and health workers in remote areas.
- BTH project Leader: Prof Tobias Larsson, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- BTH participants: Johan Berglund (HAL), Ewy Olander (HAL), Marie Persson (COM), Niklas Lavesson (COM)
- Time span: 2012-2014
- Funding: 25 MSEK, EU Baltic Sea Region Programme
- Partners: South Ostrobothnian Health Care District (FI), Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences (FI), Regional Council of South Ostrobothnia (FI), eHealth Institute, Linnaeus University (SE), Region Västerbotten (SE), Flensburg University of Applied Sciences (DE), German Medical Association (DE), District of Segeberg (DE), District of Nordfriesland (DE), The Estonian Society of Family Doctors (EE), Estonian eHealth Foundation (EE), Vilnius University Hospital (LT), Kaunas University of Technology (LT), Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LT), Centre of Health Economics (LV), Belarusian Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education (BY)
- More info: http://eu.baltic.net/Project_Database.5308.html?&&contentid=71&contentaction=single
Quality of sandwich composites and composite‐steel joints in response to fatigue, impacts, explosions, and design parameters
Kockums AB manufactures vessels and are in need of quality control in manufacturing steps and to representatives to render the condition monitoring of ships in service. DIAB manufactures composites for the marine, wind power and aerospace markets and the need of quality and process control in manufacturing. Baltic Engineering is a specialist in the development of new products and devices, and supports the project in the design of electronic and electric prototypes. The project builds on the university 's knowledge of sensitive nonlinear techniques for materials characterization and the companies' expertise in composite manufacturing and composite structure design that achieved over many years of experience.
- BTH project Leader: Prof Claes Hedberg, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Time span: 2010-2013
- Partners: Kockums AB, DIAB, Baltic Engineering AB
- Funding: KKS
SAAB SÅNÄTT - Collaboration as enabler for light wEight vehicles
Objectives: Increase supply chain collaboration to create new products and services that increase competitiveness. Enable organisations to efficiently integrate research in innovation, technology (with focus on light structures) into development of new solutions within automotive supply chain.
- BTH project leader: Prof Tobias Larsson, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- BTH participants: Massimo Panarotto
- Time span: 2011-2013
- Funding: 20 MSEK (10 MSEK from VINNOVA FFI programme, 10 MSEK from partners)
- Academic partners: BTH, KTH, Chalmers, Luleå University of Technology, Linköping University, Skövde University, University West.
- Industrial Partners: Saab Automobile AB, VINNOVA, Fordonskomponent-gruppen (FKG), Innovatum, Borgstena, Outokumpu, Bendiro Profile Tech, Emhart Teknologies, Engineering Research Nordic AB, ESSVE Produkter AB, EWES Stålfjäder AB, Müller-BBM Scandinavia AB, SKF, Tesa AB, SSAB, RLE International Sweden AB, Benteler, KB Components, Applied Composites AB, Euroform, Saint-Gobain Sekurit, IAC Group Sweden AB, Lamera AB, 3M, Finnveden, Gestamp, Oxeon AB, Fasitet PDE AB, SAPA, Plastal, Raufoss Technology AS, Arsizio, Bulten, Semcon, ProfilGruppen Extrusions AB, Kongsberg Automotive, Ruukki Sverige, Altair Engineering AB, CJ Automotive AB.
Sustainable Cities in a Backcasting Perspective
Objectives: The purpose of this project is to study how district heating systems, and associated business models, can form strategic platforms towards a sustainable society. Contrary to many previous energy studies, which have focused on current situations and current trends, this study emphasizes a desired future situation, with sustainable energy systems within an as a whole sustainable society, as a basis for development planning. A framework for strategic sustainable development, based on backcasting from sustainability principles, is combined with advanced methodology for energy systems analysis. In this way, the potentials from a strategic sustainability perspective of various development plans and business models can be assessed. District heating development in Blekinge is used as a case.
- Project leaders: Professor Göran Broman, Blekinge Institute of Technology, SWEDEN: goran.broman@bth.se, Associate Professor Louise Trygg, Linköping University, SWEDEN: louise.trygg@liu.se
- Participating BTH researchers: Professor Göran Broman, PhD Student Cesar-Levy Franca
- Participating academic partners: Associate Professor Louise Trygg - Division of Energy Systems, Linköping University, SWEDEN
- Participating business/society partners: Svensk Fjärrvärmeförening and District Heating Organizations in Blekinge
- Financiers/Funding (total and BTH part): Svensk Fjärrvärmeförening: 2500 kSEK; BTH part: 1250 kSEK, BTH match funding: 535 kSEK, LiU match funding: 535 kSEK
- Start and end time: 2010-02-01 2013-02-28
Sustainability Criteria in Concept Evaluation Methodology - VINNMER project
Objectives: The overall project objective is to promote the project leader's qualifications, and at the same time build up a long term partnership between Blekinge Institute of Technology (BTH) and Volvo Aero (VAC). The focus of the research project is to clarify how to define sustainability features to affect the design of products in the early phases and also suggest an improved concept design and evaluation methodology, including sustainability aspects during the product life cycle, to avoid failure modes later on in the product development process.
The project is built on an extensive survey of the Volvo Group, concluding that the concept phase is where new methods and approaches for sustainable product development are needed in particular. The project at VAC is expected to undertake in-depth studies during a 2-year period resulting in prescriptive methodology for integration of sustainability criteria into the conceptual design and evaluation phase.
- Project leader: Dr Sophie Hallstedt, sophie.hallstedt@bth.se, +46 (0)455 38 55 11.
- Participating BTH researchers: Dr. Sophie Hallstedt.
- Participating business/society partners: Volvo Aero
- Financiers/Funding (total and BTH part): VINNOVA: 1 210 kSEK, Företag: 1 290 kSEK, BTH: 543 kSEK
- Start and end time: 2011-07-01 - 2013-06-30
Sustainable products and services within e-health and tele medicine
Objectives: The project will provide a cost-effective development of sustainable e-health related services and products. This should be done by various pilot project demonstrators to create realistic scenarios. Primarily this is done for the County Council of Blekinge but also other potential customers may be targeted. The project will create a technological-medical frontier area that can generate new business in Blekinge.
- BTH project Leader: Prof Bo Helgesson, School of Computing
- BTH participants: Prof Tobias Larsson (Department of Mechanical Engineering), Madelene Larsson, Henric Johnsson
- Time span: 2010-2012
- Funding: 18 MSEK (9 MSEK from Tillväxtverket, 9 MSEK from partners)
- Academic partners: BTH
- Industrial Partners: Tillväxtverket, County Council of Blekinge, Telecom City.
- More information
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