Research and services Applied Computer Science

At the local, regional level have seen large-scale digitization of services. In many cases, the introduction of digital processes was not accompanied by a reduction of administrative (paper) red tape for the citizen, trader, SME,... (government stakeholders).

The BLING project aims to bring the benefits of digital transformation to the stakeholders. A consortium of knowledge and government institutions has been set up, through the use of blockchain technology, to transform public sector innovation into customer-oriented services.

BLING will:

• provide models to develop services with blockchain
• identify legal constraints and policy obstacles
• provide deeper insight into the right use cases to develop services with blockchain
• focus on security, safety, privacy and data protection together with consumer protection
• create awareness through events, tools and services

Blockchain4SME is a project approved by the Flemish Agency for Innovation and Entrepreneurship under the TETRA program. TETRA projects aim to translate recently available knowledge (new technology, recently completed research or existing knowledge from another domain or other sector) into concrete, useful information so that in the short term after the end of the project the target group can innovate faster and more efficiently.

The SME has experienced and endured the first Internet revolutions (Web 1.0 and Web 2.0). The SME has learned about the Internet from EDI (Electronic Data Interchange), B2B and B2C. The SME knows that it can connect its database with other databases but in practice this is not so easy or practical. However, there is also a problem with instant availability of data. Data is constantly changing. SME business processes are not simple and require a lot of processing of data. Automating this processing, improving it and making it faster is a big challenge.

The main goal of the research is to pass on the knowledge of blockchain technology to Flemish SMEs so that they can further digitize, improve, renew, secure and provide data privacy for their business processes. Flanders has approximately 300,000 SMEs. These companies are the connective tissue of our Flemish economy. The SME must be able to use the new technology.

With Nyala Blue, we are helping to normalize, communicate and ultimately valorize sustainability initiatives and the cradle to cradle principle. What if you could simply take your smartphone, scan a QR code on the coffee packaging, and track the entire cycle of your coffee: from primary raw material to coffee and from coffee grounds to new product? That way, with one click on their smartphone, consumers can find out who made their coffee, who they are and even how much they earned.

To solve the problem of transparency, Nyala Blue is building a platform that relies on blockchain technology. We work with the farmer, trader, roaster and residue processor to make the entire coffee chain transparent, and inform consumers. Trust is crucial in e-commerce or Direct Trade. Blockchain can address this by providing certainty about who the counterparty is or how the product originated. From that automatically flows a shorter supply chain.

Many smaller coffee roasters and coffee bars have a passion for their work. They have good contacts with the farmer, pay a fair price, deliver quality, .... However, they don't have a label like organic, fair trade. They do more. First of all, let's communicate this to the consumer. By communicating to the consumer, companies automatically adjust their process (environmental, ethical, cost-oriented to life cycle). Matches can be made between demanders and providers of materials. Matches that are not obvious in the first place. In this case, consider growing oyster mushrooms from coffee grounds. After a few harvests, the substrate is composted. On the compost obtained, microgreens can be grown, such as radishes and watercress. Through transparency and matching demanders and providers, we bring parties together, thus creating clusters and partial systems. Residual streams and products are valorized.

With Nyala Blue, we offer a technological platform for companies to track the goods. To consumers, we offer an app/website. This app, based on data, tells a simple story.

The project name Blockchain4Prosumers - BC4P connects two elements: On the one hand the blockchain technology and on the other hand the prosumer. The blockchain makes it possible to make locally generated energy available through trading platforms or directly to other consumers and users. One of the, probably, most media-effective potential applications of blockchain in the energy industry is the so-called Peer-2-Peer trade.The concrete results of Blockchain4Prosumers will be:

• Development of a concrete, innovative blockchain technology for a secure, innovative energy market using renewable energy;
• Expansion of market opportunities for blockchain and energy system transformation for SMEs in the Euroregion;
• Creation of new jobs in the manufacturing (equipment installation), IT and energy sectors;
• Strengthening the innovative power of start-ups in the EMR;
  Accelerating and increasing acceptance of energy system transformation in the EMR;
• Strengthening existing EMR knowledge infrastructure and developing new knowledge areas.

LinkedIn

With the support of the Interreg Euregio Maas Rijn and the European Regional Development Fund. The European Union is investing in your future.

Partners: Howest, Hogeschool PXL, Open Universiteit, Climate-Cities SPRL, Université de Liège, Cluster CAP Construction, Coöperatie TIORC U.A., Zuyd Hogeschool, FH Aachen

Future Flemish Pig is a cooperative business project (ICON type) in which different companies in the chain cooperate with different research institutions to achieve a common goal.

This project aims to align and combine innovations in genetics, animal nutrition, slaughter and processing in Piétrain crossbred fattening pigs to provide answers to the diverse and interrelated challenges of the pig production and processing chain in Flanders. Related to this, knowledge is gained on how data sharing can be implemented via innovative federated blockchain technology (a decentralized system managed by a collaborating consortium). Moreover, through a multidisciplinary research approach, insights are sought that can contribute to the role of meat pigs in circular agri-food systems in the longer term.

Specifically, the project aims to

1. develop strategies that improve animal welfare,
2. reduce losses, both at the animal level (before slaughter) and at the carcass level (after slaughter),
3. improve taste and quality of fresh pork and dried ham to a level perceptible by consumers,
4. obtain new, mechanistic insights into the resilience of Piétrain sired fattening pigs to significant fluctuations in feed, especially when that feed is built primarily from variable and high-fiber side-stream ingredients (feed resilience),
5. unlock the potential of blockchain technology in the pig production and processing chain based on improved transparency and automated traceability.

The project is being developed by a consortium of companies and research partners: Bivit, Debra Group, Dekeyzer-Ossaer, Flanders' FOOD, Howest Security & Privacy, ILVO (Animal Unit), KU Leuven (Livestock Genetics Research Group), Ghent University (Laboratory for Animal Nutrition and Quality of Animal Products (LANUPRO)), Flemish Piétrain Breeding, Meat Products Corma

With Sharing Logistics, VIL will apply the principle of the sharing economy to the B2B logistics market through a virtual platform. The aim is to develop a system whereby companies can use each other's unused assets and services without any profit motive. In other words, the rental price of a particular asset/service cannot exceed the costs incurred. The idea is that the lessor can reduce part of the cost of downtime/abandonment.

The focus of this VIL project is to come up with an efficient, finished web platform to allow participating companies to contact each other in a clear and fast way and to establish a transaction. All this without much hassle and paperless with attention to the legal and insurance aspects of the business.

Krachtnet is committed to developing a digital toolbox that supports informal and formal caregivers in taking stock of the (active and dormant) social network of older people and in working with their qualities and talents. In addition to the toolbox itself, accompanying manuals, instructional videos and training can be developed (target groups: IT companies, caregivers, executives, students in training...).

As a result of this project, we will arrive at a Proof of Concept that will be made available to IT companies focused on care and welfare.

Krachtnet builds on previous research on leveraging internal and external forces to combat social isolation and loneliness.

Roeselare vrijwilligt is an open, autonomous platform that encourages and supports cooperation in Roeselare. Roeselare vrijwilligt:

• supports citizens to show, develop and socially share their interests and talents.
• Supports organizations in the search for human capital.

The platform was developed by Howest.