ERC Proof of Concept grant for Kottapalli and Covi

Professors Ajay Kottapalli and Erika Covi of the Faculty of Science and Engineering (University of Groningen) have both been awarded a Proof of Concept grant from the European Research Council (ERC). Kottapalli receives the grant for developing a clinically viable medical device for real-time IV infusion monitoring. Covi will use the grant to develop brain-inspired AI hardware. 

The EUR 150,000 grant is intended to explore the potential of new technologies and take the next step toward innovation. Both researchers are building on the foundations of previous projects for which they received ERC Starting grants.

Safer IV Infusions

Kottapalli will develop aerosol jet printed flexible electronic sensors to monitor IV infusion rates in real time. The device will instantly detect flow errors and alert clinicians, significantly reducing risks for vulnerable patients like preterm infants and the critically ill. By enabling accurate, low-cost, and continuous IV monitoring, the project aims to improve patient safety, reduce hospital complications, and set a new standard in global infusion therapy practices.

Revolutionizing AI with brain-Inspired hardware

The new AI hardware system that the CoSy group, led by Covi, will develop combines memory and processing using ferroelectric leaky integrate-and-fire (FeLIF) neurons based on FeFET non-volatile memory technology. This approach enables efficient on-chip learning and temporal data processing with low power and area requirements. They will also implement a tailored training method to optimize temporal AI tasks. The system will be designed using a 28nm technology node, aiming to create a compact, adaptive, and energy-efficient AI solution for edge applications.