OpenSky’s Research Division closes 2021 with successes and milestones

OpenSky Data Systems Research Division manager Tudor Pitulac shares the hard work, highlights, and accomplishments of another year at the forefront of research.

2021 was a busy, productive & rewarding year for the Research division in OpenSky.  As we rounded off Q4, we had successfully led over 250 meetings with research brokers, institutes, and development organisations, and attended or presented at almost 100 webinars and conferences. Despite the difficulties of another year in the global pandemic, our team continues our drive to participate and lead on some of the largest research projects in Europe and the world.

Highlights of our year

The Research division continues to make large leaps and bounds in our European research participation. OpenSky is highly active in the nearly €100 billion Horizon Europe Project, with multiple project proposals submitted in 2021.  We also made steady progress on the privately funded MERCK electronic vaccination registration system, as well as significant strides in the important work being done in the top-end Anaconda research program for the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Networks initiative. This program gave us the opportunity to host a PhD student in computing and machine learning, as they gather and process critical biomimicry data being generated in this cutting-edge program.

2021 was also a colossal year for blockchain technology. This year, we headed a presentation at Blockchain Ireland, in a critical seminar event for this skyrocketing technology, and presented at BLOCIS, a critically important EU project dedicated to blockchain, in Brussels.

All of these presentations and accomplishments were achieved on top of an impressive array of efforts and progress in numerous other research programs.

OpenSky Data System’s notable research projects in 2021 and beyond

• MERCK MSD/RCSI – a state-of-art vaccination registry in the EU.
• Horizon Europe Cardynal – A research program that’s exploring how we can use AI in the fight against cancer.
• cAPItalise – This AI/ML program hopes to take advantage of a mountain of energy-related data to help human engineers and designers improve energy efficiency and sustainable practices.
• HEU “IAIA” – This ATOS research program is discovering how cybersecurity professionals could leverage the power of AI to defeat AI-based systems employed in cyberattacks.
• RCSI Connect-5 – This research program aims to improve access, trust, and security in public health using blockchain infrastructure.
• Horizon Europe ‘setBACk’ – This research is headed by the International Energy Research Centre and will uncover critical insights into better energy sustainability practices and techniques.
• Horizon Europe Digital Health for All – Our involvement in this research program will help to build the tech and tools that are vital to helping better assist people with disabilities in the health services industry.
• The MCSA ‘Anaconda’ program – As 9 chemistry PhD students generate data and knowledge about biomimicry, our Computing & ML PhD researcher will use sophisticated AI techniques to accelerate useful discoveries.  

2021 was a year where we kept making strides forward, keeping us at the vanguard of research and development. As we move into 2022, the lessons we learn and the techniques we uncover will become a core part of world-class digital transformation that we offer and play a central role in keeping OpenSky at the very forefront of brand new and exciting discoveries.