Introducing Six FET Flagship Pilot Actions

Abstract

Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) is the EU pathfinder programme in information technologies. Now the European Commission raises its ambition to coordinate a Europe-wide research effort towards visionary technological targets. The endeavour takes shape in the FET Flagship Initiatives.FET Flagships are large-scale, science-driven and mission oriented initiatives that aim to achieve a visionary technological goal. The scale of ambition is over 10 years of coordinated effort, and a budget of up to one billion Euro for each Flagship. They initiatives are coordinated between national and EU programmes and present global dimensions to foster European leadership and excellence in frontier research.To prepare the launch of the FET Flagships, six Pilot Actions are funded for a 12-month period starting in May 2011. In the second half of 2012 two of the Pilots will be selected and launched as full FET Flagship Initiatives in 2013.The six FET Flagship Pilot Actions to be launched are:•FuturICT - The FuturICT Knowledge Accelerator and Crisis-Relief System: Unleashing the Power of Information for a Sustainable Future•Graphene - Graphene Science and technology for ICT and beyond•Guardian Angels - Guardian Angels for a Smarter Planet•HBP - The Human Brain Project•ITFoM - IT Future of Medicine: a revolution in healthcare•RoboCom - Robot Companions for Citizens