Tracks

Smart Industry is the 4th industrial revolution (also known as Industry 4.0) and is about the far-reaching digitalization and integration of devices, equipment, production machines, materials and organization. This integration will lead to novel ways of production, new business models and sectors.

Within Saxion the Smart Industry theme covers all research in the area of High Tech Systems & Materials (HTSM), which includes nanotechnology, mechatronics, smart materials and ambient ICT. Knowledge is created in application areas such as design, recycling, modern media and production technologies.

Coordinator: Martin Bennink (prof. Nanotechnology/NanoBio)

Health and wellbeing turns out to be the most important item in our lives. For many of us having a healthy and happy life is for from reality. For professionals it is important to know how they can support people in their efforts to have a healthy and happy life. The role of technology in this is essential. This leads to questions on topics such as self-management, participation, prevention, improvement of health, being in control, responsibility and quality of life. Professionals and citizens ask for knowledge, methods and tools that can support this. Application-oriented research, with inputs from various domains (knowledge and experience) is key to the development and implementation of this support.

Coordinator: Jan Jukema (prof. Nursing)

Within the topic Areas & Living research is done on the transition towards a sustainable, circular economy, the changing role of governments and new forms and implementations of product design, fabrication processes and ICT. Research areas that contribute to this are, amongst others: sustainable energy, water technology, sustainable environment and building technology, governance, industrial design, smart cities and ambient intelligence.

The role of technology comes about in themes such as: Cleantech, Buildtech en Mediatech.

Coordinator: Richard van Leeuwen (prof. Sustainable Energy)

Living Technology is the strategic focus of Saxion's corporate research. Next to the technical and technological part of the research, there is an absolute need for research in the business, social and ethical domains, as the effects of technology will have their impact within the context of society at large.

Saxion researchers working on business, economical, societal and ethical aspects in relation with technological developments are invited to participate in this track. This includes pure ethical considerations, but certainly also questions related to the balance between technology and sustainability, as an example. Or business modeling, technology implementation, chain integration as a consequence of technological innovations. But it furthermore includes the societal aspects, for example for employers or the organization of our social economical system.

Coordinator: Maarten van Riemsdijk (prof. Smart Industry)