Workshops series “Novel Enabling Technologies for a Sustainable Future” around the different Technology frameworks facilitated by partner APRE in June, November and December 2024.
Their aim is to develop potential use-cases of sustainable and responsible emerging technologies in the related sector. These co-creation workshops offer an exchange platform for meaningful discussions about the future of sustainable innovation.
The full-fledged co-creation is the third phase of the FORGING value-sensitive innovation journey. Here the broader tech community is involved in the development of use-cases to promote market uptake of responsible technologies.
The event series kicked off last June 2024 in Rome, Italy, where the first two workshops on Artificial Intelligence and Cyber Safe Data Technologies took place.
Each workshop consisted in two main sessions. First, FORGING partners presented the latest achieved results. The technologies identified during the Technology Clustering workshops as most promising from a technical, environmental and societal perspective were presented to the participants.
During the second session, participants have been actively involved in working groups to identify which of the technologies presented could best meet specific human needs thus defining a concrete use-case per technology.
Calendar of upcoming events:
Summary of use-cases resulted from the workshops
Workshop on Artificial Intelligence
USE-CASE 1_DATA-DRIVEN RESILIENT FARMING
Sector: Agrifood
Technology: Abductive reasoning AI
The selected focus was on Agrifood, identifying climate change, heavy regulation, waste management, and crop loss as key issues. The group proposed permaculture-inspired, data-driven resilient farming using modular micro-farms with diverse crops, guided by AI analyzing soil, weather, and disease data. Benefits include democratized food growth, scalable micro-farming, soil regeneration, and improved pest control. Implementing this requires data sharing, pilot projects, new business models in permaculture communities, and adapted regulatory frameworks.
USE-CASE 2_ALICIA – Automated Life Cycle Impact Assessment
Sector: Manufacturing
Technology: Adaptive AI
The group focused on the Manufacturing sector, identifying critical issues such as supply chain resilience, poor working conditions, lack of accountability for externalities, and inadequate data integration. The group proposed a standard Life Cycle Assessment from resource extraction to product retirement, aimed at improving supply chain sustainability, working conditions, and waste management. The solution emphasizes an ethics-driven approach, promote responsible production, reduce waste, reorganize supply chains, and create jobs in auditing, LCA and business modeling.
USE-CASE 3_Data-Driven – Business Model In Manufacturing
Sector: Manufacturing
Technology: Adaptive AI
The group focused on manufacturing, highlighting lack of flexibility as a major issue, affecting resilience to changes and leading to high costs, reduced production, and workforce dissatisfaction.
They proposed using adaptive AI to improve decision-making and resource allocation, benefiting manufacturers with increased efficiency and sustainability. This approach also enhances innovation and growth for the workforce and consumers. Challenges include potential funding shortages, regulatory issues, and resistance to change.
USE-CASE 4_DIA-BEATER
Sector: Health
Technology: Adaptive AI
The group focused on “WELLBEING,” emphasizing prevention, lifestyle choices, and environmental factors. They identified the lack of a wellbeing ecosystem as the main problem, caused by low willpower, intensive agriculture, limited health knowledge, and rapid tech changes. Their solution is a wellbeing ecosystem using AI for adaptive support. They envisage to create “DIA-BEATER,” a tool for high-risk type II diabetes patients, providing tailored support and motivation. Benefits include reduced hospital burden, better mental health, improved preventative care, and healthier lifestyles.
Workshop on Cyber safe data technologies
USE-CASE 1_TRULY – Trustworthy Health Data Access & Share Anytime/Anywhere/by Anyone
Sector: Healthcare
Technology: Zero trust
The group focused on improving healthcare data management, identifying poor data sharing among European providers as a key issue. Causes include outdated processes, resistance to new technology, digital illiteracy, and policy gaps. The solution TRULY uses zero trust technology for a secure, accessible data management system. This would improve reliability, security, inclusivity, and resource efficiency in healthcare, though its energy consumption impact is uncertain.
USE-CASE 2_ ZENCARE (Zero-Knowledge Enhanced Network for Confidential and Reliable Healthcare)
Sector: Healthcare
Technology: Zero Knowledge Proofs + Zero Trust
The group focused on healthcare data protection, identifying inadequate personal data protection/security as the main problem. The solution “ZENCARE” uses Zero Knowledge Proofs and Zero Trust technologies to enhance privacy and security, giving users control over their data. Challenges concern addresses regulatory compliance, technology adoption and IT infrastructure gaps. Benefits imply create a secure, transparent healthcare system, increasing trust and improving services.
GROUP 3_ NEXT GEN P.A.
Sector: Public Administration
Technology: Zero Knowledge Proof
The group identified outdated IT infrastructure, lack of system interoperability, and poor cyber threat awareness in Public Administration as key issues. This leads to personal data being treated as a commodity, resulting in distrust in public administration and more cybersecurity incidents. The solution involves secure distributed data storage, standardized data classification, cyber-aware database naming, and continuous training. They propose an international court for personal data protection to enforce regulations. The impact includes better cybersecurity, enhanced data management, and increased trust in public services. Benefits are seamless public service engagement, greater trust in government, empowered citizens, and environmental gains from digitization.
