AtlanTTic participates in the European ‘megaproject’ DistriMuSe, which aims to improve people’s safety and protect their health

AtlanTTic, a centre that is part of the CIGUS Network, an initiative promoted by the Xunta de Galicia that brings together centres in the system that have accredited their scientific excellence, participates in the European large-scale project DistriMuSe, an initiative that brings together nearly fifty entities from seven countries to improve people’s safety and health through advanced technologies.

With a total budget of €34.7 million, the University of Vigo receives nearly €500,000 for this project, where 14 researchers led by Felipe Gil and Pablo Fondo from the Information Technologies Group are involved. Coordinated by the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, the project’s goal is to develop multisensor and machine learning systems to enhance the detection of human presence and behavior in various environments.

DistriMuSe researchers are developing a distributed architecture that allows the integration of sensors capable of detecting human presence, physical and mental state, as well as activities and intentions. They use technologies such as radar, lidar, cameras, and wearable devices to ensure continuous and discreet monitoring. The combination of these sensors aims to optimise interaction with smart devices, minimise technological risks, and protect user privacy.

The project includes three main use cases: diagnosis based on home measurements to improve healthcare, protection of pedestrians and cyclists through automated traffic solutions, and safe interaction between humans and robots in factories. In the first case, which involves the Multimedia Technologies group led by Carmen García Mateo, the use of audio as a tool to monitor the activity of elderly people or those with mild cognitive impairment is being researched.

DistriMuSe, which will be developed over 36 months, continues the European NextPerception project, in which the University of Vigo also participated. Its experience in 5G networks and computing applied to these environments has been key to its integration into this consortium, which brings together universities, research centres, and companies from Finland, Italy, Germany, the Czech Republic, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Among the participating Spanish entities are Acorde Technologies, Safran Electronics and Defense, Evotel Informática, and HI Iberia Ingeniería y Proyectos.