SHINTO

The SHERO project (FET Open RIA, 2019-2022) developed novel breakthrough materials and their processing techniques that are able to recover from damage and used these self-healing materials to develop (soft) robotic systems with integrated sensing capabilities that are able to detect and localize damage and recover their functional performance (robotic actuation + sensing performance) using structural health monitoring systems.

The SHINTO project (EIC Transition Open, 2022-2025) aims to mature this novel material technology from SHERO in a broader sustainability setting until TRL 6-7 and start up the business development until BRL 4-5. For this transition from the lab towards pilot demonstration and ultimately industrial scale, there are regulatory considerations to be made to prepare the TRL of the technology and to prepare the market for acceptance of the new material and related product technology.

A research hub was established at the start of the SHINTO project to continue to perform fundamental research and to advance the maturing of technologies and their valorisation in parallel. The research hub will become a center of excellence, in conjunction with the prospected establishment of a deep-tech spinoff. Both research hub and startup would benefit from spearheading the development of standards for self-healing and methods to assess the novel class of dynamic covalent networks and other related sustainability aspects, and in doing so gain a durable leading position for Europe.  

Reason for applying to HSbooster.eu services

The project identified that there is no consensus in scientific literature on how the new “healing” material property should be studied and reported to allow comparison between materials that are designed for similar or different applications. On the contrary, researchers are reporting and comparing the healing behaviour of materials under very different conditions in terms of (1) dimensions of the test specimens, (2) test modes and methods and (3) testing conditions. Hence, we put forward the need for standardisation in this maturing line of sustainable materials research and product development and target the conception of a new standardisation theme and the development of norms and standards within that new theme. The strategic aim of the SHINTO project is to spearhead the development of new norms/standards on this new material technology.

The standardisation booster service can support the project in the following ways: (1) to teach the materials researchers and mechanical engineers (product/application developers) of SHINTO the basics on standardisation and (2) connect the SHINTO management and researchers with the right stakeholders in the standardisation scene (standardisation organisations, technical committees, peer experts …), so these researchers would be able to (3) gain insights into and investigate the standardisation landscape (relevant existing standards) in the new field of technology, (4) assist the standardisation organisation to evaluate the need for new standards and (5) receive support in the development of new standards or assist the technical committees in the development and assessment thereof.