September, 2012

Advanced Pilots Of Living Labs Operating in Networks

The APOLLON project aimed at demonstrating the positive impacts of cross-border domain-specific Living Lab networks, by setting up an advanced pilot composed of 4 thematically focused European-wide Living Lab experiments. In the experiments, SMEs are enabled to take part in cross-border Living Lab experiments beyond their home markets, and are supported by large industrial companies, academic centres and other stakeholders.

Apollon

AT A GLANCE
Project: Apollon Project Coordinator : Pieter Ballon, iMinds VZW Partners from: Belgium, Netherlands, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Finland, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, Slovenia and Italy Duration: November 2009 to May 2012 Total Cost: 8 mio EUR, 4 mio EC Funding Programme: ICT PSP 3rd Call Further information: pieter.ballon@iminds.be www.apollon-pilot.eu

The pioneering approach of Living Labs was to improve the innovation process by establishing business-citizens-government partnerships that

enable users to participate in R&D at an early stage. European Living Labs are at the forefront of defining and putting into practice this new approach within the context of their local ecosystem. Currently, Europe-wide federation and networking between Living Labs is primarily aimed at harmonising best practices for setting up and conducting individual Living Lab research. In addition, Living Labs are collaborating across Europe at an individual project level.

It is commonly thought that strongly increased

Scope and Objectives

The pilot aimed at the sharing and harmonisation of Living Lab approaches and platforms between networks of exemplary European Living Labs, and the

cross-border

Living

Lab

collaboration

would

potentially yield huge added value for Europe, as it enables participate firms, in most particularly SMEs, to

domain-specific

innovation

subsequent evaluation and exchange of results on a European and even worldwide level.

ecosystems at a European scale, without losing sight of local circumstances and idiosyncrasies. Therefore, the next step in Living Lab

networking is to pilot a more intensive, permanent

and scalable collaboration, resulting in methodologies, tools and sustainable organisational structures for cross-border domain-specific Living Lab networks. The APOLLON project has answered to the call of the European ICT-PSP work programme to pilot and share best practices across Living Labs involving SMEs as key user- and provider-participants.

specifically designed to pilot and validate that cross-border between Living in domain-specific Labs ICT leads product to collaboration measurable and service

improvements

innovation, that it brings significant added value to SMEs including micro entrepreneurs, and that it leads to sustainable networks strengthening the European innovation fabric.

APOLLON addressed four major domains in which Furthermore, complementary each experiment focus on had a

specific

harmonisation and networking aspects, i.e. a common ecosystem, a common benchmark

framework, a common technology platform, and a common integration framework. The APOLLON general framework for piloting a cross-border domain-specific Living Lab network is depicted below.

Technical Approach
Therefore, the activities of the project were ICT products and services innovation may benefit most from cross-border Living Lab networking. These are: (1) Homecare and Independent Living, (2) Energy situated on two tightly interconnected levels featured throughout the project. The ground level is the so-called vertical level, i.e. the level of the Homecare and Independent Living, Energy

Efficiency, (3) eManufacturing and (4) eParticipation and Social Media. In each of these domains, innovation is crucially dependent upon good knowledge of / embedding in local ecosystems on the one hand, and the ability to scale up to a European level on the other hand.

Efficiency, eManufacturing and eParticipation and Social Media domains. Here, the focus is on validating the added value of a cross-border Living Lab network to deliver a domain-specific

breakthrough and to engage business stakeholders (especially SMEs), end-users as well as public

In each of these domains a set of dynamic projects and initiatives connected to lead markets, as well as a number of prominent Living Labs, industrial and SME stakeholders, can be identified that have a clear expressed need for scaling up through cross-border networking. Moreover, cross-border Living Lab

stakeholders in innovation at a European scale. In each of these pilots a specific use case was investigated, i.e.: Homecare Remote systems Energy Efficiency: Research benchmark for user empowerment eManufacturing: service platform An Integration and and Gateway Independent and Living:
Apollon Fact sheet

sensor-based

networking in these domains responded to a range of national and European policy priorities.

Throughout the domains, real-life experiments were

ICT PSP Call 3 2/4

eParticipation and Social Media: Integration framework of different services

to what extent it helps to do this faster, easier and more efficiently. This model was applied to two Independent Living Services applications.

The upper level is the so-called horizontal level, where common methodologies and tools for cross-border Living Lab networking are being set up, tested and validated, and where work on governance and business models as well as European and worldwide transfer and dissemination will ensure a scalable and sustainable outcome. As mentioned earlier, the vertical experiments will each have a complementary focus on specific cross-border harmonisation and networking aspects, i.e. on building a common ecosystem, a common

2.

common

benchmark

framework

(Energy Efficiency experiment) This experiment developed a common benchmark framework that was deployed in all Living Labs taking part in the Energy Efficiency experiment. The main focus here was to assess the scalability of the Living Lab network, its services, and the comparability of research data within cross-border projects. This model set benchmark criteria for a well-functioning energy Living Lab service delivery and provided a clear model of network efficiencies related to a shared platform of Living Lab services.

benchmark framework, using a common technology platform, and creating a common integration framework.

This model was applied in e.g. the energy This will result in: efficiency domain to assess the impact of smartmetering on user behaviour. 1. A common eco-system model (Homecare and Independent Living experiment) In the first experiment an existing solution, which is piloted in a local Living Lab, was transferred to one other Living Lab belonging to the network. The focus within this approach was to determine what kind of ecosystem, value network and common approach needs to be in place to conduct cross-border pilots (in the domain of Homecare and Independent Living) and 3. A common technology platform

(eManufacturing experiment) In this experiment a common technology platform

Apollon Fact sheet

was introduced and used by each of the domain specific Living labs. The objective of this approach was not only to see to what extent the use of such a common platform facilitates the transfer of projects between Living Labs but also to

investigate whether this stimulates new forms of

ICT PSP Call 3

3/4

collaboration

between

different

partners.

The

1.

A set of validated methodologies to set up and conduct cross-border Living Lab pilot networks

experiment installed and adapt a research prototype called RWIP with additional integration logic and services capability that was used in the participating Living Labs. 4. An integration framework (eParticipation and Social Media experiment) In this experiment we transferred and integrated several locally tested applications into each of the different Living Labs that were active in the network. By deploying the integrated solution in all of the Living Labs we were able to test more accurately the advantages, best practices and limitations (on an organisational, technical and research level) of cross-border activities within the network. 6. 3. 2.

A recommended toolset for facilitating cross-border research Set up of European thematic Living Lab networks within ENoLL iVZW

4.

A framework and practical guidelines for involving SMEs

5.

Impact assessment of the specific added value in terms of results as well as operational efficiencies of the cross-

border approach Recommendations and action plans for viable, sustainable and scalable roll-outs to further domains and sectors

Outcomes and Benefits

The APOLLON target outcomes were to deliver concrete results and guidelines in terms of building common ecosystems and Living Lab networks, common benchmark and impact assessment frameworks, using common technology platforms, and creating common integration methodologies. At the end of the project the following goals were achieved:

These project results were made freely available through the European Network of Living Labs iVZW and their website: http://knowledgecentre.openlivinglabs.eu https://apollonsap.iminds.be

At the kick-off of Apollon in 2008, 64% of SMEs had 0-5% international turnover. By 2012 this number was reduced to 27%. Overall, important increases for international turnover for SMEs were measured projectwide. SME and Industrial feedback pointed out the positive impact of Operating in thematically focused Living Lab Ecosystems in their Product and Business Development processes.

ICT PSP Call 3

4/4

Apollon Fact sheet

The Consortium
The APOLLON Consortium consists of 29 Core Partners in 10 European member states. It involves Living Labs, SMEs, large ICT companies as well as research partners. Through a close co-operation with the European Network of Living Labs, wide Participant organisation name Living Labs iMinds VZW (Cordinator) Amsterdam Innovation Motor ESOCE Net FIAPAL Forum Virium Hungarian Vehicle Engineering Cluster iAvante ISSY Media Lisboa E Nova Manchester City Council Academic Partners Helsinki School of Economics Lule University of Technology Novay University of Maribor Universit de Paris VIII Industrial Partners SAP AG Liander NV Logica Nederland BV SMEs Virdual AlfaMicro Home Automation Europe Innoviting FR PT NL NL PT SE FR FI UK BE PT
Apollon Fact sheet

Country

BE NL IT PT FI HU ES FR PT UK

dissemination and involvement of the Living Lab community is ensured. A current list of the supporting partners, as well as all public deliverables for APOLLON can be found at www.apollon-pilot.eu .

FI SE NL SI FR

DE NL NL

For further information:

Intelligent Sensing Anywhere Lulea Energi NAVIDIS Process Vision Oy People's Voice Media TELEVIC Ydreams

Information Desk European Commission Communications Networks, Content & Technology DG Office: BU31 01/18 B-1049 Brussels Email: cnect-desk@ec.europa.eu Tel: +32 2 299 93 99 Fax: +32 2 299 94 99 http://europa.eu/information_society

ICT PSP Call 3

5/4