SMEs get access to the latest research

Many research and development projects are so ’heavy’ that it is only large and technology-strong companies who can participate. They have the possibility of allocating resources and employees for projects that may take several years to finish.

But now, CISS is heading a project that will give small and medium-sized enterprises access to the latest knowledge about model-based development – and thus enables them to achieve a significant technological lead.

MoDES 2 is the name of the project, and it is in many ways markedly different from many other projects that CISS is participating in. “Significantly, the companies that are to participate in Modes 2 have not had any prior contact with CISS. This means that right now we are out there making contact to brand new small and medium-sized enterprises who might potentially get an advantage from participating in the project,” vice director of CISS, Arne Skou, associate professor, says.

Coherent methods and tools

As the name indicates, MoDES 2 is standing on the shoulders of an ongoing project, namely MoDES – Model Driven Development of Intelligent Embedded Systems, which ran from 2006 to 2010.The purpose of MoDES was to determine the potentials for developing a coherent design methodology for intelligent embedded software – with models, techniques and tools to match. A kind of common frame of reference for all the processes in model-based development, which will enable developers to work faster and far more efficiently during the development phase.

”MoDES is funded by The Danish Council for Strategic Research, and they are the ones who have invited MoDES and other ongoing projects to continue our work by seeking collaboration projects with business partners,” Arne Skou explains.

Aiming for two to three projects

CISS has received DKK 0.5 million (app. 67,000 Euros) for the project and are at the moment busy working on scanning the market for small and medium-sized enterprises who might be interested in becoming even higher qualified within the field of model-based development. Afterwards, the group behind MoDES will start determining which projects it would be realistic to carry through. “It is our aim to initiate two to three projects. And the companies participating in this exact project have the possibility of getting co-financing for their participation. This makes the project desirable for small companies, who would not otherwise have the possibility to enter into research and development projects,” Arne Skou points out.

CISS is behind MoDES 2 as project manager, and in addition the University of Southern Denmark (the Mads Clausen Institute in Sønderborg) and the Technical University of Denmark (IMM) in Copenhagen participate.