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Research and Development

Robotics

CITST is developing software and adapting hardware for service and social robots developed based on commercial robots. We can adapt ROS based robots for various scenarios, including Ambient Assisted Living for research projects or commercial clients. CITST’s own infrastructure which can be used to demonstrate the capabilities of our robotic developments comprises:

  • Tiago produced by Pal Robotics (http://tiago.pal-robotics.com). The robot is based on ROS and comes with several functionalities (autonomous navigation,  manipulation, etc. ) The hardware is modular and includes a 10-meter navigation laser, 7 DoF arm with parallel grippers, lifting torso, powerful processing unit, audio and video hardware, etc. The robot is highly configurable and programmable due to its ROS based software. 
  • BUDDY (http://www.bluefrogrobotics.com/en/buddy-your-companion-robot/) which is a companion robot that improves the everyday life of people in their homes. Open source and easy to use, BUDDY connects, protects, and interacts with each member of the family. BUDDY is built on an open-source technology platform making it easy for global developers to build applications.

Ambient Assisted Living (AAL)

CITST has more than 5 years of experience with the design, development and end-user testing of ICT based AAL platforms. We have participated in two European projects funded within the European AAL program (www.aal-europe.eu): NITICS “Networked InfrasTructure for Innovative home Care Solutions” 2012-2015, and CAMI project “Artificially intelligent ecosystem for self-management and sustainable quality of life in AAL” 2015-2018. We are closely collaborating with local universities and research institutes. Among our main national collaborators are: University Politehnica of Bucharest, Babeș-Bolyai University and Technical University of Cluj Napoca, University of Targoviste Wallachia, etc

We designed several core components around the idea of intelligent care and service robots. Our product and service portofolio includes telemedicine, service-robots, home automation, fall detection and alerting components.

We are preparing to market our own applications, but our main focus is currently on developing components, turn-key solutions, and evaluation research prototypes for our partners to deploy.

Hardware design

CITST specializes in hardware integration and development as proof of concept and prototyping. Our product development experience includes microcontroller programming and design of FPGA based systems. We also have solid experience in ultra-low-power designs using TI MCUs (MSP430/432 and ARM based). CITST has developed the Cubert platform which uses physical redundancy in order for the system as a whole to tolerate the loss or malfunctioning of some components. The platform is designed to allow the creation of dependable, fault tolerant autonomous systems which can be used to solve complex critical tasks in hostile environments which affect the platform and may lead to partial failures of the system. Despite these partial failures, the platform is able to continuously operate in a fault tolerant manner and to succeed in attaining the desired goals.

Software development

CITST is developing and implementing innovative algorithms for its various applications. Our strength lies in image processing and image analysis software which we developed within various R&D projects. We also perform custom engineering work under contract, addressing vertical market applications such as motion analysis and security, inspection, nanofiber characterization, video surveillance, etc.

Electrotechnologies

CITST has developed and is continuously enhancing its patented (pending) electrospinning technology. Electrospinning is a simple, versatile technique in which an electric field is used to generate nanofibers from a rich variety of materials including polymers, composites, and ceramics. A high voltage potential is applied between a solution or melt of the material to be electrospuned and a grounded collector.  The process elongates the fiber as it is formed, yielding fiber diameters typically in the range of 50 to 500 nm. Although the setup for electrospinning is extremely simple, the spinning mechanism is rather complicated and control as well as reproducibility over the obtained nanofibers are no triavial tasks.

The electrospinning device at CITST is modular and extremely versatile allowing electrospinning of a wide range of polymers under controlled conditions. For further reference see “B. Cramariuc, L.R. Manea, I.G. Lupu, O. Cramariuc, R. Cramariuc, Echipament de obtinere a nanofibrelor prin sistem computerizat de electrofilare – Patent application at the State Office for Invention and Trademarks (OSIM, Romania), nr. A/00492/08.06.2010 (Patent application link).”

CITST can provide prototyping services on its state-of-the-art electrospinning system and develop new materials and new material morphologies. CITST’s R&D services include fabrication of novel materials as well as personalized and novel solutions for enhance control and efficiency.

CITST is also offering services for the electrostatic characterization of materials: surface and volume resistance (standard EN 1149); dissipation of electric charge (standard EN 1149-3/2006 and EN 1149-3/2004); susceptibility to electrostatic discharge protection, etc.

Computing

CITST offers its expertise for high-performance computing applications within various national Romanian and European R&D projects. CITST also provides consulting computational chemistry, physics and bio-physics services to help small firms solve research and development problems. Our consultants can assist management and researchers with the following computer simulation services:

  • Quantum Chemistry based structural, spectroscopic and thermodynamic parameters;
  • Molecular Dynamics for drug-target (protein, cellular membrane, etc) interaction;
  • Hybrid Molecular Mechanics/Quantum Mechanical simulations for large molecular systems.

CITST scientific computational services are specifically designed for small firms that do not have full-time computational research staffs. The benefits of having our scientific consultants conduct projects generally exceed the cost of hiring full-time in-house research and development staff or buying/maintaining your own computational hardware.