6 September 2024
The PERSIMMON Project has officially taken off with a dynamic and collaborative two-day Kick-Off Meeting on 4-5 September, uniting partners from across Europe to embark on a mission to transform health monitoring through sustainable technology. The event was a mix of insightful presentations, lively discussions, and in-depth planning sessions, all aimed at setting the groundwork for this ambitious project. At the heart of PERSIMMON lies a bold objective: to develop eco-friendly, personalized smart patches that redefine decentralized personal health monitoring (DPHM) while significantly reducing environmental impact.
The meeting opened with an inspiring address from Project Coordinator Klas Hjort of Uppsala University. He set the tone for the project, emphasizing the critical role sustainability will play in PERSIMMON’s development of stretchable, discreet sensor patches. These patches, tailored for long-term wear, will integrate cutting-edge technologies such as edge-AI and bodyNET communication, ensuring they are not only comfortable but also highly functional. Professor Hjort underscored the project’s commitment to reducing the environmental footprint associated with disposable health devices, laying out the vision for smart patches that will support an active lifestyle while minimizing waste and resource consumption.
Following this inspiring start, Warrant Hub provided essential insights into the administrative and strategic backbone of the project. Stefania Melandri outlined the critical components of project management and the Grant Agreement, ensuring that every partner was aligned and ready for the road ahead. As the discussions deepened, Claudio Caramadre, also from Warrant Hub, shifted the focus to communication. He detailed how the consortium should approach the Communication, Dissemination, and Exploitation activities, offering practical advice on effectively promoting PERSIMMON’s progress and outcomes.
The second day of the meeting took a more technical turn, diving deeper into the specific Work Packages (WPs) that form the backbone of PERSIMMON’s development. Presentations from partners leading these packages provided a detailed look at the key areas of focus, from initial system testing and biomaterials development to advanced manufacturing techniques and demonstration efforts. These discussions revealed the complexity and interdisciplinary nature of the project, with each partner bringing specialized knowledge to address the pressing need for sustainable, multimodal health monitoring solutions.
