Future-proof thanks to radar and economical edge AI applications Double EU funding for microelectronics in Braunschweig

What will Europe’s technological future look like, and where are the foundations for it being laid? In Braunschweig. The Institute for CMOS Design at Technische Universität Braunschweig impressed the European Union with two research ideas. With a total of 1.7 million euros in funding and in cooperation with partners from all over Europe, the scientists led by Professor Vadim Issakov and Professor Thomas Kämpfe are paving the way for secure, energy-efficient and independent microelectronics.

Both projects – “MOSAIC” and “NeAIxt” – are examples of the plan to strengthen Europe’s technological sovereignty. Industry and research are investing a total of 150 million euros, including 41 million euros in EU funding, in these groundbreaking projects.

“MOSAIC”: Secure sensor technology for Europe

With 49 project partners and total funding of 53 million euros, the MOSAIC project team is researching sensor technology for automated systems. The EU plans to have as many components as possible developed in Europe, especially when it comes to safety aspects in automated driving, AI recognition and fail-safe communication. The Braunschweig team, led by Institute Director Professor Vadim Issakov, is contributing its expertise in radar development (sub-project: Highly-integrated digital radar at D-band for a resilient MIMO radar network. The researchers are developing a demonstrator that will contribute to one of the central pillars of the EU project: a 360-degree radar.

Such a radar could make vehicles less dependent on camera sensors, which are severely impaired by poor weather conditions. Building on the TU’s research focus on metrology, the research team is taking on the challenge of achieving unprecedented precision in the smallest of spaces.

Professor Issakov is contributing his expertise in the development of integrated circuits for radar applications:

“In this project, the Institute for CMOS Design is collaborating with partners to research radar systems that use digital modulation approaches such as Phase-Modulated Continuous Wave (PMCW). This is a new radar technology for object detection. We expect this to offer significant advantages over conventional analogue modulation, such as frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW). However, this also presents significant scientific challenges, such as achieving broadband TX/RX coupling on the chip. New modulation approaches open up a new dimension of radar systems, offering higher precision when tracking multiple objects in complex environments.”

In line with the EU Chips Act, MOSAIC aims to strengthen Europe’s technological independence in the field of electronic components and systems (ECS) for automated systems. The project is developing energy-efficient, robust, cognitive, next-generation ECS integrating state-of-the-art sensor hardware, supporting European manufacturers in global competition through seamless interoperability. With the ultimate goal of establishing Europe as the world’s leading location for automation, MOSAIC is focusing on building reliable European supply chains, increasing competitiveness throughout the entire value chain, and intelligently integrating European semiconductor technologies.

“NeAIxt”: For independent and energy-efficient edge AI applications in Europe

Another EU project involving TU Braunschweig is “NeAIxt”, which deals with the topic of “edge AI”. “Edge AI” is a combination of artificial intelligence (AI) and edge computing, in which data is processed directly at the “edge” of the network, i.e. close to the data source (e.g. a device). This enables real-time decisions with low latency, increased security and without a constant internet connection. However, AI consumes a great deal of energy. To reduce this, the research team led by Professor Thomas Kämpfe is working on powerful, secure AI accelerator circuits in this project.

The scientists at TU Braunschweig are modelling energy-efficient systems on the structure and function of the brain – a technique known as neuromorphic computing. With its 80 billion neurons, the brain requires only 20 watts of power; by comparison, graphics card systems consume 10 megawatts for similar capabilities.

Professor Kämpfe’s team is developing the hardware (CMOS chips) and efficient AI models, known as spiking neural networks, for neuromorphic computing. Through hardware-adapted training, these neural networks can be reduced in size, making them easily usable at the edge or in devices. Specifically, the team is developing a condition monitoring system for machines with rotors, which continuously monitors systems to record their technical condition in real time and detect deviations and potential problems early on.

The ultimate goal is to create a reliable and independent European solution for edge AI applications. There is an urgent need for research into energy-efficient computing, because without progress in this area, computing will account for a significant proportion of global energy consumption by the end of the 2030s, alongside mobility and heating. AI data centres with capacities in the gigawatt range are already being planned.

Project data:

The project, titled “A Mosaic of Essential Electronic Components and Systems for Our Automated Digital Future in Industry and Mobility”, began in September 2025 and is set to conclude in August 2028. EU funding amounts to 16 million euros.

The project “NeAIxt – Next Generation of edge AI crossing technology fields” started in September 2025 and will run until August 2028. EU funding amounts to 25 million euros.