Hightech IGO

The current situation

The High-Tech Information-Driven Operations (HIGO) project addresses a gap in current practice: existing systems are insufficiently capable of detecting chemical or explosive threats in real time and in an operationally relevant form. There is a need for an integrated, portable, or remotely accessible solution that links detection to spatial information and image recognition, closely aligned with current operational practice and applicable in complex, often unclear situations. This project addresses that need by combining data integration and validation, data science, sensor development, and robotics applications within a single research initiative.

Urgency project

The urgency of this project is reinforced by recent incidents involving chemical substances, increasing threats in rural areas (such as illegal drug laboratories), and a policy emphasis on dual-use innovation. Although various research programs in the past have focused on specific aspects (such as lab-on-a-chip technologies, e-noses, or image recognition), to the best of our knowledge, no cross-disciplinary, integrated system has yet been developed that combines real-time chemical detection, spatial mapping, and AI-supported decision-making for both civilian and military applications. This project therefore complements existing research and focuses on the implementation and scaling up of innovative technologies in operational practice.

Multidisciplinary collaboration

By bringing together various disciplines from knowledge institutions, emergency services, and technology companies, the consortium is able to develop practical and technologically advanced solutions that can be further developed in the near future and made directly available to first responders.