The laboratory door to new business opportunities

DigiCORE is a long-awaited lab environment in which companies, public-sector organisations and academia can collaborate and test ideas in order to bolster the digital transformation together. On 6 December, the lab was inaugurated at RISE SICS in Västerås with over 100 curious onlookers.

DigiCORE is both a physical and digital lab environment consisting of a control room, VR and AR technology, the potential for visualisation on large screens and software for the processing of data and more. Here, it is possible to come into contact with technology, expertise and working methods which can help organisations to speed up development processes. Behind DigiCORE is RISE SICS Västerås, a number of research projects and Automation Region. The purpose of the lab environment is to support regional development, and it will develop continuously in order to meet future needs.

“The investment in DigiCORE is fully aligned with the goals of Västerås City’s initiatives in the industrial sector,” says Eva Lilja, director of business development and CEO of Västerås Marknad och Näringsliv AB. “We wish to promote strong business with a high level of knowledge at the core and a capacity for innovation. It’s fantastic that we’re able to establish this investment here.”

For Automation Region, DigiCORE represents an important stage of development through the integration of a concrete laboratory environment within the innovation environment. Furthermore, the lab constitutes a concrete platform in the important collaboration with RISE SICS.

“The lab is in an open environment and is future-proof as it can be adapted to new needs,” explains Anders Aabakken, Manager Global Engineering at ABB FACTS and chair of Automation Region’s Research and Innovation Group. “It provides important conditions for creating new projects, and poses a fantastic learning opportunity for the actors of the region.”

DigiCORE provides conditions for product testing, new collaborations and business opportunities. For example, the lab can be used for business intelligence and skills development through data analyses and evaluations of technologies such as AR, VR and AI. One project which was presented during the inauguration is “Smart Automation Living Lab for Process Industry Implementation” (SALLPI). This will now be implemented as a component of DigiCORE.

“Through SALLPI, we want to shorten the time from idea to product within the process industry, where the actors are as a rule careful to invest in solutions which have not been tested in a real environment,” says Larisa Rizvanovic, senior researcher at RISE SICS. “We offer a coherent and integrated platform for the testing of innovations, products and systems. The goal is to increase organisations’ productivity, efficiency and competitiveness.”

What are the needs of your organisation?

If you are looking for inspiration and want to investigate the opportunities available to you, you can book a visit to DigiCORE. If you have already identified a need, we can offer a conceptualisation workshop, among other things. For those in need of in-depth knowledge in a specific area, DigiCORE can provide expert support.

Further information on DigiCORE and contact information →
Book a guided tour of the lab →