The topic debates are linked with ENoLL’s Action Oriented Task Forces (AOTF). The Action Oriented Task Forces of ENoLL are created to further enforce collaboration between different stakeholders in a certain topic field. These task forces are open to everyone inside and outside our network. During our Digital living lab days we focus on the emerging themes and topics within our task forces during our so called ‘Topic Debates’. Of course we highlight the Action oriented task forces as a whole on Friday morning as well. 

Currently, there are 5 working AOTFs. 

  1. Social Innovation and Digital Rights
  2. Social Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
  3. Rural Living Labs
  4. Health and Wellbeing
  5. Energy and Environment

There will be five different topics debates during the course of three days:

Can Living labs operate as open research infrastructures?

DAY 1: Wednesday, 2 September, 14:00-15:30

Co-creating from farm to fork: the Stems and the seeds of Agro ecosystem living labs

DAY 1: Wednesday, 2 September, 16:00-17:30

The role of Living Labs in supporting the development of universal access to social innovation ecosystems

DAY 2: Thursday, 3 September, 11:00-12:30

Living Labs in the Water Sector: political, social and technical aspects

DAY 2: Thursday, 3 September, 14:00-15:30

Unveiling the Social Impact of Artificial Intelligence

DAY 2: Thursday, 3 September, 16:00-17:30

Can Living labs operate as open research infrastructures?

When: Wednesday 2 September, 14:00-15:30
Moderator: Evdokimos Konstantinidis (Thess-AHALL)

The research community in the Health and Wellbeing domain has invested a great deal of effort in establishing new Living Labs in order to support their research. They have also invested in learning about methodologies of user engagement and co-creation, such as design thinking, focus groups and ideation. An important challenge in this line of research is to create trust between researchers and local communities as they evaluate and exploit research results. This has caused the creation of many project-oriented Living Labs that serve specific research purposes and have a lifecycle similar to a projects’ duration, thus leading to higher costs, non-optimal use of resources, time and distribution of work and expertise, limited exploitation of research results from local communities.

Session structure:

  • Introduction of AOTF by Evdokimos Konstantinidis: The vision and mission of the Health and Wellbeing Living Labs action oriented task force along with short-term goals on harmonization.
  • Tuija Hirvikoski: the high level view
  • Geert Christiaansen (Philips): The value of living labs as open research infrastructures: what they can offer
  • Vicky Van der Auwera (Licalab Living Lab): How can living labs operate as open research infrastructures: challenges
  • Johannes Klumpers (EC): How EC envisages a large network of open research infrastructures; funding opportunities

This session is a panel discussion with active participation of the audience. 

Expected outcomes after the session:

  • Explore the position of the EC, a large tech company and living labs coming from academia on considering the living labs as open research infrastructures
  • Get a better insight on the demands and offers form different stakeholders on living labs as open research infrastructures
  • Identify the short-term challenges that must be addressed in order to enhance openness of living labs as research infrastructure
  • Living labs should get clear messages for their strategic plans

Speakers

Evdokimos Konstantinidis

President, European Network of Living Labs, Thess-AHALL Researcher,

Co-creating from farm to fork: the Stems and the seeds of Agro ecosystem living labs

When: Wednesday 2 September, 16:00-17:30
Moderator: Muriel Mambrini (INRAE)

Session structure: 

  • Introduction of the AOTF: How do agriculture Living labs fit within the Rural &Agriculture Living Labs task force 
  • Place-based living labs and the defining characteristics of agroecosystem living labs 
  • An ICT-focused living lab in agriculture by PA4ALL 
  • Towards a European vision for a network of agroecology living labs by DG AGRI

Moderated interactive panel discussion with active participation of the audience around the following questions: 
1. What do these various types of living labs have in common and what makes them unique?
2. What are their specific needs?
3. How can/will we map them in the field?
4. Other best practices

Expected outcomes after the session:

  • Drill into and explore some key concepts around the various forms of living labs in agriculture
  • Discussion that really captures this important new wave of living labs in agriculture,
    including three key approaches that are closely related but distinct: agroecosystem living labs, ICT-focused living labs in agriculture, and agroecology living labs
  • Focus on agriculture/agroecosystem/agroecology

Speakers

Milica Trajković

Head of Business Development Department at BioSense Institute, PA4ALL

Muriel Mambrini-Doudet

Director of Research at INRAE

The role of Living Labs in supporting the development of universal access to social innovation ecosystems

When: Thursday 3 September,  11.00AM:12.30PM
Moderator: Carolyn Hassan (KWMC)

Expected outcomes after the session:

  • What does social innovation looks like from others perspectives?
  • To put forward the work around the collaboratory model (different types of funding)
  • Provide ENoLL as a transformant agent to EC

Structure of the debate: 

The session starts with an introduction to the experience of Living Lab over the years – engaging with Smart
City, Citizen Science, Social Innovation, Tech Innovation networks, and our thinking about  living lab role in these networks.

  • How do we connect with and learn from different approaches and think about Lab of Labs to enable a more inclusive and socially just society?
  • How has the Collaboratory emerged from ENoLL experience of collaborating with other networks?
  • Artur Serra (i2Cat) will present the Collaboratory and how access to social innovation for all is being delivered; what has been achieved and next steps.
  • How does this approach go beyond access to technology and co-design of tech solutions but includes rethinking approaches to supporting
    social innovation and building a new infrastructure. This is happening with the support of
    policy makers and different stakeholders.

The following cases will be presented: 
 Prof. Aawatif Hayar, President of the Casablanca University in Morocco will talk about social innovation approach in their country 
 A representative from Bristol University 
 A presentation by Ryan Titley (ERRIN) on how can this approach to universal access to social innovation be
scaled up?

This will be a moderated, interactive panel discussion with active participation of the audience. 

Speakers

Artur Serra

i2CAT deputy Director, AOTF Social Innovation & Digital Rights lead

Tuija Hirvikoski

Emerita president of ENoLL holding a PhD in Industrial Management (Innovation and Innovation Ecosystem relationship)

Living Labs in the Water Sector: political, social and technical aspects

When: Thursday 3 September, 14.00-15:30
Moderated by: Joëlle Mastelic & Florian Bürki

This workshop is organised in the framework of the Energy & Environment Taskforce of the European network of Living Labs ENoLL. Over the last two years, numerous Living Labs initiatives in the water sector have emerged. In order to raise awareness of these new initiatives, to connect the projects to the people responsible for carrying EU water policies and to facilitate networking, this workshop gives them a voice. It is co-organised by Water Europe and will demonstrate the links between public policies at the macro level, projects in Living Lab mode in the meso level, particularly in the H2020 framework program, and the tools implemented in the sector, representing the micro level.

Why participating:
– To better understand the European context
– To discover European projects that are starting up in the water sector
– To network between key players in the sector
– To find out more about existing funding opportunities for Living Labs

Expected outcomes after the session: Awareness on the context and activities, networking among the actors, increase in interactions.

Structure of the debate: 

  • Joelle Mastelic: Introduction of ENoLL Action Oriented Task Force and how does water fit into this task force
  • Andrea Rubini: The high level view of the context
  • Presentation of 3 use cases
    o Dimitris Xevgenos – Executive Project Coordinator WATER-MINING, Tu Delft
    o Frank Rogalla – Executive Project Coordinator, REWAISE, FCC Aqualia
    o Kristina Wencki – Executive Project Coordinator, B-WaterSmart
     Patrizia Busolini Policy part: the view from EU 

Followed by a discussion in a round table format. 

Speakers:

Joëlle Mastelic

Professor at the University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland

Unveiling the Social Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

When: DAY 2: Thursday, 3 September, 16:00-17:30
Moderated by: Prof. Fernando Vilariño

It is a well-known fact that Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become one of the main topics of interest in our societies. In a few years time, AI has trespassed the walls of Academia and has become one of the main pillars for innovation-led growth. Institutions such as the European Commission have placed AI in the center of their policies, and eventually, a deep debate has been created around the actual impact or impacts that AI will have in the years to come. But, are we aware of these impacts? Can we actually foresee such impacts or act with AI as we did with other technology revolutions in History? The aim of this session is to start to unveil the actual impact of AI, as a process of co-creation, deeply related to the way in which this essential transformations will be accessible to everyone. Will living labs play a crucial role in democratisation of AI, in the definition of the new societies around AI solutions?

Why participating:
– To better understand the implications of AI in our day by day
– To discover European and Global projects that are created around different dimensions of the social impact of AI.
– To network between key players in the sector
– To find out more about existing funding opportunities for Living Labs

Expected outcomes after the session: Awareness on the context and activities, networking among the actors, increase in interactions.

Structure of the debate: 

  • Prof. Fernando Vilariño (Computer Vision Center – ENoLL): Introduction of ENoLL Action Oriented Task Force and how does Social Impact of AI fit into this task force
  • Ms. Mayte Hidalgo (Everis): How social impact of AI is becoming a key element for the small and large scale projects.
  • Ms. Andrea Halmos (DG-CONNECT, European Commission): How AI-enabled solutions can help cities and communities make better decisions and achieve climate related-objectives.
  • Mr. Amir Banifatemi (AI for Good, AI COMMONS, XPrize): AI for Good and AI COMMONS. Empowering everyone in the world to solve our social challenges. 

Followed by a discussion in a round table format. 

Fernando Vilariño

Associate Director at Computer Vision Centre and Associate Professor at UAB. Co-Founder of the Library Living Lab