The MATISSE project was launched on September 17 in the historic city of Västerås, Sweden, beginning a three-year international collaboration to develop a Digital Twins framework for the engineering and validation of industrial systems. Digital twins are an emerging technology based on the virtual representation of a physical machine or process: digital twins do not provide a mere simulation, but rather a living digital reference object with numerous benefits and cross-cutting applications. The kick-off event for Matisse took place at Mälardalen University, renowned for its contributions to technological innovation, and at the Mälardalen Industrial Technology Center (MITC) in Eskilstuna.
MATISSE is funded by the European Commission through Horizon Research and Innovation Action funds and is implemented by an international public-private partnership that includes, in addition to Gran Sasso Science Institute (GSSI) and Gran Sasso Tech (GST), leading industries such as Leonardo SpA, Siemens AG, and Alstom SA, as well as research centers such as the French Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Genoa, and the RISE Research Institutes of Sweden.
“The future of advanced manufacturing in key industrial sectors, such as space, call for the development and deployment of digital twins and robotics,” said Giovanni Campolo, Scientific Director of Gran Sasso Tech. “As a result of MATISSE project, Gran Sasso Tech’s research will play a key role in this revolution, with significant impacts on the Italian industrial supply chains.”
Developing and testing technologies – such as Leonardo SpA’s robotic arm – within simulated environments that mimic real-world operational conditions, is essential to ensure precision and reliability while reducing industrial development and production costs. GST’s role in defining use-case scenarios will enable the simulation and anticipation of potential operational issues. At the same time, ongoing validation through rigorous testing methodologies will ensure that the solutions are solid and ready for deployment in critical environments.
“Through MATISSE, GSSI aims to strengthen its expertise in software engineering for autonomous systems, focusing on both design and verification and validation,” said Patrizio Pelliccione, Head of the Computer Science Department at GSSI. “The project will provide GSSI with the opportunity to enhance existing and future collaborations with companies in the Digital Twins sector, while developing new techniques in partnership with academic and industrial collaborators.”