02/11/2025 - News en

Listen2Future Project Celebrates Two Years of Innovation at the University of Granada

Granada, Spain – The General Assembly of the Listen2Future project was held on 10th of February 2025 at the Ultrasonic Lab, School of Civil Engineering, University of Granada. This key event brought together more than 50 researchers and industry experts to discuss the progress and next steps of this groundbreaking European-wide initiative.

Listen2Future, an ambitious EU-funded initiative, aims to revolutionize the health, wellbeing, digital and energy industries through the development of the next-generation of piezoelectric acoustic transducer solutions. Acoustic transducer technologies are at the forefront of innovation, addressing challenges in emerging applications and fostering a more digitalized society. The rising demand for MEMS-based acoustic transducers, such as microphones and ultrasonic transducers, is driving the need for miniaturized, low-power sensors across medical and industrial sectors.

Listen2Future (full title: Acoustic sensor solutions integrated with digital technologies as key enablers for emerging applications fostering Society 5.0) was launched in February 2023 and will continue until January 2026. It unites 27 partners from academia and industry from seven European countries.  

Hahn-Schickard, based in Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany, plays a key role in Listen2Future by contributing expertise in microacoustic sensors, MEMS technologies, and biomedical applications. Within the project, Hahn-Schickard is actively involved in developing innovative microacoustic sensor systems, optimizing piezoelectric transducer technologies, and integrating these sensors into medical and industrial applications. Through this work, the team aims to enhance sensor performance, enable precise and non-invasive diagnostic methods, and optimize energy-efficient solutions for digital industry applications, supporting the project’s mission to drive innovation in Health & Wellbeing and Digital Industry & Energy.

Granada’s Key Role: Cutting-Edge Research in Cancer and Hair Implantation

Led by Professor Guillermo Rus, a team of researchers from the University of Granada (UGR) plays a pivotal role in the project, alongside Policlinica SMD, another Granada-based member of the project, led by Jorge Ruiz.

The standout contribution from the UGR research team focuses on the Use Case 5: Fighting Cancer with Mechanical Waves. Their innovative research explores a novel medical device and bioreactor designed to selectively target cancer stem cells. This groundbreaking research seeks to develop a non-invasive therapeutic technology combining ultrasonic waves with drug treatments, potentially opening new frontiers for cancer therapies.

Additionally, the team from Policlinica SMD, is researching the Use Case 4, focused on the use of ultrasonic stimulation of hair follicle stem cells for hair implants, with remarkable results for patient’s wellbeing. Both UGR and SMD teams are at the cutting edge of cancer research, diagnosis, and treatment.

Shaping the Future of Acoustic Sensor Technologies

This General Assembly marks the end of the second project year, serving as a platform to assess achievements, discuss challenges, and set the strategic direction for the final year. It will also provide an opportunity for networking, fostering collaboration, and enhancing face-to-face exchanges among partners after two years of intense cooperation.

Professor Guillermo Rus welcomed the participants and commented on the significance of the event: "It is an honour to receive and host our colleagues from Listen2Future here for this General Assembly, a very relevant forum for the discussion on the progress of the project. It is also a pleasure to welcome all our colleagues to this historic university and the beautiful city of Granada."

About Listen2Future

The project is co-funded by the European Union under grant 101096884 and supported by the CHIPS Joint Undertaking (JU) and its members, including additional funding from Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, and Spain.

For more information, visit the official Listen2Future website: www.listen2future.eu