Engineers of Tomorrow
Collaboration opportunities
Discover our expertise!
How industry and academia should reinforce each other
Flanders is still at the forefront of innovation, so let's keep it that way!
Discover below the opportunities for joining forces and ensuring that we continue to innovate together for a sustainable world!
How can we translate recent research so that it is relevant to your company?
TETRA projects 2026
Some of our researchers are looking for companies interested in participating in a user group for a TETRA project. In TETRA projects, we share research results and work with companies to see how recent research findings can be translated in a way that is interesting and useful for businesses. If you see something interesting below, please get in touch!
ICECREAM - In-situ and Central plant EmulsionCold REcycling of Asphalt Mixtures
Emulsion-bound asphalt pavements are asphalt layers that are recycled on site by milling the existing asphalt, mixing it with a bitumen emulsion and additives (filler, cement, or others), and then compacting it again to form a new load-bearing layer. This is done cold, without heating the material.
Within this project, we bring together Flemish road builders and other stakeholders to jointly study and evaluate the technique of emulsion-bound asphalt pavements and translate it into practical applications.
Contact the coordinating researcher: david.hernando@uantwerpen.be
Optimization and control of the asphalt granulate process in top and bottom layers
In this project, we are responding to the sector's demand for better control of the asphalt granulate process: milling, transport, processing, storage, control, and use of asphalt granulate in bitumen-bound applications are being mapped out and discussed in collaboration with all parties in order to formulate risk management and recommendations. How can we increase the share of asphalt granulate in total asphalt production and what are the risks associated with angularity, homogeneity, lower pen values, and use in top layers in construction classes higher than B9? This project ensures that asphalt granulate remains the raw material with which we achieve climate targets while controlling the quality of asphalt. Interested in participating? The project is a collaboration between SuPAR, OCW, and the road construction sector.
Please contact the coordinating researcher: wim.vandenbergh@uantwerpen.be
From Rubble to Potential: Valorization of the Use of Mixed Granulate 250+ in Road Foundations as a Lever for Climate Transition and Increased Circularity
The design of traditional road construction (sub-base, base, and pavement) has so far been based on structural requirements. Environmental impact (climate, circularity) is hardly taken into account as a criterion. However, this will be necessary in the future if we want to achieve climate targets at European, federal, and regional level. The existing tools for calculating the environmental impact of construction works do not take sufficient account of circularity, i.e. the protection of primary material stocks and the preservation of the intrinsic value of materials. In order to optimize the environmental impact of road construction, the current project is seeking a scientifically based step-by-step plan that takes into account the technical and economic conditions.
Please contact the coordinating researcher: tyché.perkisas@uantwerpen.be
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Smart Building Compass
Building automation (BACS) offers enormous opportunities for energy savings, comfort, and lower operating costs. However, smaller non-residential buildings often lag behind: solutions are often too complex or too expensive, and the client, contractor, or facility manager lacks the necessary knowledge and experience. With the SlimGebouwKompas project, the University of Antwerp and its partners aim to bridge this gap. We are developing a set of practical tools that make automation accessible—from design to management—for existing smaller buildings.
Contact the coordinating researcher: stijn.verbeke@uantwerpen.be
SHIFT4Ergonomics - Smart Human-Integrated Feedback Technologies for Ergonomics
Smart Human-Integrated Feedback Technologies 4 Ergonomics investigates how XR technology for workstation design and Vision AI for ergonomic analysis can support companies in designing workstations that are more efficient and ergonomic. The developed XR toolbox makes it possible to digitally and physically evaluate newly designed workstations in a virtual environment, compare design options, and make timely adjustments before physical changes are made on the work floor. In addition, the computer vision and AI pipelines developed in this project support ergonomists in the long-term, objective evaluation of existing workstations. This approach is being extensively tested together with the participating companies.
Contact the coordinating researcher: gunther.steenackers@uantwerpen.be
PreMa4MM - Predictive Maintenance for Mobile Machinery
PreMa4MM unlocks the value of data from mobile machines by collecting and analyzing J1939 CAN bus data in real time. The project combines practical data acquisition with probabilistic machine learning to make reliable predictions, such as remaining service life (e.g., of a battery or combustion engine), thereby preventing unplanned downtime. In addition, concrete guidelines, open-source data pipelines, and reusable tools are being developed for practical use.
Contact the coordinating researcher: ivan.deboi@uantwerpen.be
VICOMS - Virtual Commission for Motion Systems
Machine builders in Flanders are increasingly faced with the challenge of developing energy-efficient, high-performance, and maintenance-friendly machines, preferably within the shortest possible production time. In the design process for such machines, a sequential strategy is still too often used, whereby the design process, the actual production of the machine, and commissioning follow each other in succession. As a result, improvements in the design often come to light too late and lead to machines that work but are not optimal. Increased functionalities in commercial control systems, the availability of CAD models, and optimization tools have recently made it possible to achieve time savings of up to 75% in commissioning and to obtain a better design and adjustment of the machine. This project will unlock these functionalities for virtual commissioning for the Flemish machine building sector.
Contact the coordinating researcher: stijn.derammelaere@uantwerpen.be
NAVIGATOR2050: Towards Active Sustainability & Innovative Guidance for the Inland Waterway Transport Sector for Climate-Neutral Shipping in 2050 via Retrofit Scenarios
Please contact the coordinating researcher:
olivier.schalm@hzs.be
Antwerp Maritime Academy
NAVIGATOR2050 is developing a practical decision-making and calculation tool that helps organizations plan the energy transition of inland waterway vessels over time. By combining existing knowledge about technology, regulations, infrastructure, and economics in structured fact sheets and calculating these using a TimeLine Engine, the project shows which retrofit choices make sense and when, what they cost, and how they contribute to emission reductions towards 2050. In this way, NAVIGATOR2050 supports skippers, shipping companies, and policymakers in comparing scenarios and making robust, future-oriented investment decisions—without developing new technology or disrupting the market.
Good to know
In addition to teaching, our colleagues also hatch new ideas!
What
There are nine research groups at our faculty: BioWaVE, Cosys-Lab, ELCAT, EMIB, IDLab, iPRACs, InViLab, M4S, and SuPAR.
We examine engineering problems from various disciplines, always with a view to sustainable innovation!
Why
Every colleague in our faculty is affiliated with one of the nine research groups, which is how we intertwine research and education.