Themes
Photovoltaics
We investigate emerging and mature photovoltaic technologies to the Maltese harsh environmental externalities and evaluate the performance of PV systems in terms of reliability and operations.
OUR RESEARCH:
Emerging and Mature Photovoltaic Technologies
Photovoltaic Systems Performance
SUSTAINABLE LIVING
FiR develops and implements Sustainable Living solutions together with local and international partners from industry, community living, business and research to address the challenge of changing demands and needs of humans.
By 2050 Demographic Change will present serious challenges. This is driven by population growth and decline in different countries, combined with an ageing global population while the working population decline. These challenges may only be accelerated through the digital economy together with immigration, late retirement and productivity gains.
Sustainable Living solutions enable us to live healthier, more active, and safer everyday life. Several researchers at FiR contribute to this future complexity in an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary holistic approach.
OUR RESEARCH:
Behaviour Pattern Recognition (BPR) is a form of profiling human activity patterns in everyday life using many integrated sensors in a living environment. The technique uses big data analytics, machine-learning algorithms and models.
Open platforms and user interfaces are developed and implemented to the individualised required interaction while interfacing multiple sensors, devices, components and services while providing active participation in design and replicability.
AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMS
FiR.mt autonomous systems research encompassed transport, agriculture, industrial and surveillance.
OUR RESEARCH:
Autonomous Vehicles
Arial Autonomous Monitoring
Resource Efficiency
Surveillance
Industrial Processes
We identify and evaluates industrial processes with technology development to increase energy efficiency and throughput through parametric studies and life cycle assessments.
OUR RESEARCH:
Life Cycle Assessments
Techno-Economic Studies
Preservation of Resources for Digital Humanities
FiR.mt collaborates and works with heritage communities and research institutions on digital collections platforms. Our team supports the historical research on digitisation, visualisation and recovery of information of historical records. FIR’s team uses digital techniques like Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and AI-powered Handwritten Text Recognition (HTR) technology etc.
OUR RESEARCH:
Open platforms for digital collections to protect against any destruction, defacing, alteration, mutilation or damage.
Development of a methodology on Modelling historians’ information-seeking behaviour.
MARINE TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH
The thematic maritime technology research initiative spearheaded by the Foundation for Innovation and Research – Malta (FiR.mt) focuses on exploring advanced technological solutions in the maritime sector. The initiative aims to reduce dependency on fossil fuels, promote sustainable energy sources, and improve environmental conditions by leveraging innovative technologies.
OUR RESEARCH:
Wave energy, to understand the potential of Malta’s offshore economic zones in terms of wave energy, including hybrid systems with solar and wind.
Wireless electric transfer systems for maritime vehicles, to contribute towards state-of-the-art development with the aim of increasing efficiency
Real-time monitoring through a living laboratory for ports, to establish and understand the sources of emissions and contributions to systems and policy implementations around the Mediterranean to reduce emissions.
