RU Infrastructure Fund
The role of the RU Infrastructure Fund is to provide grants for the purchase and/or development of equipment, databases and software, and other equipment that is considered important for progress in teaching and research at RU.
In assessing applications, consideration is given to the quality of the application and application documents, e.g. take into account the following points:
- The importance of the infrastructure for progress in teaching and research at RU.
- Predictable utilisation of the infrastructure between RU's departments or between employees.
- Reality and consideration of cost estimates.
Grants in 2021:
This is first time the Fund allocates grants. 13 grants were awarded. The total amount awarded is 23.160.162 ISK.
The deadline for submitting applications was June 15, 2021 and the Fund received 17 applications. The total amount applied was 35.226.448 ISK.
Computer Screens
Applicant: Hera Grímsdóttir
Department: Dept. of Applied Engineering
The new screens enable students to plug their computers in at RU when working on design assignments.
Grant amount: 1.318.400 ISK
EMG and EEG for research and teaching in diagnosis and treatment in the central nervous system
Applicant: Þórður Helgason
Department: Dept. of Engineering
Co-proposers: Sveinn Þorgeisson, Dept. of Sport Science, and Baldur Þorgilsson, Dept. of Applied Engineering
Grant amount: 4.310.000 ISK
Steam boiler
Applicant: María Sigríður Guðjónsdóttir
Department: Dept. of Engineering
Co-proposers: Guðrún Sævarsdóttir and Vijay Chauhan, Dept. of Engineering
The equipment will be of great importance for advances in energy research, e.g. regarding geothermal energy. These would include experiments on the flow of geothermal fluids, tests on geothermal equipment and verification of models that mimic and predict the behaviour of geothermal fluids and other flows where water and steam are involved.
Grant amount: 2.200.000 ISK
Drone for surveying
Applicant: Aldís Ingimarsdóttir
Department: Dept. of Applied Engineering
Co-proposers: Eyþór Rafn Þórhallsson, Dept. of Applied Engineering
The drone will be used to train students in making measurements with drones, linking those measurements to a map database with the aim of being able to use the map database in design, monitoring or quantification.
Grant amount: 400.000 ISK
Wind turbine simulator
Applicant: Guðmundur Kristjánsson
Department: Dept. of Applied Engineering
Co-proposers: Ragnar Kristjánsson, Dept. of Engineering
Wind turbines will most likely become part of electricity production in Iceland. This equipment would be used for teaching in technology and engineering as well as used in final projects and research.
Grant amount: 2.400.000 ISK
Large size product design lab – 3D printer
Applicant: Paolo Gargiulo
Department: Dept. of Engineering
Co-proposers: Yonatan Afework Tesfahunegn, Joseph Timothy Foley, and Guðrún Sævarsdóttir, Dept. of Engineering
The equipment will be used:
1. to develop prototypes that can be used in testing and innovation in the geothermal and automotive industries for testing new and existing models.
2. to tailor make implants from images software for example 3shape.
3. to make molds and thermoforming tools, rapid manufacturing of grips, jigs, and fixtures.
4. to optimize currently existing solutions.
5. for educational purposes by showing students the possibilities opened by this technology.
Grant amount: 2.000.000 ISK
Optical Table
Applicant: Andrei Manolescu
Department: Dept. of Engineering
The Nanophysics Center conducts research on materials for electron emission, photovoltaics, photoconduction, and related topics. In a typical experimental setup light is sent to a sample of material, and often the beam must be very accurately oriented and focused. A correct alignment of the optical components of the setup, such as a laser or other light sources, lenses, beam splitter, etc., among themselves, and with the sample, is essential. For this reason, the setup is placed on a special surface, called optical table, which is a solid and heavy table made of steel, with a perfect surface and with an array of holes where the components are plugged and fixed with screws.
Grant amount: 1.850.000 ISK
Complete body composition measurement for public health and sports
Applicant: Sveinn Þorgeirsson
Department: Dept. of Sport Science
Co-proposers: Hjalti Rúnar Oddsson, Dept. of Sport Science
The device will provide us with practical use in class and
research. For example, possible uses in class would include courses like
performance measurements, physiology, public health, bio-mechanics, personal
training. In research, Tanita would allow for more in depth analysis of the
body composition of both athletes we are already testing and general public. We
will have the possibility of providing body composition analysis of high
caliber to athletes and general public.
Grant amount: 954.800 ISK
Internet of Things Laboratory
Applicant: Marcel Kyas
Department: Dept. of Computer Science
Co-proposers: Joseph Timothy Foley, Dept. of Engineering
Equip four workbenches with the switches for researchers and
students to work on Ethernet-connected devices, especially those that are
powered with PoE. Such devices include PLC, security cameras, and sensing
devices. The switches will integrate into our existing network infrastructure
and be maintained and supported by IT.
Grant amount: 910.400 ISK
Hyperspectral Camera
Applicant: Haraldur Auðunsson
Department: Dept. of Engineering
Co-proposers: Torfi Þórhallsson and Andrei Manolescu, Dept. of Engineering
A machine of this kind is a natural part of the school's modern equipment and will increase the diversity of project-driven studies, whether directly in teaching, in independent studies or master's projects, and also in research at RU.
Grant amount: 3.360.000 ISK
The use of virtual reality in teaching and research
Applicant: Berglind Sveinbjörnsdóttir
Department: Dept. of Psychology
Co-proposers: Hannes Högni Vilhjálmsson, Dept. of Computer Science, Linda Bára Lýðsdóttir and Kamilla Rún Jóhannsdóttir, Dept. of Psychology
VR headset to train psychology students in important skills, and utilise the vast knowledge that RU has already built up in the field of virtual reality training.
Grant amount: 265.337 ISK
Combined high-definition current-voltage source and current-voltage meter
Applicant: Halldór Guðfinnur Svavarsson
Department: Dept. of Engineering
Co-proposers: Haraldur Auðunsson, Ágúst Valfells og Slawomir Koziel, Dept. of Engineering
The device is intended to replace another comparable device owned by RU (was obtained with a grant from the Rannís Infrastructure Fund a few years ago) but suddenly broke down just a few days ago. It is unclear at this time if the device can be repaired. If it is possible, it is foreseen that it will take some time and repair costs will be high. The device that failed was not made for high voltage pulses, but it was such use that caused the failure. The new device applied for here has the advantage that it can withstand much higher voltages - up to 1100V.
Grant amount: 1.720.000 ISK
Towards a Robot Interaction Laboratory
Applicant: Torfi Þórhallsson
Department: Verkfræðideild / Dept. of Engineering
Evolutionary research suggests (Parker, 2003) that major advances in human intelligence followed the emergence of (1) vision and locomotion, (2) manipulation, and (3) language. It has been pointed out that success in artificial intelligence may follow the same path. The purpose of this application is to create a laboratory environment where answers to these questions can be explored, and applications developed. For these purposes, the laboratory will be developed over a period of time to include robots with locomotion, manipulation, and speech capabilities together with visual, tactile, and aural sensing and strong computation resources.
This application is a first step towards establishing such a facility, by acquiring a single compliant robot manipulator with a simple dextrous end-effector and tactile sensing. The robot manipulator will be used to teach advanced robotics at the graduate level (kinematics, path planning, collision avoidance, visual serving, tactile response). It is programmed using C++ and Python utilising the Robot Operating System (ROS) framework.
Grant amount: 1.471.225 ISK
