Test and Demonstration Environments – Key to Developing and Scaling New Technologies and Digital Societal Solutions

The ability to test, verify and refine a business idea, an innovation or a step in the development of a new or existing business is essential – without it, very few ideas become reality. This is why the work of RISE, with more than 130 test and demonstration facilities across the country, is so important. 

– A test and demonstration facility is a place where future solutions can be tested and verified. Take vehicles and active safety as an example: here we can verify that the vehicle stops as intended when a pedestrian suddenly steps into the road. In other words, we can verify that the algorithm behaves as expected, says Per Lindquist, acting CTO at RISE.

Extensive test tracks and virtual environments

RISE test and demonstration facilities can range from a built fire lab or a large test track to an instrument in a laboratory environment or a logged-in virtual test and demonstration facility.

– Test and demonstration facilities vary widely in both size and scope. We have facilities in almost all of our operations," says Per Lindquist.

It is extremely important for companies and other organisations to be able to test and verify their products in an environment that is repeatable and where the test conditions can be adjusted as needed.

– In a test environment, you can recreate the exact same environment and conditions or scenario over and over again and then change something to see what happens. And then you can compare how your development went, did it get better, worse, what happened when I changed this, says Per Lindquist. 

Open to all

RISE test and demonstration facilities are open to all types of companies and organisations at different stages of development. In addition, there are socio-economic benefits and increased investment opportunities when companies and different stakeholders join forces and share a common test facility. They can then rent the facility and run the tests they need, while RISE is responsible for the equipment and measurement methods, ensuring that everything is of the highest quality.

– It is not only the established industry that can benefit from this, but also small and medium-sized enterprises. Access to such an environment can accelerate development and create opportunities for increased competitiveness, says Per Lindquist.

The activities at the test and demonstration facilities are also important for ensuring the international competitiveness of Swedish companies, while at the same time enabling the development of Swedish research.

– The fact that we have access to high-tech test and demonstration facilities in Sweden is an advantage for Swedish industry, but it also strengthens our research. If you as a researcher have close access to a test environment where you can actually prove that your thesis works, your results will naturally be much stronger, says Per Lindquist.

Another important factor is that RISE's operations are based on independence and that test data is handled securely.

– We welcome everyone and have the experience and processes to handle different types of tests with a high level of confidentiality. With our knowledgeable staff, we can also help provide data to support decision making. This is where our independence really becomes a strength, says Per Lindquist.

Investment in retained capabilities needed

Running test and demonstration facilities is not always easy. While they must be at the forefront of technological development to meet the needs and demands of industry and the public sector, they must also be able to help organisations in a broader perspective.

Lindquist therefore calls for a national effort to maintain the capacity of test and demonstration facilities at a high level.

– There is a need for initiatives that enable the continuous upgrading of the capabilities of test and demonstration facilities. A facility must always evolve in line with what is to be tested in it. When industry asks, the facility should be ready. Therefore, a continuous dialogue between test and demonstration facilities and stakeholders is key, he says.

For several years, RISE has been raising the issue of funding for test and demonstration facilities and infrastructures at EU level. As a result, a first step has now been taken to improve the level of compensation for the use of test and demonstration facilities in EU-funded research projects. But there is still a long way to go to create the conditions for the actual development of test and demonstration facilities in projects.

– We are working hard to ensure that the EU and Swedish research funders take this issue seriously and create opportunities to develop and conduct research on test and demonstration facilities. This is important to maintain a strong position in Sweden, concludes Per Lindquist.