Horizon Europe Project SmILE Kicks Off in Lübeck

The Horizon Europe project SmILE – Smart Implants for Life Enrichment officially launched with a two-day kick-off meeting held on February 13–14, 2025, at Fraunhofer IMTE in Lübeck, Germany. Around 50 participants from more than 20 organisations across Europe joined for the launch of this international research effort aimed at transforming the future of implantable medical devices.

SmILE brings together engineers, clinicians, researchers and industry partners to develop next-generation smart implants that can better adapt to patients’ needs through data-driven technologies and advanced sensing systems. The goal is to improve long-term outcomes and enhance quality of life for patients requiring implants.

The meeting opened with welcoming remarks from the project coordinator, Prof. Arndt-Peter Schulz, followed by a series of presentations introducing the project’s work packages. Topics ranged from patient involvement and data management to AI analytics and hardware design.

In addition to the main sessions, the agenda included parallel breakout discussions, allowing work package leaders to align strategies and next steps. At the end of the meeting, the participants also had the chance to tour Fraunhofer IMTE’s research facilities.

Laying the foundation for work ahead, the meeting helped build a shared understanding among partners, who now focus on bringing smart implant technology closer to patients.