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Smart devices in Flanders

Flanders is smart – from its intelligent transport technologies, smart city initiatives and Internet of Things applications to its next-gen networking technologies and big data innovations. Piggybacking on these applications and technologies are smart devices that alter our environments to suit our needs. These include sensors, nanoelectronics, wearables, medtech and more, and Flanders is right at the cutting edge of the biggest smart trends.

Rich ecosystem for smart device and application development

Searching for smart success? Flanders has everything you need – a connected society, superior infrastructure, high-quality universities and centers of expertise – and much more.

SpotCrowd: smart devices detect shoplifters

A state-of-the-art surveillance solution that relies on the crowd to source watchful eyes in retail stores. It sounds like science fiction, but key strategic research center imec recently announced its support of the SpotCrowd project, which uses cameras, smart devices and intelligent algorithms and registered users to spot suspicious activity via their smartphones. Even more, the technology will feature irreversible, real-time anonymization technology to address privacy concerns.

SpotCrowd is developing a state-of-the-art, real-time, irreversible blurring technology that anonymizes any shopper in the surveillance images.
SpotCrowd

All the talent at hand

Every one of Flanders’ 5 universities and a large number of its university colleges provide targeted coursework as well as bachelor’s and master’s degrees in relevant fields, such as computer science, network technology, engineering, information technology and others.

Specific incentives

Flanders offers incentives to companies engaging in intensive research and development activities. Examples include:

  • investment deduction for R&D – 13.5% of acquisition value/qualifying asset or 20.5% of the depreciated amount;
  • exemption of payment of 80% – of the personal income withholding tax of researchers in certain scientific fields;
  • innovation income deduction – up to 85% of a firm’s net earnings from innovation is tax exempt.

R&D tax incentives in Flanders

Discover Flanders' tax incentives for R&D activities.

Did you know…

  • … Flanders’ strategic research center imec unveiled the world’s first thin film near field communication tag at the 2017 International Solid-State Circuits Conference in San Francisco?

News & Stories

Doctor with mobile phone

Heart rhythm app from Flanders is the 1st to be approved in the US

ResMed (US) and Ectosense (Flanders) to fight sleep apnea

ResMed (US) and Ectosense (Flanders) to fight sleep apnea

Social distancing wearable notification on smartphone

RightCrowd (AU) develops contact tracing wearable in Flanders

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