President Rumen Radev visited the Institute of Robotics of BAS to get acquainted with the activities of the Center of Competence “Quantum Communications, Intelligent Security Systems and Risk Management ” – QUASAR and the systems developed by it. The Centre was established under the Operational Programme “Science and Education for Smart Growth” 2014-2020.
More than 15 research laboratories have been implemented with funds from the European Commission and the state, said Acad. Chavdar Rumenin, who is the head of the QUASAR Centre. We have new results – 17 patent applications for inventions have been filed, said Acad. Rumenin and specified that the Institute of Robotics of BAS is the country’s leader in patents, with more than 260 protected patents in recent years. He laid emphasis on technology transfer to industry and recalled the contribution of the Academy’s institutes in overcoming the COVID-19 crisis. Quasar Centre has developed a unique robot for UV disinfection of rooms, the academician recalled.
As a Bulgarian, I feel proud that you have managed to create such a promising Centre of great importance for our future. With these words President Rumen Radev addressed the scientists. I applaud you for the fact that your centre has set an extremely high level of ambitions for the future and you are walking on a sustainable path so that these ambitions can be realised in the interest of society, the Head of State said. Information is a key factor in the modern world. Those who manage to transmit a huge volume of information in the fastest possible way and with a high degree of protection will also rule the future, will be competitive, will have guarantees for their security in an increasingly unpredictable and highly competitive world, the President said. He welcomed the approach to develop an active link between science, business and education.
Today we are in another crisis – not only a social, not only an economic and health one, but there is also a security crisis. The crisis management system has been neglected for decades. We have yet to build this system but in a different form, to transform it into a single national crisis management system. I know that you at the Centre are dealing with risk assessment in crisis management, the Head of State noted. I am here to discuss the possibilities for this Centre, which has concentrated a huge scientific and organisational potential, to become part of the Recovery and Resilience Plan, Rumen Radev stressed.
During the President’s visit, Bulgaria’s National Quantum Communications Infrastructure Plan and the Euro QCI initiative were also presented. It is envisaged that by 2027 the EU Member States would jointly build a new generation of ground and space communications infrastructure, which will aim to guarantee Europe’s sovereignty and communications security.
President Rumen Radev and the President of BAS Prof. Julian Revalski, Full Member of the Academy, together with the Centre’s team toured the laboratories and got acquainted with the current activities and research.
