In the Call 2023, to be published end of 2023, two emerging research topics are addressed, namely Multidimensional Spatio-Temporal Geographic Information Systems (MultiGIS) and Smart Contracts for Digital Transformation Ecosystems (SmartC).

The topics descriptions below are provided as draft only. The final descriptions will result from the CHIST-ERA Conference 2023. The conference will bring together scientists and CHIST-ERA representatives in order to identify and formulate the most promising scientific and technological challenges of the call topics.

Indications on the research funding organisations considering joining the call are provided in the table below. CHIST-ERA being open to new funding organisations, interested researchers from countries not listed below are encouraged to contact their national/regional funding organisation to express their interest. The definitive list of the participating funding organisations will be published in the official Call Announcement.

Information: chistera@anr.fr

Topic 1. Multidimensional Geographic Information Systems (MultiGIS)

Research and development efforts in recent years have made geographic information systems (GIS) technology robust and widely consolidated. However, there are application domains for which the current state of the art in GIS research does not provide effective solutions. The proliferation of sensors (e.g., GPS, satellites, unmanned vehicles) is allowing the massive collection of multidimensional big data (e.g. 3D, spatio-temporal...) that is currently not properly stored, processed, exploited, and visualized due to the lack of adequate technology. In order to fully support geographic information considering multimensional data, complex research efforts must be carried out that advance technology in the areas of data collection, data model definition and implementation, efficient data structures for information representation, or software engineering for information systems development.

Application sectors: Transport, climate, marine management, air traffic management, logistics, robotics, autonomous driving...

Keywords: Multidimensional data, spatio-temporal geographic information systems, data engineering, data science, artificial intelligence, data visualization

Topic 2. Smart Contracts for Digital Transformation Ecosystems (SmartC)

Service chains have led to digital services being seen not as isolated silos, but as part of a growing ecosystem of co-dependent organizational systems that must interoperate seamlessly to foster a more efficient and responsible digital transformation. However, the ability of the computational part of an information system to self-adapt to changes in data sources and to take full advantage of the capabilities of its human component remains limited. The main limiting factors lie in the processing and analysis, both manual and automatic, of digital contracts and the legislations that govern them. New approaches are needed that address the problem from a more holistic perspective: Towards a new notion of smart contract as dynamic and machine-readable; New type of ecosystem that adapts to changes in smart contracts with minimal human intervention; New ecosystems endowed with co-evolutionary hybrid intelligence (human / computational).

Application sectors: All application sectors of digital transformation, especially in public administrations (at all levels: Regional, national and international), and smart cities

Keywords: Digital transformation, digital services, smart contracts, hybrid intelligence, coevolution, self-adaptation, model-driven development, service engineering, knowledge graphs, natural language processing, security, formal methods, data management, ledger and blockchain technologies, information technology law

Anticipated list of participating national/regional funding organisations