PROMAS
The purpose of the project DIT4BEARS was to develop innovative technologies in transport and communication systems and to distribute them through a Living Laboratory in Disruptive Information Technologies (Living Lab DIT4BEARs). The project partners have carried out use cases, which have utilized Disruptive Information Technologies for solving particular problems in the Barents Euro-Arctic region. The four particular problems can be considered as different work packages of the project:
• SmartID: development of identity management system on the basis of blockchain technologies;
• SmartWaste: development of citizen-centric platform for running municipal services (such as waste management);
• SmartRoad: use of disruptive technologies for winter road maintenance in the Kolarctic region;
• ConnectedDeer: development of digital platform inspired by Internet of Things to ensure the safety of reindeers on roads.
The results from the project include a developed ecosystem model for reindeer traffic warning, developed models for road friction to simulate and to enable safer hill ascending for heavy vehicles such as lorries, and a better understanding of choosing the right technology for decentralized identification systems, considering specific use cases.
Inclusion in hackathons 
An impactful aspect of the project was its way to involve people, e.g. young students. The project utilized hackathons as a working method. The term hackathon originally combines the words ‘hacker’, which refers to a clever programmer, and ‘marathon’, an event characterized by endurance. Initially, a hackathon—also known as a codefest—is a social coding event that brings together computer programmers and other interested individuals to enhance or create new software programs. Over time, the concept of a hackathon has evolved to represent an event where people collaborate to solve problems or explore fresh opportunities. The primary objective of a hackathon often involves building a working prototype or proof-of-concept for a product or feature within a limited timeframe. Participants engage in this process not only to achieve technical goals but also to have fun, enhance their skill sets, and expand their professional networks.
More about the project: Website: dit4bears.org/
Intriguing curio in the project: The ConnectedDeer made a music (“humppa”) video presenting the topic in Finnish: Porotokkaa etsimässä: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJvp-KARHBs
Project: Disruptive Information Technologies for Barents Euro-Arctic Region (DIT4BEARS)
Lead partner: Luleå University of Technology, Luleå
Other partners:
- Saint Petersburg National Research University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics (ITMO University), Saint-Petersburg
- Northern (Arctic) Federal University, Arkhangelsk
- RUSSOFT Association, Saint-Petersburg
- Lapland University of Applied Sciences, Rovaniemi
- UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, Narvik