Genk – Boolean, a company based in Genk, is developing systems that facilitate the interaction between buildings and machines for the Einstein Telescope project, supported by the ET Innovation Fund (POM Limburg). The final construction site is anticipated to be finalized between 2026 and 2027, reports 24brussels.
According to VRT News, Boolean has created a technology that enables efficient and safe collaboration between buildings and machines. Existing systems typically function for either buildings or machines alone, leading to information gaps that can disrupt operations, even on a small scale.
How is Genk’s Boolean supporting the Einstein Telescope project?
Boolean’s technology revolves around three primary tools. The first is a flexible system that supports real-time communication between machines and buildings. The second is a framework designed to clearly validate safety regulations and technical standards. Lastly, a cloud platform organizes and stores the collected data.
Officials have highlighted the significance of this technology for the Einstein Telescope, a large underground observatory intended to measure gravitational waves and investigate the universe’s origins shortly after the Big Bang.
They assert that Boolean’s innovation will provide the digital infrastructure that conventional systems cannot offer. “We’re a software company that writes software to control buildings and machines and connects it to IT systems,” states partner Thomas Nagels.
“Within the framework of the Einstein Telescope, we’ve developed an entire architecture to do this in a very safe and secure way.”
This robust architecture is essential, given the scale and intricacy of the project, which is both a massive facility and a highly sensitive instrument. “It is a potentially dangerous environment for the people who work there, and a lot of data has to be sent back and forth,” Nagels adds.
“That is why it is important to connect all systems efficiently and safely.”
The project has secured funding from the ET Innovation Fund, overseen by POM Limburg, which supports innovative ventures that address technical challenges posed by the Einstein Telescope. The fund compensates up to 50% of project costs, with a cap of £50,000. This financial backing expedites the advancement of technologies like Boolean’s. The final site selection for the Einstein Telescope is expected to be announced by the end of 2026 or early 2027.
“It’s important that we invest in tomorrow’s technology through innovation and technology,”
states POM chairman and economy deputy Tom Vandeput. “The candidacy for the Einstein Telescope is crucial because it will enable us to transform Limburg. With this Boolean technology, we can further strengthen that candidacy. It’s great to see a Genk company taking on this challenge.”
Belgium has yet to host a project comparable to the Einstein Telescope, which merges a large underground facility with sensitive scientific instruments. However, the nation has experience with substantial high-tech research initiatives that encountered similar challenges. Belgian universities and firms contributed to the Large Hadron Collider at CERN in the 1990s and 2000s, assisting with underground systems, data monitoring, and safety protocols.
Additionally, Belgian teams have participated in the Virgo gravitational wave project in Italy since the 2000s, supplying instruments and engineering systems that integrate buildings with delicate machinery. The Belgian Nuclear Research Centre in Mol has also managed sensitive equipment and extensive facilities for decades, balancing safety, data collection, and complex infrastructure.
