R2-D2 from SDU set to give solar cells a mind of their own
Armed with a grant of DKK 6.1 million, Vincent Le Corre is to develop a 鈥淒evice Doctor鈥� 鈥揳n autonomous system capable of diagnosing what limits a solar cell鈥檚 performance and recommending the best path to improvement. His ambition is to place Denmark at the forefront of one of the most promising solar technologies of the future.
French researcher Vincent Le Corre from the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) has just received a prestigious research grant of over DKK 6 million from the Independent Research Fund Denmark.
The Sapere Aude: DFF-Research Leader grant is awarded to exceptionally talented young researchers who have demonstrated the potential for original research at a high international level.
For Le Corre, it means the opportunity to form his research group and realise a vision he has pursued for years: an intelligent machine that can sense when a solar cell is underperforming – and recommend how to fix it.
The project has been aptly named R2-D2 – in tribute to the iconic Star Wars droid.
“We call it a device doctor because, essentially, it should do the same as a physician: identify what’s wrong and propose a treatment,” Le Corre explains with a smile.
The award marks a significant milestone for Le Corre. For the first time, he has both the resources and the autonomy to bring his vision of automated, intelligent solar cell development to life.
Robots, algorithms, and molecular surgery
The project combines three familiar but rarely integrated technologies: robotics, advanced measurement equipment, and machine learning. Together, they will form a self-driving platform capable of fabricating, analysing, and optimising perovskite solar cells – widely regarded as the next frontier in affordable, high-efficiency solar power.
From Sønderborg robot arms to global green transition
The project builds on existing research in Sønderborg, but its novelty lies in the intelligence it seeks to embed. Collecting and analysing experimental data in real-time allows the system to identify performance-limiting patterns that human researchers might miss.
In the long term, the project is about more than making better solar cells in Sønderborg. It’s about positioning Denmark as a serious player in the global race towards clean energy.
A scientist with six countries in his backpack
For Vincent Le Corre, the grant is also a personal milestone. After over a decade across five different countries, he finally has the chance to put down roots and lead his team.
“It’s the first time I’ve had such an opportunity. It feels like a reward for all the choices and sacrifices made. Not everyone understands what it takes,” he reflects.
But his dream is not a glamorous one. It’s specific and technical: to build a platform from scratch, elevate the lab in Sønderborg to a state-of-the-art level – and make it all open source so the global scientific community can benefit.
“Just getting it to work would be amazing,” he says.
Facts: The R2-D2 Project
Title: Robotic Research Platform and Automated Device Doctor for Perovskite Solar Cells
Grant: DKK 6,192,000 from the Independent Research Fund Denmark
Duration: 2026–2028
Institution: Mads Clausen Institute, SDU Sønderborg
Purpose: To develop an automated system capable of diagnosing and optimising perovskite solar cells through robotics and machine learning
Open Source: All software and data will be made freely available to the research community