Research and Innovation Centre for Electrical Engineering (RICE) is a research centre of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the University of West Bohemia, built from the operational program Research and Development for Innovation (OP VaVpI) in the years 2010 - 2015. It is the trademark of the Faculty for cutting-edge research and development. During its existence, the centre was involved in solving research and industrial projects with a total budget of over two billion crowns.
RICE laboratories are equipped with top-of-the-line equipment and unique technologies. In the centre's largest laboratory, the hall testing room for high-voltage power electronics and transport technology, it is possible to test transport vehicles and equipment up to 31 kV and 4 MW. In this hall laboratory, for example, ABB UNIGEAR Digital switchboards or General Electric MV6000 high-voltage converters in a fully regenerative design had their world premiere. The teams also have other demanding and expensive equipment available, such as laboratories for power electronics and intelligent drives, special microscopic laboratories, clean rooms, laboratories for X-ray diagnostics, and microelectronics laboratories, which will allow us to work even on demanding projects for space research. RICE has already managed to achieve a number of excellent results. It has received several patents, including European ones, numerous awards from international conferences and exhibitions, and published articles in the most prestigious professional journals. In cooperation with more than 150 industrial partners here and abroad, RICE has developed successful products such as the REMCS modular control system, pixel detectors, high-speed drive units for low-floor rolling stock, and other systems for transport vehicles or equipment for an integrated rescue system using smart textiles.
RICE research teams collaborate with world-renowned organizations, research centers and universities around the world and work on joint projects with major commercial entities.