Research projects funded by Horizon Europe are required to specify the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of their outputs — from TRL 1 (basic principles observed) through to TRL 9 (system proven in operational environment). Most security research projects aim to reach TRL 6 or 7 by the end of their funding period. But what does TRL 7 actually mean, and why is the journey from TRL 5 to TRL 7 so hard?
The TRL scale
TRL 1–3 covers basic and applied research — algorithms demonstrated in the laboratory on curated datasets. TRL 4–5 represents technology validated in a relevant environment — systems working on real data in controlled conditions. TRL 6 means technology demonstrated in a relevant environment — prototype tested in conditions approximating operational reality. TRL 7 means a system prototype demonstrated in an operational environment — working alongside real users at a real border crossing. TRL 8–9 represents a system that is complete and operational.
Why the gap is the hard part
Laboratory performance and operational performance are not the same thing. An algorithm that achieves state-of-the-art error rates on a benchmark dataset faces a very different challenge when deployed at a real border. The operational environment introduces variability that benchmarks cannot capture: inconsistent lighting, varying camera angles, travellers who are tired or distracted, documents that are worn or partially obscured, network latency, and the enormous diversity of nationalities and document types at a busy international crossing.
The role of field tests
Field tests are the mechanism by which TRL 7 is achieved. They place a working prototype in a real operational environment and evaluate it against real traffic, with real end users, over a sustained period. The EINSTEIN project is conducting field tests at multiple sites — including the Promachonas-Kulata land border crossing and a port of entry in Southampton — providing the performance data needed to make the case for operational deployment.
© 2026 EINSTEIN Consortium. EINSTEIN is funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme (GA No. 101121280) and by UKRI (IFS 10093453). Views expressed are those of the authors only. www.einstein-horizon.eu