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Robot dispenses hugs on demand

#psychology #research #robotics #technology

Need a hug and no one familiar to wrap your arms around? A doctoral student at the "Max Planck ETH Center for Learning Systems" is developing a hugging robot that could once alleviate loneliness.

Huggiebot: the Robot who dispenses hugs on demand

A hug from "Huggiebot," as the hugging robot is called, is a sensational feeling, said doctoral student Alexis E. Block. Since writing her master's thesis, she has been tinkering with developing this soft and warm machine the size of a human to provide comfort.

The robot, equipped with heating pads and soft, inflatable chambers, uses pressure sensors to measure how strongly its counterpart wants to hug and when the hug should end. A display is integrated into the robot's head to recognize the person, smile at them or wink.

Understanding grows

In the past, she was laughed at among colleagues when she told them about her research, Block said. But now that the Corona pandemic has forced people to keep their physical distance, she no longer has to explain why hugs are important.

Written by: sda

Photos: Block et al.

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Smallest stent in the world from a 4D printer

Thanks to a new process known as “indirect 4D printing”, researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETHZ) have succeeded in producing a tiny vascular prosthesis (stent). It is around 40 times smaller than was previously possible. Such mini stents could one day be used in fetuses.
November 22nd, 2019
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New type of electrode could help blind people

With the aid of a new type of neuronal electrode, researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) hope to stimulate the optic nerve. In the future, this could potentially assist blind people in their everyday life. The scientists have already achieved very promising results in animal experiments.
November 22nd, 2019
Hands reaching for a paper with blood values coming out of a printer

3D-printed cellulose skin sensor could monitor blood values

When one thinks of cellulose, the first things that come to mind are probably wood and paper. But in the form of nanocellulose, it is also a promising material for the medical field. Empa researchers are working on a 3D-printed skin sensor made of a jelly-like material that can monitor blood values.
November 22nd, 2019
Mini brains in a Petri dish in a laboratory

Rhythmical activity detected in lab-grown mini-brains

In the laboratory, scientists have created miniature brains whose cells interact with each other and produce electrical activity. But just how much do the models have to do with the original?
November 22nd, 2019
Rolf Luchsinger and his energy kite, which looks like a small sailplane

Flying wind power plants to generate energy at great heights

At high altitudes the wind is much stronger. Empa researchers want to harness the energy slumbering in the wind with the aid of kites. The technology would be particularly suitable for generating electricity in remote areas.
November 22nd, 2019
A woman lying on a hospital bed

Smart sanitary napkin monitors premature birth risk in pregnant women

Researchers at the University Hospital and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) have developed an “intelligent” sanitary napkin to monitor the risk of premature birth. The aim is to avoid long hospital stays.
November 22nd, 2019
The Ocean Cleanup prototype system

“The Ocean Cleanup” intends to use garbage catchers to remove plastic from rivers

A young man from the Netherlands wants eliminate the plastic waste in the oceans. His team recently reported its first successful trial of a gigantic plastic trapping system in the Pacific. Now they intend to get to the root of the problem.
November 22nd, 2019
A big electric ship on the ocean

Are electrically driven ships viable?

Maritime transport accounts for a significant portion of global CO₂ emissions. Commissioned by a shipping company, researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH) investigated how this could be changed. They see considerable potential in electric propulsion systems and in hydrogen and ammonia-based fuels.
November 22nd, 2019
For the first time, liquid hydrocarbon fuels are being thermochemically produced from concentrated sunlight and ambient air. Researchers of the Professorship of Renewable Energy Carriers at ETH Zurich developed the technologies and demonstrated the entire process chain under real field conditions in a solar mini-refinery system mounted on the roof of the ETH-Machine Laboratory.

ETH researchers produce fuel from sunlight and air

Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH) have achieved a world première: They have developed a technology that produces carbon-neutral fuels using only sunlight and air. The solar refinery is already operating under real-life conditions.
November 22nd, 2019
Hand grabs a bra hanging on a leash.

Intelligent bra to detect breast cancer

Researchers from Switzerland and France have started to develop a brassiere that detects breast cancer at an early stage. Such a smart bra would be considerably cheaper than a mammography, a fact that would benefit women in impoverished countries in particular.
November 22nd, 2019
Woman working at laboratory

New propulsion systems on the test bench

Fossil fuels are a thing of the past, the future of mobility is sustainable. Which propulsion systems live up to this claim and also have what it takes to win through on the mass market? An overview.
December 6th, 2019
Competition run of the Swissloop high speed pod

Swissloop is hovering on a wave of success

With its second place in the Hyperloop contest in the United States, the Swiss engineering collective Swissloop has caused quite a stir. Now they are ready to take the next step.
December 11th, 2019
For Dominic Gorecky, the factory of the future is within reach. The Smart Factory is a small, highly flexible production facility with a modular structure and a complete network.

In a smart factory, the products control their own production processes

In the Swiss Smart Factory, the factory of the future is within reach. Here, Swiss industry can find advice on how to tackle the digital transformation. Head of Research Dominic Gorecky knows: There are still many hurdles to overcome on the path towards Industry 4.0.
December 16th, 2019
Illustration "The tree counter"

The Tree Counter

Thomas Crowther believes that data is key to combating climate change. The British ecologist found out that there are many more trees on earth than scientists previously believed. But still, 3 trillion are not enough. The potential for reforestation is enormous, says the renowned expert. At the Crowther Lab in Zurich, he is developing nature-based solutions to restore the global ecosystem.
March 26th, 2020
Illustration supersonic comeback

A supersonic comeback

Two decades after the last flight of the Concorde, supersonic aviation technology experiences renewed interest, mainly thanks to fuel-efficient engines and streamlined manufacturing processes. In a hangar near Denver, the fastest, privately-built jet ever built is taking shape.
April 14th, 2020
The Starlink satellites

New design could make Internet from space even more efficient

Earth’s orbit will soon be teeming with new satellites. Companies such as Amazon and Space X want to use them to connect even the remotest corners of the globe to the Internet. Researchers from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich recently unveiled how this Internet from space could be optimized even further.
May 8th, 2020
Illustration of a fueltank for CO2 neutral flights by Daniel Garcia

An end to flight shame

Will we ever be able to fly with a clean conscience again? The good news: Technologies for zero-carbon aviation are already available today. The bad: It will take years to bring them to market.
June 11th, 2020
Pilot plant and founders Jan-Wurzbacher and Christoph Gebald by Climeworks Zev Starr Tambor

Negative emissions: Major breakthrough or empty promise?

It would be necessary to extract CO₂ from the atmosphere on a massive scale. There are already ideas and pilot projects that aim to achieve this. However, in order to make a real contribution to a neutral carbon footprint, the scale would have to be increased by several orders of magnitude.
June 15th, 2020
Model of the space igloo "IGLUNA" by Eva Buchs

Space igloo to be tested on Mount Pilatus

A habitat for other celestial bodies – this is the goal behind the second edition of the student project “Igluna” sponsored by ESA. In July, the prototype of the habitat will be erected on Mount Pilatus and remote-controlled from the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne.
July 3rd, 2020
The "Boston Express" frighter transporting goods on the water

Billions for zero-carbon freighters

The leading shipping associations intend to establish an international fund with a volume of five billion US dollars to drive forward the reduction of CO2 emissions – the German Shipowners’ Association (VDR) announced.
July 10th, 2020
Illustration of the waste disposal mission by Clearspace Today

Ever-increasing space debris

Earth’s orbit is riddled with disused satellites and debris – a danger to the infrastructure in space. Now, the European Space Agency (ESA) has commissioned a Swiss start-up to prepare a waste disposal mission.
July 17th, 2020
The Terzo Millenio in the dark with its lights on

The power resides in its skin

Lamborghini is famous for its full-throated, powerful gasoline engines. But this Italian maker of super sports cars wants to be ready for a future that will be electric. Lamborghini engineers teamed up with researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, to develop the concept car Terzo Millennio, an all-electric super sports car that runs entirely without batteries.
July 17th, 2020
Monitoring screens at ICU

Reducing false alarms in ICUs – thanks to big data

Patient safety in intensive care units could be greatly improved if it were possible to significantly reduce false alarms and predict critical complications such as epileptic seizures. This is where the “ICU Cockpit” project, within the framework of the Swiss National Research Program “Big Data” (NRP 75), comes in: It uses the vast volumes of data generated in intensive care units to develop procedures for early warning systems and therapeutic recommendations.
July 21st, 2020
The team "E-Fuel" from the Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)

Green electricity takes liquid form: pilot plant for e-fuel up and running

Wind and solar electricity can now be turned into climate-neutral fuels: E-fuels have the potential to play an important role in combating climate change. Scientists in Karlsruhe, Germany, are laying a technological foundation.
July 31st, 2020
The underside of a concrete ceiling

Structure that creates stability

The architect and structural engineer Francesco Ranaudo is researching how precast concrete ceiling slabs can be manufactured thinner, lighter, and in a more sustainable way. To achieve this, he is utilizing both 3D printing processes and techniques of master builders of old.
November 6th, 2020
Animation by Enrique Quintero for interview with Pardis Sabeti

“Music makes me a better scientist”

Nobody knows the Ebola virus better than Pardis Sabeti. Viral pandemics are her special area of interest. And now, this genetic researcher is looking for a way out of the Covid crisis. Rock music helps her in that.
December 10th, 2020
Charging station for electric cars

Online tool evaluates the ecological footprint of cars

A new web tool called “Carculator” determines the ecological footprint of vehicles with different types of propulsion. According to the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) in Switzerland, the calculations are intended to serve as a decision-making aid when purchasing a car.
December 11th, 2020
Empa researchers are working on recipes for eco-concrete

Empa makes eco-cement

Cement production is responsible for 9 percent of carbon emissions in Switzerland. Researchers at Empa believe that this can be changed. Even cement production methods that absorb more CO₂ than they emit are on the horizon.
December 11th, 2020
Our planet is getting hotter: climate demo

Climate scenarios made simple

Climate change is too complex for most laypersons to really understand its effects. Researchers have now launched an interactive online platform that offers easily understandable insights into the most important scenarios and models.
December 11th, 2020

An alpine battleship as a modern data bunker?

There are thousands of military fortifications throughout Switzerland. They used to be a crucial part of the national defense infrastructure, but today they have been repurposed as cheese warehouses, museums, data bunkers – and many are no longer in use at all. But why? On a search for answers in the Furggels fortification, the largest “mountain battleship” in eastern Switzerland.
March 2nd, 2021
Porsche Taycan on a snow-covered road

Irrationality with a clear conscience

Electric cars are viewed as environmentally friendly and future-oriented. Now, however, e-mobility has also reached the category of sports cars and supercars. Although the Porsche Taycan is one of the more docile examples, it still offers ample electric power. We had the opportunity to drive the stylish four-door Taycan while pondering the sense and nonsense of electric sports cars.
March 17th, 2021
People standing on the observation tower on the Uetliberg Zurich

App against fear

There is a new app that uses 360-degree images shot by drones to help people overcome their fear of heights.
March 29th, 2021
Researcher Pauline Zamprogno in the Organs-on-Chip Culture lab at the University of Bern.

Miniature lung

Breakthrough in pulmonary research: An artificial mini-lung is set to open up new insights into diseases.
April 12th, 2021
Smart fibres before and after heating

Smart ropes

A new coating for ropes can save lives: Ropes with this coating change color when they have been exposed to excessive heat and might break.
April 19th, 2021
Cyanobacteria would have helped him too: Matt Damon in the film "The Martian" (2015).

Surviving on Mars – thanks to cyanobacteria

Cyanobacteria may be able to thrive even in the inhospitable conditions on Mars. They are excellent oxygen producers and could enable astronauts to survive self-sufficiently on future missions.
April 26th, 2021
In principle, it has the same structure as a city in Italy: Great Britain's capital London.

An opportunity for sustainable urban development

Viennese complexity researchers have found a method to predict the growth of cities. This could facilitate much more efficient urban development and help conserve resources.
May 3rd, 2021
Man with VR glasses sitting in fron of a screen

Putting a face to the voice in the head

Voices that insult, harass, control: These are just some of the things patients with auditory hallucinations have to deal with. An innovative virtual reality therapy can help them gain greater control over the voices. The therapy was inspired by computer game technologies.
May 6th, 2021
Mushroom culture of the Hallimasch. Dark areas contain particularly high amounts of melanin.

High melanin yield from the honey fungus

Melanin is more valuable than gold. Researchers at Empa recently succeeded in extracting large quantities of the pigment from the honey fungus. One of the intended applications of this versatile substance is to restore antique wind instruments.
May 17th, 2021
A robot arm lays out thread in a predetermined pattern.

Knitted roads

Road pavements require bitumen as a binder. But its production has many disadvantages. Empa researchers are now experimenting with string, which holds gravel together without the need for concrete - and is also more flexible, more permeable to rainwater and more environmentally friendly.
June 7th, 2021
Microplastics in the sea are a danger to plants, animals and humans.

Exploring the impact of microplastics

Microplastics in the sea are a danger to plants, animals and humans. To better assess the impact of these mini-particles, an EU project will measure their size and concentration off the Norwegian coast from 2023. A sensor developed in Switzerland will play a crucial role.
June 14th, 2021
Screenshot of "Understandic the Arctic" (MIT Mechanical Engineering)

Navigating beneath the Arctic ice

Under the ice, there is no GPS reception. But mapping the Arctic Ocean beneath the ice sheet is essential to understanding the effects of climate change. MIT has now developed a navigation method based on sound.
June 21st, 2021
Astronaut in space

How to keep your underwear clean in space

Astronauts cannot do their laundry - and also have to share certain items of clothing with their colleagues. Austrian researchers are now investigating how microbes could be used to keep more than just underwear clean in space.
July 5th, 2021
Woman holding a fitbit watch in her hand

Smartwatch activates insulin production

ETH researchers have developed a method that could possibly replace insulin injections for diabetics in the future. In a gene network built into cells, insulin production can be switched on with green light.
August 23rd, 2021
A researcher holding ultra-thin and flexible solar cells in his hands

Solar cells from the printer

The solar cells from the inkjet printer are ultra-thin and flexible - and should also work inside buildings.
August 30th, 2021
Illustation of Bob Langer

Moderna co-founder Bob Langer in conversation

Robert Langer (73) has saved millions of lives with his research: His work with messenger RNA provides genetic blueprints with which the human body can produce antiviral proteins itself. This research forms the basis for the most successful Covid 19 vaccines, such as the vaccine produced by the manufacturer Moderna. Langer is a co-founder of the company and has become a billionaire since the Corona pandemic.
September 6th, 2021
People hold their smartphones in their hands

Cheap raw material for smartphones and solar cells

Whether for smartphone screens or solar cells: Precious metals such as iridium or ruthenium are in high demand. Researchers from Basel have developed a cheaper and less toxic alternative.
September 13th, 2021
Blue truck driving on a highway bridge

New repair method for old bridges

Many bridges are getting on in years and need renovation. Empa has optimised a strengthening method that allows concrete to withstand 77 percent more pressure.
October 4th, 2021
Illustration of Theodore Maiman by Reza Basiri

The unrecognized pioneer

60 years ago, Theodore Maiman powered up the very first laser. At that time, however, neither industry nor research saw any practical application for the technology. The story of a major misjudgment.
October 6th, 2021
A house in the spirit of the circular economy built by the ZHAW

A house in the spirit of the circular economy

The ZHAW has built a house according to the closed-loop principle: Nutrients extracted from urine serve as fertiliser, rainwater is processed into drinking water. And much more besides.
October 11th, 2021
New type of plant from Climeworks in Iceland filtering CO2 from the air.

Twelve fans filter the air near Reykjavik

To slow down climate change, a new type of plant in Iceland filters CO2 from the air. This is then mixed with water and injected into basalt. There it petrifies.
November 1st, 2021
Plane in the air

Artificial nacre takes on a load-bearing role

Researchers have developed a new building material that indicates dangerous internal deformations: by glowing. With the increasing use of lightweight construction - for example in aircraft construction - this is a great advantage.
November 8th, 2021
The Ocean Cleanup prototype system.

29 tonnes of plastic waste fished out of the Pacific Ocean

In a test phase lasting several weeks, the organisation “The Ocean Cleanup” successfully collected tonnes of plastic on the ocean surface with its system “Jenny”.
November 15th, 2021
Craig Venter (archive image)

Admired and controversial: gene pioneer Craig Venter

First Craig Venter deciphered the human genome, then he created the first bacterium with an artificial genome. But the American gene pioneer has always been controversial. A portrait.
December 6th, 2021
Engineers Francesco Stellacci (left) and Simone Giaveri at work in the lab.

Revolutionary: Creating useful substances from plastic

Two engineers from the ETH Lausanne (EPFL) are revolutionising the recycling of plastic: following the example of proteins, something new and useful is to be created after the decomposition of plastic.
December 13th, 2021
Glacier V at Schnapfenkuchl in the Austrian Alps in comparison 1954 and 2020.

Researchers keep an eye on invisible glaciers

Researchers have used a new surveying method for the first time to keep tabs on ice remnants hidden by boulders in Austria's Silvretta Mountains. Via laser.
January 3rd, 2022
New hydrothermal vents and previously unknown animal species in the Gulf of California.

Gulf of California: New animal species found

Researchers from Mexico and the USA have discovered new hydrothermal vents and previously unknown animal species in the Gulf of California.
January 10th, 2022
Portrait of Michel Fornasier the Bionicman

The man with the robotic arm

Life without your right hand? Michael Fornasier from Switzerland was born this way. Thanks to his bionic hand prosthesis, he is not only able to master his everyday life – he has even become a superhero. In this interview, “Bionicman” tells us his story and why he sometimes misplaced his hand.
January 25th, 2022
Electric car at the charging station

E-cars as electricity storage

Researchers have calculated the savings potential of imported greenhouse gas emissions if electric cars were used as electricity storage.
January 26th, 2022
3D maps to help researchers track and predict the ocean's response to climate change (MIT).

MIT creates new atlas of oxygen-poor waters

The 3D maps would help researchers track and predict the ocean's response to climate change.
February 7th, 2022
Hand lifts a blood sample

More targeted therapy for multiple sclerosis

Researchers have created a reference database of a blood marker that can be used to measure the disease state of patients with multiple sclerosis. They hope this will open the way to more targeted and personalised therapies.
April 11th, 2022
Antarctica

Drones and AI provide information about the melting ice

How fast is the ice melting in Antarctica? Autonomous drones and AI could help reduce the uncertainty of sea-level rise.
April 18th, 2022
Scientist looking at a screen showing a brain

Completely paralysed patient can communicate again

With the help of electrodes implanted in the brain, a paralysed ALS patient has regained a simple form of communication ability. A computer decodes letters from his brain signals.
May 6th, 2022
Sacha Menz sitting and working at his desk

“There is no one-size-fits-all formula for the city of the future.”

More and more people are flocking to cities, and urban planners are facing major challenges. Are cities growing upwards or outwards? Do they have to be completely rethought? In this interview, Sacha Menz, ETH professor and co-founder of the Future Cities Lab Global Program, explains what the city of the future could look like and why cultural factors will play an important role.
May 6th, 2022
A robotic arm allows surgeons to operate on patients remotely

Surgery from a distance

A joystick-controlled robot could help surgeons operate on stroke patients remotely. This would allow patients to be treated during the critical time window after a stroke - even if they are far away from a specialist.
May 16th, 2022
plastic waste on a beach

Converting plastic waste into fuel

Scientists have developed a new method to convert plastic waste into hydrogen through pyrolysis, a high-temperature chemical process.
May 23rd, 2022
Drinking water is poured into a cup

New water filter removes pathogens

A research team from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) has presented a prototype of a low-cost filter that efficiently decontaminates water using only sunlight. The device is intended to provide clean drinking water for people in regions with little electricity.
June 13th, 2022
A carpenter provides a thick wooden panel with pea-shaped indentations

Black holes in wooden boards are supposed to dampen sound

Black holes in the universe are so dense that not even light can escape. Empa researchers have now developed black holes for wooden boards that are not supposed to swallow everything, but at least sound.
June 27th, 2022
Franz Winter from the TU Vienna

Heat: Store in summer, use in winter

Storing energy for months without loss and using it for heating in winter: researchers have invented a new type of chemical heat storage system that can store large amounts of energy for virtually unlimited periods in an environmentally friendly way.
July 4th, 2022
Biosphere II Exterior

Biosphere II: Earth in miniature

Exploring the world of tomorrow - in the world's craziest laboratory: 30 years ago, the artificial ecosystem "Biosphere II" in the Arizona desert achieved cult status through spectacular experiments. Today, scientists are rediscovering planet Earth in miniature.
July 15th, 2022
A blind person walks through the city

New app makes everyday life easier for the blind

The Swiss National Association for the Blind (SZB) is relying on a new technology to help blind and visually impaired people find their way around in everyday life. It is already being used in Spain and England.
July 18th, 2022
A hand with an exoskeleton holds a small ball

Hand exoskeleton enables paralyzed people to grasp

A spin-off from EPFL (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne) has developed an exoskeleton that enables people with paralyzed hands to grasp and release objects again. Tests in hospitals and rehabilitation centers have already been successful.
August 2nd, 2022
Perovskite silicon tandem solar cells

World record for tandem solar cells

A Swiss research team has succeeded in increasing the efficiency of perovskite silicon tandem solar cells to over 30 percent. This is a world record.
August 8th, 2022
"Nanowire" filaments of the enzyme HDCR

Efficient CO2 storage method discovered in a bacterium

The climate crisis makes the search for ways to store CO2 ever more urgent. Researchers have now broken down an enzyme in a bacterium that makes it possible to bind CO2 efficiently.
August 22nd, 2022
superworms eating a styrofoam cube

Superworms can digest plastic thanks to gut microbes

The larvae of a species of beetle native to Central and South America can apparently survive with plastic as their only food source. The larvae's appetite for Styrofoam could be the key to mass plastic recycling.
August 29th, 2022
After two months in the ground, the capacitor has dissolved, leaving only a few visible carbon particles.

Empty battery? Put it in the compost bin.

The number of devices transmitting data, for example in transport logistics, will increase sharply in the future. But the amount of batteries needed for this would have an enormous impact on the environment. A compostable mini-capacitor could solve the problem.
September 5th, 2022
Bicycles instead of cars: Bicycles on a road without cars.

For the climate: cycling like the Danes

Danes cycle about 1.6 kilometres every day. If everyone cycled that much, 414 tonnes of carbon dioxide could be saved every year. That is equivalent to the UK's annual CO2 emissions.
September 19th, 2022
A disposable battery made of paper.

One drop is enough: Paper battery with water switch

A team of Empa researchers has developed a disposable paper battery that works with metallic inks and salt - activated by a drop of water. This could be used to power a wide range of small disposable electronic devices with low power consumption.
October 3rd, 2022
A mountain of mixed plastic waste

Plastic mix becomes pure propane

Cobalt-based catalysts could be used to turn mixed plastic waste into fuel, new plastics and other products.
October 17th, 2022
A container ship at sea

Ammonia as a drive for more sustainable shipping

Shipping leaves a large ecological footprint: the propulsion engines are largely dependent on energy sources that produce climate-damaging CO2 when burnt. In addition to hydrogen and methanol, ammonia is also considered a more climate-friendly substitute fuel.
November 7th, 2022
Guisanplatz Biel

A ropeway to boost Biel’s urban development

In the mid-20th century, Biel bore the title “city of the future”. However, since the decline of the watchmaking industry, the city has lost much of its glamour and now regularly makes negative headlines. Two citizens of Biel want to change this. Their vision: An urban ropeway to trigger the transformation to a green, social, and smart city. So that by 2030, Biel can once again live up to its former title.
November 9th, 2022
An illustration of the new VR glove designed by scientists

Metaverse glove from the 3D printer

Researchers are working on the next generation of a VR glove that makes virtual worlds tangible in the Metaverse. The glove is to be customised to the user and can be produced largely automatically - using the 3D printing process.
December 5th, 2022
Peter Wick from Empa's "Particles-Biology Interactions" laboratory in St. Gallen.

Surfaces that kill viruses

Empa researchers have tracked viruses as they pass through face masks and compared their failure on the filter layers of different types of masks. The new method should now accelerate the development of surfaces that can kill viruses.
January 16th, 2023
AnimatedGIF_Key

“We need to become climate positive.”

Michael Braungart is the enfant terrible of environmentalists. Be it recycling or climate neutrality – the initiator of the cradle to cradle principle takes a tough stance on conventional approaches. An interview about climate-positive products, tire abrasion, and synthetic plankton.
February 3rd, 2023
an image of broken smartphones about to be recycled

Unused mobile phones hold huge potential

The metal of discarded mobile phones in Germany is sufficient to cover the material demand for smartphones for the next ten years - purely mathematically.
February 6th, 2023
blood samples in a lab

Detect cancer faster - thanks to nanosensor

Detecting cancer in a few minutes with a simple blood test: Scientists at the University of Fribourg are one step closer to achieving this goal. With a new nanosensor, they can detect biomarkers originating from cancer quickly and precisely.
February 13th, 2023
Scientists suggest using moon dust to combat global warming

Mitigating the effects of global warming with moon dust

In a recent study, US scientists suggest using moon dust to combat global warming, since lunar dust shields a lot of sunlight with little mass. Other experts are critical of this method.
March 6th, 2023
Scientists Jörg Standfuss and Maximilian Wranik

Switching drugs on and off with light

Swiss researchers have filmed for the first time how a drug was activated in the body with light. This film could give the development of such drugs a decisive boost.
March 13th, 2023
Ice core analysis in the Antarctica

New analysis method aims to solve climate puzzle

Researchers have developed a method for analysing 1.5 million-year-old ice. The analysis – which goes back almost twice as far as previously analysed ice cores – should help solve a climate puzzle.
March 20th, 2023
Image of a house being printed

The house from the 3D printer

Open design ideas instead of rectangular geometries: Houses from the 3D printer not only look different from conventional buildings. Suppliers from the industry also promise that the technology is faster and more resource-efficient. But, Is that really true?
March 31st, 2023
The robotic system is shown in an experimental hive

A high-tech honeycomb for bees

A new high-tech honeycomb makes it possible to study bee colonies. The hive robot developed by EPFL researchers should provide new insights into the survival of pollinators.
April 17th, 2023
A building site with large amounts of rubble

Recipe for greener concrete

Concrete has a huge carbon footprint. Researchers at MIT in the USA have now developed a method to make its production more climate-friendly. The secret ingredient: baking powder.
May 8th, 2023
Smart bandage on the skin

Smart plasters monitor wounds

Smart bandages with embedded electronics and medicines are designed to help chronic wounds heal better.
May 15th, 2023
The antibacterial coating can be applied on doctors' coats

New coating against bacteria

An international research team led by the University of Fribourg has developed a new antibacterial coating. On coated surfaces, the bacterial population is reduced by up to 10,000 times within five minutes.
May 22nd, 2023
A symbolic image of a laboratory session in the inselspital berne

Mini-tumours from the laboratory should improve cancer therapy

A swiss research team has grown artificial mini bladder tumours in the laboratory, on which drugs can be tested. According to the researchers, this could play an important role in the development of personalised therapies.
June 5th, 2023
Pictured are the hydrogel discs swollen in water

Salty gel could extract water from desert air

MIT engineers have developed a super-absorbent material that can soak up a record amount of moisture from the air - even in desert-like conditions.
July 3rd, 2023
Wilfried Liegard with green steel

Green Steel Revolution

Steel production is responsible for eight percent of CO2 emissions worldwide. Alternative manufacturing processes exist, but the investments are high and the road is long. Two experts provide insights.
July 13th, 2023
A scientist holding the patch developed by Empa

Swiss patch warns of leaks in the stomach after operations

A patch developed by Swiss researchers provides early warning of leaks at sutures in the gastrointestinal tract. The novel patch should significantly reduce the risk of life-threatening complications after abdominal surgery.
July 24th, 2023
A child running through a maize maze (symbol image)

New tracking system makes food aid more transparent

Until now, food aid operations have been a black box. A new MIT technology is shedding light on the issue, with unique IDs for each individual product.
August 2nd, 2023
a city covered in fog

Drinking water from fog: researchers capture clean water from polluted air

A specially coated metal mesh can extract water from fog and remove environmental pollutants at the same time. With the technology developed in Zurich, drinking water can be extracted from the air even in regions with heavy air pollution.
September 11th, 2023
Carlos Sanchez

A smart path into a sustainable future

Sustainability is no longer a distant dream but a present and pressing reality. Climate change and environmental degradation are forcing companies to take action. They must innovate and implement smart sustainability solutions, says Carlos Sanchez, a renowned sustainability visionary who shared with us the latest sustainability trends that can help build robust, resilient, and sustainable businesses.
September 28th, 2023
Mechanics performing maintenance work on an aircraft

Researchers make non-recyclable plastic recyclable

Swiss researchers have developed a new type of recyclable plastic that could be used in aircraft, cars or wind turbines in the future.
October 2nd, 2023
Recycled asphalt was used on the Lucmanier Pass

More recycled asphalt on Swiss roads

Tests with recycled asphalt on Swiss roads show promising results. In Uster ZH and on the Lukmanier Pass GR, the proportion of recycled asphalt could be increased without any loss of performance, according to Empa.
October 16th, 2023
a photovoltaic system on a house facade

Sun soon to be the most important source of energy

The sun is likely to become the world's most important source of energy before 2050, according to British scientists. This is the result of an analysis of technological and economic data by the University of Exeter and University College London.
November 27th, 2023
A hospital room with two beds divided by a curtain

Germicidal textiles for hospitals

A new process developed by Swiss researchers makes textiles germicidal. In future, this could be used to coat curtains in hospitals.
December 25th, 2023
G.V. Shivashankar arbeitet am PSI und der ETH Zürich

Fountain of youth for cells

Reprogrammed cells allow wounds in older people to heal faster. This could, for example, help burn victims.
January 1st, 2024
A scientist taking a water sample with a bottle

Gentle identification of fish species through their DNA

Identifying fish species in a river using DNA traces: This method was tested in Switzerland. It proved to be simpler and more reliable than the electrofishing method used to date.
January 15th, 2024
pressed plastic bottles

Microplastics fly particularly far and high

Microplastic fibres fly higher and further than previously assumed - even as far as the Arctic.
January 22nd, 2024
A futuristic aircraft with a blended wing body

Aircraft of the future make less noise

In an Empa research project, study participants rated the noise of new types of aircraft as less annoying than the noise of today's aircraft.
April 9th, 2024
the airship flying over a coast

British company produces climate-friendly airship

According to its developers, the British airship Airlander 10 could take off for commercial flights with passengers from 2028.
April 22nd, 2024