science wire

The circular economy is gaining a foothold in more and more areas: Some have already established business models, in others it is only visible in visionary pioneering projects.

During more than 90 approaches to Zurich Airport conducted under the leadership of the Swiss SkyLab Foundation, researchers from Empa and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) tested an assistance system that supports pilots via a display during quiet and, at the same time, fuel-efficient approaches. The results show a measurable reduction in noise emissions and fuel consumption.

Over the next four years, five research institutes and six industrial companies from seven European countries will work together to find solutions for the next generation of lithium-ion batteries.

The Solar Impulse Foundation is looking for 1000 solutions that will boost the economy - and protect the environment at the same time.

The demand for batteries to store renewable energy will grow drastically in the coming years. Could we develop more sustainable technologies to save precious natural resources, besides the familiar lithium-ion batteries?

Lidl Switzerland intends to serve its branches without the use of fossil fuels, relying among other things on renewable synthetic gas as an energy carrier.

No sooner had Empa recently developed technologies and quality standards for textile "community masks" together with the Swiss textile industry and other partners within the framework of the national COVID 19 Science Task Force than the first attempts at fraud popped up: Using manipulated Empa reports dubious suppliers promote masks of possibly inferior quality.

Using exhaust gas measurements taken from the roadside, a team from the University of York and Empa was able to prove the Dieselgate scandal has led to positive results. The forced retrofitting of thousands of VW diesel engines saves the environment throughout Europe considerable amounts of Nitrogen oxide (NO x ).

«One Two We» is a sustainability program launched by the SV Group and WWF Switzerland. The goal is to reduce CO2 emissions of staff restaurants through sustainable food.

Another milestone for an extremely versatile material with Swiss roots: On May 3, a 127-meter-long railway bridge will be pushed over the A8 motorway near Stuttgart, its 72 suspension cables consisting entirely of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP).

During the Corona crisis, protective masks have become a rare commodity. In order to equip Switzerland with sufficient protective equipment during future pandemics, Empa researchers are working together with a national consortium of researchers, health care experts and partners from industry on the "ReMask" project: New types of masks and technologies for reusing existing protective equipment are being developed - for now, but also for future pandemics.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming more powerful and is used for increasingly complex tasks. This raises ethical questions, for instance, when AI is used to make decisions for or judge people.

There is one major challenge in converting our energy system to purely renewable energy sources: winter - or rather the supply gap at this time. The conversion of surplus summer electricity into synthetic gas offers a way of ensuring that renewable energy could be available in sufficient quantities during the winter months.

The Innovation Park Central Switzerland, dedicated to the topic of "Building Excellence", and NEST, the research and innovation building of Empa and Eawag, are launching a new partnership.

With hybrid cars and plug-in hybrids, cold starts occur more frequently when the internal combustion engine stops and the electric motor pushes the car through town. How quickly can the catalytic converter be preheated so that it can still clean exhaust gases well? What would be the method of choice? A team of Empa researchers is investigating.

To provide laundry with fragrances without the effect disappearing after the first laundering is quite a challenge.

Preeclampsia is a particularly dreaded pregnancy complication that threatens the lives of mother and child.

Mirko Kovac is heading the new Materials and Technology Center of Robotics of Empa and Imperial College London.

Streaming consumes enormous amounts of energy and is at least as damaging to the climate as all civil aviation - according to a French study.

Another milestone for an extremely versatile material with Swiss roots: On May 3, a 127-meter-long railway bridge will be pushed over the A8 motorway near Stuttgart, its 72 suspension cables consisting entirely of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP).

Greenhouse gases are the cause of climate change. The European infrastructure network ICOS (Integrated Carbon Observation System) is committed to standardised measurements so that emissions can be compared across Europe.

Empa scientist Mark Schubert and his team would like to use the many opportunities offered by machine learning for wood technology applications. Together with Swiss Wood Solutions, Schubert will present his latest project at the Swiss Innovation Forum on 21 November in Basel. Wood is a natural material that is lightweight and sustainable, with excellent physical properties, which make it an excellent choice for constructing a wide range of products with high quality requirements - for example for musical instruments and sports equipment.

Hydrogen is considered a promising solution for mobility without fossil fuels. What is still missing, however, is a nation-wide network of fueling stations. One reason for this: The approval procedure for the planning and construction of hydrogen filling stations is still very confusing, as experience is largely lacking.

Empa recently founded the NMJ Association together with partner institutions from Japan, Canada, China, the USA and Germany.

The first national competence centre for translational medicine and entrepreneurship has opened in Bern. As a hub for research and innovation, "sitem-insel" is home to several start-ups, companies and scientists. These include an Empa research team whose projects aim to bring medical innovations from the laboratory directly to patients more quickly.

Whether mobile phone or automatic toilets - electronic devices are becoming increasingly complex. And who hasn't heard stories of devices that fail precisely after the warranty has expired?

Approach and landing are among the most complex phases of a flight.

How can the latest findings from materials science be used in medical practice to develop innovative diagnostic and therapeutic concepts' Empa researchers, physicians from the Cantonal Hospital of St

Internal combustion engines require valves to aspirate and discharge gases. Engine designers require a high degree of flexibility to improve efficiency, reduce pollutants and optimize the use of renewable fuels.

Over the next three years, researchers from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, University of Cambridge, École Supérieure de Physique et de Chimie Industrielles de la ville de Paris (ESPCI-Paris) and Empa will be working together with the Dutch Polymer manufacturer SupraPolix on the next generation of robots: (soft) robots that 'feel pain' and heal themselves.