science wire

EPFL's International Risk Governance Center (IRGC) has published one of the first comprehensive overviews of both the risks posed by deepfakes and the potential responses to them. The study aims to serve as a primer for countering the threat posed by deepfakes. A few weeks ago, French charity Solidarité Sida caused a sensation when it published a fake yet highly realistic video of Donald Trump proclaiming "AIDS is over" as part of an awareness-raising campaign.

Daylight plays an essential role in sleep, alertness and hormone regulation. EPFL has joined forces with Geneva School of Art and Design (HEAD - Genève) to develop a wearable sensor that measures how much light an individual is exposed to along with the spectral resolution of that light.

ClearSpace, a spin-off of EPFL's Space Center (eSpace), has been selected to lead a major European Space Agency (ESA) space debris de-orbiting project with a total budget topping €100 million.

The crew of the International Space Station has taken delivery of a haptic interface designed by EPFL spin-off Force Dimension. Astronauts could one day use the device, based on the famous delta robot developed at EPFL by Reymond Clavel, to control unmanned Martian and lunar rovers from afar. In a project called METERON, the European Space Agency (ESA) is exploring how advanced robots could be used to repair satellites in orbit or probe hostile environments like the Martian and lunar surfaces.

Juhan Aru is a new professor in Mathematics at EPFL where he holds the Chair of Random Geometry. His work aims at understanding geometric properties of models where randomness and geometry meet.

Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) opened a new innovation unit today at EPFL's Innovation Park, further deepening its ties with the School.

The first-ever image of a black hole was unveiled to the public this past April. It was produced by a team of 200 scientists as part of the Event Horizon Telescope Project.

EPFL researchers have developed a geothermal system for recovering the heat captured in basements, subway tunnels and underground parking garages.

The next generation of ultra high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete (UHPFRC) has just been created at EPFL. The new material will be used to strengthen bridges and other structures - both new and old. What's more, the process of manufacturing this material releases 60-70% less CO2 than the previous generation of fiber-reinforced concrete.

A new research program will combine the specialist knowledge of the Swiss Finance Institute @ EPFL with insights from the School's data scientists and digital trust experts.

EPFL's student bioengineering team has won the Grand Prize of the 2019 International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition, as well as the Best Environment Project.

EPFL-based startup Droople has developed a smart flow meter that can measure buildings' water consumption and identify potential savings in energy.

Energy geostructures provide a constant source of renewable heating and cooling in buildings and infrastructures and perform very well.

The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), is a US-led project that will measure the accelerated expansion of the Universe in order to reveal the nature of dark energy. The DESI project, which has received significant contributions from EPFL's astrophysicists, is entering its final testing phase, gearing up to charter the skies.

Professor Claudia R. Binder will take over as the new dean of ENAC on 1 January 2020. We spoke with her about her plans to make the school a center of excellence in advancing the sustainability of our natural and built environment.

For the past decade and a half, the Center for Biomedical Imaging (CIBM) has been bringing researchers and clinicians together to develop cutting-edge technologies. This anniversary is an opportunity to reflect on the Center's past successes and ponder the challenges that lie ahead in the field of medical imaging.

GTX medical, an EPFL spin-off that has developed an implantable neuromodulation therapy to help people with spinal cord injuries walk again, merged today with NeuroRecovery Technologies, a US-based company, developing a transcutaneous stimulation therapy to improve upper limb function after a SCI.

As part of its 50th anniversary celebration, EPFL is highlighting his commitment for open and reproducible research through an exceptional Open Science Day, today.

Two students from EPFL have developed a smart speaker with voice-activation technology that connects patients directly to their loved ones as well as caregivers and emergency services.

Romain Fleury, a tenure-track assistant professor who heads the Laboratory of Wave Engineering, has been named best teacher in electrical and electronic engineering.

An aerodynamic bike that was designed using software from Neural Concept, a spin-off from the Computer Vision Laboratory (CVLab) in the EPFL School of Computer and Communication Sciences, has broken two world records for cycling speed.

"I regard myself as a descendent of the true Modernists," a young Rem Koolhaas told Dutch journal wonen-TA/BK in 1978.

Things are changing in outer space: it is filling with debris, attracting private companies, and raising new technological challenges.

The tiny Swiss satellite, launched in September 2009, is still working. The fact that it has lasted so long is a testament to the skills of the students who built it.

Vacuums are a vital part of the processes - such as freeze-drying - used to make and preserve countless everyday items and must be measured with precision. An EPFL spin-off, Hexisense, is bringing to market a gallium nitride-based chip that can measure the quantity of certain gas molecules cheaply and with unrivalled precision.

Deepfakes - or fake videos produced to look real through the use of artificial intelligence - pose a growing challenge.

EPFL scientists have successfully tested new neuroprosthetic technology that combines robotic control with users' voluntary control, opening avenues in the new interdisciplinary field of shared control for neuroprosthetic technologies. EPFL scientists are developing new approaches for improved control of robotic hands - in particular for amputees - that combines individual finger control and automation for improved grasping and manipulation.

This weekend in Yverdon, the HydroContest EPFL Team took first place in the nautical competition with its lightweight boat, second place in endurance, and third place in speed with its heavyweight boat.

EPFL will open its doors to the public on 14-15 September as it celebrates its 50th year as a federal institute of technology.

This Friday, 30 August, a team of EPFL students will take part in the SensUs competition at the Eindhoven University of Technology.

EPFL Professor Michael Grätzel is ranked #1 in a list of 100,000 top scientists across all fields. The ranking method is a based on new, more accurate standardized citation metrics developed by scientists led by Stanford University.

Summer series - Student projects. For her Master's project, Emylou Jaquier decided to tackle the growing problem of plastic waste.