Antibiotic-resistant bacteria can cause life-threatening infections that are almost impossible to treat with existing medication. As a result, common illnesses such as urinary tract infections or skin wounds are becoming a health risk. Empa researchers are therefore working on sensors that quickly identify resistant germs and recommend efficient treatment.
Turning carbon dioxide into valuable substances: That is the goal of Empa researcher Carlota Bozal-Ginesta. In her research project, she wants to combine machine learning and high-throughput experiments to develop better electrodes for CO2 electrolysis. For this, she has now been awarded the two-year Empa Young Scientist Fellowship.
In order to guarantee the security of supply of our future energy system, we need not only an expansion of renewable energies, but also sophisticated control mechanisms that efficiently manage production, distribution and consumption.
Empa researchers from the nanotech@surfaces laboratory have experimentally recreated another fundamental theoretical model from quantum physics, which goes back to the Nobel Prize laureate Werner Heisenberg. The basis for the successful experiment was a kind of 鈥渜uantum Lego鈥� made of tiny carbon molecules known as nanographenes.
Empa researchers are working on artificial muscles that can keep up with the real thing. They have now developed a method of producing the soft and elastic, yet powerful structures using 3D printing. One day, these could be used in medicine or robotics 鈥� and anywhere else where things need to move at the touch of a button.
At the end of January, Empa opened a new laboratory that aims to harness quantum effects from carbon. This could pave the way for sustainable quantum technologies, including quantum computers. The project is supported by the Werner Siemens Foundation.
In a four-year EU project led by Empa, eleven collaborators from research and industry succeeded in significantly improving batteries for electric cars. One of the main objectives of the project was to scale up the new materials and technologies so that they can be brought to market as fast as possible.
Empa researchers have developed a new 3D tissue analysis for thyroid tumors. This special X-ray method uses artificial intelligence to enable more precise diagnoses without damaging the tissue removed. In the future, this examination method could also be used for other types of cancer and replace more complex procedures with simpler imaging methods.
Is it possible to tile a surface with a single shape in such a way that the pattern never repeats itself? In 2022, a mathematical solution to this 鈥渆instein problem鈥� was discovered for the first time. Empa researchers have now also found a chemical solution: a molecule that arranges itself into complex, non-repeating patterns on a surface. The resulting aperiodic layer could even exhibit novel physical properties.
Allergies and asthma are widespread diseases that could arise during embryonal development in the womb. A team led by Empa researcher Tina B眉rki is investigating the possible causes of this. The focus is on nanoplastic particles, which could lead to the development of a hypersensitive immune system in the child.
Thanks to a new type of airflow booster for ionic wind, completely new fields of application are opening up for the start-up Ionic Wind Technologies. In future, the patented technology is to be used primarily for cooling data centers and high-performance electronics. The Empa spin-off has already won several awards.
The reproduction number R is often used as an indicator to predict how quickly an infectious disease will spread. Empa researchers have developed a mathematical model that is just as easy to use but enables more accurate predictions than R. Their model is based on a reproduction matrix that takes into account the heterogeneity of society.
Mining the Atmosphere, a new Empa research initiative, aims at capturing excess CO鈧� from the atmosphere and storing it in building materials such as concrete.
A battery that needs feeding instead of charging? This is exactly what Empa researchers have achieved with their 3D-printed, biodegradable fungal battery. The living battery could supply power to sensors for agriculture or research in remote regions. Once the work is done, it digests itself from the inside.
Sustainable, renewable and good for the climate: Wood is the material of the future. But how much of it do we actually have and how do we make best use of it? Researchers from Empa and WSL have now analyzed the material flows of wood in Switzerland in detail 鈥� and discovered untapped opportunities.
To achieve net zero, we need to reduce our CO鈧� emissions quickly and efficiently. An EU project involving Empa has selected Zurich as one of three pilot cities in Europe to accurately measure and model their carbon dioxide emissions. The findings will help cities to achieve their climate targets.
From smart textiles to self-driving cars: Empa researchers are developing new types of detectors for infrared radiation that are more sustainable, flexible and cost-effective than conventional technologies. The key to success is not (only) the composition of the material, but also its size.
Since more and more deciduous trees are being planted in Swiss forests, whose wood is often burned directly, innovative ideas for a cascade use are in high demand in order to utilize Swiss hardwood more sustainably. Empa researchers are therefore equipping wood with new functionalities. Their latest coup: wood that can glow in the dark.
Flying robots capable of inspecting and repairing building envelopes, interacting with natural ecosystems, and monitoring climate change and biodiversity are being developed and tested at the DroneHub at Empa's NEST.
Robots that can sense touch and perceive temperature differences? An unexpected material might just make this a reality. At Empa's Laboratory for High-Performance Ceramics, researchers are developing soft and intelligent sensor materials based on ceramic particles.
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