news from the lab 2012

Physics/Material Science - Microtechnics/Electroengineering - 11.11.2012
Using rust and water to store solar energy as hydrogen
Scientists are producing hydrogen from sunlight, water and rust. They're paving the way for an economic and ecological solution for storing renewable energy. - How can solar energy be stored so that it can be available any time, day or night, when the sun shining or not? EPFL scientists are developing a technology that can transform light energy into a clean fuel that has a neutral carbon footprint: hydrogen.

Microtechnics/Electroengineering - Environmental Sciences - 22.10.2012
Lower Costs Thanks to Smart Plugs
Residents of a new eco-development on the coast can better control and understand their energy usage, thanks to a system that allows outlets to communicate with each other through the power grid. - - Glancing at one's daily consumption of energy would lead to usage that is more reasonable and less greedy.

Environmental Sciences - Microtechnics/Electroengineering - 19.07.2012
Abwärme für saubere Energie
ABB, EKZ GETEC und Jura Cement haben vereinbart, im Zementwerk Wildegg ein von ABB entwickeltes System zur Stromerzeugung aus Abwärme einzusetzen. Die hochmoderne Lösung basiert auf der ORC-Technologie* (Organic Rankine Cycle), die Abwärme in ökologischen Strom umwandelt.

Microtechnics/Electroengineering - Medicine/Pharmacology - 4.05.2012
A Robot for Spinal Column Operations
With less than a 0.5 mm margin of error, Neuroglide, the robot developed by researchers allows for the placement of screws in small vertebrae with unequaled precision. - Imagine placing a screw 4 mm in diameter into a bone that measures, on average, 6 mm in width, with cerebral arteries on one side and the spinal cord on the other.

Microtechnics/Electroengineering - 21.03.2012
Grösste Batterie der Schweiz geht in Betrieb
Der grösste Batteriespeicher der Schweiz wurde nach neun Monaten Bauzeit realisiert. Die Anlage hat eine Leistung von einem Megawatt und ist damit der erste Batteriespeicher dieser Grösse in einem Verteilnetz.

Microtechnics/Electroengineering - Architecture - 6.03.2012
A Heating System with a Brain
A start-up company is putting on the market a thermal regulator that uses neural networks to learn about your house as the seasons change, allowing for savings of up to 65% on fuel. - - Winter is still with us, and an efficient central heating system is essential.

Microtechnics/Electroengineering - 21.12.2011
Harmony on the homefront?
Are robots welcome in our homes? A qualitative study has revealed some interesting possibilities. Only one out of three households thinks automatic vacuum cleaners are worth the investment. The opinions of the others will be used to develop the appliances of the future.

Microtechnics/Electroengineering - 16.11.2011
Touchscreen with texture
Researchers have invented a new generation of tactile surfaces with relief effects – users can feel actual raised keys under their fingers. This technology could have many applications, particularly in improving access to electronic media for the visually impaired.

Microtechnics/Electroengineering - 14.11.2011
Packaging smarties and watches
It's the story of a long dynasty of industrial robots. Delta's three arms began by packaging chocolates, before being used in watchmaking, tele-surgery and the processing of materials.... - - More than 200 operations per minute! It's not a firearm, but rather an outstanding packaging tool.

Physics/Material Science - Microtechnics/Electroengineering - 8.09.2011
The tarte tatin throws a new light on photovoltaics
Manufacturing solar cells that are one thousand times thinner than conventional cells. That is the challenge the researchers have set for themselves. In order to boost the output of the cells, they have developed a new nanopatterning technique.

Microtechnics/Electroengineering - Business/Economics - 3.08.2011
A new motor for the watch of tomorrow
An electromagnetic three-phase motor will enable the watchmaking industry to build watches that are three times more efficient and that can include more applications. - - Tomorrow's wristwatches will be more efficient.

Environmental Sciences - Microtechnics/Electroengineering - 9.06.2011
A Power Grid on a Chip
Researchers have developed a device only 4mm thick that can manage an urban power grid a thousand times faster than currently possible. - Is it really possible to manage the power grid of a whole town on single chip? The future of energy production will surely be a combination of several power sources, and Maher Kayal's team from EPFL are developing a dedicated hardware that manages the network a thousand times faster than current software running on a conventional computer.

Microtechnics/Electroengineering - Environmental Sciences - 24.03.2011
Neuartige Dünnschicht-Solarzellen
Die marktübliche Technologie der Silizium-basierten starren Solarzellen eignet sich nicht für die Herstellung formbarer Dünnschicht-Solarzellen. Bei diesen sammelt eine transparente, flexible und leitfähige Elektrode das Licht und leitet den Strom ab.

Environmental Sciences - Microtechnics/Electroengineering - 19.10.2010
Energiesparlampe mit bester Öko-Bilanz
In einer Studie wurde die Ökobilanz verschiedener Beleuchtungsmethoden untersucht. Dabei wurden nicht nur den Energieverbrauch, sondern auch Herstellung und Entsorgung sowie verschiedene Strommixe berücksichtigt.

Mechanical Engineering/Mechanics - Microtechnics/Electroengineering - 1.07.2010
Alcedo – the flying avalanche transceiver
Today's trend in winter sports draws more and more people away from the designated slopes. Free riding and ski tours experience a massive boost in popularity. However, every year in Switzerland alone, 25 persons die on average in avalanche accidents.