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Lab on a chip for sweat testing and monitoring

By Maja Bosanac
7 December 2017

epfl-lab-on-a-chipCollaboration between EPFL’s Nanoelectronic Devices Laboratory (Nanolab) researchers and startup Xsensio resulted in development of a low-power and portable sensing chip. The chip can be put directly on skin, or integrated into wearables in order to track real-time different biochemical and physical parameters in a person’s sweat. Xsensio was founded in 2014 as a spinoff… »

Tech»

More efficient hybrid nanowire–nanoparticle palladium catalyst

By Maja Bosanac
9 March 2014

riken-palladium-catalyst-1Development of highly active and reusable solid catalysts based on precious metals, such as palladium (Pd), is crucial not only for organic syntheses but also for chemical and pharmaceutical processes. These rare and expensive catalytic materials are widely used in industry, so it is of great importance to find ways to minimize their consumption. Researchers… »

Tech»

Improving optical fiber bandwidth by a factor of ten

By Damir Beciri
10 December 2013

epfl-optical-bandwidth-1EPFL scientists have shown how to achieve a dramatic increase in the capacity of optical fibers. Instead trying to redesign the fiber itself, they decided to improve multiplexing – a method which allows sharing of a communications channel or medium by combining signals at a common point. The breakthrough could increase the throughput of data… »

Bionics| Tech»

Virus-templated fabrication of piezoelectric nanogenerators

By Maja Bosanac
8 December 2013

kaist-virus-nanogenerator-1A group of researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) has synthesized a nanogenerator – a flexible piezoelectric energy harvesting device based on biological templates. The biotemplated nanogenerator is low cost and it can be self-powered by simple finger movements that could be used to power small commercial LCD screens and… »

Tech»

Packaging made from tomato by-product waste

By Maja Bosanac
One Comment5 December 2013

tomatoesResearchers working on the project BIOCOPAC (“Development of bio-based coating from tomato processing wastes intended for metal packaging”) have devised a new range of alternative bio-based lacquers for application on the outside and inside of tinplate cans using tomato by-product waste. This innovative, eco-friendly packaging will decrease waste, improve metal can quality and reduce use… »

Tech»

Using carbon nanofibers to improve synthetic gasoline production

By Damir Beciri
4 December 2013

uic-carbon-nanofibers-catalyst-1While there are many efforts to shift from gasoline onto other fuels or electricity, a group of researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) took a different approach and found a more viable way to create synthetic version of petrol. They managed to improve the first step in the process of creating syngas,… »

Architecture| Tech»

EPFL’s new convention center west façade features dye solar cells

By Damir Beciri
3 December 2013

michael-gratzel-dsscEPFL is going to showoff with their new convention center by making power from its colorful glass façade. This is the first architectural integration of dye solar cells technology at this scale, and it’s achieved in partnership with Romande Energie with a goal to develop a large-scale solar park and conduct research and development projects… »

Gadgets| Tech»

Eyes-On Glasses System – vein detection eyewear

By Maja Bosanac
13 Comments1 December 2013

eyes-on-glasses-system-1Evena Medical, a company developing innovative imaging technologies, has introduced Eyes-On Glasses System – a novel vascular imaging system which provides augmented reality information on a set of smart glasses. This vein detection device uses multi-spectral 3D imaging and wireless connectivity to detect patients’ veins through the skin. With Eyes-On Glasses System, even hard-to-locate veins… »