TechTransfer

The Paul Scherrer Institute PSI and the start-up AlphaSYNT have a common mission. By signing a cooperation and licensing agreement, they aim to commercialise a novel approach to “power-to-gas” conversion, or to be more specific: “power-to-methane”. The innovative methanation process developed by PSI will allow energy to be stored as methane gas in future.

With energy prices soaring, heating costs will also inevitably rise in the coming winter. In order to mitigate this, solutions for operating buildings more efficiently are needed. The Empa spin-off viboo has developed an algorithm that makes it possible to operate even older buildings with around 25 percent less energy – while user comfort remains the same or even improves.

In many chemical laboratories, routine chemical syntheses are performed on a daily basis, which takes up a lot of time. ETH spin-off Synple Chem wants to simplify this with a device that is almost as easy to use as a capsule coffee machine.

ETH Pioneer Fellow Alexandre Anthis has developed a patch that seals surgical sutures on the intestines or the stomach. The material designed can also detect any leakage at an early stage – thus preventing serious complications.

The new Space Sustainability Rating hosted at eSpace, the EPFL Space Center, encourages space actors to design and implement sustainable and responsible space missions – trailblazing the path to ensure the long-term sustainability of the space environment.

Game developers from the ETH Game Technology Center have created an app that explains bone remodelling in a playful way. If students point the camera of their mobile device at the textbook, they find themselves transported to the bone’s surface, where they help cells break down bone tissue.

Elegant, efficient and groundbreaking: The fine-span light rail bridge in Stuttgart-Degerloch was awarded the German Civil Engineering Award 2022 - because of its innovative design as a network arch bridge with carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer cables. A premiere, which was also made possible by experts from Empa and its spin-off Carbo-Link AG with many years of research and development work.

It is amazing what kind of magical sounds can be elicited from a piece of wood treated with fungi. The biotech violin, whose tonewood has been developed at Empa, is now taking to the concert stage with violinist Irina Pak.

ETH spin-off Nanoflex has developed a magnetically steerable catheter for quick and safe stroke treatment that no longer requires surgeons to be on site.

EPFL researchers have used swarms of drones to measure city traffic with unprecedented accuracy and precision. Algorithms are then used to identify sources of traffic jams and recommend solutions to alleviate traffic problems.

Whether it’s jazz recordings, concert footage, photographs or interviews, EPFL researchers are applying machine learning and digital museology techniques to archives of cultural data to achieve new artistic and creative experiences.

The growth in demand for fish and seafood is harming stocks and valuable ecosystems. In response, food technologist Lukas Böcker and food chemist Severin Eder are developing microalgae-based seafood substitutes in their joint Pioneer Fellowship project.

The Venture Awards for Swiss start-ups were presented yesterday evening for the 25th time. In addition to the three certified ETH spin-offs DeepJudge, Kaspar& and Versics, the 15 winners included five other start-ups founded by ETH students and alumni.

A team of cryptographers at ETH Zurich conducted extensive testing on the New Zealand-based cloud platform Mega. In doing so, they discovered security holes that would allow the provider to decrypt and manipulate customer data.

EPFL Innovation Park is turning 30 this year and poised to expand with a new site, called Ecotope, where startups, researchers and outside companies will be able to pool their resources in order to explore groundbreaking ideas. The Canton of Vaud is its main partner.