News archive - ETH News for Industry

The automation company Festo and ETH Zurich are creating soft robotic actuators with muscle-like performance. Scalable, efficient, and flexible, this technology could unlock new possibilities for automation, from grippers to valves—bringing us closer to autonomous machines with muscle-like capabilities.

After knee replacement surgery, many patients remain dissatisfied due to unnatural joint sensation or limited range of motion. Together with the implant manufacturer Aesculap, ETH Zurich is developing new biomechanical models based on X-ray images of the moving knee joint in order to optimise implant placement and enable real-time predictions during surgery.

The MAS in Computational Structural Design is a new one-year further education programme for the construction industry. It combines design and engineering, enabling participants to bring cutting-edge solutions to real-world projects. Apply now and shape the future of construction.

As demand for sustainable brake systems grows, Oerlikon is working with ETH and inspire to develop laser coating technologies and new aluminium alloys for lightweight, wear-resistant brake discs. These innovations improve performance and reduce brake dust emissions.

ETH spin-off 4QT has launched the world’s first hybrid dumper, a cornerstone of construction fleets worldwide, showcasing the power of its electric drive technology. Discover how zero-emissions heavy-duty driving is possible.

What if we could produce cellulose without cutting down a single tree? Meet Treeless, an ETH spin-off harnessing bacteria and organic waste to create biodegradable and recyclable nanocellulose. Explore how this groundbreaking innovation is opening doors to greener solutions in cosmetics, packaging, and more.

What if your device could charge in a minute and last all day? Spin-off BTRY uses advanced semiconductor techniques to make energy storage faster, safer and more efficient – unlocking new possibilities for electronics.

What if the key to sustainable, nutritious, and affordable food lies in tiny organisms that thrive where traditional crops can’t? Discover how microalgae, with their exceptional protein content and rich nutritional profile, are poised to transform food production. Researchers from ETH Zurich and Bühler develop innovative processing technology to make this vision a reality.

Experience the excitement of this year’s ETH Industry Day @ Open-i. Watch our highlight video to feel the energy and see why the ETH Industry Day continues to be the must-attend event of the year.

Introducing the future of construction: In partnership with ETH Zurich, Russo AG is applying a cutting-edge autonomous robot for the arduous labour process of plastering. The company hopes that this technology will improve working conditions for the workers and thus reduce the labour shortage.

Biodiversity is rapidly declining especially in agricultural areas, but measuring the impact of different farming practices is challenging. In collaboration with AXA Climate, ETH researchers developed an innovative method to monitor biodiversity using drones to capture environmental DNA.

Internships and thesis projects in industry are a win-win situation for students and companies. For ETH student Markus Metzler, this meant realising his dream of working on the latest developments in aerospace at Aurora Swiss Aerospace.

Emissions from the construction industry can only be reduced if there is a shift in mindset from replacing to repairing. However, many buildings are not designed to be repaired. Together with industry partners such as Basler & Hofmann, ETH has developed a new further education programme that provides the tools for sustainable building construction.

Equipping implants with electronic functions enables the detection of post-operative complications. With this approach, ETH Zurich, Balgrist University Hospital and industry partner 41medical aim to increase the success rate of spinal surgery.

Electrical stimulation of specific brain regions is a promising treatment for neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's. Since everyone's brain is unique, stimulation caps need to be custom-made for each patient. Researchers at Bottneuro and ETH are addressing this challenge by developing automated design and manufacturing processes for the caps.

Many faults in photovoltaic systems occur slowly and are difficult to detect, such as soiling or shading due to vegetation growth. EKZ and the Swiss Data Science Center have developed algorithms to detect them early and prevent loss of energy production.

Many fascinating colour effects in nature or in soap bubbles are based solely on the microstructure of the surface. Oris and inspire have developed laser technologies that bring this concept to the watchmaking industry.

How can robots and humans work together? ETH Zurich and Microsoft researchers use mixed reality devices to make human-robot interaction simple and intuitive. This will allow robots to learn from interactions with humans and perform more complex tasks.

Measuring snow depth is difficult and can only be done in a few places. But how can accurate snow depth data be obtained for entire countries? ETH researchers and the company ExoLabs have developed a method that uses data from space.

Ultra-fast low-power eye tracking for augmented and virtual reality? The company iniVation combines its novel camera technology with ETH Zurich's energy-efficient processors and AI algorithms to achieve this goal.

Do you use electronic wallets such as Twint? Electronic payment systems are becoming increasingly popular, but what factors influence an individual's decision to adopt them? ETH Zurich has conducted a large study on this together with Twint.

Key industrial prosses such as cement production require heat at temperatures above 1000°C and are responsible for 10-20% of global CO2 emissions. A novel solar receiver uses concentrated solar energy for these processes and enables the decarbonization of these industries.

ETH startup Skaaltec uses real-time motion tracking and non-invasive brain stimulation to enhance the recovery of stroke patients. The SmartVNS system enables rehabilitation at home and helps to activate the neural pathways involved in the exercise movements.

Turning waste into value. ETH Spin-off Gaia Tech transforms agricultural sidestreams to high-value ingredients for the processing industry.

Over 700 visitors showed great enthusiasm for this year's Industry Day program, which included inspiring lectures, an extensive exhibition, and immersive networking opportunities. The event effectively fostered interactions among companies, researchers, and young entrepreneurs. The video captures the essence of this special event.

How to ensure quality in manual assembly processes? Huber+Suhner and Bossard have teamed up with ETH Zurich and inspire to industrialise a camera-based solution.

Synthetic fuels made from solar energy and CO2 are a promising alternative to decarbonize transportation sectors that cannot be electrified yet. The largest Swiss automobile dealer AMAG joined the mobility initiative of ETH Zurich to advance this technology. In the video, AMAG and ETH spin-off Synhelion give insight into their collaboration.

Today’s Internet has not been designed to meet the rigorous security and high-availability demands of the modern global digital economy. The new Internet protocol SCION, developed at ETH Zurich, solves this fundamental problem. The technology is currently being used by the Swiss National Bank and the financial industry to secure data communication.

A new drug developed by the company TOPADUR Pharma AG brings hope to millions of patients with chronic non-healing wounds. The cooperation with ETH is now taking the product a significant step forward.

Recycling disposable medical products is challenging, but pharmaceutical company Janssen found a good partner for this high-risk project in the ETH Feasibility Lab. Thanks to their agile approach, the researchers were able to demonstrate feasibility.

Scanning the environment with a camera and interactively creating a virtual 3D model? ETH researchers receive funding from the Sony Research Award Program to advance their pioneering computer vision methods.

The fast-growing electromobility sector needs efficient power solutions. In the European funded project Power2Power, ETH Zurich and Brusa HyPower use improved semiconductors to design onboard chargers for electric vehicles.

In a rapidly changing job market, it is becoming increasingly difficult to match talents with suitable jobs. Adecco is working with the Swiss Data Science Center to solve this challenge with machine learning.

Can a drone drill holes? ETH students prove that it is possible and show potential applications of their technology in the construction industry.

Many patients with chronic diseases benefit from regular blood tests, for example to adjust medication. ETH spin-off Hemetron has developed novel and affordable tests that are simple enough to use at home.

The lightweight and recyclable gold alloys of the ETH spin-off Goold enable a circular economy for gold. In this way, they contribute to mitigating the environmental impact and social problems associated with gold mining.

Alzheimer's disease damages the brain decades before the first symptoms are apparent. Prof. Rafael Polania and Caroline Lustenberger develop comfortable home monitoring solutions to detect Alzheimer's early and to enable timely intervention.

A record number of 600 visitors and intensive discussions between companies, ETH researchers and young entrepreneurs – what a fantastic ETH Industry Day 2022. We have captured some moments of this great event in a video.

Many aspects of decarbonising buildings are connected to the sun. But how can new methods and building components such as façades be tested under controlled climate conditions? Dr. Arno Schlüter, ETH Prof. and Director of the new Zero Carbon Building Systems (ZCBS) Lab, had the idea to emulate qualities of the sun.

When it comes to a surgical operation, everyone wants optimally prepared surgeons. But training today mainly takes place by observing operations on real patients. Now, a large consortium of Swiss hospitals, universities and companies has joined forces to digitally transform surgical training.

How can the usability of a wheelchair be improved? ETH researcher Reto Togni has developed a wheelchair with a completely new steering mechanism. Thanks to the new design, driving takes less effort and is more fun.

How can new research approaches for real-time monitoring of wind turbines be applied on globally distributed wind farms? Cloud computing company Adranis and monitoring provider Osmos Group are helping ETH Zurich to put research findings into practice. 

The dangerous Laseyer windstorm often forces the railway company Appenzeller Bahnen to switch to bus services upon the slightest signs of a storm. In cooperation with ETH Zurich and MeteoSchweiz, a new warning algorithm has been developed which, thanks to machine learning, enables forecasts even for small, narrow valleys.

What do Hollywood movies and dental braces have in common? Both benefit from innovative computer graphics technology. ETH Zurich's Computer Graphics Lab is exploring the possibilities of this approach with the medical device company Align Technology.

ETH Zurich’s CAS programme Applied Technology in Energy (CAS ATE) offers managers in-depth training in the rapidly evolving world of energy and electrification. We talked to one of the participants, Daniela Runchi, Innovation Project Manager at Corporate Hangar.

Combining the recycling of precious raw materials from demolition concrete with the storage of CO2? This promising technology has been developed at ETH Zurich and is now being commercialized by Neustark and tested at JURA CEMENT.

ETH start-up Groam intends to replace conventional plastic foams with sustainable, biodegradable variants. Groam’s foam technologies are based on biomass from agricultural waste streams and are currently being tested in vertical farming.

Variety is what makes food enjoyable. ETH Spin-off Planted joined forces with the ETH Product Development Group to customise the extrusion process of plant-based meat by using additive manufacturing.

ETH spin-off VU Engineering has developed a visual machine learning solution that learns from manufacturing operators how to detect defects. Consequently, manufacturers don't need to hire expensive machine learning experts.

How about having your personal coach and physical therapist with you at all times? ETH Spin-off VAY trains computers to measure and analyze human motion by using a regular camera and artificial intelligence.

Sniffing your alcoholic beverage and immediately detecting whether it contains toxic methanol? A portable device from ETH spin-off Alivion could prevent many cases of illness and death.

Do robots have to be rigid and clumsy? Prof. Katzschmann and his team from the Soft Robotics Lab have taken inspiration from animals such as fish or snakes and their elegant movements.

Soft robots, cancer cells rendered harmless, computer memories that forget nothing - the range of inventions presented at the ETH Industry Day was wide. The video shows the highlights of the event.

How is our atmosphere changing? Where is sea level rising and how much? Nowadays, nanosatellites can contribute significantly to answering such questions. The positioning technology developed for this purpose at ETH Zurich also has industrial applications.

The ETH Industry Day on 8 September 2021 is the perfect opportunity to get an insight into ETH research and how it is applied in industry. Registration is now open.

In safety-critical applications like railway inspection, the use of deep neural networks is limited today. SBB, Siemens Mobility, ETH AI Center and ETH spin-off LatticeFlow joined forces to make artificial intelligence trustworthy.

Removing stains from your clothes, adding flavor to dairy products, making compounds for pharmaceutical industry: all this requires engineered enzymes. ETH professor Andrew deMello and his team invented a microfluidic technology to speed up the enzyme screening process and to make it applicable for industry.

The grinding of railway tracks extends their lifetime and reduces driving noises. Scheuchzer started a collaboration with inspire and ETH Zurich in order to investigate and optimize the grinding process.

SACAC, a manufacturer of concrete pillars, aims to apply digital fabrication methods to reduce production times and increase flexibility. Their collaboration with ETH Zurich delivered remarkable results.

With a view to optimising the ecological footprint of herbal extracts used in the production of sweets, Ricola decided to send its employee Andrea Mannhart on a sabbatical to ETH Zurich. What insights did she gain from this further education programme for the industry?

Can a group of electricity companies join forces to reduce the environmental impact of our electricity grid? Christian Lindner from Axpo and Prof. Christian Franck give insight into this pioneering project.

In high-pressure die casting, it gets hot. Bühler and the Swiss Data Science Center take a data-driven approach to improve the cooling.

Get to know the new VP of ETH Zurich and her thoughts about university-industry cooperation and Switzerland.

It's all about the curves. Take a look at how the ETH technology Aegis Rider makes motorcycling safer and more fun.

In many countries, there is a lack of affordable medical devices. ETH researchers apply new design methods to tackle this challenge and invented a low-cost ventilator for COVID patients.

Surgeries of complex bone fractures are challenging and often fail. ETH Pioneer Fellow Thomas Zumbrunn uses sophisticated 3D simulations and augmented reality to assist the doctors.

Is electric mobility the future? Will our vehicles soon drive autonomously? Numerous disruptive scenarios are conceivable, which means that companies operating in the mobility sector are facing major challenges. The ETH MAS (Master of Advanced Studies) "Mobility of the Future" provides answers to these questions.

When travelling in the Alps, you might come across an unmanned excavator clearing rockfalls, as if by magic. The video reveals more about this project, a collaboration between the ETH Robotic Systems Lab, SBB and Armasuisse.

Up to 30 spin-offs each year at ETH Zurich – that is impressive. But what is behind this figure? How efficient are these spin-offs and what are the factors for success? A new study reveals surprising facts.

Detecting nanoparticles in the environment is a challenging task. The Swiss company Tofwerk and ETH Zurich participate in the large EU funded project ACEnano. Dr. Martin Tanner (Tofwerk) and Dr. Bodo Hattendorf (Prof. Detlef Günther's Group) talk about their experiences and achievements.

The grinding process of high-precision cutting tools typically requires supervision and manual intervention. ETH Zurich, inspire and manufacturer Agathon have now achieved a breakthrough in autonomous grinding.

Have you ever wished your mobile phone display was unbreakable? Researchers from ETH Zurich imitate materials from nature to create transparent materials with high fracture resistance.

What will our electricity supply look like in the future? In co-operation with partners from industry, researchers at ETH Zurich are developing models to predict the technical and economic impact of all conceivable scenarios.  

The ETH Industry eWeek 2020 will give you an insight into research at ETH Zurich and its connection to industry. Here is a selection of projects you can expect to see and a link to register for the event.  

In the pursuit of a positive CO2 balance, companies are striving to procure raw materials from sustainable sources. Yet, how can food companies ensure that deforestation in the areas of cultivation is avoided? ETH researchers are developing a global tool that all companies can use.

In times of crises, such as the current Corona pandemic, sourcing poses major challenges for companies. ETH start-up Archlet offers a cloud-based optimisation tool. Companies can use it free of charge to adjust their sourcing strategy during and after crises.

ETH Zurich has launched a new Further Education programme for industry. Check out the video interview with one of the participants (Stefano Moratto, Credit Suisse) and the programme director (Prof. Ulrike Grossner).  

What happens when flu viruses or other pathogens infect a cell? Thanks to a tiny cell balance, researchers from ETH Zurich and their project partner Nanosurf can now monitor this in real time.

Speaking Swiss German is a challenge for many non-Swiss people. So now the machines are trying.

Students from Computational Science Zurich helped weather data provider Meteomatics to improve weather forecast models. The new ideas will make the predictions of cyclones more precise, which is important for many industrial applications such as insurances and the energy market.  

Today, it is difficult to get secure information about the origin and the history of luxury watches. In cooperation with watch manufacturers and retailers, ETH juniors developed a blockchain solution. Now the spin-off company Adresta brings this technology to market.  

Easy-to-use automated drilling equipment with increased productivity – that is Hilti’s dream. Prof. Melanie Zeilinger and her team make this dream come true.

The gripping of small and fragile objects is a big challenge across various industries. ETH Pioneer Fellow Marcel Schuck presents No-Touch Robotics – a magic solution.  

Univerre wants to reinvent traditional glass production. The Swiss family-run company joined forces with the Complex Materials Group of ETH Zurich and achieved unbelievable results.

Finding the smallest defects in materials is a daily task in many industries, but existing tests are destructive or time-consuming. The Optical Nanomaterial Group of Professor Rachel Grange has developed a microscopy solution for fast quality control.

Swiss manufacturer Nova partnered with inspire and ETH Zurich to develop a new generation of high-pressure valves for hydrogen fuelling stations. Incorporating intelligence into the valve will enable future IoT and industry 4.0 networks.

Can you envisage a bendable and even stretchable battery, which you could embed into wearable electronics such as on-skin sensors? The ETH Multifunctional Materials Laboratory has recently achieved a breakthrough.  

Clamping workpieces efficiently in machines is challenging and will become even more difficult with increasing automation and additive manufacturing of free-form surfaces. In cooperation with inspire and ETH Zurich, the Gressel company has found an innovative solution with some surprising benefits.

How can the building industry reduce CO2 emissions and waste of resources? ETH professor Philippe Block thinks that we can learn lessons from the past.

ETH4D supports joint projects between industry and ETH Zurich that have a positive impact on low-income countries. Adina Rom explains how companies can participate and presents a project example.

Capturing high-quality body data everywhere, even under water? The electrodes of ETH spin-off IDUN Technologies are about to conquer the market.

Will data gloves be the future interface to computers? This ETH invention has attracted the industry’s interest for applications ranging from surgical tools to cars, films and virtual reality controllers. 

What are the key technologies of tomorrow? How can scientific ideas find a way into the market? The ETH Industry Day 2019 provided answers and inspired the visitors. Enjoy the video.

In cooperation with companies like WinGD and research partners like NASA, the ETH Intelligent Maintenance Systems Group is developing new methods for predicting machine failures. Manuel Arias Chao gives an insight into his project that he will present at this year’s Smart Maintenance Conference at ETH Zurich.

The new ETH sabbatical programme in the area of materials and processes is well received by industry. A first participant from Total gives an insight into his stay at ETH Zurich.

Watch the video to learn how ETH Zurich and DSP are using drones to monitor crop development and how this technology will improve plant breeding.

Do you think this number is a prime number? ETH Prof. Kenny Paterson reveals the secret behind numbers like this and why they are important in everyday life.

Key elements of our communication infrastructure are electro-optic modulators that encode electrical signals onto light. The ETH spin-off Polariton Technologies has developed a ground-breaking new modulator technology that outperforms conventional devices.

The RETHINK initiative of ETH Zurich brings together experts from industry and academia to exploit the potential of artificial intelligence for design processes. ETH Prof. Gisbert Schneider and Dr. Matthias Zentgraf (Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma) explain the benefits for drug design.

Inspire (competence centre for technology transfer) and RUAG Space have manufactured 3D printed structures for satellites. Find out more about this pioneering project in the video.