ETH

Woven electronics

Electrical engineers from ETH Zurich have devised intelligent textiles that already have electronic components such as sensors and conductive filaments woven into them.

Materials for tomorrow's nano-electronics

In the recent issue of Nature, scientists from Empa and the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research report how they have managed for the first time to grow graphene ribbons that are just a few nanometres wide using a simple surface-based chemical method.

Breath sensor detects diabetes

ETH-Zurich researchers have developed a new kind of sensor that can immediately gauge whether a person is suffering from type 1 diabetes upon coming into contact with their breath.

Around the world in a solar plane

The Solar Impulse is a revolutionary concept that will push back the limits of our knowledge in the field of materials, energy management and the man-machine interface. It is an aircraft with an inordinate wingspan for its weight and of an aerodynamic quality that to this day has not been equaled, capable of tremendous resistance, despite its light weight.

Tata group invests in a start-up producing photovoltaic solar modules

Tata group invests in start-up Flisom who specialize in flexible and lightweight thin-film photovoltaic solar modules.

Solar powered airplane

The Swiss Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH) has demonstrated continuous flight using only solar energy during a solar powered flight of more than 27 hours over 874.4 km, the equivalent of a Zürich-London trip.

More power from bumps in the road

Printed electronics is used in several forms of energy harvesting, so we thought we would share this dramatic opportunity with you although it is not yet clear what technology is involved. A shock absorber that harnesses energy from small bumps in the road could save a company such as Wal-Mart $13 million a year in fuel costs by converting its fleet of trucks.

Solar powered plane exploring Mars

A solar powered plane that weighs less than 2.5kg may one day be flying around the atmosphere of Mars providing high-resolution imagery, anytime anywhere.

Switzerland printing transistors with nano-ink

By laser-treating ink consisting of coated nano-particles of metal, scientists in Switzerland are able to manufacture a wide variety of printed microelectronics.