Green earplugs

Cars, trains, planes: For two thirds of the European population, traffic noise is part of everyday life. However, the right environment can have a major impact on this nuisance, as Empa researchers have found out. Green spaces in urban areas help to...
12-Jan-2021 10:25 AM EST Add to Favorites

Hanging by a colored thread

High-performance fibres that have been exposed to high temperatures usually lose their mechanical properties undetected and, in the worst case, can tear precisely when lives depend on them. For example, safety ropes used by fire brigades or...
8-Jan-2021 8:30 AM EST Add to Favorites

Big step with small whirls

Skyrmions are small magnetic objects that could revolutionize the data storage industry and also enable new computer architectures. However, before they can be utilized in such applications, there are still a number of challenges that need to be...
21-Dec-2020 8:20 AM EST Add to Favorites

Life cycle assessments of corona masks Disposable or fabric? Here is what matters

Anyone who wants to protect themselves and others from a COVID-19 infection wears a mask these days. But what about the environmental impact of this mass product, which is used millions of times over? Which factors are relevant for sustainable...
9-Dec-2020 12:15 PM EST Add to Favorites

Volatile stuff for heavy trucks

In future, commercial vehicles will not only have to emit less CO2 but also meet stricter exhaust emission limits. Many experts expect that this could herald the end for fossil diesel. One possible alternative is dimethyl ether: The highly volatile...
24-Nov-2020 8:05 AM EST Add to Favorites

Drying fruit with ionic wind

After the summer harvest, fruits are sold as dried products suitable for the current season. However, if fruit or vegetables are dried with heat, nutrients can be destroyed and flavors can be reduced. This is why non-thermal drying of food – i.e....
17-Nov-2020 6:05 AM EST Add to Favorites

On the way to lifelike robots

In order for robots to be able to achieve more than simple automated machines in the future, they must not only have their own "brain". Empa researchers postulate that artificial intelligence must be expanded to include the capabilities of a...
11-Nov-2020 12:45 PM EST Add to Favorites

Forest dwelling drones

A team of researchers from Empa and Imperial College London developed drones that can attach sensors to trees to monitor environmental and ecological changes in forests.
3-Nov-2020 8:30 AM EST Add to Favorites

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