Dec 20, 2007 | Initial discussions on the «NanoSafe Textiles» theme held at Empa
Nanotechnology offers the textile and clothing industry great opportunities for developing innovative products and expanding into new markets. This is only true, however, if the new technologies represent no health risk...
Dec 6, 2007 | SATW and Empa begin discussions on the ethical aspects of converging technologies
In the modern scientific world the traditional boundaries between individual disciplines are becoming less and less distinct. In a truly interdisciplinary environment different scientific branches fuse together. This...
21.11.2007 | Empa-Labors mit «Brutkasten»-Funktion
Am 15. November war das Institut für Jungunternehmen IFJ mit einem seiner «Venture Apéros» zu Gast an der Empa. Als Hauptreferent gab Andreas Winistörfer, ein ehemaliger Empa-Forscher und inzwischen erfolgreicher...
Nov 14, 2007 | The Future Construction platform encourages innovation in the Swiss civil engineering sector
In Switzerland the construction, operation and maintenance of buildings, as well as their renovation, should in future involve the release of as little CO2 as possible. On the initiative of Peter Richner, the head of the...
Nov 1, 2007 | Media communiqué
Empa scientists have carried out a study comparing emission levels from petrol, diesel and natural gas fuelled vehicles. All these types of drives have become “cleaner” over the past few years thanks to advances in...
Oct 31, 2007 | Symposium about poisons in dwelling areas at the University of Zurich on November 8, 2007
Whether at home or on the job, we all want to feel ourselves well and healthy in buildings and rooms. That this comes as a matter of course something must and can be done. On November 8, 2007, medical researchers as well...
19.10.2007 | Die Empa am 2. Swiss Innovation Forum in Basel
Am Mittwoch, den 17. Oktober, fand im Basler Kongresszentrum das zweite Swiss Innovation Forum statt. Über 700 Entscheidungsträger aus Wirtschaft, Wissenschaft und Politik trafen sich rund um das Thema Innovation und...
Oct 10, 2007 | Improving the efficiency of semiconductor technology
The photovoltaic industry is growing at an annual rate of about 35 per cent. However, this upward trend in the development of environmentally friendly solar power is being hindered by the costs of manufacturing solar...
Oct 8, 2007 | Innovative Technology and new Swiss Standards for Hospital Operating Rooms
Two recent international studies by the WHO and OECD have ranked the Swiss health system as «good», but at the same time as also being «too expensive». Switzerland spends 11.5 percent of its Gross National Product for...
05.10.2007 | Honorarprofessur für Peter Jacob an der Technischen Universität München
Das Bayerische Staatsministerium für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kunst hat den Empa-Wissenschaftler Peter Jacob zum Honorarprofessor für Elektronenmikroskopie an der Technischen Universität München ernannt. Der...
01.10.2007 | Grosses Interesse der Bevölkerung an der «Nacht der Forschung»
Für die Flugdarbietung der fliegenden Roboter und für die Chemieshow war der Wind dann doch zu stürmisch; beides musste zum Bedauern der ZuschauerInnen ausfallen. Doch zum Staunen gab es an der «Nacht der Forschung» am...
28.09.2007 | Weiterbildungsworkshops für die Industrie auf dem Gebiet der Mikro- und Nanotechnologie
«Was kann die Nanotechnologie heute?» – dies erfuhren 18 Teilnehmende am 25. September am ersten von vier Workshops, die die Empa-Akademie gemeinsam mit Swissmem, dem Verband der schweizerischen Maschinen-, Elektro- und...
24.09.2007 | SiegerInnen des NanoPubli-Wettbewerbs erkoren
Beim Wettbewerb am Stand der Abteilung "Hochleistungskeramik" musste geschätzt werden, wie viele nanoskopisch kleine Virenteilchen (Durchmesser 25 Nanometer) in einem von der Empa und der Katadyn AG neu entwickelten...
21.09.2007 | «Sprechende» Wahlkampfwerbung
Nicht schlecht haben wohl einige Zürcher und Zürcherinnen gestaunt, als sie dieser Tage in ihrem Briefkasten eine neue Art von Wahlkampfwerbung vorfanden: ein Päckchen, aus dem beim Öffnen die Stimmen zweier...
19.09.2007 | Zusammenarbeit der Empa mit Hewlett-Packard und dem «Global Digital Solidarity Fund»
Der Müllberg aus Elektro- und Elektronikschrott – kurz e-Waste – wächst vor allem in Entwicklungs- und Schwellenländern stärker als jeder andere Abfallberg, so auch in vielen Regionen Afrikas. Oft fehlen in solchen...
13.09.2007 | NanoPubli 2007: Nanotechnologie für den Alltag
Die diesjährige NanoPubli, die vom 11. bis 13. September in St. Gallen stattfand und bereits zum dritten Mal von der Empa organisiert wurde, stand unter dem Motto «Nanotechnologie für den Alltag». Wer den Weg zur...
Sep 11, 2007 | Joint Workshop with the US Federal Highway Administration at Empa
The timing is purely coincidental – the meeting between a delegation from the US Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the American national governmental body responsible for major roadways, and the European civil...
Sep 4, 2007 | 10 years of Swiss-Columbian cooperation
A pleasing interim balance shown by the technical cooperation programs in progress between Switzerland and Columbia drew representatives of both countries to a festive event on August 15thin Medellin celebrating the 10th...
Sep 3, 2007 | 8th Internatioall Conference on Emissions Monitoring
On September 5th and 6th about 200 scientists and specialists of 34 countries from industry and the regulatory bodies gathered in Duebendorf for the CEM 2007 meeting, the 8th International Conference on Emissions...
Aug 30, 2007 | A unique and very large mobile traffic load simulator will test the asphalt rapidly and thoroughly
A road-traffic load simulator as large as an articulated lorry has arrived at Empa. The machine is designed to proof road surfaces and indicate when any renovation work is due. Before the monster vehicle, which is twelve...
30 août 2007 | Des catalyseurs plus efficaces pour les véhicules à gaz naturel et à biogaz
En été dès que les températures augmentent, la pollution par l’ozone augmente elle aussi, cela surtout dans les villes, pour dépasser souvent la valeur limites légale. Les oxydes d’azote émis par le trafic routier sont...
30.08.2007 | Nanotechnologie für den Alltag
Die NanoPubli findet vom 11. bis 13. September als Sonderschau der NanoEurope auf dem Olma-Messegelände statt – dank grossem Anklang bei der Öffentlichkeit bereits zum dritten Mal in Folge. Präsentiert werden kurze...
Aug 27, 2007 | R’07 World Congress from 3rd to 5th September 2007 in Davos
How can the global economy continue to grow without exhausting the earth’s limited raw material and energy resources? Or putting it another way: how can we make waste recycling and material life cycles more efficient,...
21 août 2007 | Une grande installation mobile unique au monde pour déterminer l’état des revêtements routiers
Un simulateur de trafic aussi grand qu’une semi-remorque est arrivé à l’Empa. Cette machine sert à tester les revêtements routiers et ainsi à déterminer le moment où des travaux de réparation ou de réfection sont...
Jul 16, 2007 | 35th Empa Science Apéro
Our continuously growing population demands an ever greater degree of mobility. How this challenge can be met in an environmentally responsible way was explained by three specialists from research and industry at the...
Jul 9, 2007 | Seal of approval awarded to Empa for its efforts in reconciling family and profession
Those who strive to balance the demands of family and profession find that Empa is, quite literally, an outstanding employer. On July 9th 2007 the expert organization «UND – Family and Occupation for Men and Women»...
06.07.2007 | Die Empa erarbeitet für DRS 3 alltagstaugliche Klimaschutzmassnahmen
Am vergangenen Donnerstag hat DRS 3 sein neues Schwerpunktthema «Weniger CO2 – DRS 3 handelt» lanciert. In regelmässigen Beiträgen präsentiert der Sender in den Sommermonaten ein- bis zweimal pro Woche Möglichkeiten, wie...
Jul 5, 2007 | Lively discussion on the opportunities and risks Nanotechnology presents
Nanotechnology is flying high. That was amply shown by the fact that the Bern Kursaal was filled to capacity last Thursday and Friday for the second edition of the Swiss NanoConvention. The public in attendance was at...
22 juin 2007 | Conférence de presse annuelle 2007 de l’Empa
De la recherche qui sert à quelque chose, c’est ainsi que l’on pourrait formuler de manière un peu cavalière la définition que l’Empa donne d’elle même. Qu’il s’agisse de technologies ou de produits innovateurs que...
Jun 19, 2007 | Empa and ETH chemists lay the foundation stone for the risk evaluation of brominated flame retardants
Chemically-based flame retardants have paved the way for many plastics to become ubiquitous materials in our daily life. However, what protects plastics and similar substances from fire on the one hand represents a...
Jun 11, 2007 | Astronaut Claude Nicollier speaks at the Empa Academy about «Progress in Space»
Last Tuesday, Claude Nicollier, the first Swiss in space, was a guest lecturer and enthralled a large audience with his lecture on «Progress in Space». The astrophysicist and Astronaut who flew into space four times and...
May 30, 2007 | Electroactive polymers steer Empa blimp at regatta in Berlin
As part of the «Lange Nacht der Wissenschaften» in Berlin on 9 June 2007, an Empa team headed by Silvain Michel will be competing in a regatta with its innovative blimp. As far as the race is concerned, project manager...
25 mai 2007 | 34e Apéro scientifique de l’Empa
Le vêtement réfrigérant ultraléger développé par les scientifiques de l’Empa pour les personnes souffrant de sclérose en plaques (SEP) quitte le laboratoire pour la pratique. Depuis le mois d’avril 2007, les pantalons et...
May 21, 2007 | Empa-study scrutinizes the ecological balance of various biofuels
Biofuels are not necessarily more eco-friendly than fossil fuels. This was shown by a new study through Empa, commissioned by the three Federal Offices for Energy, Environment and Agriculture. The study examined the...
May 15, 2007 | Silicon nanowires for Raman spectroscopy – molecular manipulation with unheard of precision!
We expect them as a matter of course, as self-evident as sunshine in summer – more powerful computers, cell phones with yet more functions, even smaller MP3 players, and so on. At the heart of each of these high tech...
May 11, 2007 | Empa and Credit Suisse launch the 2nd Swiss NanoConvention on 28th/29th June 2007 in Bern
«I very much hope that the NanoConvention becomes an annual event,» commented Peter Gehr of the University of Bern after the first NanoConvention in June 2006. His wish was Empa’s command, as the saying goes. On 28th and...
8 mai 2007 | Symposium Thermopower – l’Empa comme plaque tournante entre la science et l’indu
Il est nécessaire de trouver de nouveaux concepts d’approvisionnement en énergie pour être prêt à faire face à «l’après pétrole». Une possibilité est ce qu’on appelle les convertisseurs thermoélectriques, des...
07.05.2007 | Die Empa und die ETH Zürich am Treffpunkt Science City auf dem Hönggerberg
Alle reden von der Reduktion des CO2-Ausstosses und einer nachhaltigen Energieversorgung. Die Empa und die ETH Zürich arbeiten daran. Ihre Resultate lassen sich buchstäblich sehen und auch anfassen. Am «Treffpunkt...
2 mai 2007 | Nouvelle succursale de l’Association suisse pour la technique de soudage ASS à l’Empa à Dübendorf
Les essais en techniques de soudage ont une longue tradition à l’Empa. Qu’il s’agisse de la certification des soudeurs ou de la dureté des piles d’un pont, l’expertise des spécialistes de l’Empa du groupe Technique de...
Apr 23, 2007 | “NanoAmbassadors” – an initiative by the German Museum in Munich with Empa’s participation
Last Thursday the six “NanoAmbassadors“ in the German Museum in Munich were presented to the public. Among them is toxicologist Harald Krug, who since the beginning of this years chairs the Laboratory of “Materials-...
17.04.2007 | Empa-Forschung «on the road» – Teil II
Am 26. April öffnet die Wanderausstellung «Empa unterwegs» erneut ihre Pforten. Nach dem Besuch von fünf technisch ausgerichteten Hochschulen in den verschiedenen Landesteilen im Herbst 2006 ist sie in diesem Frühjahr an...
16.04.2007 | 33. Empa-Wissenschaftsapéro
Als Mittlerin zwischen Forschungsinstitution und Bevölkerung führte die Empa-Akademie kürzlich am Standort St. Gallen einen Wissenschaftsapéro zum Thema „Krach im Himmel – Was tun gegen Fluglärm?“ durch. Anne Satir,...
Mar 22, 2007 | Japanese material investigation technique applied to historic swords
Japanese swords are considered to be the non plus ultra of the swordsmith’s art. They were (and still are) made of steel folded several thousand times. In contrast to this, ancient European swords were apparently made...
21 mars 2007 | L’Empa force des cadenas de vélos: une protection contre le vol pas toujours efficace
Dans le cas idéal, un cadenas à vélo ne s’ouvre qu’avec sa clé ou sa combinaison exacte. Bien des cyclistes connaissent toutefois la mauvaise surprise de ne plus retrouver leur vélo mais seulement des fragments d’un...
Mar 7, 2007 | Growing need for recycling precious elements in high-tech scrap – often incinerated in poor countries.
Under the auspices of United Nations University (UNU), an international initiative called «Solving the E-Waste Problem» (StEP) is officially launched Wednesday, March 7. Its goals are extending the life of computers and...
Feb 27, 2007 | European Union project GEOMON for the observation of air quality and climatic change
The GEOMON project to be financed over the next four years in the amount of 6.6 million Euro by the European Union, creates a network connecting 38 research establishments in the European Union, Norway, Russia and...
Feb 26, 2007 | Empa technology will keep the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world from severe vibrations
Technology transfer to the Far East: in January Empa researcher Felix Weber and his industrial partners tested for the first time their newly developed, smart cable damping system on site. The “smart” damping system...
Feb 22, 2007 | International symposium as "launch pad" for the new Empa lab
Researchers and industry representatives met at Empa on Friday at the international «Hydrogen & Energy» symposium organized by the laboratory of the same name in order to compare notes on the progress of work in the...
Feb 19, 2007 | Molecules organize themselves spontaneously into long parallel chains on a prepared surface
The trend to miniaturization in the microelectronics field makes it increasingly difficult to manufacture these tiny devices. It would be much easier if all that was necessary was to mix together the substances from...
14 févr. 2007 | L’hydrogène – support énergétique de l’avenir – un symposium international à l’Empa
Il y a une année qu’Andreas Züttel et son équipe ont commencé leurs travaux dans le laboratoire « Hydrogen & Energy » nouvellement créé à l’Empa. Leur domaine est l’hydrogène – que nombreux considèrent comme LE support...
12 févr. 2007 | Projet commun de l’Empa, de l’EPFZ et de l’industrie dans le domaine des moteurs à gaz
L’Empa (Laboratoire fédéral d’essai des matériaux et de recherche) et l’EPF de Zurich (Ecole polytechnique fédérale) ont conclu un accord de recherche avec Volkswagen-Forschung à Wolfsburg et Robert Bosch GmbH à...
Feb 9, 2007 | Empa develops an “early warning system” to detect new halogen-containing air pollutants
Just about as soon as they are manufactured and released into the atmosphere, new air pollutants can be identified and measured by Empa researchers. Ever more sensitive environmental analysis instrumentation make this...
8 févr. 2007 | 32e Apéro scientifique de l’Académie Empa
Il y a bien des années, l’industrie du bois a mené une campagne publicitaire pour ses produits avec le slogan: «le bois est chaleureux». Avec le béton cela ne serait guère pensable. Pour beaucoup, sa teinte grise est...
Feb 2, 2007 | Honorable retirement after 35 years at Empa
On 26th January Walter Muster’s decades of scientific work at Empa were honored by the award of the Mirko Roš Medal. At a festive ceremony in the Empa Academy the research institution took leave of the erstwhile member...
Jan 31, 2007 | Powered by artificial muscles
Conventional propeller driven airships have their disadvantages. They are inefficient, and thereby wasteful of energy, and they are noisy too. Empa scientists are looking to solve both these problems by using a...
Jan 24, 2007 | Fiber-reinforced polymers lend new life to old buildings
Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites are frequently used today to strengthen buildings to make them suitable for new applications and uses, as well as to prevent them suffering earthquake damage. The success...
Jan 23, 2007 | Near East expert Ulrich Tilgner reports about current developments in Iran
Ulrich Tilgner, the prominent near east correspondent and director of the ZDF office in Teheran, lectured on January 17, at a well attended Empa Academy gathering in Dubendorf, about „Education, Technology and Economic...
Jan 12, 2007 | On the test bed: How efficient are retrofitted exhaust gas particle filters on diesel motors?
A study conducted by Empa shows that diesel engines with particle filters fitted after manufacture emit about 40 per cent less particulate matter than those without filters. This is, however, significantly less efficient...