Everything Under Control Page 16

stay connected

The magazine of ETH Zurich and ETH Alumni No. 4, December 2013

Focus Control Everything under control page 16

Expedition to the Monte Rosa Hut page 12 Swiss Re head Michel Liès page 42 Science in focus page 46 No. 4, December 2013

Editorial

Dear readers

These days, vacuum cleaners hoover our flats while we are This is where the culture of enablement and trust at ETH out and cars can drive into parking spaces all by them- Zurich comes in. It creates room for creativity and encour- selves. These are just two of the most noticeable new ap- ages innovative ideas born at the frontier of current knowl- plications made possible through the rapid development edge. The departmental organisational structure is flat and of control engineering. Here at ETH Zurich, engineers from can quickly be adapted to the fresh demands of dynamic a wide range of different departments work on control sys- science. A subsidiary management culture enables the effi- tems for devices and vehicles, but also robots and complex cient handling of the variety that is essential for the long- social networks. Some of these projects are featured in this term success of a university. issue of Globe. This culture is only possible thanks to the foresight of its Control systems for machines and networks are based on backer, the Swiss Confederation: the government’s frame- constantly reconciling the goal and the status quo and thus work conditions allow ETH Zurich to hold its own in the regulate progress – a topic that is also close to my heart as international competition for the best researchers and President of ETH Zurich. How can I take our university Master students, and enable its members to deliver top- forward successfully together with all its members? What flight teaching and research. Its major competitive advan- is the best way to regulate a university? tages here are the initial endowment and the teaching and research infrastructure it can offer its researchers and stu- A conductor leads an orchestra along the path laid down dents – coupled with a high degree of institutional auton- by the composer. Universities have no such path. Science omy, an autonomy based on trust. is meant to find and research virgin ground. But how do you find your way to new places on a blank map? The most I am delighted by the level of faith that you show our insti- promising strategy combines concrete goals with an open- tution as readers of Globe and, as always, I wish you much ness for fresh knowledge. After all, Columbus discovered enjoyment when reading this issue! America, even though he had a different goal. Ralph Eichler Minds are crucial to a universities success. Just as a football President of ETH Zurich coach selects the right players, a university president guides the institution by choosing the right professors. ETH Zurich’s “team” is a complex, autonomous system, and it only needs intervention if it is unsuccessful for a Open Systems gehört mit seinen Mission Control Security Services im Bereich IT-Sicher- longer period of time. heit zu den europaweit anerkannten Anbietern. Wir arbeiten von Zürich und Sydney aus in einem dynamischen Umfeld in über 175 Ländern. Bei uns kannst Du Dein Wissen in einem jungen Team in die Praxis umsetzen und rasch Verantwortung übernehmen. Infos über Einstiegs- und Karrieremöglichkeiten sowie Videos findest Du auf unserer Website. www.open.ch 2 3 No. 4, December 2013

Contents Now also available in a free tablet version in German and English

Impressum Globe is the magazine of ETH Zurich and the official organ of the ETH Alumni 6 34 42 Association. Publisher: Flashlight Zoom Profile ETH Alumni Association/ETH Zurich Editorial team: Bizarre blossoms Getting closer to reality Mathematician of the world ETH Zurich, Corporate Communications: Roland Baumann (head), Christine Mathematical statistics helps Heidemann, Martina Märki, Felix Würsten researchers from a wide range Collaboration: Andrea Lingk (picture editing), of disciplines to identify Angela Harp, Florian Meyer, Peter Rüegg, the data that really counts. Samuel Schläfli, Norbert Staub 9 Advertisements: Administration: Focus Control ETH Alumni Communications, globe@ Ticker alumni.ethz.ch, +41 44 632 51 24 Management: News from ETH Zurich print-ad kretz gmbh, 8708 Männedorf, [email protected], +41 44 924 20 70 36 Design: TBS & Partner, Zurich Inside Proofreading and printing: 16 Everything under control Neidhart + Schön AG, Zurich Singapore-ETH Centre: Circulation: 12 25 200, issued four times a year “ETH Zurich has made the right Michel Liès studied mathematics Subscription: Report choice with Asia” at ETH Zurich and is now CEO Globe is available in a printed version in German by subscription for CHF 40 a The polished “Crystal” Real estate: building for the future of the world’s second-largest rein- year (four issues). Full membership of the surance company, Swiss Re. ETH Alumni Association includes an annual 18 24 Globe subscription. Send orders and changes of address to [email protected] “Control engineering Pinpointing tumour or, for ETH Zurich alumni, go directly to www.alumni.ethz.ch/myalumni. has come on in leaps treatment Further information and contact: www.ethz.ch/globe, [email protected], and bounds” Using micro and nanorobots, 40 +41 44 632 42 52 46 ISSN 2235-7289 drugs could soon be transported More and more systems come Connected Globe is also available in a free tablet to exact points in the body. Anno version (iPad and Android) in German with sophisticated controls and English. these days. This has been made Science in focus possible in part thanks to ever- better calculation methods, as For almost a century, the Photo- graphic Institute has been cap Picture credits: ETH Zurich expert Manfred Cover: IDSC, ETH Zurich; Editorial: turing the work of ETH Zurich Giulia Marthaler; Table of contents p. 4: Morari explains in an interview. 26 (bottom left) Peter Rüegg, (top right) IDSC, Four years after opening its doors, researchers on film. ETH Zurich; p. 5: (bottom left) Oliver Robots in control Bartenschlager, (top right) Tom Kawara; the new Monte Rosa Hut has Flashlight: Vahid Hosseini, ETH Zurich; during sleep Ticker p. 9: (centre left) Hansmeyer/ overcome its teething problems, Dillenburger, ETH Zurich, (top right) ETH as Globe author Peter Rüegg Sophisticated devices are per- Zurich; p. 10: (centre left) Peter Rüegg, ETH discovered when he visited the site. Zurich, (top right) Michael Ristow, ETH 20 forming an increasing number Zurich; Reportage pp. 12–15: Peter 48 Rüegg, ETH Zurich; Focus pp. 16/17: IDSC, of tasks in medicine; in future, When machines learn ETH Zurich; p. 19: Tom Kawara; p. 20: they might even help us to get Alumni life Oliver Bartenschlager; p. 22: IDSC, ETH Robots developed by researchers Honorary titles awarded at ETH Zurich; p. 25: Oliver Bartenschlager; p. 27: a better night’s sleep. Oliver Bartenschlager; p. 28: Oliver Bar- in their labs at ETH Zurich fly Day Thanks to alumni donations, ETH tenschlager; p. 31: iStockphotos.com/José breath-taking manoeuvres and Zurich can realise strategically L. Gutiérrez; Zoom p. 35: Detlef Weigel, VIPs at the KOF anniversary Max Planck Institute for Developmental teeter on only one corner. important projects more rapidly. Biology; Inside p. 37: Norbert Staub, ETH Star director visits robotics lab Zurich; p. 38: ETH Zurich; Connected However, their ability to learn Agenda p. 40: (top) Oliver Bartenschlager, (bot- is no less impressive. Top-class Alumni business events tom) Tom Kawara; p. 41: (top left) Peter 31 Rüegg, (top right) Monika Estermann, (bottom) Oliver Bartenschlager; Profile Power system under Strong partners p. 43: Tom Kawara; Anno p. 46: ETH Library Zurich, Image Archive, p. 47: ETH transformation Library Zurich, Image Archive; Alumni life p. 48: Monika Estermann; p. 50: Collec- In order to keep the power tion of Prints and Drawings, ETH Zurich. grid stable, consumption will have to be controlled.

4 5 No. 4, December 2013

Flashlight

Bizarre blossoms

Flowers – not exactly what Vahid Hosseini had been expecting. When this doctoral student from the Labo- ratory of Applied Mechanobiology removed the hydrogel samples he was using for his cell studies from the refrigerator and examined them under the microscope, they “burst into bloom”. Some of them had dried out by accident and he was greeted by various micro-flowers around fifty micro-metres in diameter. As soon as he watered the polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogel again, however, it returned to its original flat form in the blink of an eye. Having grown curious, the ETH Zurich scientist attempted to create the same flowers with other dried- out hydrogels, but to no avail. Only PEGs with a high molecular weight sprouted the peculiar flowers, the reddish colour of which is actually down to the microscope filter. Although the image has no scientific use, it is certainly pretty to look at – which is why Hosseini entered it in the photography competition at ETH Zurich’s Materials Research Centre. While it was not chosen as the win- ning photo by the judging panel, the Globe editorial team didn’t have to think twice before selecting it for this issue’s Flashlight.

www.appliedmechanobio.ethz.ch ➔

6 7 No. 4, December 2013

Ticker

Therapy module consists of several biological components of the human organism, Feeling happy which are combined to form an artificial signal cascade. In response to an reduces blood increase in the “happiness messen- pressure ger” in the blood, the module produces an antihypertensive substance. A team of researchers headed by Mar- The treatment has already worked in tin Fussenegger from the Department an experiment with male mice suffer- “The Holcim Awards is a of Biosystems in Basel has discovered ing from high blood pressure, where The new natural gas and diesel engine on the test unique platform to show a way to use the body’s own happi- the presence of a female triggered the bench. ness hormone, dopamine, for thera- corresponding feeling of happiness. Hybrid engine what comes out of the peutic purposes. The scientists have Whether and when a dopamine- created a synthetic gene module that based treatment will hit the market, Cleaner driving spirit of sustainable thinking.” can be controlled via dopamine. The however, is uncertain. Engineers from ETH Zurich have de- Hansjürg Leibundgut, Professor of Building Systems, Swiss Federal Institute of veloped a natural gas and diesel Technology (ETH Zurich), Switzerland. ETH Zurich is a Partner University of the hybrid engine that only releases 56 Holcim Foundation. grams of CO2 per kilometre into the environment and is up to three times below the current emission levels. They converted a diesel engine so that it can run up to 90 percent on natural gas. Instead of with an igni- Renowned technical universities lead th tion plug, it ignites with diesel that is 4 International Holcim Awards for the independent juries in five regions of injected directly into the cylinder. the world. They evaluate projects at an Thanks to complex control and regu- sustainable construction projects. advanced stage of design against the latory algorithms, the amount of “target issues” for sustainable construction Prize money totals USD 2 million. diesel and the moment of injection is and allocate additional prizes for visionary constantly adjusted to enable the ideas of young professionals and students. The room from the printer can still be admired at the FRAC Centre in Orléans until 2 February 2014. engine to run highly efficiently. It is Find out more about the competitions at expected to go into production in www.holcimawards.org Architecture five years. The Holcim Awards is an initiative of the only lasted a day and the printing a Swiss based Holcim Foundation for Sustain- Printed room month, it took over a year to develop 7 million given able Construction. It is supported by Holcim Two researchers from ETH Zurich’s In- the design. and its Group companies and affiliates away stitute of Technology in Architecture Their special printer produced over in around 70 countries, including Holcim have created a room made of artificial eleven tons of artificial sandstone for The industrial concern Sulzer will be Switzerland. Holcim Ltd is one of the world’s sandstone using a 3D printer. It is six- the work. One layer of sand was supporting the teaching and re- leading suppliers of cement and aggregates. teen square metres in size and over applied after another and fixed in search of the initiative “Materials, three metres high. place with a binding agent until the Processes and Technology” to the The architects developed highly printer’s entire print area was filled tune of CHF 7 million over the next complex algorithms for the project with sand. The excess sand was then ten years. Thanks to this generous entitled “Digital Grotesque.” A simple sucked away and the finished sand- donation to the ETH Zurich Founda- initial form was refined mathemati- stone element cleaned. The architects tion, the university can set up a cally and folded geometrically until a produced sixty-four individual blocks new chair in the field of “process filigree structure with over 260 million in this way, which they ultimately intensification.” facets emerged. While the assembly combined to make a room.

8 9 No. 4, December 2013

Ticker

Fighting crime Reasons behind criminality More punishment does not necessarily lead to less crime, as researchers from ETH Zurich conclude who have been using a computer model to study how criminality arises. In doing so, the scientists considered networks of social interaction. If we want to fight crime, we need to pay more attention The one-millimetre-sized roundworms live longer with niacin. to the social and economic back- grounds that encourage it. Health From his experiments, the researcher concludes that the low levels of free A vitamin as radicals and the oxidative stress they Management von Wachstum in fountain of youth trigger have a health-enhancing effect, thereby contradicting the view of Technologie-Unternehmen (TU-HSG) Who doesn’t want to live a long and many of his peers. In earlier studies in healthy life? A well-known substance humans, Ristow has already showed 4 Modulwochen: Unternehmensentwicklungskompetenz, could help, as a team of researchers that the health-enhancing effect of headed by Michael Ristow, an ETH Zu- endurance sport is mediated by an in- Sozial- und Persönlichkeitskompetenz rich professor of energy metabolism, has creased formation of free radicals – and 4 Modulwochen: Betriebswirtschaftliche Fach- und Führungskompetenz demonstrated in roundworms. When that antioxidants cancel out this effect. their food included vitamin B3 – also Niacin, the researcher says, induces a Start: 19. Mai 2014 | Ende: 6. November 2015 Lino Guzzella (l.) will be taking over the helm known as niacin – and its metabolite similar metabolic state and tricks the from Ralph Eichler. nicotinamide, the worms lived for body into thinking it is doing sport, Executive Board around a tenth longer. According to even if it isn’t. Ristow, this is down to free radicals, „Meine Erwartungen wurden übertroffen! Lino Guzzella ap- which develop when the metabolism pointed President converts nicotinamide. Nützliche Impulse, die sich in die Praxis of ETH Zurich DNA analysis for the jewellery industry in deter- umsetzen lassen mit einem deutlichen Akzent In mid-September, the Federal Coun- mining the origin and authenticity of cil elected Lino Guzzella, Rector of End of the road these precious objects. Although the auf psychosoziale Aspekte.“ ETH Zurich and a professor of ther- for fake pearls genetic fingerprint “only” allows the motronics, as the future President of species of pearl-producing oysters to Michael Näf, Dipl. Informatik-Ing. ETH, CEO, Doodle AG, CH-Zürich ETH Zurich. He will succeed Ralph A team of researchers from ETH Zurich be identified for now, the team is also Eichler, who is to retire at the end of and the Swiss Gemmological Institute already working to determine the ge- 2014. The Swiss government has has managed what was previously be- ographic origin of decorative pearls therefore followed a unanimous pro- lieved impossible: they have isolated using DNA analysis. The aim is to pin- Gerne beraten wir Sie in einem posal by the ETH Board. Guzzella is the oyster’s genetic material from point the region or even the lagoon persönlichen Gespräch! due to take over the reins on 1 Janu- pearls, and thus determined the spe- the pearl-producing oysters come Nadja Barthel, Programmleiterin InforMaTIonSanlaSS: ary 2015. Assuming the role of presi- cies of pearl oysters that produce from. HBM Unternehmerschule dent means that he will be giving up them. Moreover, a parallel project Tel. 071-224 7501 28. november 2013, the position of Rector, so his present was able to carbon-date the age of the E-Mail: [email protected] post will also need to be filled. pearls. Both methods are interesting 18.00 Uhr, Zürich-Flughafen, (Radisson Blu Hotel) Mehr Informationen unter anmeldung: 10 www.unternehmerschule.unisg.ch [email protected]

Global Stay Connect_ET131105_TU_210x280_UNI1456_v02.indd 1 06.11.13 09:30 No. 4, December 2013

Report

Monte Rosa Hut Peter Rüegg The new Monte Rosa Hut was inaugurated four years ago. Globe author Peter Rüegg has taken a look on site at how reality caught up with this ambitious project, and how ETH researchers have solved its teething problems over the years.

The polished The first rays of sunshine are just beginning to shimmer behind the Monte Rosa mountain range, much to the delight of the mountain climbers and hikers who set off on their way here in the early hours. On this glorious morning at the end of August, things are really busy at the Monte “Crystal” Rosa Hut. Rope teams arrive one after the other until the terrace is pretty full. One thing is clear: it’s not just the surrounding summits that are magnets for mountain climbers and hikers; the mountain hut is a big hit, too. Not least thanks to its unique architecture, designed by ETH students. The building, a project of ETH Zurich, was inaugurated four years ago in the autumn of 2009 to mark the university’s 150th anniversary. Already during the planning and construction phases, the new Hut attracted the interest of journalists, architects, building planners and mountain climbers. Among the public at large it has also become the embodiment of ultra-modern, high-tech mountain accommodation. Since it opened, the “Crystal”, as people call the Hut because of its shape, has recorded a consistently high influx of visitors. With over 11,000 overnight stays in 2011, it is by far the most visited hut of the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC). However, this mountain accommodation was destined to set new standards not only in terms of its architecture. The building engineering specifications were also ambitious: 90 percent energy self-sufficiency (excluding cooking energy) was the target. Wastewater was to be processed in the building’s own wastewater treatment plant and returned into circulation, but only if there was real demand. With this in mind, the ETH researchers had the remit of developing and installing a forward-looking energy management system. But scarcely had it been commissioned before the show- piece started suffering from teething problems. Negative headlines made the rounds. The energy requirements, for electricity in particular, were far higher than expected. So a large share of the energy needs had to be covered by the block-type thermal power plant. Among other reasons, this was because the wastewater treatment plant was running close to full capacity as a consequence of the high number of visitors. It needed more energy than estimated. The stream of mountain climbers and hikers is certainly pleasing, but Landmarks of the Valais Alps: the Monte Rosa Hut and the Matterhorn the Hut and the building’s service engineering were only in the first light of day designed to cater for 6,500 visitors a year.

12 13 No. 4, December 2013

Attraction Monte Rosa Hut: This modern accommodation offers mountain climbers and hikers not only a treat for the eyes, but also an unusually high The wastewater treatment plant (photo, left) needs more power than planned. To improve the energy supply, ETH researchers installed additional standard of comfort in every respect, from the sanitary facilities down to the Hut’s indoor climate. photovoltaic elements down from the Hut (photo, right).

The electricity shortfall was also caused by the photo machine were additional, unplanned consumers. Based on often supply more than enough warm water for heating or topic of “Forward-looking energy management” and wanted voltaic panels overheating during sunny weather, despite their analysis, Benz and Fux ultimately came up with a cooking. This saves on gas, as the excess hot water can be to research, test and implement this in practice at the Hut. the mostly wintery temperatures. And when they over- catalogue of measures which they implemented in coop- used for cooking. Thanks to its excellent insulation, the In the end he had to use computer simulations, though heat, their output drops. In the spring of this year TV images eration with SAC and the companies involved in the con- Hut only requires minimal heating. Around seven kilowatt with real data from the Hut. Nevertheless, thanks to his also showed sewage sludge on the glacier and gave the struction. hours are consumed per year and square metre. If the air analyses and simulations, the control of the Hut and the impression that the situation surrounding the Monte Rosa The most visible indication that the power supply has conditioning is switched off, the temperatures inside can losses of the energy system were able to be minimised. Hut was indeed nasty. improved are the new photovoltaic panels installed in the reach 30 °C. The insulation is so efficient that after the Hut All in all, Michael Benz is happy with the results of the summer of 2013, which were mounted on a cliff above and closed at the end of September it took two and a half optimised building service engineering. “Since August Major improvements below the warm water collectors. This plant feeds an months for the inside temperature to cool down to 5 °C. 2013 the Hut has been functioning really well”, he says. What many people don’t know: the ETH Institute for Dy- additional eight kilowatts into the grid. Furthermore, the The target value for heat supply was thus never at risk, accord- And Samuel Fux is convinced of it, too. “We have got the namic Systems and Control has been involved in dealing circuitry of the existing photovoltaic plant integrated into ing to the researchers. Benz stresses that without the best out of it.” with some of the teething problems of the Hut’s technol- the façade was optimised. The original current regulators kitchen they would be almost self-sufficient in heating energy. That quick tour of the Monte Rosa Hut in August 2013 ogy since it opened in September 2009. Together with SAC were replaced by a new generation. On sunny days, this But despite all the improvements, Benz says there is still also proved that guests feel at ease in and around this and the companies involved in the construction, ETH Zurich led to an increase in output of up to 20 percent from the one cause for concern: the wastewater treatment plant. Be- mountain accommodation. They praise the architecture, has invested a six-digit sum in rectifying and optimising façade-integrated plant. cause of the massive number of visitors, the plant quickly the sanitary facilities, the unusually high standard at this everything. Before they could begin their improvement With these and numerous other improvements, the reached its limits at the very outset and had to be altered. altitude and the beautiful rooms which have cast off the measures, the ETH researchers – project coordinator Mi- new Monte Rosa Hut’s electricity provision has since this This meant there was no longer a wastewater holding tank, dubious dormitory “charm” of the old Monte Rosa Hut, chael Benz and doctoral student Samuel Fux in particular August been what it should be: at just under 90 percent which was the prerequisite for targeted, forward-looking where people lay shoulder to shoulder. And there’s no – first had to make a thorough analysis of the energy data. self-sufficiency, not including cooking energy. “We didn’t energy management. The idea was only to operate the point looking for unappetising traces on the “glacier”, which Around 140 to 170 kilowatt hours of electricity were con- just improve the power supply; we made the entire system wastewater treatment plant when it was permitted by the in any case is not close to the Hut. ■ sumed by the Monte Rosa Hut every day, enough to cover more reliable and easier to maintain”, adds Michael Benz, degree of occupancy at the Hut, by its power production the requirements of 15 average single-family houses. Up to not without pride. and by the weather forecasts. Any wastewater that could www.neuemonterosahuette.ch ➔ one-third of this was consumed by the wastewater treat- not be treated, for instance because of a power shortage, ment plant, one-fifth by the air conditioning and heating Constant remote monitoring would have been fed into the tank. Only when sufficient plant. Another 20 percent were consumed by the kitchen. The ETH researchers likewise improved and optimised the energy was available for treatment would the plant have However, for around 40 to 50 kilowatt hours, it was not measurement and monitoring system. With the help of in- started operating. “If you can’t store anything, then you clear where they went. “The lighting in the Hut”, says numerable sensors, the indoor climate and other parame- can’t use forward-looking energy management either”, Benz, “could not explain this enormously high proportion.” ters can be constantly monitored from a distance – i.e. from says Samuel Fux. With the loss of the wastewater holding The researchers then had to take a closer look before they a desk at ETH Zurich. This means that researchers can identify tank, the plant had to operate non-stop. For this former were able to identify several smaller and larger energy glut- errors and shortcomings quicker. The heating system ETH doctoral student, the Monte Rosa Hut should have tons: a fridge in the cellar, a beer cooler and the cleaning worked well from the very beginning. The solar collectors been a “test laboratory”, as he wrote his dissertation on the

14 15 No. 4, December 2013

Focus Control

Everything under control The technical systems we encounter in our everyday lives are becoming increasingly sophisticated. In order to exploit the full potential of technology, however, efficient control systems are needed. Researchers at ETH Zurich demonstrate what these look like in a wide range of fields: not only are they developing adaptable houses, machines that are capable of learning and flexible power grids, but also active prosthetics, automatic surgical aids and nanorobots that deliver drugs with pinpoint precision inside the human body.

“Control engineering has come on in leaps and bounds” Page 18 When machines learn Page 20 Nanorobots join the fight against cancer Page 24 Robots in control during sleep Page 26 Power systems under transformation Page 31

The autonomous aircraft in the Flying Machine Arena learn how to perform complicated manoeuvres and acrobatic feats all by themselves.

16 17 No. 4, December 2013

Focus Control

a relatively high amount of energy, “Control engineering has come on which meant they could barely be operated with batteries. Such aspects are in leaps and bounds” also important. Various researchers at ETH Zurich are focussing on systems that are capable of Interview: Felix Würsten and bounds in recent years. Today, we Faster computers are a key factor. learning. How do you perceive their role Driving aids in the car, self-reg- can control systems in a way that was However, the more powerful algo- in the future? ulating heating or intelligent still utterly inconceivable ten, fifteen rithms that have been developed are Systems that are adaptive or capable anaesthesia units: nowadays, an years ago as we are able to perform equally important as they enable us of learning are an age-old dream and increasing number of systems calculations in microseconds now to analyse complex issues in real time. keep growing in importance. And are equipped with sophisticated which would have taken hours or Nowadays, we are able to perform they are an extremely interesting field controls. Thanks to improved even days in the past. calculations a million times faster for research. However, you have to calculation methods, as Manfred than ten years ago. This acceleration understand that such systems – at least Morari, a professor of systems Where are such rapid calculations used? is half down to the computers and for now – are less reliable than their dynamics and control at ETH Take engine control, for instance, half to the calculation methods, which “conventional” counterparts. Conse Zurich, explains. as studied in Lino Guzzella’s group: in is why we can control extremely quently, systems that are capable of a modern car, the fuel-to-air ratio is rapid processes with precision today. learning are unlikely to be used any Professor Morari, your research deals checked with the lambda probe. This We teamed up with IBM, for example, time soon wherever safety is of essence. with controlling such diverse systems as data is then used to optimise the to develop atomic force microscopes, About the person buildings, vehicles, chemical processes engine’s operation constantly so that which enable measurements with To what extent are biological systems Manfred Morari studied chemical engineering at ETH Zurich. After completing his doctorate, he and electronic components. What have it consumes as little fuel and produces sampling rates in the megahertz an inspiration for control engineering? became a professor at the University of Wisconsin and at Caltech in the USA. In 1994 he was made these systems got in common? as few pollutants as possible. This re- range. We have also developed con- Nature makes a suitable role model a full professor of systems dynamics and control at ETH Zurich. His main research interests include In all of these cases, we’re talking quires calculations that are performed trol processes with the EPFL that al- for technical systems only to a limited the modelling, analysis and control of continuous and switched systems, and their application about dynamic systems that we want in the space of a few milliseconds. low multi-core processors be used in extent – and with good reason: a living in vehicle technology, power electronics and biomedicine. He was General Chair at the European to control with a particular goal. What Today, we have come so far that the such a way as to optimise the com- organism faces different tasks from a Control Conference, which was held at ETH Zurich in mid-July. these goals are in a given case varies air that comes out of the back of a car putational speed but stick to the op- robot. For a person, it is impossible to from system to system. With build- is actually cleaner than the air that erating temperature limits. position one’s hand precisely in free ings, for instance, it’s all about im- goes in the front. Another example is space. For a robot, however, it’s a piece proving comfort and saving energy the Actelion building in Basel, which Sensors that provide the basic data for of cake. Conversely, unlike humans, ro- The systems we work with today are constructing the control system so and heating costs – and with invest- we fitted with a modern control sys- the control system have also got better bots find it extremely difficult to grip a becoming increasingly complex. In a that it also works in exchange with ment costs as low as possible. In the tem as a pilot project in conjunction and better in recent years. Where do fragile object that happened to be lying high-end car, for example, hundreds of an environment that is largely unpre- case of assistance systems for vehicles, with the company Siemens. Based on you still see a need for development in on my desk. Or to put it a different way: millions of programme lines are re- dictable is a whole new ball game. ■ safety comes first – but costs are a cen- local weather forecasts, which we re- this field? it never worked when humans tried to quired now to control all the systems tral factor here, too. In order to control ceive hourly from Meteo Schweiz, There is especially room for im- fly with fake bird wings like Icarus. It the vehicle is equipped with. This such systems, we use the basic princi- we can already pre-set the house’s provement in concentration measure- was only when we began building aero complexity makes it increasingly dif- ples of control theory, which enables heating and ventilation in such a way ments. Basically, we can measure eve- planes that we were finally able to take ficult to determine whether the soft- us to abstract the systems on a higher that it is optimally geared towards rything under the sun these days – but to the skies. For certain issues, how- ware systems are working perfectly or level, describe them with the aid of the next day’s weather. at what effort and what expense? ever, it makes absolute sense to study at least explain how an error occurs mathematical models and calculate When you consider that the build- The key thing is that we can iden- biological control mechanisms. Take my in the event of a malfunction. After optimum operating processes. ing sector is responsible for over 30 tify chemical substances cheaply, re- colleague John Lygeros who is studying all, the number of vehicle recalls due percent of Switzerland’s entire energy liably and yet accurately. For example, how metabolism is controlled in cells. to faulty control elements has in-

How has control systems engineering consumption, it becomes clear just in one project we used CO2-measuring In other words, the right approach for creased in recent years. So the ques- developed in recent years? how important such optimisations devices that were supposed to be a particular task needs to be reassessed tion is how to master the ever more The basic principles of control sys- can be. operated via wireless networks in depending on the situation. complex systems in such a way that tems engineering have been known order to monitor the air quality in their functionality can still be guar- since the first half of the last century. Where does this progress stem from? rooms. One major problem was the Where do you see the biggest challenges anteed. Making a system work in a That said, we have come on in leaps Faster computers? fact that these devices required for the future? controlled environment is one thing;

18 19 No. 4, December 2013

Focus Control

When machines learn They fly breathtaking manoeuvres, balance on only one corner and conquer unfamiliar terrain all by themselves: the robots developed by researchers in their labs at ETH Zurich impress not only with their skills, but also their ability to learn.

Felix Würsten

Two artists from the Cirque du Soleil were Raffaello Together with his team, D'Andrea developed a control D'Andrea’s inspiration for the project. They performed algorithm that enables the arms to learn the position in breathtaking acrobatic routines, during which they both which they are best able to maintain their state of equilib- had to maintain a critical balance. Neither artist could have rium, based on position data compiled with sensors. As held his position by himself, and would have toppled over. opposed to the arms being controlled centrally, each arm But their skilful routine succeeded because they worked calculates its optimum position separately for itself before together. exchanging information with the other arms. Every arm D'Andrea is a professor of dynamic systems and control calculates fifty times a second how it needs to move, and who always attracts a lot of attention with his seemingly informs the other arms of this around ten times a second. fun projects. He used this performance as a springboard to Even if the cube might look like a bit of fun, ultimately develop a robot that is also able to maintain a state that in it is not a game for D'Andrea: he wants to understand itself is actually unstable. This balancing cube is remarka- physical relationships better. “We develop model-based bly big – its edge is over a metre in length. But, place it on control algorithms that use clear-cut physical laws”, he ex- any edge or corner and it remains in the same position – plains. As for the balancing cube, these regularities are even if you nudge it gently from the outside with your well known in principle. In practice, however, this is not hand so that it briefly loses its balance. enough. The challenge is to cope with the minor variations of the real world. For instance, the joints do not move One arm alone is not enough quite as smoothly as the physical models suggest. This feat is possible because the cube is equipped with The physical principles in the experiments D'Andrea moving arms. These enable the robot to keep adjusting its conducts in the “Flying Machine Arena” are far more unclear. centre of gravity in such a way that the device remains in In this room, he and his group let autonomous flying the desired position. “It’s impossible to balance the cube quadrocopters whiz around and accomplish various fasci- with only one arm”, explains D'Andrea. “It takes at least nating feats. two, but three to six are even better.” The question now is For instance, the aircraft play tennis with each other, how to coordinate the movement of the arms as optimally perform breathtaking routines or juggle with little balls. as possible, for the robot can only maintain its balance if “At face value, we can describe the machines’ behaviour

The 70-kilogramme robot “HyQ” can run and gallop, and should soon the arms constantly exchange information with each other well during normal flight movements”, D'Andrea explains. be able to find its way in unknown territory. on the movements they perform. “If the flying objects perform extreme manoeuvres, how-

20 21 No. 4, December 2013

Focus Control

Although the question as to how the robots can learn He already started dabbling in robots that move inde- kick from the side, instead of falling over the machine from their experiences is central, D'Andrea is not necessar- pendently during his stint as a postdoc in the USA, where compensates for this unexpected impulse with surprising ily interested in human learning. “Our research is not in- he was involved in the development of LittleDog, a three- elegance. And the machine has another distinguishing spired by biology. Instead, we work with physical models”, kilogram device that travels across different landforms in feature: it can gallop, meaning that every so often all four he explains. “Of course, there are analogies between human the lab. Not only does LittleDog scuttle nimbly over rough legs are off the ground. “HyQ is the first running machine learning and that of the machines. But there are also major terrain and cross dangerous crevices; it is also capable of to master this form of movement and only have a dynamic differences. If a basketball player learns to make a basket, hopping up steps. Despite this impressive agility, however, control system,” explains the researcher. “All other robots for instance, it is not as easy to transfer this to other people. the robot lacks key skills. For instance, it is unable to gauge that are able to gallop have additional springs that support With machines, however, this is possible.” its surroundings independently and needs precise terrain the joints and make them easier to control.” coordinates as guidelines. And it did not learn movements Buchli’s goal is to hone HyQ into a device that is capable The engineer as artist such as hopping all by itself; they were predetermined by of learning. The robot should one day find its way in a Instead, D'Andrea finds the question of optimal architecture the programmers as a stereotypical pattern completely unfamiliar environment. To do so, it has to be far more exciting. “Many research groups focus too much able to take experiences it had in earlier situations into on developing algorithms in their work”, he finds. Not Precise control account. For this to work, Buchli is supplementing the enough research is conducted into the question of how to With HyQ, however, Buchli now has a research object that existing mathematical models with statistical approaches design an optimum system, however. “We currently lack a has its own perception and thus is already fairly independent. that are used to describe experience-based knowledge coherent theory of systems architecture.” This concerns And soon enough the robot should also find its way mathematically. “Ultimately, we want to develop a robot fundamental questions that are crucial for performance: in unfamiliar surroundings. He originally developed the that can do everything: walk, climb, run”, says Buchli, The “balancing cube” holds itself in equilibrium on one corner or edge. how do you construct the system? Where should the sensors machine together with colleagues at the Istituto Italiano di looking to the future. “And if it has arms, too, it should also Even if you nudge it gently from the side, it keeps its balance. be placed that record the position of the flying objects? Tecnologia in Genoa and has now brought a copy of the be capable of gripping objects and performing actions inde- How many sensors do you actually need? How much com- robot to Zurich. “I’m interested in the development of new pendently.” ■ putational power is generated on the aircraft, how much control algorithms”, he notes. “Instead of building a robot ever, suddenly changing direction or speed, for instance, it outside? And how is the information exchanged between myself, it makes more sense for me to fall back on existing Institute for Dynamic Systems and Control: is a different story.” During such manoeuvres, the aerody- the devices? hardware I already know is well-conceived thanks to a past www.idsc.ethz.ch ➔ namics, which are very difficult to reproduce in the model, “If the architecture is poor, even the best algorithm is collaboration.” are particularly complex. Precisely because the behaviour useless”, D'Andrea notes. “And conversely, nor is a decent The key thing about HyQ is that every joint on the robot Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems: is so difficult to predict in such moments, the flying objects system architecture very helpful if the control processes is fitted with force sensors, which enable it to set the rigidity www.iris.ethz.ch ➔ are just the ticket for developing algorithms that are capa- aren’t up to scratch.” Bringing the two sides together is of the joints with high precision. “If a robot is supposed to ble of learning. D'Andrea’s declared goal. Ultimately, it all boils down to move across unfamiliar terrain, it needs to be capable of In their experiments, the researchers set the machines a the question of the optimum design. And if you perceive adapting to unexpected changes immediately at any moment. concrete task each time – such as flying in a perfect circle design as art, then the engineer becomes an artist. Aes- That’s why it’s important for it to be able to regulate the or juggling with balls. The idea now is not for the research- thetically beautiful objects that astonish us and make us rigidity of its joints in a flash.” HyQ is also controlled with ers to design the best possible control algorithms. Instead, think – that is what fascinates D'Andrea. “As a researcher, a model-based system. Therefore, the robot calculates they want to develop programmes that enable the ma- I want to develop things that nobody has done yet, with- which force it might have to apply for a particular move- chines to discover how they can best master the tasks for out immediately having to think about a concrete use”, he ment in advance and constantly adapts it to the actual themselves. Thus the flying objects should gradually adapt says. And sometimes, as we keep being reminded, unex- circumstances. “Our models are based on highly complex, their strategy for approaching the problem based on their pected applications that nobody had thought of before- non-linear equations, which we have to work out in a very own experiences. To a certain extent, this means that they hand suddenly arise from precisely this open curiosity. short space of time”, says Buchli, describing the challenge. are capable of learning: they complete the task, and then Not only do the control algorithms have to be able to keep determine how well they achieved the goal set. They adapt Up steps and across crevices a machine with twelve degrees of freedom stable; they also their behaviour accordingly in the next attempt, based on Compared to D'Andrea’s filigree flying objects, the re- have to combine extremely different time levels. On the their deviation from the ideal condition. Instead of acting search object of Jonas Buchli, an SNSF-funded professor at one hand, the robot has to control its movements in every alone, the machines have to find their way together with the Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems, seems single moment; at the same time, however, it also needs to other flying objects. “Although every single device learns like a big, burly monster. Over a metre long, the robot the be able to develop a longer-term strategy as to how it wants for itself, this learning is also influenced by the behaviour scientist works with in his lab weighs in at seventy kilo- to reach the target destination. of other machines”, explains D'Andrea. grams. HyQ, as the unwieldy machine with four slender “Consequently, the individual flying robots have to legs is called, moves autonomously over rough terrain, el- Galloping without springs make assumptions as to how the other machines will be- egantly negotiating obstacles as it goes. “Such robots could The videos that Buchli shows reveal that the control algo- have during the next attempt.” one day be used in disaster areas”, explains Buchli. rithms are already extremely advanced. If you give HyQ a

22 23 No. 4, December 2013

Focus Control

looked for materials in order to copy the long run, however, the vortices the body like the millimetre subma- Nanorobots join fight against cancer this adaptability for their micorobots’ could also transport drugs through the rine in Fantastic Voyage? “We’ll be in drug delivery and happened upon the human body. humans in five years,” the ETH Zurich biopolymer chitosan, which is bio “For the first time, we are not only researcher is convinced. ■ Samuel Schläfli Although Fantastic Voyage is one of gella rotate later on through an external degradable and harmless for humans. working on our robots’ drive or con- Bradley Nelson is building micro Nelson’s favourite films, he draws even magnetic field, the direction and inten- What makes it so special: a hydrogel trol systems now but also solutions to Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems: and nanorobots for the medi- more inspiration from nature than sity of which can be controlled exactly. produced with it alters its form de- enable them to gauge their surround- www.iris.ethz.ch/msrl ➔ cine of the future, which could Hollywood. As soon as the spirals start spinning, the pending on the pH level. And as the ings in a complex system like the hu- enable drugs to be transported nanorobot swims, much like the E. coli pH level is mostly slightly lower near man body and interact with it,” Nelson precisely to the site of cancer- E. coli as a role model bacterium. Such a control system for tumours or infections than in the rest explains. ous tumours or infections. The Especially when it comes to the tricki- the robots via electromagnetic fields of the body, the drug delivery could And how long will it be before the researcher draws his inspiration est aspects of his robots, namely the is promising for medical applications. be activated independently by the first microrobots will set off through for the drive and control sys- drive and control systems. “By observ- For although the fields are very weak microrobots without any impulse tems in his tiny machines from ing bacteria, we stumble across move- and harmless for the body, they pen- from outside the body. In the initial bacteria. ment strategies that we’d never have etrate most biological materials. Nelson lab experiments, forty to eighty micro come up with by ourselves”, reports recently patented the system, which grams of agent per square centimetre The world’s smallest medical robot Nelson. After all, the smaller the ob- comprises eight individually controlla- of robot area could be delivered to the stems from a lab at ETH Zurich, as the jects become, the more challenging ble magnetic coils, and the ETH Zurich surroundings in a controlled fashion Guinness Book of Records has stated their propulsion gets: “On the scale spin-off Aeon Scientific is currently for three weeks. since 2012. It is barely sixty microme- we work on, objects stop behaving as working on marketing the technology. Another highly promising ap- tres long and five micrometres wide – we would expect from everyday life.” proach with which agents can be ma- about a hundredth of a hair’s breadth. Bacteria have an advantage here: over Pinpointing tumour treatment nipulated are miniscule vortices in a Its creator is Bradley Nelson from the thousands of years, they have devel- With the aid of the electromagnetic liquid medium. With this in mind, US, who has been developing robots oped techniques to move with mini- control system, the scientists are look- Nelson’s team developed a “rod bot”, for almost twenty years: microrobots mum of energy expenditure. ing to control the flagella-propelled a polymer cylinder sixty micrometres that are just about visible with the na- The E. coli bacterium, which is found nanorobots through arteries and ves- wide and 300 micrometres long with ked eye, and nanorobots that can only by the million in our intestines and pro- sels with high precision in future. The cobalt-nickel inlays. If an external be followed under the microscope. tects us from the spread of pathogens, target could be an infection or cancer- magnetic field is applied, the cylinder Nelson joined ETH Zurich as a profes- is particularly interesting for Nelson ous tumour, for instance. Once it ar- begins to turn on its longitudinal axis sor of robotics and intelligent systems and his team. In 1973 the American rives, the robot would release the drug – much like the nanoflagella. This cre- in 2002, where he set up an interdisci- biophysicist Howard Berg discovered it has been transporting, which means ates tiny micro-vortices in the liquid plinary team of engineers, computer that E. coli propels itself with a small the treatment would be considerably film at the ends of the rod bots. In and material scientists, biologists and corkscrew tail called a flagellum. “When more specific. Patients could be spared pictures taken under the microscope, chemists. His research has been de- we took a closer look at the fluid dy- “inundating” their bodies with medi- the researchers have proved that they voted to micro and nanorobots and namics of these flagella, we realised cation, as is commonplace in chemo- can hold miniscule polystyrene balls their application in medicine ever since. how efficient this ‘motor’ is in propel- therapy today, and thus all the side with the vortices, control them by This ETH-Zurich researcher is convin ling tiny objects in liquids”, explains effects. manipulating the magnetic field ex- ced that the tiny machines will first Nelson enthusiastically. With his team, For this to work, however, not only actly and deposit them at the desired be used in the medical sector. he began to recreate the spiral-shaped would medical practitioners have to be location. Sensitive objects such as cells, The 1966 film Fantastic Voyage was flagella of the micrometre-sized E. coli able to control the robot exactly; the micro-organisms or protein crystals an early prelude to what such applica- rotary engine. dispensation of the drug at the target can thus be transported without actu- tions might one day have in store for For this, they used semiconductors, would also need to be controlled. ally coming into contact with the car- us: a millimetre-long submarine with as this is the best way to control the In the search for suitable concepts rier. A further advantage of this a five-man crew zooms through the manufacturing processes on a nanome- for the latter, once again the research- method: the transportation works in- veins of a scientist to zap a life-threat- tre scale. The engineers vapour-depos- ers turned to the realm of bacteria: dependently of the magnetic, optical ening clot in his brain. After an hour ited ultra-thin layers of magnetic nickel many are actually known for changing or electrical properties of the objects of totally unexpected obstacles, the on the spirals, which were twenty-five their form depending on environ- to be transported. In an initial step,

mission has been accomplished and to sixty nanometres in length. These mental conditions such as light, tem- the rod bots are to be used to isolate The small black mark near the pinhead is the nanorobot that is meant to transport drugs to the the patient is saved. are necessary to make the artificial fla- perature or pH value. Nelson’s team protein crystals in x-crystallography. In right place with pinpoint accuracy.

24 25 No. 4, December 2013

Focus Control

Robotic devices in control during sleep

Cleverly controlled devices are taking on more and more tasks in medicine. They help the disabled to walk, support the rehabilitation of stroke patients and may someday even perform minor operations. Soon they may help us to get a better night’s sleep. The gentle rocking motion of the bed aims to help the test subject enjoy a deeper, more refreshing sleep.

which patients whose leg has been amputated can carry group, for older patients to be exact”, explains Riener. out movements which simulate those of the healthy leg. Young, strong patients found it far easier to climb stairs and Felix Würsten “Most prostheses are passive substitute organs”, explains didn’t necessarily need a device of this kind. The example Riener. “Our model is different. The artificial knee is of the active prosthesis demonstrates very clearly that the It has actually been common knowledge for a long time how the movements affect sleep onset behaviour and sleep equipped with a motor that moves the artificial lower leg.” successful development of such devices is dependent on that if you rock a baby in a cradle, it will fall asleep more quality. The next step involves the bed being directly con- To enable the movements to mimic the natural model close cooperation between engineers and doctors, nursing easily. Regular movements, for instance in a hammock or trolled by the physiological data. As soon as the device more closely, the joint also has mechanical springs which staff and patients. “As an engineer I have to know what on a moving train, help adults to get to sleep as well. But notices, based on brain waves and heart rates, that the test support the motor and protect against sudden jolts. With problems patients are confronted with in their daily lives exactly how these movements work, and whether they person is sleeping less deeply, it endeavours to prevent the active prosthesis, the wearer can climb stairs more easily and where there is a need for mechanical support”, com- could help people with sleep disorders has scarcely been from that person waking up by means of corresponding or walk on uneven ground. And the prosthesis can do ments Riener. “Otherwise, we will be developing devices investigated up to now. Robert Riener, Professor for Sen- movements. If it succeeds, this could help people with something else too. It is equipped with pressure sensors that nobody needs.” sory-Motor Systems, intends to fill this gap. Together with sleep disorders to achieve deeper and more refreshing which allow the patient to feel how heavily he is treading Roger Gassert, Assistant Professor of Rehabilitation En- Peter Achermann, who heads the Group for Chronobiology sleep. Reiner can also envisage other applications: “Move- on the ground by means of electrodes fitted to his back. gineering, has also positioned his projects at the interface and Sleep Research at the University of Zurich, he has de- ments of this kind during sleep could also prove beneficial between the engineering sciences and medicine. Like veloped special beds to examine the relationship between for people with psychological disorders.” Man must retain control Riener, who developed the motion robots “Armin” and motion and sleep. One bed makes a gentle pendular move- For Riener, who as an engineer has been involved for According to Riener, the biggest challenge for this device is “Lokomat”, innovative devices for stroke patients, Gassert ment, like a cradle. The other pushes the sleeping person years in the development of medical devices, there are, interaction with the wearer. “The prosthesis should auto- looks at novel approaches to rehabilitation too. In one of to and fro horizontally, either crossways or lengthways, however, several technical questions. For instance, the matically recognise the intentions of patients to enable his projects, he consciously focuses on hands. “There are and rises and falls as required. There is a reason for clearly construction of the bed constitutes challenges that should them to really use it like a healthy leg.” Right now, control already numerous devices which support the movements separating the movements, explains Riener, “If we mix the not be underestimated. The motors have to move the bed – is exercised via sensors attached to the clothing of the of the shoulders, elbows and wrists”, explains the engineer. three patterns, then it’s more difficult for us to examine that together with the test person weighs more than 100 healthy leg. Based on these sensors, the prosthesis recog- “But what are still missing to a large degree are robotic de- their impact. And the test persons become nauseous more kilos – without the slightest jolt. Furthermore, it must be nises what movement the patient wishes to make. This vices that train hand functions.” These would, however, be quickly.” practically noiseless to avoid sleep being disturbed by side- automatic adjustment is only possible because the re- particularly important for stroke patients as they normally effects. It will be even more demanding when it comes to searchers use sophisticated control algorithms which drive find it difficult to open their hands and grasp objects. Of- Soft and silent linking the mechanics to human physiology. “The depth of the motor quickly and flexibly. The important thing is for ten, their sensory skills are also impaired along with their Right now, the beds are in the test phase. The test persons sleep is not a parameter which one can simply determine the human to retain control. “The prosthesis must adapt to motor skills. In this case, patients can no longer really feel are fitted with measurement sensors in the sleep lab, which using a set value”, says Riener. the man and not vice versa, otherwise the patient will not how strongly they are grasping an object. provide information on the depth of sleep. Besides brain Adjusting specifically to the individual plays a key role accept it”, insists Riener. Gassert and his team have developed a robot which pro- waves the researchers also measure respiratory rate and in another project of this ETH engineer. Together with his The knee prosthesis is also currently in the test phase. motes the exchange between hand and brain in both direc- heart rate. Using the data recorded, they wish to establish group he is developing an active prosthesis by means of “Our device is actually only intended for a limited target tions. In one exercise, blindfolded patients have to pick up

26 27 No. 4, December 2013

Focus Control

This first prototype of an automated surgical robot can take samples from wooden bricks of various lengths with their fingers and force being exerted on the tissue. This means it is possible the test material, stitch up wounds and excise tissue. then recognise which brick they are holding, based on the to avoid damage to the organs. When a doctor is stitching hand position. The robot developed by Gassert mimics this up a wound, it is good to be able to measure the force too. exercise. The patients pick up the virtual bricks by pressing In the case of today’s surgical robots, the doctor can see on two movable grips against each other. The robot defines the screen that the thread is taught, but not how much via the control how long the grips can be moved freely, force is being applied to it. and when they have to be blocked. The patient then feels The various parts of the robot, developed at numerous how big the virtual bricks are. universities, were assembled in Gassert’s laboratory this With the robot, sensory skills can be measured objec- autumn. “Here in Zurich we have concentrated on the de- tively. Gassert is convinced that “In their day-to-day prac- velopment and control of the robot”, he reports. “The tice the therapists have a keen sense of whether someone other teams developed data collection and monitoring.” If is making progress. But if we want to move forward in this everything goes according to plan, the engineers will soon field, we need more objective measurement data.” At the be practising the first operation steps on animal organs present time, the device is being tested in a rehabilitation with doctors at University Hospital Zurich. “It will be a few clinic in Canton Ticino. The first results are encouraging: years before the robots can carry out operations indepen- the work with the therapy robot seems to lead to a sub- dently”, comments Gasser dampening any overly high ex- stantial improvement, not least because with this device pectations. “Amongst other things we have to clarify a few the intensity of the exercise can be increased gradually. safety issues, such as what happens to the patient if an unexpected error occurs during the operation.” ■ Incise, prick, stitch A second project, on which Gassert is working intensively Sensory-Motor Systems Lab: right now, has a completely different objective. In collabo- www.sms.hest.ethz.ch ➔

ration with researchers from other universities, he is in an EU project to develop a surgical robot which should be Rehabilitation Engineering Lab: capable at a later stage of carrying out certain simple op- www.relab.ethz.ch ➔ erations. The goal is to relieve the burden on doctors. “Similar to the control of an airplane, a human would in future primarily assume the more complex phases, whereas for the simpler ones he would simply have to monitor the machine”, explains Gassert. But the scientists are still a long way from this. Right now they are constructing the first prototype. If it functions as planned, it will be able to carry out three tasks: remove a tissue sample by puncture, stitch up a small wound and excise tissue from a wound. The robotic device is controlled using data that are col- lected before and during the operation, using imaging techniques. This enables the machine to react if organs shift during the operation. In concrete terms, the surgical robot consists of two movable “hands”, each having two “fingers” to grasp something. The hands are fixed via two movable “arms” to a rotatable board which is attached, in turn, to a rail system. “The construct mimics a doctor who is bending over the patient”, explains Gassert. In total, the device has 18 degrees of freedom – so the control requirements are correspondingly high.

Feeling the force correctly One major innovation is that the device is fitted with force sensors. During the operation the robot can recognise the

28 29 No. 4, December 2013

Fokus Ernährung Focus Control

Power systems under transformation

Roland Baumann An increasing amount of electricity comes from renewable energy sources. As wind turbines STUDY HERE IN ZURICH YOUR and photovoltaic power plants produce electricity at irregular intervals, however, new ap- EXECUTIVE MBA AT THE UK proaches are needed to com- pensate for the fluctuations UNIVERSITY OF THE YEAR ! on the power grid.

Only a few years ago, Europe’s electric- Economist EMBA Ranking 2013: Strathclyde No. 2 in Switzerland! ity market was rather boring – and www.strathclyde-mba.ch easy for pumped storage power stations. At night, when the prices were low, they drew electricity and filled their reservoirs, only to empty them during the lunch break when demand and thus electricity prices were at their highest. Those days are over. Now, the prices are far less predicta- ble. The photovoltaic power plants are the main culprits as they feed the Renewable energy sources such as photovoltaic power plants feed electricity into the grid most electricity into the grid at around at irregular intervals and require new approaches to control. lunch time and cause the highest prices to tumble. Andersson. After all, electricity con- tions for a balance need to be found”, sumption fluctuates hugely in the says Andersson, summing up the situ- Balance needed course of a day, a week and a year and ation. “Flexibility” is the buzzword of “New electricity generators – besides requires a constant adjustment of the the hour, and energy researchers are photovoltaics, especially wind power – generator output. Traditionally, how- not just asking technical and organisa- are turning the whole power system ever, this adjustment could easily be tional questions; new business fields upside down”, observes Göran Anders- planned. To put it simply, nuclear are also opening up. son, a professor at ETH Zurich’s Power power stations and certain thermal Systems and High Voltage Laboratories. plants provided the basis with so- Compensating for fluctuations The reason behind this is a peculiarity called base-load energy. The balance One challenge lies in regulating wind of the power system: as no electricity between consumption and produc- turbines and photovoltaic power plants, can be stored in the power grid, the tion was achieved with gas and hydro- which naturally produce electricity at generators collectively have to produce power stations. irregular intervals. If no energy is to be every second precisely the amount Now, nuclear power stations are lost, we need storage facilities. These of electricity that is consumed at that increasingly being replaced with wind could be pumped storage power sta- moment. turbines and photovoltaics in Europe. tions, which thus still have a future. “Until now, it was easier said than This brings a new volatility to both “In order to operate them as economi- done to control the generators so that the demand side and the production cally as possible, however, new models they produce the right amount of side. “The fluctuations are thus grow- are called for that predict peaks more electricity at that very moment”, says ing much bigger overall and new solu- effectively”, Andersson points out.

30 31 No. 4, December 2013

Focus Control

Angehende Genies Batteries are the second storage op- ideal here. Refrigeration facilities, for where he also sees a need for action: starten ihre Karriere tion. They are currently even more instance, can easily be cooled by a few “If everyone went home after work nicht im Berner Patentamt expensive than pumped storage facili- more degrees if there is a lot of elec- and immediately started charging ties, even if costs are decreasing. tricity, only to return to the normal their cars, new peaks would be cre- sondern bei Sensirion. Moreover, battery performance de- temperature again afterwards if less ated.” As the cars won’t be used again clines over time. Andersson’s group is electricity is produced, or if the elec- until the following morning, how- currently developing a model that tricity is needed elsewhere. ever, the charging of the individual indicates how to best operate batteries In the USA, controlling air-condi- vehicles could be staggered through- to receive the longest possible service tioning units, in particular, is a hot out the night. Here, too, this raises life. topic, where there is also the possibil- questions about control and commu- Und werden Teil der Sensirion-Story: Sensirion ist das weltweit führende auf einem winzigen Siliziumchip. Damit verschieben wir die Grenzen des Andersson’s group is also looking ity of turning the temperature down nication between electricity providers und mehrfach preisgekrönte Hightech-Unternehmen auf dem Gebiet der Messbaren ins schier Unermessliche. Schreiben Sie Ihre eigenen Kapitel into organisational approaches to bal- – or up. “We don’t feel a difference in and consumers. Feuchtesensoren und Durchflusssensoren – mit Niederlassungen in Über- der Sensirion-Erfolgsgeschichte und übernehmen Sie Verantwortung in ance out fluctuations on the power room temperature of half a degree”, “So-called aggregators are needed see und im Fernen Osten. Dank unserer einzigartigen CMOSens® Techno- internationalen Projekten. Stimmen Sie sich auf www.sensirion.com/jobs auf grid. One possibility is to create larger, explains Andersson. “However, it has that bundle the information flows in logie vereinen wir das Sensorelement mit der digitalen Auswerteelektronik eine vielversprechende Zukunft ein. so-called regulation zones – areas where a major influence on the load, in a suitable way”, explains Andersson. the fluctuations have to be compen- other words the amount of electricity Such an aggregator, for instance, man- sated. According to today’s agree- consumed at that moment.” With ages 10,000 consumers and receives ments, for instance, Germany has to these shifts, quite a lot can be achieved. the signal from the grid operator find a balance if it operates new wind That said, it is not about saving energy Swissgrid to increase or restrict con- turbines in the north. According to here. The temperature is solely ad- sumption – depending on how much

Andersson, it would make more eco- justed to keep the grid in balance – electricity is available. In other words, SE_AZ_Globe_174x116_Einst_Girl_01_01_RZ.indd 1 01.02.13 13:26 nomic sense to balance out the fluc- without any noticeable effect. it is responsible for maintaining the tuations within Europe – like in Swit- What might sound straightforward balance and is compensated by Swiss- zerland with its hydropower stations. is more complicated in reality, of grid for this regulation service. It can In this respect, the idea of estab- course, especially as far as controlling distribute part of its income among lishing so-called capacity markets is loads is concerned. The research pro- the customers. “Studies we’ve con- being discussed, where the operators jects in the field are suitably varied. ducted, however, reveal that there are only paid for being available in They also give rise to new business isn’t very much money to be dished the event of an emergency – much opportunities. In his doctorate under out”, Andersson points out – some- like the fire brigade. These could be Andersson, Stephan Koch concen- where in the range of twenty to thirty operators of gas turbines, for instance. trated on controlling loads and subse- francs a year. Consequently, the cus- For while gas turbines are more ex- quently developed special software to tomer has little incentive to provide pensive to operate than base-load model and control the large number his or her car for an offset. One idea is power stations, they can be started up of decentral units in a project funded now not to distribute the money, but Dr. Karim Bschir, Branco Weiss fellow since 2012 extremely quickly. by ETH Zurich’s Pioneer Fellowship to hold a sort of lottery among the Programme. Meanwhile, he and two participants where the winner takes Controlling electricity colleagues are about to officially all, 100,000 francs, for instance. ■ consumption found the spin-off Adaptricity, which Know what science will look like tomorrow? For all of these ideas, researchers are provides software solutions for power Power Systems and High Voltage Laboratories: still only developing the decision- systems. www.eeh.ee.ethz.ch ➔ Apply today. making basis. “Nobody knows where The idea of achieving load regula- the journey will take us yet”, says tion with electric cars shows the way Adaptricity spin-off: The magnitude of challenges we face today requires people with fresh thinking and novel approaches. Andersson, before mentioning an- forward. Thilo Krause, a senior assis- www.adaptricity.com ➔ To help find new ways forward, Society in Science - The Branco Weiss Fellowship gives extraordinary postdocs other promising approach: “Instead of tant in Andersson’s group, is involved and engineers a generous grant to pursue an unconventional project for up to five years anywhere in the world. the generators, we can also control in the project THELMA, which exam- Have an idea that could change tomorrow? Get in touch with us today! certain burdens – the electricity con- ines the impact of electromobility on sumers, for instance.” Thermal loads Switzerland as a whole. In his sub- www.society-in-science.org such as heat pumps, electric boilers or project, Krause is analysing the im- refrigeration facilities are especially pact of electric cars on the power grid,

32 33 No. 4, December 2013

Zoom

Statistics Getting closer to reality

Florian Meyer Accordingly, statisticians are very Instead, she systematically exam Sara van de Geer started out by much in demand. The Swiss research ines the fundamental relationships wanting to understand people magazine “Horizonte” reported in Sep between datasets, models and their better. Then she discovered how tember that almost 200,000 additional interpretation. Her focus is on search fascinating the theoretical and experts with a background in statistics ing for ideal models that provide re philosophical aspects of statis- would be needed in the USA by 2018. sults that are as reliable as possible, tics are. Today she is a professor Sara van de Geer has noticed that the even for complex issues that involve of mathematics, and she is de- subject is already becoming more many different dimensions and un lighted that more and more stu- popular with students: “When I started knowns. dents are showing an interest with the main lecture in statistics at In modern science, models are pretty in her subject. ETH Zurich in 2006, only around much the interface between theory and twelve students turned up. Today reality. In empirical research they de Mathematical statistics. When we hear roughly 80 students are registered in pict reality, compressing this reality these words, fascinating research is not the course.” According to van de Geer, into authoritative theoretical features necessarily the first thing that springs the number of students studying sta and properties. In pure mathematics, to mind. We are more likely to see it as tistics is also increasing at a global a model proves that there are certain Statistical methods such as the Lasso method can be used to look at thousands of genes and identify those that are probably a necessary evil – as tables and diagrams, level. She believes that the reason for principles (axioms) for the structures the most important for plant growth, as trials with thale cress have demonstrated (shown here in different mutations). for example, that are an essential part this increased interest is that not only of a quantity that apply to them with of any piece of scientific work. scientists, but also other professionals out contradiction. Because data is so complex nowa measure data quantities of up to “but over time I noticed that data and Mathematical statistics is the re have to deal with more and more data Statistics as practised by Sara van days, the classic method of least 20,000 genes for each individual measurements in every scientific dis search area of Sara van de Geer, pro on an everyday basis. de Geer is somewhere between these squares, for example, which stems plant. That’s too much data – some of cipline are never unambiguous and fessor of mathematics at ETH Zurich. two poles: Theoretically, she deals from a method developed by the Ger which is often even contradictory – to that theoretical statistics is dedicated It is also a specialist field that is be Reducing complexity with the general properties of various man mathematician Carl Friedrich find out reliably which genes actually to precisely this aspect of scientific coming more and more important. Be But researchers like van de Geer and classes of models that can be used in Gauss, has been extended to include influence plant growth. “But statisti research.” In any case, she is well able cause the computing speed of com her team do not provide the students many areas. Mathematically, she de a contemporary version known as cal methods can narrow it down to to cope with the uncertainty that is puters is constantly increasing, it is with any ready-made solutions. In scribes how to decide whether a model Lasso. around ten genes that are probably inherent in the nature of statistics. ■ possible to store more and more data stead, they teach them processes to does in fact represent the data. the most important for growth”, ex faster, and at a lower cost. Anyone reduce complexity: “We live in a com Using Lasso for the ideal model plains van de Geer. http://stat.ethz.ch ➔ who wants to interpret and under plicated world, but there is an under How data affects models Lasso is a method that allows pre Such collaborations can thus yield stand this data has to be able to record lying structure. We want to find that Adjusting models to data is not as cisely what up until recently had been mutual benefits: the mathematician and evaluate it statistically. structure, and statistics is the way to simple as it sounds. Random events strictly forbidden in the realm of sta encounters new and exciting issues The internet in particular supplies gain meaningful information from and probabilities are key components tistics: a model with significantly that contribute to the further devel vast amounts of data that can be used, the multitude of data”, says the scien of the models. Furthermore, even the more parameters p than observations opment of statistical theory, while for example, to analyse how people tist, whose research and teaching is most precise measurements cannot n. Lasso can be used to make forecasts the scientist in question obtains more behave when they want to buy some mainly involved with empirical pro prevent the data quantities from con that already come very close to the reliable results as well as ideas for in thing and how they reach their deci cesses, estimation methods and model taining errors and contradictions. With ideal model. teresting new hypotheses. sion. Searching the internet would selection. very complex data that contains many It’s not only the statistician herself From the very outset, van de Geer also be impossible without statistics. Put simply, every statistic relates to dimensions and unknowns, there is a who benefits from the results, but also was fascinated by the clear mathe Likewise, many tasks that are subject data that is recorded, modelled, evalu risk of seeing a structure there that empirical researchers, for instance in matical descriptions and the striving to risk nowadays, such as predicting ated, understood and presented. But does not actually exist. the fields of earth system sciences, for objectivity that theoretical statis storms, granting bank loans or con for a theoretical statistician like van Van de Geer develops methods that systems biology and computer science. tics involved. “I started my degree in trolling nuclear plants, are almost im de Geer, it is not about a single dataset, help to avoid such misinterpretations If plant scientists or biologists want mathematics because I was interested possible to carry out without the re a particular model or an exclusive area and that lead to forecasts and results to determine how genes influence the in people and in the quantitative meth quisite statistical knowledge. of application. that are as reliable as possible. growth of a plant, then they have to ods of the social sciences”, she says,

34 35 No. 4, December 2013

Inside

Singapore-ETH Centre the cooperations and project proposals of researchers from different disci plines. The results include novel mate “ETH Zurich made the right choice rial development out of bamboo fibres and polymers, for instance, which could revolutionise construction in in going to Asia” parts of the world and could reduce

both its CO2 footprint and costs. Dis coveries from the analysis of big data, Interview: Angela Harp and Norbert Staub Singapore ETH Centre is concerned, tions work intensively on models for which reveal how you can influence Professor Schmitt, what impressed you we definitely made the right choice to the city of tomorrow and its environ the centrality of cities, or findings on the most during your stint as Director of base it in Asia. Singapore currently mental compatability, quality of life, the crucial interplay between mobil the Singapore-ETH Centre? boasts the continent’s highest-rank added value and social integration fac ity and multi-functional urban plan Gerhard Schmitt: The new Asia as ing university, where it is possible to tors. We’d like to understand, shape, ning, are also worthy of mention. All I have experienced it is extremely dif work on fascinating projects with sci transform, implement and coordinate results are fundamental for the fur ferent from that of the 1990s. In the entific peers in a living lab that the urban and rural fabric of the future. ther development of sustainable cities. countries of Southeast Asia, you can couldn’t be conducted in Switzerland sense a positive awareness of independ for geographic and climatic reasons. What challenges did you initially have to What’s next in the pipeline? ence, a spirit of growth and a sensitivity overcome? The second SEC research programme to the future development of these na What was your greatest success while It wasn’t all that easy to get a re on Future Resilient Systems is already tions in society, the business world, working in Singapore? search institute on its feet as a non- undergoing preliminary checks, then politics and academia. The absolute fig Paving the way for the develop profit institution over 10,000 kilome another programme could follow af ures show that Asia now exhibits the ment of sustainable cities with a high tres from Switzerland, fifty kilometres ter 2015. We will also be addressing highest urbanisation rate in the history quality of life. That was our goal right north of the equator, in a completely the increasing warming and decreas Gerhard Schmitt is a professor of information architecture at ETH Zurich. His main research interests of mankind. from the word go in 2006, back when different cultural landscape, without ing quality of life in tropical cities include understanding, formalising and simulating urban and rural systems while taking the growing sustainable urban development wasn’t directly having ETH Zurich’s excellent with the scheduled project ”Cooler significance of crowd sourcing, big data and data-driven design into account. The inaugural director Why is the academic sector developing so a high priority in any region of the infrastructure and administration to Calmer Singapore”. In 2015 a second of the SEC will continue to run the simulation platform at the Future Cities Laboratory after his return rapidly in Asia? world. This meant we had to work fall back on. The support of the Execu phase of the Future Cities Laboratory to Zurich. The practical goal is to equip urban planning with locally usable, scenario-based planning The economic development has had hard to boost public awareness of the tive Board and especially the Presi is also due to get underway and we instruments all over the world. a huge impact on the academic sector. topic of sustainability. As for urban dent was essential. We started out in are developing alternative forms of In October 2013 he was succeeded as Director of the SEC by Peter Edwards, a professor of plant With a more stable economy, the development, ETH Zurich was one of September 2010 with two people in implementing urban-planning research ecology at ETH Zurich and until recently Head of the Department of Environmental Systems. countries in the region have managed the first to see key research potential Singapore and initially focused on the results. In Asia, Africa and South Amer to attract experts from all over the for the future in it, with enormously most important aspects to get the re ica, there is a shortage of hundreds of world and send their own off to re positive economic and environmen search centre up and running: staff, thousands of architects and planners. nowned institutions around the globe tally relevant consequences. Today, infrastructure and funding. Fortunately, Design research studios, “blended What advice would you give your succes- to analyse and learn their best prac this research field is a permanent fix we knew what works best at ETH learning” – the combination of class sor Peter Edwards? tices. China is attracting former stu ture in public discourse. Zurich, so we were able to set up an room and e-learning – and Massive The people and institutions in Singa dents back to the country as lecturers, analogous, extremely flat and efficient Open Online Courses would all be pore have received and supported our especially from the USA and Europe, Hence the Future Cities Laboratory structure in Singapore. possibilities. multinational SEC community very and specialists from Singapore, China (FCL)? Our aim is to give the ETH Centre positively, and the Swiss embassy and and India are coming to Switzerland Yes. Meanwhile, the phenomenon What results has the Future Cities Lab a permanent spot at a top-class research Swissnex Singapore have also helped to study our education system at all of the city, urbanisation processes and delivered thus far? location in Asia and develop it into a tremendously in this respect. I’m de levels. In doing so, they see the ad their impact are recognised as impor Besides achieving the performance recognised research facility in the lighted that Peter Edwards is taking vantages of the dual system that forms tant fields the world over. The FCL, objectives, such as publications and region. At the same time, it repre over the reins from me and offer him the basis for innovation, employment, our transdisciplinary research centre, research with doctoral students, the sents a key research platform for one simple piece of advice: listen, be added value, social integration and studies urban sustainability in a local most important results emerge from ETH Zurich in Asia, where students committed and aim forwards. ■ scientific excellence. However, it is no and global context and has established transdisciplinary collaboration. The and lecturers can familiarise them mean feat to implement such a system itself as one of the top names in the exhibition opened in September, half selves with ETH Zurich before decid www.futurecities.ethz.ch ➔ in another environment. As far as the field. Over 200 people from thirty na way through the project, showcases ing on a stint in Switzerland.

36 37 No. 4, December 2013 Inside Wanted: people to help shape the future. building on Gloriastrasse can com mence in the summer of 2014. That is where, after 2019, the researchers Risky place, Planet Earth. But as one of the world’s leading reinsurers, risk is our business. Risk in every from the Health Sciences and Tech shape and form, in every walk of life. As a graduate at Swiss Re, your job will mean coming to grips with nology Department will be housed. At all those global issues that make life today so risky − and so challenging. Whether your discipline is natural the same time, next year will also see science, mathematics, business administration, medicine, law, finance, or just about anything else for the start of planning work for renew that matter, we’re looking for exceptional people who are up for spending 18 months of their life on our ing the mechanical engineering lab. graduates@swissre programme. At Swiss Re, risk is the raw material we work with, but what our clients ETH Zurich’s main building is to be freed of its unsightly extensions in the coming years. Dragila wants to make the refurbish ment of ETH Zurich’s main building value are the opportunities we create. And − hey − this could be yours. Real estate into a landmark project. “Step by step, we will rid the main building of its Seize your opportunity at www.swissre.com/graduates unsightly extensions”, she explains. Building for the future “The main building should once again become a building worthy of ade Felix Würsten construction regulations from 2007”, quately representing ETH Zurich.” ETH Zurich is running out of explains Drazenka Dragila-Salis, who space at both its Zentrum and has been in charge of the Building and Longer-term planning Hönggerberg campuses. As a Constructions Infrastructure Division ETH Zurich already has a large portfo result, the university is looking since the beginning of September. lio of real estate, and in the coming for solutions as to how it can “This is why we now have to work to years it will continue to invest large find the additional space it gether with Zurich city council to find amounts in building extension meas needs. And it is also thinking solutions to safeguard the further de ures. Consequently, it is clear to about what an inspiring space velopment of ETH Zurich in good Dragila that the university will have for the research and educa- time.” to have an even longer-term real es tion of the future might look tate planning strategy than hitherto. like. Streamlining the main building “We can plan the majority of our The same applies to the Zentrum cam investments well in advance”, she ex The ETH Zurich Hönggerberg Campus pus, where ETH Zurich is also strug plains. “If we optimise the planning will see dramatic change in the com gling with the problem of tight spaces. processes further, we can use re ing years. Together with private in The future of this location will be de sources more efficiently.” vestors, ETH Zurich will create five termined by the master plan for the For her, it is not only about im buildings that will provide space for a “Hochschulgebiet Zentrum” project, proving processes and establishing total of 1,000 students. This means which is currently in the formal con commitment in all directions. “We that in future the campus will be a vi sultation phase. This master plan also have to consider what inspiring brant place where people from all shows how the development of ETH spaces could look like in a university over the world can meet – not just Zurich, University of Zurich and the of the future.” Particularly in educa during the week, but also in the eve University Hospital can be made pos tion, she sees a need for new ways of nings and at the weekend. Although sible at this central location without thinking, especially as students nowa this is a very positive step, with this the three institutions getting in each days no longer acquire their knowl and the seven other buildings for re other’s way. At the moment the as edge in the same way as before. For search and education that the univer sumption is that ETH Zurich will re this reason, Dragila has not only got sity intends to build at Hönggerberg ceive additional floor space of 70,000 in touch with the experts involved in by 2020, ETH Zurich will soon reach square metres – space that the univer new forms of teaching at ETH Zurich, its capacity limits at this location. sity urgently needs. but also endeavours to speak to the “With the buildings planned at the In the coming years, ETH Zurich students so that they can bring their moment, we will soon reach the per will also realise various challenging needs into the planning process. ■ missible above-ground construction projects at the Zentrum campus. If all mass, which is defined in the special goes to plan, construction of the new

38 39

GlobeStay_SoapBubbles_Sunset_EN_061113.indd 1 06.11.13 17:07 No. 4, December 2013

Connected

Alumni business event Collaboration Dual education and innovation Strong partners

ETH Alumni held their business event twice this autumn. And once At the “Journées Scientifiques et Pédagogiques”, ETH Day 2013 again they were able to welcome some exciting guest speakers: Lino Guzzella (l.), Rector of ETH Zurich, and Hans Hess (l.), the president of the industry association Swissmem, Philippe Gillet, Vice-President for Academic Affairs Honorary titles awarded spoke about the importance of dual education in embarking on a at EPF Lausanne, laid down the objectives for career; and Urs Rohner, President of the Board of Directors at Credit better networking between the two top Swiss At this year’s ETH Day, ETH Zurich’s Rector Lino Guzzella California in Berkeley; and Jillian F. Banfield, a professor Suisse, talked about the power of innovation and the challenges universities. This regular exchange between (centre) presented the following people with an honor- at the University of California’s Department of Earth that the bank of the future faces. Numerous visitors attended the professors and staff from EPF Lausanne took ary doctorate (from left): Peter Jenni, a particle physicist and Planetary Sciences in Berkeley. The following were talks and seized the opportunity to engage in a lively discussion. place at ETH Zurich for the first time. and head of the ATLAS experiment at CERN’s Large awarded the title of Honorary Councillor (from right): Hadron Collider; Noga Alon, a professor of mathemat- ETH Zurich’s donors Max Rössler, Martin Haefner and ics and IT at the University of Tel Aviv; Eric A. Brewer, René Braginsky, and Georg Edwin Felix Schoop, Head a professor of Computer Science at the University of of the Baden Forest Administration.

Visit Star director at robotics lab A breath of Hollywood wafted through ETH Zurich when Swiss film director Marc Forster visited the university’s robotics labs at the beginning of October. The director of films such as Monster’s Ball, Kite Runner and World War Z was in the city as President of 75 years the Jury at the Zurich Film Festival. During his visit he was given demonstrations of VIPs at KOF anniversary various robots – including the flying robot sFly, which so excited him that he immedi- Notable well-wishers gathered to mark the 75th anni- Johann Schneider-Ammann; presenter Alenka Ambroz; ately captured it on camera. versary of ETH Zurich’s Swiss Economic Institute (KOF). Jan-Egbert Sturm, a professor of applied economic As guest speakers and panel members, the visitors research and Director of the KOF; Thomas Jordan, lauded the KOF’s work and discussed the relevance of President of the Swiss National Bank; President of ETH economic forecasts and analyses. From left to right: Zurich Ralph Eichler; and Christoph Schär, a professor Josef Ackermann, former CEO of Deutsche Bank; Hans at the Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science. Hess, President of Swissmem; Federal Councillor 40 No. 4, December 2013

Profile

ETH Zurich alumnus Michel Liès A mathematician of the world

Roland Baumann

Michel Liès, CEO of Swiss Re, headed out into the language skills alongside the “global language” of mathe big, wide world when still a young mathemati- matics? cian. For the last thirty years he has been active “Mathematics is an international language. But it has on the international stage for the Swiss re also got its pitfalls”, says Swiss Re’s CEO. Don’t think for a insurance company. minute that our planet only listens to the laws of mathe matics and models. “Mathematics might be good at de 150 years of Swiss Re – how does it feel to be the sesqui scribing the facts, but in our industry the perception of centennial CEO of the second-biggest reinsurance com people is no less pivotal.” After all, at the end of the day pany in the world? “I’m proud and very happy to have got people only take out insurance if they are afraid that they to this position”, says Michel M. Liès, who has been working might be affected by a particular event. for the company for over thirty years and took over the helm in February 2012. For him it is a special honour – es pecially in a company whose success is founded on trust “I find it fascinating to create and sustainability. a successful business model with When it comes to explaining why risk management is so important for our world, this native Luxembourger is in scientific analyses.” his element: “As a mathematician, I have always found it Michel Liès fascinating to be able to create a successful business model with scientific analyses.” It is every insurance company’s business to deal with trust based on mathematical formu And the perception of risks depends on the cultural con lae. International orientation is a hallmark of every rein text, as a large-scale study impressively demonstrates in surer. And being internationally active was always a dream which Swiss Re surveyed 22,000 people in nineteen differ for Liès: “When I travelled to Brazil after my degree, I met ent countries to coincide with its birthday celebrations. many engineers who were building motorways and bridges For instance, people in many Latin American countries all over the world. Hearing stories like that, I almost regret primarily fear criminality, whereas Europeans tend to ted being a mathematician.” However, the reinsurance worry more about the global economic situation. Just how company gave him the opportunity to combine his subject much perception is shaped by subjective feelings is also with an international dimension. reflected in the fact that 22 percent of the respondents in Liès ran divisions in Latin America and Europe before North America indicated that they had gone hungry once becoming responsible for all customer relations as head of in the last year; in India, however, it was only 19 percent. Swiss Re Client Markets for six years. Apart from French, Potentially, the difference between perception and real his mother tongue, he also speaks fluent English, German, ity also opens up opportunities for insurance companies, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish. How important are these such as if someone estimates a risk as being higher than it

42 43 No. 4, December 2013

Profile

actually is and is prepared to pay more as a result. However, than about individual business transactions. One of the this prospect does not necessarily pay off for insurance biggest success stories in this respect, he says, was the fact companies in the end. “In the long run, we have to work that the US Treasury Department decided to appoint a on reconciling perception and reality. Our credibility Chief Risk Officer to identify the country’s main risks and depends on the fact that we realise useful projects and develop scenarios for how to tackle them. actually do something for society”, says Liès. When Swiss Re comes up anywhere around the world, The fact that short and long-term perspectives differ is Switzerland is ever-present in the name. Sustainability, also evident in disasters. If insurance companies have to trust and innovation – values that are central to insurance fork out next to nothing after severe floods or earthquakes, companies – are often associated with Switzerland, too. this might be seen positively by the financial markets. And so it is no coincidence that Zurich has blossomed into However, that is a very short-term view. one of the world’s main hubs for insurance companies. Plus there are the city’s many educational opportunities, which Liès describes as “fantastic.” And of course there is “Our credibility depends on our the possibility of research collaboration. For instance, realising useful projects.” Swiss Re is one of the founding partners of ETH Zurich’s Risk Centre. Michel Liès “A company can position itself across the world as strongly as it wants, but it will never be as international or possess as much raw talent at the cutting edge as a univer After all, if the injured parties do not enjoy any insurance sity”, says the CEO, explaining his company’s commitment. cover, this also means that the insurance companies in the To mark the company’s landmark birthday, the Swiss Re regions affected are not doing any business. An analysis con Foundation has renewed this research partnership for a ducted by Swiss Re, for instance, revealed that, on average, further five years. Here, too, it is all about sustainability, as only some 20 to 25 percent of the economic damage in dis Liès explains: “Our involvement at ETH Zurich might incur asters is covered, and in certain regions the rate is close to costs in the short term, but it helps us to keep our eye on zero percent. Consequently, there is great market potential. the ball in the long run.” ■ “If we want to provide the market with insurance services more effectively, we can go one of two ways”, explains Liès: “We can sit back and wait until everyone belongs to About Michel Liès the middle class and can afford private insurance cover. Or Michel Liès completed a degree in mathematics at ETH Zurich in 1974 we can develop concepts and products for new potential and joined Swiss Re four years later. This native Luxembourger was customer segments, such as governments.” At the same initially involved in the Latin American markets. From 2000 to 2005 time, micro-insurance solutions need to be developed for he ran the Europe Division before assuming responsibility for all those who cannot really afford insurance. In order to take customer relations worldwide as Head of Swiss Re Client Markets. this route, Swiss Re founded the Global Partnerships In 2011/12 Liès was Chairman of Global Partnerships and devoted Department a number of years ago. himself to cultivating long-term relationships with representatives of As Chairman of Global Partnerships, Michel Liès spent governments and NGOs. He has been CEO of the reinsurance company two years talking to government officials to familiarise since 1 February 2012. them with insurance instruments. “In my conversations with finance ministers about insurance, I realised that their knowledge of it was often limited”, he says, looking back. Gradually, the conversations bore fruit. Mexico and the US state of Alabama bought insurance services, for instance. And not only for the state’s assets, but also for individual goods of their citizens. After all, these governments real ised that they have to jump in after a disaster, when people have lost everything. Essentially, however, these conversations were far more about sharpening the consciousness for dealing with risks

44 45 No. 4, December 2013

Anno

Microphotographic studies of papermaking fibres. Johannes Barbieri: If you hadn’t gotten on, you wouldn’t have Photographic Institute for the cellulose factory Attisholz,1943 fallen off. Professor Barbieri himself, after 1880

Exposure studies in an outdoor laboratory. UV research of the Photographic Institute on the Jungfraujoch, 1936 captions testify to the professor’s sense of of humour, “If However, Rüst stuck to his practical approach. It was only you hadn’t got on, you wouldn’t have fallen off.” on his retirement that the School Council energetically 1886 However, for this Professor all the signs pointed to pro changed direction by appointing in 1946 the most re motion. In 1886 he was appointed Director of the newly nowned photochemist in Europe, John Eggert, as his suc founded Photographic Institute that was equipped with a cessor. Eggert was the founder and former director of the Science through the Lens laboratory, a glass workshop and three dark rooms. In scientific laboratory of the Agfa film factory. He directed 1916 the Institute was assigned larger premises and an his attention to research, staged international scientific Martina Märki to reproduce “facts in a natural and prejudice-free manner” auditorium with a seating capacity of 100. This shows just congresses and promoted contacts with industry. His succes For almost a century, the Photographic Institute as Burri says – photography seemed to be the ideal medium how much the demand for photographic expertise had in sor, the physicist Wolfgang F. Berg, who for many years recorded images of the work of ETH researchers. for newly emerging positivist science. creased in many disciplines. The remit was “to give clear had been Director of research at Kodak, continued this sci A new illustrated book presents a selection of ETH Zurich, founded in 1855, incorporated the first lec instructions to students who need photography for their entific orientation from 1961 onwards. New technologies these and other image collections from the photo tures on the subject of photography into its curriculum i area of study.” Barbieri gave lectures and ran exercises in appeared on the horizon, including holography and elec archives of the ETH library. 1869. However, it wasn’t until 1880 that the subject was astrophotography, microphotography, colour photography tronic imaging techniques above all. At the beginning of introduced on a regular basis. The Austrian Johannes Bar and photogrammetry. In addition, the Institute was to under the 1970s image data could be reduced to chip size. The From the microcosm of crystals, x-rays of the interior of bieri, a chemistry lecturer in the Department of Elective take photographic tasks within ETH too. electronic imaging sciences saw the light of day. For the the body over mountain and glacier landscapes down to Subjects, was put in charge. Barbieri must have been a This remit was still in place under Barbieri’s successor, Photographic Institute, this marked the beginning of its the macrocosm of constellations, from the noble researcher lecturer who was as much enthralled as he, in turn, en Ernst Rüst. From 1926 onwards he turned the Institute heyday up to 1979 when it was shut down and attached to in a pristine white lab coat down to expedition participants thralled his students. He devoted himself to photography, into a real service company. Besides this, Rüst enthusiasti the Institute of Communications Technology as the Depart in dusty hiking gear: the Photographic Institute has left conducting many practical experiments. Test images of the cally focussed on another development in imaging meth ment for Visual Studies. From here the path takes us straight ETH Zurich more than 40,000 images. Monika Burri tells most diverse kinds testify to his critical examination of ods, namely cinematography. Rüst saw manifold scientific to the present day: The expert group “Visual Studies” even their story in the accompanying text to the illustrated book photographic technology, for instance photos of explo applications for moving film images, such as the study of tually culminated in today’s Computer Vision Laboratory. ■ “Forschung im Fokus” (Focus on Research) (see box). The sions, the formation of clouds and lightning strikes and flow conditions in turbines or the business management historical collection from Photographic Institute is, at the urban scenarios. Scarcely had the Lumière brothers analysis of workflows. Depending on what was needed, same time, about a documentation of the role of images in launched the first method for colour photography on the the Photographic Institute also developed special scientific Monika Burri: Forschung im Fokus. Wissenschaftsfotografien aus dem science. market than Barbieri turned his attention to this technol imaging techniques, for instance for crystallography. Bildarchiv der ETH-Bibliothek. (Focus on Research. Scientific photos Several methods for photographic image production ogy and carried out experiments on colour photo images Although this all sounded very progressive, the Swiss from the image archives of the ETH library). Published by Michael Gasser were introduced in the 1820s and 1830s. One of them, of works of art, his own still lives and ladies in colourful School Council was not completely happy with the direc and Nicole Graf. Series: Bilderwelten. Fotografien aus dem Bildarchiv Daguerreotypy, named after its inventor Louis Daguerre, costumes. Nor did he shy away from a hands-on approach tion the Institute was taking. When Rüst submitted an der ETH-Bibliothek, Volume 3, ISBN 978-3-85881- 395-4, CHF 59. was even purchased by the French state as a patent and in the service of science: a series of photos from around application for a loan in 1936 for the further expansion of The book is available in book shops, the ETH store or in the ETH made available at no cost to the world at large. This act of 1880 shows the former cavalry officer in a dashing, straight- the Institute, the School Council complained that one libraries. state in 1839 shows that experts were quick to grasp the as-a-rod posture on a pushbike and then falling off a bicycle didn’t expect a university to come up with “any solutions Numerous collections in the image archive can be viewed online, too potential importance of the new image-producing options. with one hand helplessly fishing for his cap which has for concrete individual problems but rather viable indus www.e-pics.ethz.ch ➔ What was particularly fascinating was their supposed ability skidded away on the ground. His own handwritten trial expertise, developments, products and patents.”

46 47 No. 4, December 2013

Alumni life

supported ETH Zurich by giving what large donation to ETH Zurich six years ple of Max Rössler shows. While he they can in the form of a donation”, ago. That donation was used to estab doesn’t describe himself as a role explains Donald Tillman, Managing lish the renowned Rössler Prize at the model for others, he admits that “I Director of the ETH Zurich Founda university. It is awarded annually to am of course delighted if my involve tion. “We appreciate every single an up-and-coming scientist who has ment inspires other alumni to make a franc”, he says emphatically. “With carried out outstanding basic research donation.” ■ out these private donations, it is the in the fields of natural sciences and unconventional but brilliant ideas technology. The researchers who are that remain unrealised. Alumni have awarded the prize receive CHF Be a part of it! used their good education at ETH Zu 200,000 that they can use at their dis Would you like to support ETH Zurich with a rich to lay the foundations for their cretion for their academic work. donation? Whether it’s a contribution to a later success, so they have a very real specific initiative – for example in the areas understanding of this.” Long-term planning of neuroscience, global nutrition, medical In close cooperation with the uni Similar to its other initiatives, this technology or sustainable construction –, or versity, the ETH Zurich Foundation represents another of ETH Zurich’s an investment in dedicated, talented stu- has launched a whole range of cam long-term strategies, as the prize dents by means of a donation to the “Excel- paigns in recent years that it uses to money is financed from the interest lence Scholarship and Opportunity Pro- support ETH Zurich in certain areas. income on the original donation. It is gramme”, or a donation that is not earmarked “The objective is always to make im this long-term focus in particular that for a specific purpose: the ETH Zurich Donald Tillman, Managing Director of the ETH Zurich Foundation (left), and Max Rössler, whose donation helped to found the Institute of portant breakthroughs possible. Pro is important to the university. “We Foundation will be happy to advise you on Theoretical Studies. gress starts with better education and are not looking for short-term success, how your involvement can be structured more research, and that is where the but want to enhance ETH Zurich over in the most effective way. ETH Zurich Foundation donors can make a decisive contribu the long term”, explains Tillman. In You can also support ETH Zurich with a be- tion”, says Tillman. Certain alumni doing so, ETH Zurich decides what ar quest or a legacy: If you choose to bequeath wish to support a research area that is eas it wishes to highlight and where it your estate or a part of it to the ETH Zurich Every contribution has an impact particularly close to their heart. Oth needs additional funding from pri Foundation, you can make a valuable contri- ers want instead to facilitate more en vate individuals in order to imple bution to societal development even beyond Felix Würsten trepreneurship. And a third group ment its projects at a faster pace. your own life. A legacy is a particularly ap In recent years, private dona- tended to promote collaboration in Rössler studied mathematics at decides to invest in brilliant minds in The idea of obtaining financial sup propriate way of doing this, as it allows you to tions have allowed ETH Zurich the field of basic research. ETH Zurich. After completing his doc a targeted manner – with good reason. port from private donations for uni bequeath clearly defined assets to the Foun- to implement strategically The ITS will invite between four torate and a subsequent research pe Ultimately, those are the people who versities in Switzerland is gaining mo dation. important projects at a faster and six high-profile scientists to Zu riod at Harvard University, he then will guarantee the university’s long- mentum. This is also reflected in the pace. Donations from alumni rich for research stays of up to one lectured and researched at ETH Zurich term success. funding provided to the ETH Zurich If you have further questions regarding have made an important contri- year in duration, choosing them for some ten years. With his donation, One particularly attractive pro Foundation. For Tillman, however, it the planning of your estate, Donald Tillman, bution in this respect. One from the disciplines of mathematics, he wanted to give something back to gramme for alumni, for example, is is not the amount of money promised Managing Director of the ETH Zurich person who has supported ETH theoretical natural sciences and theo his alma mater. He explains his moti the “Excellence Scholarship and Op to the ETH Zurich Foundation that Foundation, will be happy to assist you. Zurich with generous sums is retical computer science. The Insti vation by saying: “I want to use my portunity Programme.” The ETH Zu matters most, but rather what ETH Tel.: +41 (0)44 633 69 62, Max Rössler. With his donations, tute will also enable ten talented wealth to do something that benefits rich Foundation drew attention to it Zurich achieves with this funding. email: donald.tillman@ethzfoundation.ch he wants not only to give postdocs to work as junior fellows at society as a whole. In my view, in a recent letter sent to all alumni. “The most important thing is that we something back to the univer- ETH Zurich. The founding of this In strengthening the position of basic The programme involves granting use the money in a targeted manner”, sity, but also make a contri stitute was made possible by gener research is an excellent investment in scholarships for academic excellence he explains. “It’s like with a hot-air bution that will ultimately be ous donations from two alumni the future.” to particularly gifted Master students. balloon: It’s the additional bit of hot nefit society as a whole. members: Martin Haefner and Max “Many alumni look back fondly on air that makes the balloon rise up Rössler promised the university CHF Investing in minds their own university years. Maybe faster. In a move that significantly strength 25 million to set it up. “The first time Although Rössler provided an ex they would also have been happy to Philanthropy can change the world READY FOR A NEW ens the position of basic research at that I heard about this project from traordinary amount of money for ETH have had the support of a scholarship – we have seen proof of that often CHALLENGE? ETH Zurich, the university founded a Ralph Eichler, the President of ETH Zurich to found the ITS, he is certainly at the time”, says Tillman. enough.” Time and time again, the www.jobservices.ethz.ch new Institute of Theoretical Studies Zurich, I was immediately enthusias not alone as a supporter of the univer Max Rössler has also made an in alumni too have made decisive contri The job portal of the ETH Alumni Association (ITS) at the beginning of June. It is in tic about the idea”, Rössler told us. sity. “Almost 2,000 alumni have now vestment in clever minds, giving a butions in this regard – as the exam

48 49 No. 4, December 2013

Alumni life

Agenda

Alumni business events

Philip Mosimann The Collection of Prints and Drawings presents works from the Robert Landolt collection in the exhibition Dialogue with drawings, including the painting Landscape with St Christopher Crossing Bucher Management AG the River by an Antwerp master from 1525–1540. 25 March 2014 Networking aperitif from 5:30 p.m., event begins at 6:45 p.m., ETH Zurich, main building, Dozentenfoyer Register at: Exhibitions Alumni Symphony www.alumni.ethz.ch ➔ Umsicht – Regards – Sguardi Orchestra 2013 15th concert, winter 2014 For the third time, the Swiss Society Lust auf Alumni Events of Engineers and Architects (SIA) has Johannes Brahms (1833–1897) awarded prizes to outstanding pro Piano Concerto No. 1 in d minor, Personal self-management jects that advocate the sustainable de op. 15 Careers seminar with Martin Ghis sign of living space. An exhibition letti, Head of the ETH Career Center, Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) by the Institute for the History and and Günter Fleischer, a freelance Symphony No. 1 in e minor, Theory of Architecture (gta). consultant op. 39 Until 16 January 2014 16/17 January 2014 ETH Zurich, main building, main hall Balsthal 19 January 2014, 5 p.m. www.ausstellungen.gta.arch.ethz.ch ➔ Casino Frauenfeld Registration by e-mail: [email protected] Probleme? Dialogue with drawings Social media – what I have to Works from the 15th to 18th centuries Wenn es dir Spaß macht, komplexe Aufgaben clever zu lösen, ist ein Job bei know today from the Robert Landolt collection. Zühlke genau dein Fall. Denn außergewöhnliche Businessprobleme sind bei uns Careers event with Anne Forster Pablo Bronstein der normale Arbeitsalltag – in den Bereichen Softwarelösungen, Produktentwicklung 4 February 2014 Prints and drawings 2nd Risk Center ETH Zurich, Alumni Pavillon und Managementberatung. Wir freuen uns darauf, diesen Alltag mit dir zu teilen. Info at: Until 17 January 2014 Collection dialogue event https://www1.ethz.ch/career/ of Prints and Drawings event/index ➔ ETH Zurich, main building, E53 Already for the second time, the www.gs.ethz.ch ➔ ETH Zurich Risk Center is inviting representatives from industry, Earth in our Sights science and the public sector to a Music at ETH Observing Earth from space dialogue event. After introductory Zurich Touring exhibition on new methods talks by scientists from ETH Zurich and findings from remote sensing in the morning, the afternoon’s Chamber music evening satellites focus session will address the topic Winner of the 7th International Until 23 February 2014 of “The Eurozone and Switzerland: Tchaikovsky Competition 2012 FocusTerra, Sonneggstrasse 5, Zurich A Network of Risk.” 14 January 2014, 7:30 p.m. www.focusterra.ethz.ch ➔ 17 January 2014, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., ETH Zurich, main building, Semper Aula ETH Zurich, ML D 28 www.riskcenter.ethz.ch/ Klavierabend Dialogue_Event_2014 ➔ Konstantin Scherbakov 4 February 2014, 7:30 p.m. ETH Zurich, main building, Semper Aula zuehlke.com/jobs

50 51