NO. 4/2019

NEW MATERIALS How materials are becoming one with their functions PAGE 12

Building bridges Helping people with para- Martina Hirayama sets the for scientific staff plegia to walk again education system on track PAGE 32 PAGE 36 PAGE 46 EDITORIAL

GLOBE NO. 4/2019

Marvellous materials

threshold of an exceptionally fertile period of development. With its interdisciplinary Competence Center for Materials and Processes, ETH Zurich is well equipped to play a key role in bringing this to fruition.

I have always found it fascinating how new ideas can emerge through the meeting of great minds from entirely different back- grounds. For example, when a researcher who develops self-healing materials for medical applications teams up with a civil Joël Mesot, President of ETH Zurich engineer to discuss the building materials of the future. Or when a researcher special- ising in soft materials and a scientist Cutting-edge materials research is paving researching magnetic nanostructures join the way for developments we could pre­ forces to develop a material with shape viously only dream of – from biodegradable memory. You can find out more about bridges and concrete that heals its own these exciting developments in this new cracks to stretchable, flexible batteries and issue of Globe. implants that dissolve in the body once they are no longer needed. Scientists are I hope you enjoy reading it! also equipping materials with properties they do not naturally possess, as in the case of Nicola Spaldin’s multiferroics. At the same time, innovative approaches to materials research are helping us design and use materials in more efficient and eco-friendly ways.

These advances are fuelled not only by collaboration between very diverse discip­ lines, but also by new methods of addi- tive manufacturing such as 3D printing. Per­sonally, I believe we are standing on the

Globe, the magazine for ETH Zurich and ETH Alumni

Cover illustration: Vasjen Katro / Editorial image: Markus Bertschi

GLOBE NO. 4/2019 CONTENTS NEW AND NOTED

NEW AND NOTED COMMUNITY Sustainability 5 News from ETH Zurich 31 Connections to ETH EMISSION-FREE 6 A mountain of data 32 Fifty years of AVETH Building bridges for scientific SHIPPING 8 Physically and mentally fitter staff Shipping accounts for around 3 per-

Permafrost research on the 35 Column cent of global CO2 emissions. Experts FOCUS Hörnligrat ridge – page 6 from the Sustainability in Business 12 New materials Lab (sus.lab) at ETH Zurich therefore Scientists are developing a new REPORT decided to map out some of the pos­ generation of dynamic materials 36 Helping people with paraplegia sible paths to achieving emission-free that are perfectly attuned to their to walk again shipping. Petrissa Eckle and her team functions. Two teams demonstrate their see zero-emission propulsion sys-­ exoskeletons at an event in tems in the form of electric motors, 17 The power inside the run-up to Cybathlon 2020. fuel cells and combustion engines Metamaterials defy conventions, powered by ammonia as holding the making rigid media flexible. greatest potential in the near future. CONNECTED International merchant ships and large freighters are responsible for the lion’s

20 Seemingly impossible 42 Encounters at ETH share of CO2 emissions from shipping. 5 Materials scientist Nicola Spaldin Ready to stand – page 36 discusses her fascination with 44 Agenda multiferroics. Medicine Biology 23 Materials, get into shape! PROFILE ETH researchers are developing 46 The right chemistry for ERI AI IMPROVES IMAGING CURBING ANTIBIOTIC materials that change shape on ETH alumna Martina Hirayama RESISTANCE command. is the perfect choice to bring Scientists at ETH Zurich and the Uni- delivered superior-quality images. out the strengths of the Swiss versity of Zurich have used machine They had these pictures analysed by an 26 Biodegradable bridges education system. learning methods to improve opto­ artificial neural network, which was According to laboratory experiments New ideas lay the foundations acoustic imaging. This technique can able to learn the features of the conducted by researchers from ETH for living structures that respond be used for applications such as visual- high-quality images. Zurich and the University of Basel, to their environments. 5 QUESTIONS ising blood vessels, studying brain ac- Next, the researchers discarded antibiotic resistance spreads not only 50 Daniel Farinotti tivity, characterising skin lesions and the majority of the sensors, so that only where antibiotics are used in large 28 New materials in action Melting glaciers mean plenty diagnosing breast cancer. 128 or 32 sensors remained, with a det- quantities. Reducing antibiotic use An overview of the latest of work for this glaciologist. However, the quality of the ren- rimental effect on the image quality. alone is therefore not sufficient to developments from ETH labs. dered images depends heavily on the Due to the lack of data, distortions curb resistance, and should be com- number of sensors used by the device: known as streak type artefacts ap- bined with measures to prevent the the more sensors, the better the quality peared in the images. It turned out, spread of resistant germs. of the image. The team led by Daniel however, that the previously trained Razansky, Professor of Biomedical neural network was able to largely cor- Imaging at the University of Zurich rect for these distortions, thus bring- IMPRINT — Publisher: ETH Alumni / ETH Zurich, ISSN 2235-7289 Editorial team: Martina Märki (head), Fabio Bergamin, and ETH Zurich, searched for a way to ing the image quality closer to the Corinne Johannssen, Nicol Klenk, Karin Köchle, Corina Oertli, Norbert Staub, Michael Walther, Felix Würsten Contributors: Claudia Hoffmann, Oliver Morsch, Samuel Schlaefli Advertising administration: ETH Alumni Communications, [email protected], enhance image quality of low-cost measurements that had been obtained +41 44 632 51 24 Advertising management:­ Fachmedien, Zürichsee Werbe AG, Stäfa, [email protected], +41 44 928 56 53 opto­acoustic devices that possess only with all 512 sensors. Design: Crafft AG, Zurich Printing and proofreading: Neidhart + Schön AG, Zurich Translation: Burton, Van Iersel & Whitney GmbH, a small number of ultrasonic sensors. Munich; Clare Bourne, Anna Focà, ETH Zurich Auflage: 39,500 German, 31,500 English, published quarterly Subscriptions: To do this, they started off by using CHF 20 annually (four issues); included in full membership of the ETH Alumni Association Orders and changes of address: [email protected] and for alumni at www.alumni.ethz.ch/myalumni Contact information: www.ethz.ch/globe, [email protected], a self-developed high-end optoacous- Antibiotic-resistant salmonella is +41 44 632 42 52 Also available as a free tablet version. tic scanner with 512 sensors, which a particular problem.

Images: Peter Rüegg, Urs Matter, Daniel Winkler Images: iStockphoto; Stefan Fattinger ETH GLOBE 4/2019 NEW AND NOTED NEW AND NOTED

Ten years of permafrost research A MOUNTAIN OF DATA

In the hot summer of 2003, a massive rockfall from the Hörnligrat ridge of the Matterhorn dislodged 1,500 cubic metres of rock. This spectacular event sparked an unusual research project by the name of PermaSense. Today, geos­cientists and engineers from ETH Zurich and other institutions are studying the impact of climate change on permafrost in the steep rocky terrain of high mountain regions. Here, the ground is permanently frozen; when the ice melts, the danger of rockfalls and land- slides increases. Using a combination of thermal, kine­ matic and seismic data – provided by a net- work of wireless sensors installed on the Hörnli­grat – researchers can now precisely detect changes in the rock mass. To date, this network has supplied over 115 million data points, which are fed into the internet in real time. Over the past ten years, this has gener­ 7

6 ated an extensive dataset that is now one of the largest in the history of permafrost research. In future, this knowledge could be used to develop early-warning systems. The image from 2012 shows ETH re- search group leader Jan Beutel and project partner Samuel Weber conducting mainten­ ance work in the detachment zone on the Hörnligrat, at a height of over 3,500 metres above sea level. For the past ten years, a wireless → www.permasense.ch sensor network on the Hörnligrat ridge of the Matterhorn has provided data that is unprecedented in terms of quantity and quality.

ETH GLOBE 4/2019 Image: Peter Rüegg ETH GLOBE 4/2019 8 H up. The“Progress”projectreconfig what hedoessomehowsoftenspeople ready torefutetheaccusationthat Annen certainlyhasstrongarguments those prejudiceswithhardfacts.” And “What mattersistheabilitytocounter have tolivewithinourjob,” hesays. the kindsofstereotypesyousimply doesn’t letthatbotherhim.“Thoseare Academy atETHZurich(MILAC) Military Pedagogyatthe But thelecturerinPsychologyand as asoftapproachtotoughsubject. mental resilienceinchallengingsituations. their mission.Aswellasphysicalfitness,thatalsoincludes Soldiers mustbefitenoughtosuccessfullyaccomplish Physically andmentally fitter Military psychology the warsinAfghanistan andIraq,the with major mental health issues after that manysoldierswerestruggling in thisarea.Faced with therealisation US Armyhasplayedapioneering role tinues tobeasimportant ever. The ing thattough physical training con­ pects intoaccount,whileacknowledg army shouldtakepsychologicalas Annen firmlybelievesthatamodern It takes more thanjust drills ming upthekeypoints. 11 weeksofbootcamp,” hesays,sum as well as all the other recruits after motivated yetwereperformingjust went down.Therecruitsweremore number ofinjuriesanddropoutrates has hadbeneficialresults.“Boththe gradual basis. As Annen expected, this of pressuretheyareexposedtoona day militarylife,increasingtheamount young men and women to enter every ured bootcamptomakeiteasierfor has sometimesbeendismissed smile thatthesubjectheteaches ubert Annenconfesseswitha - - - - -

ability to cope effectively with emo ology asresilience,inotherwordsthe solution theysoughtisknowninpsych­ Pentagon decidedtotakeaction.The course, which gavehimfirst-hand the MasterResilience Trainer (MRT) Academy at West Point, hecompleted On aresearchvisittotheUS Military alded alsoattractedAnnen’s interest. gram” in2009,thenewconcept ither “Comprehensive Soldier FitnessPro mentally morestable. made notjustphysicallyfitter,butalso going intobattle,soldiersshouldbe backs. Thebasicideaisthat,before tionally challengingsituationsandset When theUSArmylaunchedits is increasinglyimportantintoday’sarmy. Improving people’sabilitytodealwithstressfulsituations NEW AND NOTED ETH GLOBE 4/2019 GLOBE ETH - - - - training experiencedbyAmericansol knowledge ofthekindresilience three keyelements ofmentalfitness with stressful situations.” Thereare young officerstolearn cope better too: “For example, it’simportantfor should beapriorityfortheSwiss Army, less, Annenbelievesthat resilience never tohavebeenatwar.Neverthe front, thebenefitsarehuge.” coping betterwiththesituationat cautions. “Butifmostofthemendup ­severe psychologicaltrauma,” Annen military deploymentsufferingfrom fact thatsomesoldierswillreturnfrom diers. “Obviouslyyoucan’tavoidthe Modern Switzerlandisfortunate Image: VBS /ZEM - - Images: Yves Salathé;Nicola Pitaro stress response. Butwhat’sinteresting pulse rateduring thetestisanormal sponses. Anincreaseina subject’s in whichtheyalsostudybiological re ample stresstestsunderlabconditions dem­ allow them to draw conclusions on a methods usedbytheMILACteam tion process.That’swhymanyofthe success ischoosingasuitableevalua search,” saysAnnen.Oneofthekeysto ourselves ininternationalresiliencere studies willhelpusmakeanamefor real benefits.“We’re hopingthese termine whethertheprogrammeoffers conducting longitudinalstudiestode of Zurich,theMILACresearchersare Clinical PsychologyattheUniversity held byUlrikeEhlert,Professorof tend tooverreact. and identify situations in which they need tounderstandtheirweaknesses challenging situations.To dothat,they trol theirthoughtsandemotionsin piring officerslearnhowtobettercon sport psychology, forexample.The as some elementsthatarealsousedin cadets. Thecoursematerialsinclude training toapproximately40officer structors provideregular,hands-on training centre.Atotalof10to12in being putthroughitspacesatanofficer Annen and his colleagues is currently The trainingprogrammedevelopedby Practical exercises and setbacks.” ity torespondflexiblychallenges says Annen. “It’s more about the abil­ ting allthestressbounceoffthem,” like somekindofrockandsimplylet tude. “It’snotamatterofpeoplebeing mentally positiveandconfidentatti high-pressure situations,andafunda and filteroutwhat’simportantin ure in a crisis, the ability to stay focused ers: maintainingadegreeofcompos­ that helppeoplebecomebetterlead In collaborationwiththechair onstrably objectivebasis–for ex ------

→  Find outmore aboutMILAC: possible. ments ascrediblyandconfidently able themtoperformtheirassign more targetedmentaltrainingtoen­ ers, in particular, can receive even but ratheronthequestionofhowlead general well-beingofthoseaffected, work: the primary focus is not on the Annen isclearaboutthepurposeofhis land’s foreign peacekeeping missions. Stans, whichcoordinatesallSwitzer the SWISSINTcentreofexcellencein corporated in training courses runby pitals. Hisfindingshavealsobeenin services andevenfrompsychiatrichos ceives manyenquiriesfromemergency tention outsidethearmy. Annenre These findingshavealsoattractedat calmer whendealingwithstress.” and thatofficerssubsequentlystay that ourtraininghasgenuinebenefits by theresultssofar:“Ourstudiesshow Annen’s confidencehasbeenbuoyed Interest from the army andbeyond cover fromthatchallenge. pressure –andhowquicklytheyre­ serve toaccomplishthetaskunder is whethertheystillhaveenoughinre kdo-ausb/hka/milak.html www.vtg.admin.ch/de/organisation/ — Felix Würsten NEW AND NOTED ETH GLOBE 4/2019 GLOBE ETH ------→ www.ethz.ch/podcast Find outmore: podcast willfollow atest run. computer racecourse. TheETH his brain to navigate acar through a from ETHZurich,Kunzistraining neuroscientist Rea Lehnerandateam disabilities. Withthesupportof championship for people withphysical in theCybathlon, aninternational Right now he’s preparing to take part needs awheelchair to getabout. Samuel Kunzhasquadriplegia and thought alone Steering acar with from ETHZürich. class inQuantumEngineering what theirhopesare inthegraduating also askpeople from theindustry a professor aboutthecurricula and we accompany astudent, talk to In thisepisodeoftheETHPodcast Who isstudying thisnew subject? actually isQuantumEngineering? Engineering atETHZürich.What to doamaster’s degree inQuantum As ofthissemester, itispossible and whatitis Quantum Engineering–

New ETH podcasts

9 10 → www.ethz.ch/zukunftsblog Read the full-length blog articles on thesetopics andmore: → www.ethz.ch/zukunftsblog-garrett-en Rachael Garrett. sustainable farming,accordingto by investinginforestprotectionand can stopthem–bycooperatingand are causedbyhumans,andhumans The forestfiresintheAmazonbasin Sustainability instrument usesspeciallightguides. movable mirrors,thenewlyde­ lyse theincidentlightwithaid of ventional infraredspectrometersana also foreverydayitems.Whereascon not onlyforspaceexploration,but size opensuppromisingperspectives tional devices of this type. Its compact making itmuchsmallerthanconven of aroundtwosquarecentimetres, mounted onachipwithsurfacearea frared spectrometerthatcanbe Grange hasdevelopedaminiaturein An ETHresearchteamledbyRachel Physics RAINFOREST PROTECTING THE TINY BUT PRECISE Political Sciences Humanities, Socialand in theDepartmentof of Environmental Policy Assistant Professor Rachael Garrett, veloped - - - -

­precisely bythischip,whichisjusttwocentimetreslong. The wavelengthspectrumofinfraredlightcanbeanalysed → www.ethz.ch/zukunftsblog-grote-en Gudela Grotereports. ers, employersandtradeunions,as but alsotherelationsbetweenwork mentally changingtheworldofwork New technologiesarenotonlyfunda Digitalisation SOCIAL COMPACT TIME FOR A NEW NEW AND NOTED ETH GLOBE 4/2019 GLOBE ETH Technology andEconomics ment ofManagement, Psychology intheDepart- of Work andOrganisational Gudela Grote, Professor Images: Pascal A.Halder; GiuliaMarthaler (2); courtesy of anonymous - - → www.ethz.ch/zukunftsblog-gassert-en spects too,asRogerGassertexplains. technology has its limits in other re able ofreadingthoughts.Andthe brain-computer interfacesarecap­ There’s stillalongwaytogobefore Health INTERFACES ABOUT THING THE

Technology of HealthSciences and ing intheDepartment of Rehabilitation Engineer Roger Gassert, Professor Zukunftsblog - - Even inthebest-case scenario,therewillbenoice visiblefromhereintheyear2100. View oftheGreat AletschGlacierfromtheMoosfluh cablecaraboveBettmeralp. Climate research house emissionsinthenearfuture sive effortstoreduceworldwidegreen But achievingthisgoalrequiresmas down intheParisclimateagreement. capped at2degreesCelsius,aslaid together unlessglobalwarmingis the Wallis regioncoulddisappearal­ glacier betweennowand2100. lation topredictchangesintheAletsch (VAW) hascarriedoutadetailedsimu draulics, Hydrology andGlaciology research teamattheLaboratoryofHy most 1kilometresince2000.AnETH largest intheAlps,hasretreatedbyal The snoutoftheAletschglacier, ing theeffectsofwarmingclimate. The glaciers in Switzerland are suffer Image: Matthias Huss ALETSCH GLACIER PROSPECTS FOR THE WORRYING This populartouristdestinationin

------few patchyareasofice. the largestglacierinAlps–justa almost nothingleftofwhatusedtobe If thisweretohappen,therewouldbe with thereferenceperiod1960–1990. by theendofcentury, compared rise bybetween4and8degreesCelsius age temperaturesinSwitzerlandwould is neverthelessperfectlyreal­ spond toclimatechange. large glaciers take a long time to re ertia oftheclimatesystemissuchthat pact ontheenvironmentisthatin even ifwemanagetostabiliseourim why theglacierwillcontinuetoretreat by comparisonwithtoday. Thereason ed to decline by more than 50 percent the lengthofglaciercanbeexpect searchers. Boththevolumeoficeand 21st century, accordingtothere continue tomeltuptheendof probable thattheAletschglacierwould about 2040onward.Eventhen,itis order tostabiliseclimatechangefrom In theworst-casescenario,which NEW AND NOTED ETH GLOBE 4/2019 GLOBE ETH istic, aver

------ETH spin-off → www.ethz.ch/news-en from ETHZurichat: on thistopic andotherresearch news You can findmore information → www.fenx.ch mercial marketin2021. foam insulationboardonthecom francs byApril2020andlaunchtheir up capitalofaround1.5millionSwiss EU grants.Theirgoalistoraisestart- lowship andSwissgovernment venture throughanETHPioneerFel entrepreneurs havefinancedtheir production side.Until now, theyoung looking forapartnertohandlethe manufactured cheaply. terials, itisnon-flammableandcanbe like other sustainable insulating ma can beusedtoinsulatebuildings.Un trial wasteintoaporousfoam,which veloped aprocessthatconvertsindus solution to this dilemma. FenX has de spin-off FenX hassetaboutfindinga today are highly flammable. ETH the insulationmaterialsonmarket less efficient. Added to which, some of more expensiveand,insomecases, or flaxstraw, whichissustainablebut natural alternativesuchaswoodfibre very ecological.Ortheycanchoosea being cheapandefficient,butisnot rockwool, whichhastheadvantageof terial suchasexpandedpolystyreneor tion. Theycanoptforasyntheticma ma whenchoosingtherightinsula Housebuilders arefacedwithadilem INDUSTRIAL WASTE MATERIALS FROM INSULATION The fledglingcompanyisnow

------11 FOCUS FOCUS

Imagine a robot gripper arm that could retract without mechanical assistance. Or how about screws that could hold a broken bone together before simply dissolving harmlessly inside us? Or building materials Flexible, that sound the alarm before they become NEW dynamic, brittle? Many new materials are not static – adaptable they are dynamic, and perfectly attuned to their function. MATE - TEXT Fabio Bergamin 13 12

ast your eye over the objects method of repairing cracks in flexible elec- RIALS­­ and building materials around tronic components. “As a rule, the conduct­ you. Many of them have been ors and semiconductors used in microelec- Cmade from exactly the same material for gen- tronics have a low elastic limit. Combine erations. From your coffee cup and your kid’s them with something pliable, and they often Lego toys to the bricks your house is made end up being exposed to more stress than the from, their design and construction has long metals can withstand. That’s what can cause followed a fixed and unchanging pattern. cracking,” says Spolenak. He cites examples This is a far cry from many of the modern such as flexible smartphone screens and elec- materials currently undergoing research at tronic components woven into textiles to cre- ETH Zurich. Scientists are busy producing ate wearable electronics. new materials with internal structures and Assuming they’re not too wide, cracks in properties that differ from one point to the these kinds of electronic components can be next on the nanoscale. Some materials can fixed by simply applying localised heat and change shape or colour at the touch of a but- melting the conductive metal at exactly the ton, in response to external conditions, or right spot to fill in the crack. To put that into when they begin to exhibit the first internal practice, Spolenak and his colleagues devel- signs of deterioration. Other materials are oped a precisely controlled heat source in the made in such a way that internal cracks are form of a film that can be placed beneath an simply patched up from the outside. electronic circuit, or on which a circuit can be One of the researchers working on these printed. The film consists of multiple thin new materials is Ralph Spolenak. Recently, layers of nickel and aluminium arranged in a the ETH professor developed a simple sandwich-like structure. Activate these

ETH GLOBE 4/2019 Illustrations: Vasjen Katro ETH GLOBE 4/2019 FOCUS FOCUS

two metals by applying a localised outer layer and the internal arrange- duce our use of rare and expensive spark or dropping a small weight on ment of atoms. chemical elements by only using them Nano 3D printing can be used to them, and a chemical reaction occurs The researchers have also demon- at the points within the component A thin coating of nickel and aluminium layers fabricate objects that combine that releases heat, causing a conductive strated how sharp tempera­ture in- where they are essential to its func- causes conductive metal to melt at exactly alternating metals within the tiniest wire to melt at exactly this point. creases to 500 degrees Celsius or high- tion,” says Spolenak. The same applies the right spot, potentially offering a way to repair of spaces, in this case silver (blue) cracks in electronic components. and copper (red). Spolenak calls it “healing on de- er leads to irreversible rearrangement to toxic alloying elements. “Applica- mand” and suggests that, in the long of the atoms and thus to a change in tions such as soldering, for example, term, scientists might even be able to colour. For example, a purple coating are difficult to perform without at least create self-healing electronic compo- would turn yellow. “This kind of coat- some lead, which is obviously toxic.” In nents. “That would mean the moment ing with built-in temperature sensor future, this new technology could help a crack occurred, it would have to trig- capabilities could be applied to ma- restrict the use of lead to the places ger the heat reaction itself,” says the chine parts that can be damaged by where it is absolutely necessary. That ETH professor. He is confident this high temperatures and therefore re- would make components less toxic will soon be feasible, noting that a quire monitoring,” says Spolenak. overall, effectively bridging the gap un- crack is an elastic deformation that al- “This would eliminate the need for til materials science finally comes up ways generates a small degree of heat. electronic sensors, because you could with completely lead-free alternatives. On that basis, he and his colleagues are simply see with the naked eye whether The option of nanoscale metal 3D now attempting to develop a system in the machine part had been exposed to printing has only become feasible which this tiny amount of initial heat excessively high temperatures in the thanks to huge advances in 3D printing would be sufficient to trigger melting. past.” technology over recent years. “Mod- ern additive manufacturing is close to Damaged Healed Warning colours that replace sensors Solid on the inside, pliable on perfection, both in terms of engin­ Another example of a dynamic mater­ the outside eering and control algorithms,” says ial from Spolenak’s lab is a very hard Modern materials research is also in- Spolenak. Yet he still sees plenty of metal surface coating that reacts to creasingly turning to the opportunities room for improvement in materials high temperatures by changing colour. offered by additive manufacturing and science: “It was only a few years ago nal stresses because they are so strong even more precise: “Ultimately we’re 3D printing open up new avenues for 15

14 You might say that the material in- 3D printing. An interdisciplinary ETH that researchers in this field were basic­ on the inside, but that are capable of hoping to increase the resolution to the materials scientists like me. And it cludes its very own built-in tempera- team consisting of experts in mechan­ ally in the business of just trying out deforming at other points to absorb ex- point where we can print microelec- works the other way around, too, be- ture sensor. The coating stemmed ical, electrical and chemical engineer- everything they could. Now we’ve ternal shocks. tronic components. This would open cause materials science is giving these from Spolenak’s work on compounds ing and materials science – including tightened our focus and are attempting up the third dimension for microelec- technologies a boost in return!” says of titanium, aluminium, and nitrogen. Spolenak – recently came up with a to pinpoint the effect we can have on Nanoscale 3D printing tronics and help make components Spolenak. “Ultimately, materials sci- Chosen for their hardness, these are new way of fabricating metal objects localised points in a material’s struc- Expertise in printed materials is not smaller.” According to the researchers, ence has always been about combining used to coat items such as cutting tools with a chemical composition and ture by changing a process in specific the only thing that materials scientists this step would require a feedback sys- processes, materials and properties. and drills that are subject to high mech­ internal­ structure that can change ways.” can offer nanoscale 3D printing. They tem to provide the printer with real- And now adaptive and dynamic mater­ anical stresses. Researchers in his from one voxel to the next. A voxel is a Take metal printing for example: can also help improve process control. time information and control it on this ials and methods are enabling us to de- group have shown that it’s possible to three-dimensional version of a pixel – we’ve discovered that we can change a This is a key consideration in the ETH basis. Right now, print jobs are essen- velop materials with entirely new produce coloured coatings by skilfully and in this case, the printed voxels are metal’s strength and ductility by mod- researchers’ current work, because tially carried out blind once the printer properties and functions.” combining layers of various titanium- tiny, measuring just 200 nanometres in ifying the temperature, which means high-precision printing naturally re- launches into action. nitrogen alloys that are just a few nano- diameter. we can make objects that have localised quires precisely controlled positioning Spolenak also sees potential in the Ralph Spolenak’s research group: metres thick. The colour of these coat- This means that metal compo- variations in these two properties. So systems. This is because the nozzle technology behind personalised medi- → www.met.mat.ethz.ch ings – green, blue or purple – depends nents no longer need to be made en- one option would be to produce com- generally remains in one place during cine because 3D printing is ideal­­- on the thickness in nanometres of the tirely from just one alloy. “We can re- ponents that can withstand high inter- 3D printing while the print bed moves ly suited to producing individually beneath it. “Moving these kinds of pos­ tailored components and small batch- itioning stages in three spatial dimen- es. This might make it possible to unite sions with high precision typically re- a patient-specific combination of bio­ quires piezoelectric materials,” says sensors on a single component. A sen- “Modern additive manufacturing is close Spolenak. Piezoelectric materials sor arrangement 3D printed in this change shape when exposed to electric way would be far smaller than to perfection in terms of engineering, but there’s fields. Often these changes in dimen- a combin­ation of individual, mass- sion are very small, which is an advan- produced sensors, and would therefore huge potential in materials development.” tage in this case because it opens the be easier to implant. door to high positioning accuracy. In the future, it might even be pos- Ralph Spolenak The goal Spolenak is pursuing to- sible to equip such microelectronic gether with his colleagues in the nano components with self-healing prop­ 3D printing project is to make printing erties. “Additive manufacturing and

ETH GLOBE 4/2019 Images: Stefano Danzi and Alain Reiser, Laboratory for Nanometallurgy ETH GLOBE 4/2019 FOCUS FOCUS

THE POWER INSIDE Metamaterials defy conventions, making rigid media flexible, soft materials transmit signals, and sound and light behave in bizarre ways.

TEXT Michael Walther 17 16

he ceramic cube under the Institute of Technology in Pasadena microscope is gifted with developed this ceramic. It is a meta­ super­powers. Compressed material, engineered to possess prop- Tto nearly a third of its height, it refuses erties not found in nature. Its internal to crumble, break or tear. When the microstructure lends it these artificial pressure releases, the cube returns to properties. its original state with the resilience of Stretchable ceramics are a rather a sponge. The press comes down again, unspectacular example. Other meta- but the cube remains intact. The re- materials are known for their ability to markable elasticity of this tiny ceramic control the propagation of waves. For cube – just 0.1 millimetres tall – stems example, researchers have managed to from the curving grooves and cavities produce a metamaterial with a nega- that traverse its internal structure. tive refractive index. It refracts light or Their layout is such that tensile forces other waves in the “wrong” direction. cannot concentrate within any one Applications include totally flat lenses area of the cube when pressure is ap- and, in theory, optical and acoustic plied. It’s this concentration of forces cloaking. With metamaterials, that fic- near defects, notches or sharp corners tional cloak of invisibility could be- that makes ceramic materials so brit- come science fact. tle. The twisted architecture of the This relatively new field is proving­ cube prevents this, hence the ceramic’s to be a goldmine for researchers. unexpected elasticity. In theory, metamaterials could be ETH Professor Dennis Kochmann tailored to adopt practically any com- and his colleagues from the California bination of prop­erties. This field

ETH GLOBE 4/2019 ETH GLOBE 4/2019 FOCUS FOCUS

could become a playground for those them to one another. Nudging one end a transformable shape, as well as the capable of mastering this game of of this structure triggers a wave that speed and sequence of this transform­ geometry­ and physics. travels to the other end, just like collid- ation, using nothing but the structure ing dominoes. With this simple solu- as the medium. “With the right internal structure, Soft and conductive tion for transmitting signals in soft Kochmann and his group are research- materials, the researchers had found a Metamorphosis at the touch the properties of materials can be changed ing the fundamentals. As they explore soft alternative to conventional cables. of a button that playground, they are pushing back This advance lays a basis for future all- While the transformation of these ma- in a controlled manner.” the boundaries of what materials can soft technologies such as soft robots. terials is actuated mechanically – for do. A few years ago, they demonstrated Kochmann’s team is now working example, by hand in the lab – other ma- Dennis Kochmann that soft materials can be made to on ways to apply the same principle be- terials’ metamorphoses are induced transmit waves. The researchers clev- hind this one-dimensional action to electronically, at the touch of a button. erly arranged polymeric structures to two and three dimensions. The idea is Kochmann helped develop a silicon- lend them this capability through to engineer materials that can change coated metamaterial that can be elec- bistable components. Each of these their shape in two or three dimensions trochemically charged to change its design that induces the desired prop-­ was the first to demonstrate this effect components can take on two stable in response to a specific stimulus, with- structure. In its initial state, it looks erty amid countless combinations of with a model consisting of 270 pendula states, one taut and the other slack. out having to rely on drives or motors like a three-dimensional grid with thin geo­metric shapes, architectural princi- arrayed in a square. The concept had The scientists arrayed the polymers in as actuators. They aim to program the horizontal struts connecting thicker ples, and base materials. Kochmann been known, but only as a hypothetical a row like dominoes and connected initial, final and intermediate states of vertical posts, similar to a boxing ring. says efforts are underway to comb construct in quantum physics. He is When charged electrically, the struc- through potential architectures using now doing something very similar for ture’s horizontal struts expand and algorithms and artificial intelligence, metamaterials, developing and build- bend into a symmetric pattern made but notes that these methods are in an ing structures like these pendula to up of opposing sinusoidal arches. The early phase: “There’s still a lot of brain- demonstrate effects that can otherwise researchers took advantage of an effect storming and creative design based on only be observed in elaborate experi- known to cause problems with bat­ experience going on.” One often finds ments. Huber says his research is al- teries: electrodes swell and shrink as his team at the blackboard, browsing ways about gaining the ultimate con- 19

18 a battery charges and discharges. The through known architectural compo- trol over the propagation of waves. swelling of the horizontal struts in this nents to come up with a new repertoire Translating the concepts of theor­ new metamaterial causes its structure of exciting material properties. etical physics into the engineering to change fundamentally and remain in Kochmann’s speciality field, simu- world with his metamaterials, Huber is its new state until it discharges. lations, certainly helps in this regard. putting practical tools into the hands These researchers thus succeeded He looks at a material’s chemical com- of Dennis Kochmann and other re- in creating a switchable metamaterial. position and microstructure in order searchers looking into such materials. It works like a rechargeable battery, to invest­igate its properties when they He is also introducing new ways of so it could also serve in the future are exposed to specific stimuli such as thinking about materials’ structures to develop implantable energy stor-­ heat, electricity and mechanical loads. and materials design concepts. The age devices on a micrometre scale. Just as with the ceramic cube described third benefit is perhaps the most re- Kochmann and team have also used above, Kochmann also applies the warding for a physicist: the measure- simulations to verify another intri­ principles and insights gained from ments taken in experiments with his guing property: charging the meta­ conventional materials­ to develop new metamaterials enable him to refine material to change its shape prevents metamaterials. physical models. Metamaterials’ waves from propagating in certain fre- intern­al structures are thus the key quency ranges. These bands can be Tools from theoretical physics that unlocks the door to a vivid under- varied by modulating the voltage. Colleagues in other disciplines support standing and exploitation of physical Kochmann says these adjustable wave Kochmann’s efforts. One of them is principles – and to creativity for scien- barriers could be an interesting op-­ ETH physicist­ Sebastian Huber. De- tists seeking to engineer novel mater­ tion for damping vibrations in very veloping and building structures and ials with unprecedented properties. small components such as those found systems that behave as predicted by A switchable metamaterial Learn more about This silicon-coated metamaterial can be in microelectronics. abstract the­ories is one of his areas of charged electrochemically. This changes specialisation. Dennis Kochmann’s research at its structure as the lattice’s straight A creative search for structure He has already succeeded in build- → www.mm.ethz.ch cross-members morph into arches. He points out that the key to tailoring ing a topological insulator, for ex­ material properties on demand is find- ample. This is a system in which waves Learn more about ing the right small-scale architecture.­ can propagate only on the surface and Sebastian Huber’s research at The question is how to find the one only in one direction. In 2015, Huber → www.cmt-qo.phys.ethz.ch

ETH GLOBE 4/2019 Images: Dennis Kochmann Group ETH GLOBE 4/2019 FOCUS FOCUS

When did you first get involved in metries in multiferroics to simulate, in antiferromagnetism, where the mag- SEEMINGLY this line of research? the laboratory, processes that occurred netic dipoles on the atoms in a material I wrote a paper in 2000 that addressed in the early universe just after the Big are arranged such that one points up, the question of why there are so Bang! That’s not really a technologic- the next one down, then one up, and so few magnetic ferroelectrics. It sparked al application, I guess, but it’s very on. Overall, this means that the mate- the interest of groups who are very exciting. rial is not magnetic – but there’s still a good at making materials. In 2003, to- perfect order inside. So, we’re asking gether with my long-time collaborator Will multiferroics revolutionise ourselves what other kinds of order IMPOSSIBLE Ramamoorthy Ramesh at UC Berke- modern technologies? might be hidden in materials which we ley, we established a good multiferroic There are many aspects of materials haven’t detected yet because they Materials scientist Nicola Spaldin that worked at room temperature, bis- that determine whether they’re adopt- don’t appear on the outside – and what on her fascination with multiferroics, muth ferrite, which is the one that’s ed in a particular application. Our role exotic properties could they lead to? most widely explored for applications. as fundamental materials researchers, Together with colleagues at the Paul perfect order and materials with Around 2008, we demonstrated elec- I think, is to generate a broad palette Scherrer Institute and EPFL, we re- exotic properties. tric-field control of magnetism in that of possibilities so that device physicists cently won a collaborative grant from Nicola Spaldin is Professor of material. And now, ten years on, there or medical technologists have a range the European Research Council to an- TEXT Oliver Morsch Materials Science at ETH Zurich. are the first prototype devices. to choose from. It’s hard to say swer this question. And I’m secretly She has received numerous whether any particular material will be trying to make a room temperature national and international awards What other applications of a game changer in a particular device. superconductor – but maybe this one for teaching and research. multi­ferroics are there? There are too many economic and really does belong in the class of “im- The other main class of applications is practical considerations. With multi- possible materials”! based on magnetic-field control of the ferroics, we’ve made a class of mater­ electrical properties – so, the other way ials that’s really diverse and multi-­ Materials Theory Group: around. I’d not thought of that when I functional, and so it increases the pos- → www.theory.mat.ethz.ch MULTIFERROICS first started working on these mater­ sibilities for what we might even expect Multiferroics are materials that ials, but this is now being explored for a material to do. Listen to Nicola Spaldin on the are both ferromagnetic and 21

20 ferroelectric at the same time. biotechnology applications such as ETH Podcast: In a ferromagnet, the magnetic drug delivery. The idea is to have a tiny You mean they do things that you → www.ethz.ch/podcast dipoles on the atoms (which multiferroic particle which, because it wouldn’t even be able to imagine? icola Spaldin, what atoms that don’t generally make elec- can be envisaged as tiny compass is magnetic, can be guided to a specific In a way, yes. I actually remember a col- fascinates you about tric dipoles and forces them to do so needles) all point in the same place in the body, say a tumour site, league calling me up at the start of our direction, making the whole multiferroics?­ through unconventional mechanisms. using a magnetic field. Then, because multiferroics work to say he was organ- material magnetic. In a ferro­- NICOLA SPALDIN – N I noticed that there But I think the most promising mater­ electric, the electric dipoles inside the magnetic and electric dipoles are ising a workshop on impossible mater­ seemed to be no ferroelectric materials ials for technologies are just the simple the material, which are due to coupled, you can apply an oscillating ials and would like me to come! that were also ferromagnetic. I was ones, where we combine the two kinds slightly displaced positive and magnetic field and shake the particle, keen to understand why the two phe- of atoms. negative electric charges, line up which makes it release the drug mol­ What new ideas are you working nomena don’t coexist. We then tried to to make a large electric dipole. ecules it’s carrying. The advantage of a on right now? find ways around those restrictions in Are there already applications for Multiferroics combine those two magnetic field is that it can be applied My latest hobby – well, I do it at work, properties and also link them to order to make materials that combine these materials? each other. While magnetic dipoles remotely, just as for an MRI scan. There but it’s still a hobby – is investigating both properties. There are prototypes, yes, but no wide- are usually controlled using are also many other applications. For something called “hidden order”. A spread applications yet. There are two magnetic fields (think of a compass example, you can use the unusual sym- historical example of hidden order is Why is it so difficult for ferromagnetism ways forward here. The first applica- needle pointing along the Earth’s and ferroelectricity to coexist? tion we had in mind was controlling­ magnetic field) and electric dipoles It turns out that it’s not down to any magnetism with an electric field. This react to electric fields, in a multi- ferroic, the magnetic dipoles can profound law of physics – it’s just that has exciting potential for data storage be controlled through electric the kind of atoms that are good at mak- or processing because magnetic de­ fields – and, similarly, the electric ing magnetic dipoles sit in a dif­ferent vices, for example in a computer hard dipoles through magnetic fields. “A colleague was holding a workshop on place in the periodic table than the kind drive, are usually controlled with that are good at making electric dipoles. magnetic fields. However, to make a impos­sible materials and said he wanted magnetic field you need to run current How do you get around this? through a large coil of wire, which me to come.” We simply made materials that had heats up. This uses a lot of energy and Nicola Spaldin both kinds of atoms. And that’s largely means your device is very big. We can what we still do. There are also some get round this problem by controlling clever developments in which one uses magnetism with an electric field.

ETH GLOBE 4/2019 Image: L’Oréal Foundation ETH GLOBE 4/2019 FOKUSFOCUS FOCUS

ost objects require a set of Conserving fuel parts connected by hinges, A number of ETH researchers are rivets or screws to move working on such shape-shifting mater­ Mand change shape – be it an umbrella, ials. One is Paolo Ermanni, Professor car door or robot arm. But that may of Structure Technologies and Direct­ soon change as scientists around the or of the Composite Materials and world conduct research into materials Adaptive Structures Lab. He and his that can shift their shape on command. team are developing aerospace struc- There are many benefits to a compo- tures that combine three apparently nent made of a single such adaptive contradictory properties: they need to material. It could replace several con- be light, stable and flexible, all at once. ventional parts and render hinges and “That’s a big challenge,” says Ermanni. screws obsolete. Fewer parts also Most materials are either stable and means less maintenance effort and able to bear loads like steel, elastic like lower weight. The latter is essential to rubber, or light like polystyrene. Few aerospace and other high-tech applica- combine all these properties in a single tions where every gram matters. It also material. This is why the researchers opens the door to new exciting possi- are opting to combine mater­ials: for bilities in many other areas. example, fibre-reinforced polymers­ – which are very light, extremely stable and stiff – with flexible materials. These scientists have already made strides with an aircraft wing that adapts its shape to changing conditions, much like birds’ wings. “Our goal is to im- 23

22 prove aerodynamics and increase effi- MATERIALS, ciency,” says Ermanni. Conventional wings are largely rigid. They need flaps called ailerons and airbrakes to modify their profile. These aerodynamically inefficient controls consume an exces- INTO sive amount of fuel. Made of a carbon GET fibre-reinforced composite, only the front section of the newly developed aircraft wing is rigid. The rear section’s structure has some give built into it. An electric control system bends it up- wards or downwards to change the lift. SHAPE! “Airliners with deformable wings could save up to a third on fuel,” says ETH researchers are developing Ermanni. The technology is not ready novel materials that change shape for deployment just yet, but the team has proved it viable with a model air- on command. This could herald craft developed to this end. the arrival of flexible car bodies Flexible design and new kinds of medical devices. Another project is underway to im- prove aerodynamics. Part of the Sus- TEXT Claudia Hoffmann tainable Design of 4D Printed Active Systems (SD4D) research programme, an initiative of the ETH Board, its goal is to develop new materials that can subsequently change their shape in which they are fabricated by a 3D

ETH GLOBE 4/2019 ETH GLOBE 4/2019 FOCUS FOCUS

The presence of a magnetic tion. Folded up and shuttled into space, Scherrer Institute, developed a new delivered in a compact form to a specif- field forces the composite component platforms for devices such type of polymer composite. This mate- ic location,” says Dufresne. Switching material to hold its deformed as solar panels unfold when warmed by rial does not require heat as the nature off the magnetic field would expand shape. In the absence of this the heat of the sun. of its shape memory is magnetic. Take, the stent to help prevent thrombosis. force, the material returns to its original shape. Shape memory is not limited to for example, a strip of polymer twisted The development of the material metals. The list of smart polymers is into a spiral. An applied magnetic field came about almost by chance. While also growing longer. Their great ad- forces it to hold its form. The spiral un- Dufresne’s group is mainly concerned vantage is that they are many times winds back into a strip when the mag- with exploring the interaction of soft softer and more flexible than metal. netic force is removed. materials with their environment, Some are also more biocompatible, so This action is due to the mater­­- Heyderman’s team researches mag- they lend themselves to medical appli- ial’s two constituent components. netic nanostructures. “By combining cations such as implants, prostheses A silicone-­based polymer provides the our expertise, we ultimately came up and artificial muscles. Their prospects scaffolding. This polymer contains with a material with entirely new prop- in robotics also look bright. Shape- droplets of a liquid with tiny, suspend- erties,” says Heyderman, clearly de- memory polymers can serve to build ed iron particles. Holding a magnet to lighted with the outcome. soft robots based on living organisms. the liquid causes the particles to align These robots could pick up an object, with the force lines. This instantly Paolo Ermanni’s research group: put it down again and move in other makes the material stronger, increas- → www.structures.ethz.ch ways by shifting the shape of the mater­ ing its stiffness by a factor of 30. Re- Suspended in the ial of which they are made. move the magnetic field, and the iron Eric Dufresne’s research group: water and glycerine droplets are tiny particles disperse in the liquid and the → www.softliv.mat.ethz.ch magnetic particles of Magnetically programmable material softens. carbonyl iron. A drawback of most shape-memory “One great benefit is that the ma- Laura Heyderman’s research group: materials is that they have to be heated terial is very easy to make,” says Testa. → www.mesosys.mat.ethz.ch to return to their true form. “This is a Simply blend the liquid components, problem in medicine because high cast the mix into any form, and then 25

24 temperatures can damage tissue,” says cure it. Introducing additives would Eric Dufresne, Professor at the Labor­ also make 3D printing a viable op-­ atory for Soft and Living Materials at tion. Both casting and printing har- ETH Zurich. The material often proves bour great potential for industrial difficult to heat uniformly, and the pro- manufacturing. printer. These materials could suit nickel-titanium alloy wire. When elec- modulate their transmission frequency cess consumes a great deal of energy. The researchers see various poten- many applications, one being car trically heated to around 100 degrees by deforming. Postdoctoral researcher With this in mind, Dufresne, doc- tial applications for this new polymer, bodies. “Streamlining is a key factor Celsius, these wires contract, deform- Maria Sakovsky, who is a member of toral student Paolo Testa and Laura including biomedicine and soft robot- for boosting efficiency and thereby -ex ing the connectors to change the entire Ermanni’s group, is busy working on Heyderman, Professor of Mesoscopic ics. “For example, it could be used to tending range, particularly for electric structure’s shape as intended. this application. The nickel-titanium Systems at ETH Zurich and the Paul build a new type of stent that can be cars,” says Ermanni. A body that adapts Depending on which wires are ac- wire that the researchers use in the its shape to the vehicle’s speed of travel tuated, the flat panel can extend new composite belongs to a special would reduce aerodynamic drag and lengthwise or breadthwise, or bend class of materials. Remarkably elastic conserve energy. into other shapes such as a hemisphere. yet stable, these materials have what This insight prompted Ermanni The new form holds its shape until the scientists call shape memory. They can and his doctoral student Oleg Testoni electrical voltage cuts off. As the wires remember their original shape even to test engineering principles that cool and expand, the entire structure when heavily deformed, and return to would achieve the greatest possible returns to its original form without fur- their initial state in response to a stimu­ “By combining our expertise, we deformability. One approach is to com- ther prompting. “Many different con- lus, usually heat. For example, a paper bine different materials in a modular figurations are possible thanks to the clip made of shape-memory wire can ultimately came up with a material with way to make composites. The team’s modular design,” says Ermanni. Prod­ be bent beyond recognition, but it basic building blocks are rectangular ucing different structures is quick and twists straight back into shape when entirely new properties.” elements made of polylactide, with car- easy thanks to 3D printers, so the con- immersed in hot water. Medical and Laura Heyderman bon fibre-reinforced polymer later nector can take a variety of forms in its aerospace engineers are already put- serving to ensure stability. Polymer initial state. ting this property to work in various connectors manufactured with a 3D applications. Surgeons can thread printer hold these elements together to Materials with a memory crimped stents made of shape-memory give them the necessary flexibility. This new composite material could alloys through blood vessels, which ex- Each connector features an embedded first be used in satellite antennas that pand when they arrive at their destina-

ETH GLOBE 4/2019 Image: Paolo Testa ETH GLOBE 4/2019 FOCUS FOCUS

chemical and other engineers had Tibbitt. An initial workshop and a Such risks also present great opportu- looked to nature primarily for inspir­ symposium are scheduled to take place nities: concrete production accounts ation for mimicking properties such as in spring 2020 for experts to discuss for around eight percent of

the lotus blossom’s ability to repel the matter. The idea is to define re- today’s global CO2 emissions. Entire BIODEGRADABLE water. “Today, we’re trying to incorp­ search questions and then launch the strips of sandy beaches are being sacri- orate biological functions into mater­ first transdisciplinary projects. ficed to the global construction boom. ials.” These efforts are fuelled by break- Many landfills are overflowing with throughs in materials science and bio- Living with animated environments rubble from demolished buildings. Or- technology. DNA engineering and new This is a fresh avenue of research that ganic infrastructures with closed molecular biological methods such as Chatzi and Tibbitt have embarked mater­ial cycles – such as bridges made CRISPR/Cas gene editing can now upon, and at this stage there are many of remarkably robust plant fibre – offer BRIDGES serve to introduce new biological func- more questions than answers. One big a sustainable alternative. If damaged, tions into cells for very specif-­­ question is how to assure safety and they could repair themselves. At the Researchers are looking into new gence that are aware of their condition ic purposes. Additive manufacturing stability when infrastructures develop end of their service life, they could sim- materials to lay the foundations even without externally mounted sen- using 3D printers enables high- a life of their own. Another is how ply break down into individual sors,” says Chatzi. resolution, data-based material design. humans and animals will react to an en- compost­able components. for living structures that respond Combining concepts from a number of gineered environment consisting of to their environment. They aim to Conscious concrete fields – chemical engineering, polymer living organisms. And what happens if Chair of Structural Mechanics: An unprecedented class of materials chemistry, materials science and sys- a synthetic organism leaches from a → www.chatzi.ibk.ethz.ch create self-sustaining infrastructures provides the underpinning for this tems biology – Tibbitt’s research aims new building material into surround- that can monitor their condition kind of self-aware infrastructure – and to develop soft, tissue-like polymers ing waters? “We have to think about Macromolecular Engineering Laboratory: researchers around the world have for biomedical applications. bioethical questions and safety con- → www.macro.ethz.ch and even repair themselves. been busy exploring their mysteries for “The fascinating thing about living cerns from day one,” says Tibbitt. the past few years. One example is in- organisms is that they perceive their TEXT Samuel Schlaefli trinsic self-sensing concrete. Mixed environment, react to it and even heal with carbon fibres, carbon nanotubes themselves when injured. We want to 27

26 and nickel powder, this material moni- instil these qualities in materials and tors its condition autonomously to infrastructures,” says Tibbitt. He be- provide information about cracks, lieves future applications could include moisture or unusually heavy loads. houseplants that clean the air and This data is coaxed from the structure change the colour of their leaves to call by applying voltage and constantly attention to air quality, and buildings measuring the electrical resistance. A that change with the seasons to keep second line of research into materials their interior climate comfortable. Living structures such as this traditional bridge in India made of vines provide a source of inspiration for entirely new materials. with self-healing properties points in a Tibbitt met Eleni Chatzi a year ago hen Eleni Chatzi is not Stiftung since 2010, specialises in similar direction. Last year, in a project at an event for exploring radically new busy reading technical structural health monitoring. Chatzi inspired by plant photosynthesis, US avenues of research. Although the two Wpapers about vibrating bridges, diagnoses the health of dams, researchers presented a polymer that work on very different scales, they smart infrastructures and data- bridges, wind turbines, aircraft and ve- can repair itself by reacting with car- often talk about the same concepts. driven engineering, she enjoys im- hicles using sensors, algorithms that bon dioxide in the surrounding air. Recurring topics include materials­ mersing herself in science fiction convert and process signals, and ma- Other groups are working with bacter­ that can “heal” themselves. Recently, novels. “I like pondering unconven- chine learning. Currently, engineers ia that form lime when exposed to rain- they began to foster dialogue among tional ideas and imagining a world have to either externally install the sen- water and other moisture. Added to researchers at ETH about living, that is yet to come,” says Chatzi, Pro- sors needed to measure tension, de­ concrete, they can seal small cracks on self-sensing and self-healing materials­ fessor of Structural Mechanics at formation, acceleration, wind and their own. Experiments are underway and infrastructures. Materials­ scien- ETH ­Zurich. Indeed, there is a ring strain, or incorporate these devices with microvascular networks that re- tists, chemical, civil and electric­al of ­sci-fi to it when she talks about ap- into the initial structural design. lease “healing” fluids when an injury engin­eers, biologists and computer sci- plications that her research could “However, this is usually an extra ex- occurs. Responding much like the entists have all joined in to someday lead to. One such futurist pense and a disruptive factor, especial- human organism to a skin wound, they develop materials with the goal of vision is bridges that grow out of a ly on building sites,” explains Chatzi. polymerise to fill the fractures. working at different scales right from handful of seeds and consist entirely Crews have to install countless cables “We’re seeing a fusion of materials the start instead of scaling them at a of organic material. to transmit the measured data to a cen- science and biology,” says Mark later stage. This 38-year-old civil engineer, tral computer for analysis. “That’s why Tibbitt, Professor at the Macro­ “ETH Zurich is the perfect hub whose professorship has received we’d like to develop infrastructures molecular Engineering Laboratory at for this venture because it has so much funding from the Albert Lück- and machines with intrinsic intelli- ETH Zurich. He notes that in the past, expertise in all the key areas,” says

ETH GLOBE 4/2019 Image: iStockphoto ETH GLOBE 4/2019 FOCUS FOCUS

NEW MATERIALS

developing bullet- and stab-proof Controlled warpage CUTTING-EDGE vests based on these suspensions. These offer the same protection as of wood SOLUTIONS conventional safety vests but are more comfortable to wear. Wood can be formed with the help of steam and great force. This is how Some may sound like science fiction, → www.ethz.ch/viscosity-bullet-proof traditional wooden chairs are made. but these exciting new developments from Led by Markus Rüggeberg, research- ers at ETH Zurich and Empa have ETH labs are very much a reality. now found a way of forming wood into a predefined shape without COMPILATION Fabio Bergamin ­applying external force. Two layers of damp wood, each with the grain running in a different direction, are glued together. As the wood dries, it contracts more strongly at right an- gles to the grain than along the grain. Using a computer, researchers have been able to model the precise degree of warping of their twin-layer con- 29

28 Bioresorbable struction. This method has already Flexible batteries been used to build a wooden tower in implants Remstal, near Stuttgart. Developed by ETH Professor Markus Niederberger, this ultra-thin lithium-ion battery can be twisted, bent and In the future, orthopaedic surgeons → www.ethz.ch/self-shaping-wood even stretched. It is ideal for use in foldable and rollable will be able to use magnesium-alloy electronic devices or for powering sensors incorporated screws to fix broken bones. The ad- in clothing or other textiles. This new thin-film battery vantage of this particular light metal has a sandwich-like structure similar to that of existing is that it is bioresorb­able, which bat­teries. For the first time, however, scientists have used means that implants do not have to flexible components throughout as well as a newly de­ be removed at a later date. Further- veloped electrolyte gel. The project is supported by the more, magnesium promotes bone Adrian Weiss Stiftung. Liquid safety vests growth, thereby supporting the heal- ing process. A research group led by types of foam. As a rule, foams are → www.ethz.ch/battery-with-twist Some suspensions behave like a fluid ETH Professor Jörg Löffler has -de short-lived. This is because the small as long as they are not subject to a veloped a way of making magnesium bubbles in the foam shrink over time. powerful force. If, however, such a implants that are por­ous but have a A research group led by ETH Pro­ force is suddenly applied, they be- high mechanical strength. Using an fessor Jan Vermant has studied this come viscous and almost solidify. As additive manufacturing process, a process in detail and demonstrated ETH Professor Lucio Isa has shown, lattice-like template is made of salt. how coating the bubbles with tiny this phenomenon is due in part to This then serves as a casting mould par­ticles can hinder this process. This the surface characteristics of the for the magnesium implant. The Longer-lasting foam knowledge will now kick-start the solid particles in the suspension: the pores are created by dissolving the ­development of suitable stabilisers rougher the surface of these parti- salt lattice. Inside the body, these There’s more to foam than the for a range of foams in foodstuffs and cles, the likelier it is that the suspen- pores are colonized by bone cells, frothy head on a freshly pulled beer. building materials. sion will suddenly solidify. This which produce new bone within the In physical terms, bread dough, ice knowledge is handy when it comes to structure of the implant. cream and even liquid concrete are all → www.ethz.ch/stable-foam optimizing the flow properties of liquid concrete, for example, or → www.ethz.ch/bioresorbable

Images: Laboratory of Metal Physics and Technology / Complex ETH GLOBE 4/2019 Images: Group Niederberger; Chiao-​Peng Hsu ­Materials; ICD/ITKE University of Stuttgart; Ravi Patel, unsplash ETH GLOBE 4/2019 COMMUNITY

ETH Week 2019 RETHINKING MOBILITY

This year’s ETH Week was in Septem- COME AND ber and took place in the SBB Werk- stadt Zürich. Students from all depart- JOIN US. ments came together to generate ideas for making future mobility more sus- Start your global technical career in the high-tech industry. tainable. It was jointly organised by mikron.com/career ETH Sustainability, the SCCER Mo- bility centre of excellence, SparkLabs, and the Chair of Technology and Innov­ation Management at D-MTEC, with Swiss rail company SBB as an ex- ternal partner. The annual ETH Week aims to foster interdisciplinary collab- 1400 Two innovation Globally Versatile activities Open and fair employees awards in 2019! operating in a high-tech corporate culture oration and provide students with an group environment opportunity to analyse and reflect upon major issues facing society. 31 Two hundred students gathered in the SBB Werkstadt Zürich for a week-long think tank.

The behavior of Mixed Reality and AI Zurich Lab this cooperation to a higher level. ETH ERC Synergy Grants doctoral students will get to work on ferromagnetic materials NEW MICROSOFT genuine industry problems with access FUNDING FOR RESEARCH LAB to the very latest hardware. In turn, INTERDISCIPLINARY impacts the overall design. Microsoft will profit from an ETH re- search portfolio that is broad in scope PROJECTS Microsoft has opened a new lab in Zu- and long-term in outlook as well as a Ferromagnetic parts influence the magnetic field in rich for the study of mixed-reality steady stream of first-class doctoral their surroundings. This is important to consider when technologies and artificial intelligence. students. Two ETH Zurich projects and one designing electronic components and electrical machinery. Simulation can help you understand how magnetic The software corporation is cooperat- There are currently 12 Microsoft with ETH participation have each materials affect the overall performance of a device or ing closely with ETH Zurich, with employees at the Mixed Reality and AI been awarded a coveted European Re- system. However, ferromagnetic materials do not all ETH Professor Marc Pollefeys to head Zurich Lab and 5 doctoral students – 4 search Council (ERC) Synergy Grant, exhibit the same behavior. For accurate models, you need up the new lab. Research and develop- from ETH Zurich and 1 from EPFL, all which gives funding of up to 14 mil- software that can describe what happens in the real world. ment will concentrate on devising ways working in the fields of visual comput- lion euros. Synergy Grants are one of Visualization of the The COMSOL Multiphysics® software is used for of combining the physical world with ing and robotics. As lab director, ETH the ways in which the EU promotes magnetization norm simulating designs, devices, and processes in all fields of virtual reality. Examples include smart Professor Marc Pollefeys’ employ-­ interdisciplinary research collabor­ of an AlNiCo soft engineering, manufacturing, and scientific research. See glasses for superimposing virtual ob- ment contract is split equally between ation. In this case, the ERC has award- permanent magnet and the surrounding how you can apply it to modeling ferromagnetic materials. jects onto the wearer’s field of view. Micro­soft and ETH Zurich. He will ed its synergy grants to a diverse range magnetic field. comsol.blog/ferromagnetic-materials Such optical head-mounted displays spend half his time working for Micro- of projects: earthquake forecasting can be used, for instance, to provide soft, and the other half continuing to (Domenico Giardini), genome editing assistance for service technicians. teach and research at the university. (Jacob Corn) and the development of Microsoft and ETH have been col- The lab will also work with other uni- broadband antiviral therapies (Jeffrey laborating on various projects for the versities on a project basis. Bode). past 11 years. The new lab now takes

Image: Alessandro Della Bella ETH GLOBE 4/2019 COMMUNITY COMMUNITY

50 years of AVETH Philanthropy

FEEDING FUTURE Building bridges ­GENERATIONS

“ETH get hired”. And this year, to Roszkowski notes that the AVETH ing a professorship are rapidly dimin- for scientific staff cele­brate its 50th anniversary, AVETH board has since expressed its satisfac- ishing, and competition between doc- organised a series of workshops and tion with how the university has re- toral students and post-docs will con- takeaway talks. sponded to the problems of doctoral tinue to increase.” He argues that many For the past 50 years, AVETH has promoted supervision that came to light in 2017. students will end up embarking on the interests of doctoral students, post-docs Focus on doctoral supervision A two-day symposium, which pro­ their doctorates with unrealistic hopes One of the services AVETH members vided the first platform of its kind for of obtaining their own professorship. and scientific staff. The association gives use a lot is counselling. Scientific staff experts and members of ETH to hold Roszkowski therefore proposes that By Donald Tillman equal weight to representing its members can turn to the organisation for confi- wide-ranging discussions on this issue people should reassess how they ap- dential assistance regarding any con- in Switzerland, simultaneously marked proach their career in science: “Doing in university policymaking and providing cerns they may have about their em- the beginning of consultations on new a doctoral thesis is a step toward a pro- The holiday season at the end of concrete support and counselling. ployment or difficulties in their private rules and measures for supervising fessorship, but it can also be relevant the year is a time for family and life. AVETH members provide advice doctoral students – a process in which for other kinds of professional activity friends. Shared meals, often or enlist the help of experts for situ­ AVETH played a major role. “It’s a and social engagement.” Roszkowski is featuring traditional recipes and ations such as conflict de-escalation or good start. Our task now is to check doing his doctorate on the molecular carefully selected ingredients, the need to prepare for a difficult dis- that the measures are enforced and en- mechanisms of epigenetic inheritance are an important part of the cussion. The most frequent reason couraged throughout the university,” at the Laboratory of Neuroepigenetics celebrations. At other times, doctoral students turn to the counsel- explains Roszkowski. and will finish his thesis next year. “I however, it can be good to try out ling service is to resolve conflicts with know that I want to stay in research new things. Researchers at ETH hat began as a tentative idea and successfully fought off an alterna- their supervisors, says Roszkowski. Reassessing the doctorate and lead a team,” he says. “There are Zurich are therefore working on 33

32 has evolved over the past 50 tive proposal to introduce a pay grad­ In 2017, this prompted AVETH to Roszkowski also mentions another exciting opportunities to do that not alternatives to help put the W years to become a mainstay ation scheme instead of part-time pos­ launch a study into the quality of doc- topic that AVETH will be focusing on only at the university, but also in the world’s food supply on a more of the university: the Academic Associ- itions to cut costs. toral student supervision at ETH. The in the future: “The prospects of obtain- private sector.” — Samuel Schlaefli sustainable footing. ation of Scientific Staff at ETH Zurich AVETH’s broad-based representa- results made a major impact when they (AVETH) includes representatives tion and popularity at the university is were published in April 2018. Sixty- Examples include ETH alumnus from all academic departments as well based on tens of thousands of hours of two percent of the almost 1,600 re- and Pioneer Fellow Lukas Böni as the Singapore-ETH Centre. It rep- voluntary work and specific services. spondents said they were generally sat- from the ETH spin-off Planted, resents the interests of doctoral stu- The association holds information isfied with their supervision. Yet al- who has produced a plant-based dents, post-docs and scientific staff in events to welcome new doctoral stu- most a quarter of the respondents said chicken substitute from pea the University Assembly and on a num- their supervisor had abused their posi- protein. Or Cyrill Hess and ber of university commissions. The or- tion of authority. Melanie Binggeli from ganisation currently has 2,300 mem- “Supervision used “Until that point, the issue of su- LemnaPro, who plan to cultivate bers. This is equivalent to one- third of pervision had been treated much like Wolffia – more commonly known the approximately 6,000 scientific to be an issue nobody the issue of salaries,” says Roszkowski. as duckweed – and put it on staff, the majority of whom (some wanted to discuss.” “Nobody wanted to talk about it – European tables. Our 4,000) are doctoral students. “Our dedication to research overruled supplement Uplift has more on membership figures are very high com- everything else.” He cautions against the topic of sustainable food. So pared to other universities,” says dents, post-docs and academic staff. putting all the blame on one side, how- please take a moment to Martin Roszkowski, AVETH Presi- AVETH representatives from the aca- ever: “Much depends on the doctoral discover some of the exciting dent since 2017. demic departments get in touch with students themselves,” he argues. “They developments from our talented The association offers concrete as- new arrivals personally, providing use- need to stand up for their rights and young scientists at ETH! After all, sistance and represents the scientific ful information on life at ETH. The clearly articulate what they expect it’s also thanks to you, our staff’s interests in university policy- AVETH website offers a survival guide from doctoral supervision.” Against benefactors, that we can provide making. Roszkowski cites the example for doctoral students, providing advice this backdrop, ETH launched a pro- education and research at the of a practice that some individual pro- and targeted assistance for the doctor- gramme for new candidates in early highest level and help solve the fessors introduced a few years ago of al studies process, which can be a chal- 2019 that aims to strengthen profes- Martin Roszkowski, ­ problem of how to feed future establishing part-time positions for lenging time. Some 30 years ago, the sors’ supervisory skills while also help- President of AVETH generations. post-docs due to budget constraints. AVETH offshoot Telejob laid the ing doctoral students to know their AVETH strongly opposed this practice foundations for the online job platform rights and obligations. → www.ethz-foundation.ch/en

ETH GLOBE 4/2019 Images: Gian Marco Castelberg; Eline Keller-Soerensen ETH GLOBE 4/2019 COMMUNITY COMMUNITY

The anniversary celebrations gave many alumni a welcome opportunity to revisit the hallowed halls of ETH.

ETH Foundation interesting, take place between 5 and 8 p.m. in the period normally set aside for the family. They in- NEW FACES FOR THE clude scientific talks and events, such as inaugural BOARD OF TRUSTEES and farewell lectures, as well as social events like networking dinners. And then there are those meet- ings that get pushed into the evening due to sched- By supporting top talent and research uling conflicts – because after 5 p.m. “everyone’s at ETH Zurich, the ETH Foundation got time”! helps deliver the extra momentum that ETH requires in order to take on ome lectures are recorded, but it’s the social the major challenges of our times. S encounters that are impossible to catch up This past year has seen the appoint- on. Being able to collaborate with other scien- ment of two prominent figures – both tists is a key aspect of innovative research. New with vast experience and extensive discoveries often emerge when researchers look be- networks – to the Board of Trustees of yond their own area of expertise and join forces the ETH Foundation: former Swiss with researchers from other areas. These kinds of Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard partnerships often arise not from some kind of and Markus Neuhaus, who has a doc- targeted plan, but rather from the random conver- torate in law and is the former CEO sations between two people that occur at social and chairman of the board of directors Column gatherings. So we’re left with a very real dilemma 35

34 of PwC Switzerland. The official anniversary event kicked off before a full house of whether to go home and put the children to They replace former board mem- with a performance by a cappella group the Singing Pinguins. bed or take part in professional networking. bers Thomas Knecht and Beatrice I don’t have a magic formula to improve this Weder di Mauro, who received a cere­ aspect of the work–life balance, because it’s true monial farewell to thank them for ETH Alumni marks 150 years tainment. In the same month, the asso- Between that schedules often collide when trying to find time their service to the ETH Foundation. ciation extended a cordial invitation to for a meeting before 5 p.m. – and even I organise A YEAR OF meet at the VSETH Summerbar on the an annual retreat with my own group that extends CELEBRATION Polyterrasse. In October, a walking 5 and 8 p.m. into the evening. I do, however, try to schedule tour of Zurich provided an opportun­ seminars­ before 5 p.m. and our department organis- ity to follow the tracks left by ETH es a month­ly faculty lunch (instead of an evening Founded by a group of former poly- alumni in the city. Alongside these dinner) to encourage networking within the de­ technic students in 1869, the ETH cele­brations, local groups – from the ll in all, I would say that – thanks to my partment. These are small steps that can make it Alumni Association celebrated its nearby Zurich Oberland all the way to A ­husband – I manage to get a pretty good bal- easier for researchers with children to get more in- 150th anniversary this year. A host of Sydney in Australia – also staged their ance between my work and family life. I or- volved in the social fabric of the university. If we functions, formal and informal, saw own anniversary festivities. ganise my day to make sure we can all have dinner con­sidered these kinds of things a bit more often in ETH alumni from around the world In line with its motto – “Connect- together in the evening and I can spend time with daily academic life, it would benefit both the uni­ come together to mark the occasion. ing – Engaging – Inspiring” – the my family. That means at just after 5 p.m. I have to versity and people’s families. The anniversary year kicked off at the ETH Alumni Association aims to sup- head to the train station. This is certainly com­ end of February with an event organ- port ETH Zurich and to maintain and patible with the bulk of what I do, such as giving lec- New on the board of trustees: Doris Leuthard and Markus Neuhaus. ised by the ETH Alumni Association, cultivate the global network of ETH tures, supervising doctoral students and writing where 2,000 anniversary cupcakes alumni. “In an increasingly global­- research proposals. So have I got the whole were handed out to ETH students. On ised world, it’s vital to have a network work-life issue sorted? Gabriela Hug is a Professor at the Insti- 18 May, an official function to cele- that spans the globe,” says Walter Well, an academic career doesn’t really fit into a tute for Power Systems & High Voltage brate the 150th anniversary of the Gränicher, president of the ETH 40-hour working week, so it requires a certain level Technology. In her column, she discusses ETH Alumni Association was held in Alumni Association. The association of flexibility in when – and to some extent where – how to overcome the stereotypical roles the ETH Main Building. The festivities has over 30,000 members across some you work. Unfortunately, many of the events that and behaviours that create barriers for began in the packed Audi Max, before 60 affiliate organisations divided up are not a core part of my job, but nevertheless very both men and women. migrating to the main hall, and offered according to degree subject, place of a sparkling mix of speeches and enter- residence and field of interest.

ETH GLOBE 4/2019 Images: Courtesy of D. Leuthard, M.Neuhaus; Giulia Marthaler Illustration: Benedikt Rugar; image: Giulia Marthaler ETH GLOBE 4/2019 REPORT REPORT

ension is mounting in the atrium goal and displayed similar levels of mo- “Seventy-hour of the research centre at HSR tivation, their starting points couldn’t T University of Applied Sciences have been more different. weeks were the Rapperswil. The viewers in the gal­ VariLeg enhanced, a team of 15 norm, and that leries are holding their breath, and you Bachelor’s students from ETH Zurich can almost hear a pin drop. The throaty and HSR, took just eight months to get sometimes rose sound of a motor breaks the silence, their exoskeleton up and running, col- followed by applause. Rolf Schoch, a laborating in a focus project through- to 90 hours in the 30-year-old man with paraplegia, gets out the final year of their studies. Com- critical phase.” up from a wooden bench and begins to prising mechanical and electrical walk. His body is encased in a compact, engin­­eers as well as health scientists, 35-kilogramme exoskeleton – a wear- the team invested a lot of time in their able, powered support system that en- assistance system, says mechanical ables paraplegics to stand up, walk and engine­er Michael Heid: “Seventy-hour climb stairs. weeks were the norm, and that some- At what has been dubbed the times rose to 90 hours in the critical ­“Cybathlon Experience” at HSR, two phase.” And lectures? “Well, we might teams are keen to demonstrate how have attended some.” But Michael this is possible: one team called Vari- lived primarily for the focus project – Leg enhanced, piloted by Rolf Schoch, not least because of the people in his 37

36 the other called Project March, piloted environment with paraplegia. by Sjaan Quirijns. Both teams will be taking part in the Cybathlon in May First step on the obstacle course: encased in the exoskeleton, Rolf Schoch has just got up from the bench. 2020, a competition launched by ETH ­Zurich in which people with physical disabilities compete against each other to complete everyday tasks using ro- botic assistance systems. The two teams are taking the op- portunity of the Cybathlon Experience Helping people with to present their exoskeletons to the wider public. These exoskeletons ­enable Sjaan and Rolf to talk with paraplegia walk again others on an equal footing and com- plete everyday tasks – something Rolf demonstrates by stacking cups on a Walking despite paraplegia: at an event in the run-up table. In order to accomplish this, the to Cybathlon 2020, two teams consisting of students, pilot has to let go of one of his crutches, relying fully on the exoskeleton to hold researchers and people with disabilities show that it can be him in an upright position. done. Highlights from the Cybathlon Experience. Same goal, different starting points TEXT Corina Oertli IMAGES Urs Matter Getting to this point wasn’t easy. To compete in Cybathlon 2020, both teams had to develop their robotic exo­ skeletons under enormous time pres- sure and in close cooperation with their paraplegic pilots. Though the stu- Before the start: the audience watches intently as Rolf is lifted from dent teams were pursuing the same his wheelchair into the exoskeleton.

ETH GLOBE 4/2019 ETH GLOBE 4/2019 REPORT REPORT

“Obviously we So he and his team had corresponding- University of Technology interrupted Rolf, the pilot of the VariLeg enhanced ly high expectations of their final prod- their Bachelor’s and Master’s courses exoskeleton, has spent significantly talked to our uct. Although earlier focus projects for one year to work on the exoskeleton less time practicing with the powered had developed an exoskeleton, VariLeg in what they call the Dream Team. support that is now enabling him to predecessors, enhanced started more or less from Over a period of one month, their pre- walk at the Cybathlon Experience. The and they gave scratch. As Michael explains: “Obvi- decessors shared with them all the ex- tension is evident in his face as he com- ously we talked to our predecessors, pertise they had gained in the course pletes the slalom test, navigating his us some valuable and they gave us some valuable tips, of their own project. The fourth- way between bar tables with long, even but the concept we pursued wasn’t generation Dream Team then spent strides. He activates each step by tips, but the comparable to theirs.” The VariLeg en- a year constructing a new version pressing a button on one of his crutch- concept we hanced team wanted to position the of the existing exoskeleton called es. Each step forward is accompanied exoskeleton’s motors differently, and March IV – with the knowledge and by the mechanical whirring of the pursued wasn’t the materials and control unit they occa­sional support of the old team. robot – and by two helpers, ready to used were totally new compared with Sjaan Quirijns, the exoskeleton pilot, catch him if the motor fails. comparable the previous model. was on board from the start. Thanks to with theirs.” the valuable experience with exoskel­ Exoskeleton handed over A break in their studies etons she had gained working with the VariLeg enhanced no longer consists Things were different with the Dutch previous team and in other research solely of ETH and HSR students. team, Project March. The 23 students projects, she was able to provide the ­Following the roll-out of the focus from 7 different disciplines at Delft new team with optimum support. ­project in May 2019, the exoskeleton 39

38 was handed over to the Rehabilitation Engineering Lab and Product Devel- opment Group at ETH Zurich and HSR’s Institute for Lab Automation and Mechatronics. The students were determined to hand over the exoskel­ eton – along with the expertise on which it is based – in such a way that the researchers could continue work- ing on it seamlessly. In addition, Lukas Granzotto, one The obstacle course also includes a bar-table slalom. of the three team members from HSR, was able to secure a temporary position in the HSR lab, enabling him to make a key contribution to the smooth trans- fer of expertise and also stay involved in the project a while longer. His team colleague Michael Heid was certainly of triumph. The visitors applaud coached Rolf to tackle other obstacles, happy to have completed the project ­enthusiastically and the VariLeg en- made certain changes and carried out after eight months of intensive work. hanced team members are clearly tests. But since the exoskeleton was “But of course it was a shame to let go proud. ­already working so well, we didn’t of a project that is so close to my heart,” For them, it’s the end of today’s want to tinker with it anymore. Never he says. demonstration. Rolf attempts neither change a winning team!” the sideways slope nor the stairs in the While Rolf is giving a brief inter- Sideways through the obstacle course obstacle course, having had no oppor- view at the end of the obstacle course, Having reached the end of the row of tunity to train for these in the brief two the Project March team starts prepar- bar tables, the tension in Rolf’s face months at his disposal. As Lukas says: ing for its demonstration. Sjaan is sit- gives way to a relieved smile, and he “If the Cybathlon Experience hadn’t ting in her wheelchair. At this point, A tricky task: Rolf has to let go of one of his crutches in order to stack the cups. lifts up one of his crutches in a gesture come around, we would probably have she would normally haul herself

ETH GLOBE 4/2019 ETH GLOBE 4/2019 REPORT REPORT

“We’ll start by addressing the things the students simply

Pilot Sjaan Quirijns of into the empty exoskeleton sitting on didn’t have time for during Project March is highly the bench beside her. But this time the the focus project.” experienced. demonstration will take place without a pilot, which has nothing to do with her and everything to do with the ­technology. A few hours before, the March IV exoskeleton wasn’t able to move forwards and had to be repaired. As the team had no time to test the ­system prior­ to the demonstration, safety dictates­ the exoskeleton remain empty and tackle the obstacles without a pilot, but in the company of three tremely useful for a natural gait and to team is now attempting a run-through helpers. tackle obstacles efficiently. The Dutch with a pilot. As Sjaan makes her way Standing up, tackling the slalom, team is convinced that the exoskeleton down the last steps of the stairs, the balancing on the sideways slope and needs to be as comfortable and suitable Dutch team is greatly relieved – and climbing stairs – none of that poses a for everyday use as possible in order to clearly looking forward to Cybathlon problem for March IV. On the slope the win the Powered Exoskeleton Race 2020. team presents its latest innovation: the category at the Cybathlon. exoskeleton moves sideways, the hip VariLeg enhanced: 41

40 motors slowly shifting one leg after the Looking forward to the Cybathlon → www.varileg-enhanced.ch other to the side. Though specially de- Both teams have their work cut out veloped for the sloping surface, this for them in the run-up to Cybathlon Project MARCH: → www.projectmarch.nl CYBATHLON sideways movement also helps the 2020: Sjaan will train with the new The Cybathlon is a unique pilot retain his or her balance when Dream Team, while development of championship in which people with walking straight ahead. the VariLeg enhanced exoskeleton will physical disabilities compete continue under the leadership of HSR. against each other to complete Not ready yet for everyday use Immediately after the Cybathlon Ex- everyday tasks using state-of-the-art While the two exoskeletons can do a perience, the researchers take the exo- technical assistance systems. lot, they’re not yet suitable for every- skeleton apart to ensure that every­ The first competition organised by day use. From the outset, VariLeg en- thing is still intact after the intensive ETH Zurich was successfully launched in 2016. The gates of the SWISS hanced’s exoskeleton was conceived training and demonstration sessions. Arena in Kloten near Zurich will be for the obstacles of Cybathlon 2020. They also want to make some changes opened for the continuation of the To this end, the movements of a person to the system. “We’ll start by address- Cybathlon on 2–3 May 2020. Tickets: Even sideways steps are possible with walking through the obstacles were ing the things the students simply → www.cybathlon.com/tickets the March IV exoskeleton. rec­orded and programmed into the didn’t have time for during the focus software. Whereas Sjaan can choose project,” says Silvia Rohner, a lab The Cybathlon is supported by numerous partners, including maxon, between three steps of different lengths worker at HSR. That includes, for ex- Schulthess Klinik, EKZ, Stavros on the crutch display of her exoskel­ ample, optimising the code and prop- Niarchos Foundation, BNP Paribas, eton, Rolf has only one at his disposal. erly documenting everything. At Rolf’s Ernst Göhner Foundation, Swiss What’s more – unlike March IV – the suggestion, they will also be reducing Paraplegic Foundation, the City of ankles of the VariLeg enhanced exo- the time taken to complete each step in Kloten, the Cerebral Foundation, MBF skeleton cannot be moved. “It’s not order to improve balance. Foundation, Pro Infirmis, PluSport, necessary for the obstacles in the Right now, Sjaan, the Project Hocoma and Balgrist University Hospital. The ETH Foundation is Cybathlon and would require addition- March pilot, is making her way through looking for additional partners. al motors that would increase the the Cybathlon Experience obstacle Support the Cybathlon: weight of the exoskeleton,” says Lukas. course at a relatively rapid pace. → www.ethz-foundation.ch/en/ Project March has a different take Having successfully completed the cybathlon on this: mobile ankle joints are ex- course with an empty exoskeleton, the

ETH GLOBE 4/2019 ETH GLOBE 4/2019 CONNECTED

1 Scientifica Young visitors have fun with physics at Scientifica

1 Scientifica 4 ETH Day SCIENCE UP CLOSE AWARD OF HONORARY This year’s edition of Scientifica was DOCTORATE a resounding success, with 20,000 to 30,000 visitors seizing the opportun­ At this year’s ETH Day, Sarah ity to take a closer look at research Springman, Rector of ETH Zurich being done at ETH Zurich and the (left), ETH President Joël Mesot (sec- ­University of Zurich. The motto of ond from right) and Jérôme Faist, 4 ETH Day this year’s Zurich science fair was Head of the Department of Physics Science Fiction – Science Facts. It (right), presented an outstanding sci- featured numerous highlights, includ- entist with an honorary doctorate: ing a session on the magic of physics the physicist Evelyn Hu was hon- (inset photo) and the opportunity to oured for her major contribution to speak directly with researchers at the field of semiconductor physics vari­ous stands. and to the development of technol­ ogies that form the basis for a host of 2 Marcel Benoist Prize optoelectronic switching elements. Hu was already working in nanotech- 2 “SWISS NOBEL PRIZE” nology before this field was even Marcel Benoist Prize 43

42 Nicola Spaldin (right), Professor of properly defined as such. After com- Materials Theory at ETH Zurich , has pleting her doctorate in particle phys- been awarded the Marcel Benoist ics at Columbia University, she joined Swiss Science Prize for her ground- AT&T’s Bell Laboratories in 1975. breaking research into multiferroic She was appointed as professor at the materials. Federal Councillor Guy University of California, Santa Bar- 5 ETH at OLMA Parmelin (left) presented Spaldin bara in 1984 and at Harvard Univer­ with the prize, worth 250,000 Swiss sity in 2009. francs. 5 ETH at OLMA 3 Professorship in genome biology MICROBES AND DONORS ATTEND AGRICULTURE INAUGURAL LECTURE The ETH Zurich stand at this year’s Professor Jacob Corn (second from OLMA treated visitors to a tour of left) gave his inaugural lecture at ETH the world of bacteria and other 3 Professorship in genome biology Zurich in early October. ETH Rector micro­organisms. In the company Sarah M. Springman (third from left) of ETH President Joël Mesot (centre, welcomed representatives from right), Federal Councillor Alain the Lotte und Adolf Hotz-Sprenger Berset (centre, left) enjoyed a fascin­ Stiftung and the NOMIS Founda- ating introduction to the importance tion , both of which have helped fund of microbes to agriculture and human the new professorship in genome biol- health. With around 350,000 visitors, ogy. Professor Corn is investigating OLMA is Switzerland’s largest agri- how to detect and repair damage to culture and food trade fair. DNA by means of genome editing, a process whereby individual genes are deleted, inserted or modified.

Images: Alessandro Della Bella (2); © SNF / Daniel Rihs; ETH GLOBE 4/2019 courtesy of ETH Foundation; Sebastian Wagner; Oliver Bartenschlager ETH GLOBE 4/2019 CONNECTED CONNECTED

Agenda TOURS MUSIC

EXHIBITIONS 28 January 2020, 6.15–7.15 p.m. 21 January 2020, 7.30 p.m. Coral fungi and octopus The beautiful voice of the cello Until 31 January 2020 ­stinkhorns This concert features the winner of New How do we want to live? From coral fungi to the octopus stinkhorn, York’s Naumburg International Cello This exhibition immerses visitors in the fungi come in an extraordinarily diverse Competition, Lev Sivkov. He will be playing topic of non-commercial housing and range of shapes. Join us on this tour to an inspiring selection of works in the ETH Recommended reading explores the present and future of discover what amazing things can be Semperaula, including suites by M. Reger, cooperative living. Everyone who attends created through the skilful weaving, felting B. Britten, J.S. Bach, L. Berio and J. Ibert. MIRRORING EFFECTS: the exhibition automatically becomes and gluing of fungal hyphae. The concert will also include the European Tales of Territory a member of the Bellerive cooperative premiere of the solo cello piece Rising by when they purchase their ticket. As a Eric Tanguy. The aim is to showcase solo member of the cooperative, they help cello works from different stylistic epochs. The case studies presented in Mirror- decide how life in Villa Bellerive should ETH Zurich, Main Building, Semper Aula ing Effects: Tales of Territory unfold be organised. In this way, the exhibition → www.musicaldiscovery.ch/konzerte/4 as real-life stories that explore how forces us to constantly examine our own today’s urbanisation processes con- attitudes – probing our beliefs, inspiring tribute to the organisation of terri­ us, and potentially turning our views on The famous Potala Palace in the picturesque Tibetan mountains tory, particularly in light of economic their head. globalisation. These incredible, yet 45

44 ZAZ Zurich Architecture Center Alumni trip jiang. From the impressive Tiger Leap- true, tales help us understand the on- (Villa Bellerive), Höschgasse 3 ing Gorge on the Yangtze River, we ETH Zurich, Universitätsstrasse 16, going restructuring of built and lived → www.zaz-bellerive.ch TO THE ROOF OF head to Shangri-La. Our time on the CHN building, main entrance spaces in the geographical regions THE WORLD Tibetan plateau will include visits to the generally referred to as the global Ganden and Gyantse monasteries. Our south and global north. Until 29 February 2020 tour then takes us back to Lhasa via the 17 March 2020, 6.15–7.15 p.m. Though the two parts of this vol- 2–19 September 2020 gorges of the Brahmaputra River. A glimpse behind the scenes ume are divided along this political On this 18-day trip, participants will This tour delves deep into the past and and economic equator, the stories experience the mysteries of Tibet first- For more information and to sign up, present of the ETH Library. We’ll be taking a gradually start to blur that very dis- hand. Starting in Kunming, we will please visit: look at our printed books and maps and tinction. Taking the reader on a jour- journey through the ethnic minority → www.alumni.ethz.ch/events exploring how we organise and dispatch our ney around the globe that encom­ areas of Yunnan to the heights of Tibet physical documents. Then we’ll head to the passes Addis Ababa, Mumbai, Cairo, and the beautiful cities of Dali and Li- computer room to show you how to access EXPERIENCE São Paulo, Dubai, Berlin, Paris and our electronic resources from the comfort Shanghai, the tales reveal how the ap- of your own home. 14–17 April 2020, 10 a.m – 3 p.m. parently generic forces of the neo‑ Privacy – protected, shared, sold focusTerra osciences in underground construction ETH Zurich, Main Building, ETH Library Happy city for kids liberal economy have very different This exhibition sheds light on key aspects and the disposal of hazardous waste. How do you make city dwellers smile? effects on local realities. The book of privacy – and reveals contradictions in ON OUR DOORSTEP The new permanent exhibition will also Perhaps with a round of applause from highlights both the physical charac- our relationship to it. Examples from past investigate how the Zurich landscape a waste bin? The CreativeLabz project teristics of the territorial changes that and present show how social changes, the Permanent exhibition has changed over the past 12 million run by the Plant Science Center uses are currently unfolding as well as the political climate and prevailing moral The focusTerra museum will have a years. electronic components, microcontrollers social transformations that underlie norms are reflected in discussions about fresh new look in January 2020 once the and plants to bring such novel ideas the all the many facets of the current privacy. current renovations are complete. The ETH Zurich, focusTerra, to life. geo-economic order. Stadthaus Zürich, Stadthausquai 17 museum’s permanent exhibition ex- Sonnegg­strasse 5 ETH Zurich, Hönggerberg, → www.collegium.ethz.ch/en plores the interplay between geoscienc- → www.focusterra.ethz.ch Student Project House es and pressing contemporary issues Information on public tours: → www.creativelabz.ch/ Authors: Marc Angelil, Cary Siress such as climate change, acute and long- → www.tours.ethz.ch happy-city-­ferienkurs Published by: Ruby Press term natural hazards, the use of energy ISBN 9783944074290 and other resources, and the role of ge- Language: Only available in English

Images: Jean Gaberell, Baugeschichtliches Archiv der Images: Reinhard Berndt, Fungarium; Alessandro Della Bella; ETH GLOBE 4/2019 Stadt Zürich; AdobeStock; Artur Pawłowski, the cello voice; Ruby Press ETH GLOBE 4/2019 46 at thetime. she wasableto demonstratethatinherwork ­totality ofasystem,shesays, explaininghow ant,” shesays.The decisive factoristhe ple terms, was that bothaspectsare import ­ chemical interactions.“The answer, insim whether thishasmoretodo with physicalor question ofwhatmakesadhesivesworkand molecular nanocoatings,shedelvedintothe As partofherdoctoralthesisonmono­ Chance discovery leads tospin-off gree ineconomics. ish offhereducationwithapostgraduatede subsequently optedtoremainatETHfin of Researchfrom2001to2005.Hirayama ­Science whowasalsoETHVicePresident Ulrich W. Suter,aProfessorofMaterials her doctoralthesisunderthesupervisionof before returningtoETHinSwitzerlanddo ­College LondontowriteherMaster’sthesis, She subsequentlyswitchedtoImperial search, focusing in particular on polymers. where sheplungedintotherealmofbasicre then, afterhersecondsemester,atETH, try, firstatthe University of Fribourg and er education began with a degree in chemis knowledge hub.Herownpaththroughhigh ­directing thefortunesofSwitzerlandasa Research andInnovation,shehasbeen appointed asStateSecretaryforEducation, tral tothat.” Sinceearly2019,whenshe was says MartinaHirayama.“And ETHwascen days. “That’scertainlyhowitwasforme,” their career to have been laid in their student Many peopleconsiderthefoundationsof choice asStateSecretaryforEducation,ResearchandInnovation(ERI). of theSwisseducationsysteminsideout–andthatmadeherperfect educational institution,MartinaHirayamaknowsallthekey components Having worked asaresearcher,anentrepreneurandtheheadofmajor The rightchemistry for ERI TEXT NorbertStaub IMAGE DanielWinkler ------

was certainlythecasewithachanceobserva successfully graspingallitsmanyfacets.This most effectivewaytosolveaquestionisby Secretary abouthercareer,namelythatthe throughout the conversation with theState This conclusionechoesathreadthatruns more than just good technology. “The Yet successfully launching aproduct requires A talent for applying researchfindings tion, researchandinnovation (ERI). experience inallthevariousambits ofeduca ­career, shegraduallygained more and options,” shesays.Overthecourseofher persevere, becausethatoftenopensupnew says Hirayama.“Theimportantthingisto winding pathratherthaninastraightline,” ogy. “Research typicallytakesyoualonga applications inthefieldofcoatingtechno­ ly followed by a number of other patent ing of theETHspin-off GlobalSurface, swift ing ofanovelcoatingmethodandthefound cation of research results. It led to the patent student andsparkedherinterestintheappli piqued Hirayama’scuriosityasadoctoral “collateral benefit”–andthiswaswhat of moleculeandasurface. prisingly strongbondbetweenacertaintype The specificresultofthisreactionwasasur that we were determined not to ignore it!” project. Butitwassounexpectedandexciting had nothingtodowiththemainfocusofour “We hadobservedareaction inthelabthat ducting experimentsforherdoctoralthesis. tion thatHirayamastumbleduponwhilecon ETH GLOBE 4/2019 GLOBE ETH Her scientificexperimenthadledtoa PROFILE l­ ------of Thurgau. Hüttwilen inthecanton and herfamily live in Board ofInnosuisse. She Vice President ofthe Metrology (METAS), and the Federal Institute of of theInstitute Councilat Engineering, President of theZHAW Schoolof and ManagingDirector positions includingDean ZHAW. Shehasheld at ETHZurichandthe a lecturer andresearcher istry before becoming Hirayama studied chem- innovation policy. education, research and nating Switzerland’s her 280staff oncoordi- Hirayama works with and Innovation, Martina Education, Research As State Secretary for MARTINA HIRAYAMA

sector needsto succeed!” foundations ofwhattheERI tunity to helpforge the “I’m excited bytheoppor - ETH GLOBE 4/2019 GLOBE ETH

PROFILE 47 PROFILE

laboratory and the final product are worlds Her expertise has expanded not only in geo- apart,” says Hirayama, who also studied busi- graphical terms, but also in terms of her ness administration while writing her doctor- breadth of knowledge. The State Secretary al thesis at ETH. “Moving from lab results considers it essential to take a well thought- to full-scale production involves huge chal­ out approach to harmonising the ERI system, lenges. There are so many issues you have to noting that two thirds of young Swiss people ­address between initial experiments and vol- choose to do an apprenticeship. “We’re fortu- ume manufacturing, including funding, risks, nate that vocational training and industry are quantities, energy, infrastructure and the so closely intertwined in Switzerland. That time invested.” benefits the whole country.” She emphasises It was also applied research that led how important it is to maintain the appeal of Hirayama to take up a position at Zurich this pathway in education, for example by University of Applied Sciences Winterthur in ­establishing viable links to the university 2003, at a time when fledgling universities of ­system. “We’re applied sciences were bringing a new dynam- ­fortunate that ic to the education system. Not long after, Switzerland needs to go back to four of Zurich’s established universities the drawing board Get your vocational merged to form the Zurich University of Ap- Hirayama is also increasingly concerned with plied Sciences (ZHAW), a powerful new play- international issues, including preparing for ticket now training and er in the Zurich knowledge hub. “I was Switzerland’s participation in Horizon Eur­ MOVING PEOPLE AND TECHNOLOGY www.cybathlon.com/ industry are thrilled to have that opportunity to help ope, on a separate basis from the institutional tickets shape the future,” Hirayama recalls. She took framework agreement. “Strictly speaking 2–3 MAY so closely up a chair in chemistry at the ZHAW in Win- there is no connection between the two dos­ intertwined in terthur, where she developed the field of siers,” she says. “Nevertheless, Brussels may poly­mer materials, lectured, conducted re- still push for a combined deal. But based on 2020 SWISS ARENA KLOTEN Switzerland. search and collaborated with industry part- the constructive dialogue with our EU part-

48 ners to turn innovations into practical appli- ners, I feel optimistic.” 191120_Cybathlon_Inserat_Globe_173x113mm_RZ_EN.indd 1 20.11.19 10:39 That benefits cations. She co-founded and subsequently She notes that it is perfectly natural to be the whole headed the Institute of Materials and Process absorbed by events in Europe, but equally im- Engineering and soon took charge of the en- portant to focus on the rest of the world. “It’s country.” tire field of engineering and computer sci- not just France and Germany, but also China ence at the ZHAW. Around one fifth of all and the US that have identified research and Inspired by the best: Continuing education for specialists and managers with academic backgrounds engineers that attend universities of applied education as a strategically important part of sciences in Switzerland choose to study here. their development. And the sums those latter countries are investing are truly breath­ From university to science policy taking.” Hirayama is adamant that Switzer- Her appointment as State Secretary marks land cannot maintain its leading position by the culmination of her work in Swiss research simply investing more money. “That’s why and education, making her the highest repre- we need to take an honest look at the situation sentative of the entire system on both a na- and ask what approach makes sense in the fu- tional and international level. So does she ture, where we can pool our strengths and miss being at the heart of day-to-day research how much funding we can feasibly allocate. and development? “No. I’m simply too ex­ Our country has no choice but to develop cited by the opportunity to help forge the new, potent ideas and synergies, because the foundations of what the ERI sector needs to race will only be won by those who adapt best succeed!” She also refers to her lengthy in- to international competition.” volvement in nationwide Swiss institutions, noting how this has enhanced her ability to see the big picture. In 2011, she joined the Swiss funding agency for innovation CTI, continuing as Vice President in charge of mi- cro and nanotechnologies when this organi- MAS, DAS, CAS and further education courses on sation was recast as Innosuisse. In 2016, she www.sce.ethz.ch became a Member of the Foundation Council at the Swiss National Science Foundation.

ETH GLOBE 4/2019 5 QUESTIONS

Daniel Farinotti is a glaciologist. Working as part of an international research team, he showed that the volume of ice in glaciers worldwide is lower than previously thought.

What did you want to be when you were Your field of research is glaciers – but some a child? ­people might say that it’s almost slipping away An astronaut! I remember my parents giving me as we speak. How does that affect your work? a picture book about nature, the environment and The state of the glaciers and other elements of our our planet. It also featured astronauts and images environment is certainly cause for concern. But of the Earth seen from space. The idea that astro- the upside for scientists is that our area of re- nauts could see the Earth from the outside was search is getting more attention than ever. A few something I found fascinating – and I still do. decades ago glaciology was a niche topic, but now hardly a day goes by without glaciers being pub- You did your doctorate at the ETH Laboratory licly discussed. It’s very motivating to see that the of Hydraulics, Hydrology and Glaciology public perceives our research as both urgent and (VAW), where you now work as an assistant relevant. professor. What makes the VAW so special? The first things I should probably emphasise about the VAW in my position are the outstand- “Our research is ing quality of its work, the professionalism of the research and teaching, and its unique infrastruc- getting more

50 ture. But I admit that what makes the VAW a attention than ever.” truly special place for me is the great working at- mosphere. People love working there because they feel valued. Which of the world’s glacial regions has made the biggest impression on you? A big The Antarctic Peninsula. I’ve been lucky enough to lead fieldwork there twice, and the land­scapes are incredible. Just picture the Swiss high- mountain regions in winter and imagine filling the valleys with water up to 3,000 metres. The glaciers that form on the jagged high alpine peaks reach as far as the Southern Ocean. It’s breathtak- ing! for you, a giant leap into the Who has been your greatest influence in life? digital transformation of our customers. And why? My partner. Her determination, her comprehen- Cedric Riester, Digital Consultant sive, wide-ranging knowledge and her dedication have had a huge effect on my professional life. I can’t think of anyone else who understands me so well and believes in me so strongly. The strength I can draw from that is extremely valuable, and #FeelFreeToTransform Daniel Farinotti is Assistant Professor of the knowledge that the feeling is mutual makes us ­Glaciology at the ETH Laboratory of very happy. — Interview conducted by Karin Köchle ­Hydraulics, Hydrology and Glaciology (VAW) and at the Swiss Federal Institute WSL. Are you passionate about tearing down barriers and breaking new ground? What about transforming intelligent ideas into valuable → www.vaw.ethz.ch solutions through creativity and skill? Then you’re in the right place. As an international service provider specialising in technology- driven innovation, we’ll offer you the right challenges – and plenty of professional freedom to face them. Feel free to Innovate. zuehlke-careers.com ETH GLOBE 4/2019 Image: Caroline Laville Change the world with a reliable partner

maxon is supporting the Cybathlon 2020 in Zurich as a Presenting Partner – because we believe that extraordinary engineers and technicians are changing the world for the better. What can we do for you? www.maxongroup.com

Precision Drive Systems

173x232.indd 2 23.07.2019 11:00:41