NWO Open Technology Programme funding for Daan Pool and Daniele Ragni
News
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31 October 2023
Daan Pool and Daniele Ragni both have received funding from NWO as part of the Open Technology Programme. Dr Ragni received the funding for his research proposal Ampere, which aims to reduce noise generated by aircraft and wind turbines by developing innovative permeable materials. Dr Pool received funding for the project FITS, which aims at developing new touchscreens that correct finger movements, and use tactile feedback to simulate touch.
Ampere: Aeroacoustic Multi-path Permeable geometries for airfoil Edge-noise Reduction
Aircraft and wind turbines generate noise as a result of the interaction between the machine and the air. The aim of the AMPERE project is to develop a new approach to reduce this noise through the use of permeable materials. These materials are filled with tiny pathways that dampen pressure fluctuations that are a source of noise. By creating a new model, somewhat similar to an electrical circuit, the researchers aim to understand how air flows through these complex materials.
Currently, these materials are not very predictable in terms of their aerodynamic behaviour when air pressure changes. The AMPERE project is working to make these materials more adaptable to different levels of pressure fluctuation, similar to adaptive noise cancelling headphones reacting to a variable sound environment.
The ultimate goal is to make the operation of aircraft and wind turbines quieter and more environmentally friendly by developing materials that reduce their noise by as much as 10 decibels (dB) without compromising their performance.
Daniele Ragni
The ultimate goal is to make the operation of aircraft and wind turbines quieter and more environmentally friendly by developing materials that reduce their noise by as much as 10 decibels (dB) without compromising their performance.
Daniele Ragni
Future In-Vehicle Touchscreens
Touchscreens are increasingly part of aircraft cockpits, car dashboards, and ship bridges. They require less maintenance, are user-friendly and effective as user interfaces for (partially) automated vehicles. However, there are still considerable problems for use in vehicles: in particular, the fact that you always have to look at a touchscreen to do something on it. Moreover, movements of a vehicle can make it very difficult to touch the screen in the right place.
We already know that using a touchscreen while driving a car makes drivers' reaction times many times longer than we see when driving under the influence. In short, the use of touch-screens in vehicles could lead to more accidents, something of great concern.
The aim of the FITS research is to solve these problems by developing touchscreens that provide tactile feedback and compensate for motion-induced finger movements. In this way, the researchers aim to contribute to the safety of future vehicles.
The grant is very important because we can now hire two PhD candidates and a post-doc who can further develop the research. Until now, we mainly worked with MSc students. We have brought parties together, which is going to give our research more impact
Daan Pool
The grant is very important because we can now hire two PhD candidates and a post-doc who can further develop the research. Until now, we mainly worked with MSc students. We have brought parties together, which is going to give our research more impact
Daan Pool
The FITS project is a direct collaboration with Dr Ir. Yasemin Vardar from the Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering. The project is supported by partners from the aerospace, automotive, and marine sectors: ScioTeq, NLR, VNV, Abbink Aviation Consultancy, SWOV, Mercedes, and Damen. The Ampere project team is working with LM Windpower, NLR, SONACAand the Von Karman Institute.
The Open Technology Programme
The Open Technology Programme provides funding for excellent research, with a view to potential application of the results. The programme gives companies and other organisations a low-threshold way to join scientific research that should lead to applicable knowledge. In total, NWO is funding seven research projects with a total of 5.8 million euros. Companies and other organisations involved invest about 950 thousand euros in the projects.
