Research News

Amir Zadpoor and a team of scientists from the BioMechanical Engineering department are testing the first prototypes of a ventilator that consists entirely of standard parts. These parts are available locally almost all over the world and can be produced by hundreds of manufacturers. This means that, in many cases, the ventilator can be assembled locally. It is hoped that the design will be able to respond to the demand for ventilators and offer a solution to the logistical problems resulting from a shortage of specific components.

Arjo Loeve and his research colleagues at TU Delft’s Department of BioMechanical Engineering are working with the Jeroen Bosch Hospital and the Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences on a new pulse oximeter that is easy and inexpensive to produce. The pulse oximeter is a crucial measurement tool that monitors the heartbeat and amount of oxygen in the blood while COVID-19 patients are being treated. The aim of the research is to counteract the impending shortage of this tool.

Satellites are the best available measuring instruments to detect man-made pollution worldwide. Atmospheric scientist Pieternel Levelt initiated OMI and TROPOMI, two of the most prestigious measuring instruments for the detailed mapping of harmful pollutants in the atmosphere. TROPOMI, the latest of the two, is capable of identifying and studying sources of pollution with even greater precision. The recently launched satellite will also be monitoring the main greenhouse gas emissions.

NWO has awarded researchers Remco Hartkamp and Burak Eral from the Department of Process & Energy a LIFT (Launchpad for Innovative Technology) grant for their research on selectively extracting ionic contaminants from water with the aid of porous electrodes via a process called capacitive deionization. The aim of the research is to develop a solution for selectively removing ionic contaminants in water.

Onlangs zijn Gerdien de Vries en Emile Chappin gekozen als directeur en co-directeur van het TPM Energy Transition Lab. Aukje Hassoldt: ‘Heel wat mensen toonden interesse in deze functies en het was zeker geen gemakkelijke keuze. Gerdien en Emile hebben beide sterke interpersoonlijke vaardigheden, zijn energiek en innovatief en kunnen samen het brede spectrum overzien van het werk op onze faculteit'.

An International Universities Climate Alliance (‘Climate Alliance’) has been established this week. Over 40 universities from around the world committed to collaborating for climate insight and action.

Researchers from the Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime & Materials Engineering (3mE) are sharing the installation for testing face masks in a publication. The researchers use the test installation to test, among other things, whether the materials used and the fit of the masks meet European safety standards. You will find all the last updates and publications on www.projectmask.nl

Jerry Westerweel, professor of fluid mechanics at the Department of Process and Energy has received an ERC Advanced Grant for his research on impulsive flows. These are flows of air or a liquid around objects that undergo a strong and sudden motion change. Little is known about the fluid forces during these sudden motions. The aim of this research is to gain insight into the fundamental aspects and physical properties of these impulsive flows.

IDE researchers, in collaboration with physicians and industry, designed a unique 3D printed connector to connect an ordinary snorkel mask to a filter system. This makes the snorkel mask usable as a protective mask for medical personnel. The design has been made available worldwide on Thingyverse.

A student is hitting a metal plate with a hammer while another is looking at a computer screen in a nearby tent. What (on earth) is happening here? ‘We’re studying the earth’s interior,’ PhD and geophysicist Myrna Staring says.

In the fight against the 'Corona shortage’ of face masks, John van den Dobbelsteen and Tim Horeman, researchers at the Department of BioMechanical Engineering department, and with lab manager Rob Luttjeboer, developed a successful way to test reused sterilised surgical masks and surgical masks made of new materials.

This week, under the leadership of Director of Studies for Technical Medicine Professor Jaap Harlaar, a group of Master’s students in Technical Medicine launched the OperationAIR initiative with the objective of developing a simple and relatively inexpensive ventilator as quickly as possible.