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reading time: 7 min

Understanding noise – from quantum fluctuations to climate models

Mark Veraar researches mathematical models to reduce the disruptive influence of noise on all kinds of processes.

reading time: 7 min

New, biology-inspired robot brain

Biology is an inexhaustible source of inspiration for robotics. Whether it involves walking, grabbing, flying or swimming, robotics looks with amazement and interest at the rich variety of solutions that evolution has developed. Not that robotics blindly copies nature, but it does take what it can to use in its mechanical robots. An efficient way of letting a robot’s hand grab a delicate bell pepper, for example. Or an energy-efficient way of letting a robot walk on two legs.

Reading time: 4 min

In the mood for mud

As a biologist and soil scientist Julia Gebert often finds herself getting her hands dirty. With mud, that is. In the past two years she has many times boarded a small boat to cruise among the huge container ships in the port of Hamburg while collecting mud samples.

reading time: 6 min

Present ventilation guidelines insufficient in the fight against the coronavirus

Small respiratory droplets in the air play a role in the spread of the coronavirus, making good ventilation vital. In her SenseLab, Professor Philomena Bluyssen is conducting research into aerosols in the indoor environment and how we can best defend ourselves against them.

reading time: 5 min

Alive and Kicking: designing with living materials

Imagine a future in which our materials can morph. Your crisp white cotton shirt has been replaced by a living textile that purifies the air around you. As you settle down on the sofa to enjoy some wine, the glass bottle of yesteryear has been superseded by a tactile mycelium packaging which you can peel off to pour. And no need to switch on the light: bioluminescent organisms in your lamp set to work as light levels dropped, creating a warm evening glow.

Zo beïnvloeden digitale stemassistenten jouw leven

reading time: 5 min

Voice assistants, like Alexa or Google Home are taking over households, in the USA anyway, where one in four households owns at least one device. These assistants that promise to make your life so much easier seem harmless, but are they really? TU Delft researcher Olya Kudina is not so sure: ‘They do impact our lives and not only in a good way.’

This is how digital voice assistants influence your life

Reading time: 6 min

Lockdown presents unique opportunity to study sustainable taxiing at Schiphol

Starting a PhD on the first day of the Covid-19 lockdown was a bit challenging for Bieke von den Hoff. But the lockdown also gave her an unexpected and unique opportunity. As part of a trial programme at Schiphol Airport, she was asked to measure noise levels of a sustainable aircraft towing vehicle called the TaxiBot.

Een betere werksfeer door inzet van simulatiespellen

reading time: 3 min

Cultural diversity and a mixture of people with different specialisations in a workplace can boost creativity and effectiveness. It can also lead to misunderstandings, stereotyping and misconception. TU Delft researcher Rens Kortmann studies what persuasive games can do to change that.

Using persuasive games to improve work atmosphere

Reading time: 6 min

Delft model protects wind turbines from risks posed by sea ice

Researcher Hayo Hendrikse (CEG) has developed a new model that gives accurate calculations of the effects of sea ice on offshore structures, such as wind turbines and oil and gas platforms. It turns out that ice causes less wear and tear in these structures than was previously assumed. Thanks to a successful partnership with Siemens Gamesa, Hendrikse's model is now being used in the construction of new offshore wind farms.

reading time: 6 min

Urban Ecology: the increasing importance of nature in the city

‘Urban Ecology can have a positive influence in many other areas in addition to biodiversity, such as climate adaptation, health, water and energy consumption and circularity’, according to Nico Tillie, who, together with 26 students, looked at how the forces of nature could be given more room on TU Delft Campus. The coronavirus wasn’t much of a help though.

reading time: 6, 5 min

Smart data collected from grandmother’s living room

Chatting with family via a hologram or selecting your own camera angles for your favourite club’s football match. Computer scientist Pablo Cesar is researching how we can make these kinds of applications possible.

reading time: 7 min

Self-driving cars begin to understand road users’ behaviour

Drive around a busy Dutch city centre one day and observe everything that happens around you. As a driver, you have to constantly make choices. Does the pedestrian, who is suddenly crossing the road, see you? Will that van give you right of way? What is the mother with a child on the back of her bike planning to do? And then there’s the weather. You can be blinded by the sun. You see less in the shade and in the dark. The road could be slippery, or it could start to rain really hard. We’re usually unaware of how many intelligent decisions we make while driving, and the difficult conditions that we make them in.

reading time: 7 min

Robot and humans have to understand each other

The smarter robots become, the more we will encounter them – at home, in the streets, in shops and in the workplace – and the more they will interact directly with humans. When that happens, robots will have to get wise to human behaviour, learn to work and communicate with people, and even learn from them. The opposite is true as well. Humans will need to have an idea of what robots are going to do, what they’re not going to do, what they can do and what they cannot do. Robots and humans are going to have to understand each other’s conduct.

Cybercriminaliteit ontrafelen met de wetenschap

Reading time: 3 min

With everyone spending so much time online during the coronavirus crisis, cybercrime has also been on the rise. Criminals are attempting to take advantage of these unsettled times. But not if scientist Rolf van Wegberg and Master's student Jochem van de Laarschot have their way. They are working with the FIOD (Fiscal Information and Investigation Service) to help combat cybercrime.