Empa presents three innovation awards
Empa has awarded three of its own outstanding applied research projects that have found their way into the private sector. A transparent corona mask, a nanoparticle wound adhesive and software for sustainable energy systems were awarded.
The Eidgenössische Materialprüfungs- und Forschungsanstalt ( Empa ) has honored three of its groundbreaking projects and achievements with the Empa Innovation Award. The prize, endowed with CHF 5,000, has been awarded every two years since 2006. In doing so, Empa honors the efforts of its researchers to build further bridges between science and business with applied, market-oriented research.
According to a press release by Empa, the first prize goes to the novel tissue adhesive technology Nanoglue. It was developed by researchers at the Particles-Biology Interactions Laboratory at Empa in St.Gallen in collaboration with the Nanoparticle Systems Engineering Lab at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich . Their radically new approach uses the wound-healing properties of inorganic nanoparticles. The inexpensive materials could be manufactured on a large scale. The “unique technology” is now being brought to market maturity by the Zurich start-up anavo medical , which has yet to be founded.
The transparent face mask from the Hello Mask project by Empa and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne ( EPFL ) also received an award. It consists of a fine membrane with a pore size of around 100 nanometers. This membrane allows air to pass through, but holds back viruses and bacteria. “The fully see-through mask was developed primarily with the aim of improving the relationship between caregivers and patients,” says researcher Joshua Avossa. The Geneva start-up HMCare has been working on the market launch of the Hello Mask from Empa and EPFL since 2020. It should be available in mid-2021.
The software platform Urban Sympheny for planning sustainable energy systems is the third winner. The Empa spin-off of the same name, based in Dübendorf, helps planners to identify optimal solutions for their location and their customers. The goal is energy and cost efficiency. The innovative platform was developed in Empa’s Urban Energy Systems department. Last year Venture Kick awarded Urban Sympheny 50,000 francs.