News EPFL

The Robot and Its Virtual Twin

Published:12.08.13 — SUMMER SERIES (7): The work of David Mansolino, a graduate student in microtechnology, makes it possible for a small Korean robot with big eyes that change color to come to life through a virtual platform.

A software to guide your way through the symposium maze

Published:07.08.13 — SUMMER SERIES (6) Three students have created a new software application, TrailHead, which allows users to sort through (possibly hundreds of) symposium presentation abstracts and create a personalized schedule that matches their scientific interests. The software application could also prove useful with major film or music festivals, where choosing from among the dozens of different possibilities can be quite a challenge.

Researchers Dismantle Bacteria's War Machinery

Published:05.08.13 — A nano-machine cell killer: EPFL researchers decipher the attack strategy of certain bacteria, including the infamous Staphylococcus aureus.

New drugs to find the right target to fight Alzheimer's disease

Published:02.08.13 — Next-generation drugs designed to fight Alzheimer’s disease look very promising. Scientists have unveiled the mechanisms behind two classes of compound currently being tested in clinical trials. They have also identified a likely cause of early-onset hereditary forms of the disease.

A micro-optical method for thwarting counterfeiting

Published:31.07.13 — In order to thwart forgeries, EPFL researchers propose a new miniaturized authentication system. By combining both, moiré patterns and microlithography techniques, it can be easily recognized by the naked eye and impossible to reproduce through currently existing printer or scanner technology.

Lifelike Supernova Explosions

Published:28.07.13 — Summer Series. Supernovas, the explosions of stars at the end of life, contain valuable information about the origin of the universe. Master’s student Alexis Arnaudon seeks to improve parameters of their simulation to lift the veil on some of the many remaining questions about them.

Neural Simulations Hint at the Origin of Brain Waves

Published:25.07.13 — At EPFL’s Blue Brain facilities, computer models of individual neurons are being assembled into neural circuits that produce electrical signals akin to brain waves. The results, published in the journal Neuron, are helping solve the mystery of how and why these signals arise in the brain.