Foreword Nano-Tera.ch is a national funding program supporting research in engineering of complex (tera-scale) systems for health, security and the environment using nanotechnologies. Recent emphasis has also been placed on energy, a central theme affecting system design, society and the economy. Nano-Tera.ch research funding is open to all Swiss institutions according to the corresponding legislation. Morever, Nano-Tera.ch fosters collaboration among researchers and industries that are partners or supporters of the research projects.
Prof. Giovanni De Micheli Nano-Tera.ch Program Leader, Executive Committee Chair
The Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) contributes to the Nano-Tera.ch program by evaluating and monitoring the large research projects through an international panel of experts, thus ensuring the high scientific quality of the program. The mission of Nano-Tera.ch includes research, development and technology transfer as well as education and dissemination. The final objective is to enable mechanisms that can map the high productivity of research ideas, publications and patents of the Swiss community into a significant momentum in terms of industrial growth as well as job and enterprise creation. This specific engineering focus differentiates Nano-Tera.ch from other funding programs.
“ Nano-Tera.ch has provided new and important research opportunities as an instrument for application oriented collaboration in
engineering that did not exist before, and that foster very challenging systems engineering projects. The panel is impressed and pleased about the current state and progress of the program. The projects demonstrate that collaboration of leading scientists is effective and essential to break new grounds for large technical and societal challenges. It forces scientists to think about how to integrate their scientific findings in such a manner that it can be used for industrial applications. The program has supported the shift in the mindset from individualistic towards multidisciplinary and cross-disciplinary research.
�
2011 evaluation of the Nano-Tera.ch program by the SNF Evaluation Panel
Nano-Tera.ch 1
Nano-Tera.ch: a dense network of collaborations
2 Nano-Tera.ch
Key Points Nano-Tera.ch is a Swiss national program supporting research in engineering of complex (tera scale) systems for health, security and the environment using nanotechnologies. Recent emphasis has been also placed on energy issues as a central theme affecting system design, society and the economy. The program is funded by the Swiss Secretary of Education and Research (SER), in collaboration with the Swiss Polytechnic and University Boards (ETH Board and CUS). The Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) evaluates and monitors research projects through an international panel of experts. Officially launched in February 2008, with first projects starting in March 2009, Nano-Tera.ch is now a strongly established program that is currently funding 68 research projects for a total budget of about 123 MCHF over four years. The funded projects are typically carried out by teaming 3 to 9 research groups belonging to various Swiss Research and Education institutions (i.e. Polytechnics, Universities and Research Centers) as well as industries, thus building a network of 31 Swiss research institutions involving a total of more than 600 research staff members. At the scientific level, the funded research has generated about 300 publications and more than 500 presentations at conferences and workshops worldwide, as well as several presentations in general public media (television, radio, press). A total of 14 awards have been received by Nano-Tera.ch researchers, including 10 best paper/poster awards and 4 awards for personal achievements. Furthermore, both the evaluation carried out by the SNSF Evaluation Panel of international experts and the Nano-Tera.ch Scientific Advisory Board have stressed the scientific excellence of the funded research and the researchers involved, as well as the strong contribution of the Nano-Tera.ch program to the multidisciplinary development of Swiss engineering sciences. At the international level, Nano-Tera.ch has contributed to several symposia, courses and seminars in collaboration with worldwide partners. For example, Nano-Tera.ch has hosted American, European and Asian scientists in workshops and seminars. In 2011 the program launched a strategic initiative aiming at encouraging Sino-Swiss research collaborations within Nano-Tera.ch thematic areas. This initiative benefitted from the agreement existing between the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Sino-Swiss Science and Technology Cooperation (SSSTC) program supported by the SER, and took the form of a competitive call for collaborative Sino-Swiss projects that led to the approval of 6 joint projects. From an industrial perspective, most of the large Nano-Tera.ch research projects receive support from the private sector. Currently 27 industrial partners provide a total budget of about 6.3 MCHF of cash and in-kind contributions, and 8 patent applications have already been filed for results generated in Nano-Tera.ch projects. The Nano-Tera.ch results are also starting to raise public awareness about the achievements made in the program, with reports broadcast on national TV and Radio networks (SF, TSR, and RSR), articles published in national press (the “Neue Zürcher Zeitung” and “Le Temps” newspapers) and news disseminated in international newswires (e.g. CNN). Similarly, the attention of political actors is increasing, with, for example, the handover at the CeBIT 2011 industrial fair of an interlayer cooled chip 3D-stack (related to the project CMOSAIC) to the German chancellor Angela Merkel. Looking to the future, the program is getting to the end of its first phase (2008-2011, extended to 2012), and is now preparing the second one (2013-2016). Topically, the program will keep its focus on health, security and environment, with an extension to smart energy management, a field that is tightly related to environmental issues. Moreover, it will further strengthen the overall cohesion of the research efforts and progressively emphasize the applied aspects of the research being carried out. In this perspective, the main objectives of the second phase of the program will be to take advantage of the gained momentum to pursue excellence in collaborative research in engineering disciplines, to continue educational programs, to foster the design of applied demonstrators, and to prepare the transfer of research results to the Swiss industry.
Nano-Tera.ch 3
Nano-Tera ch: engineering the future, from environmental Health management
Future health management systems will require an increasingly large presence of automation, information extraction and elaboration, as well as control of the medical procedures. In essence, three major innovation areas can be envisioned: biosensing, advanced diagnosis tools, and medical care support. Biosensing Although some biosensors are already available on the market, there is a strong potential for improvement of the techniques used to perform bio-measurements, for example by exploring novel sensing mechanisms, by using advanced electronic devices and materials, or by tightly coupling electronic sensing to data acquisition chains. In this perspective, Nano-Tera.ch projects are exploring different avenues: The IrSens integrated sensing platform can detect trace components in gases and liquids. It is roughly the size of a carry-on suitcase, and features high-tech optical sensors that are capable of detecting cocaine in a saliva sample or picking up the signs of a gastric ulcer in the air exhaled by a person. The platform has great potential in anti-doping applications and can also be used to analyze air pollution levels.
Building sensing platforms based on optical near and mid-infrared range spectroscopy that exploit optical absorption properties of the analytes. In such platforms, the sensors probe the vibrational frequencies of molecules present in fluids and gases. A typical example of such an approach is the IrSens project that aims at detecting cocaine in human saliva as well as the helicobacter pylori, a bacterium responsible for gastric ulcers, in exhaled breath. Developing modular sensor platforms using silicon nanowire field-effect transistors, interfaced to electronics and micro-fluidic channels for liquid handling. As illustrated in the NanowireSensor project, one of the important advantages of such platforms is that the sensors have the potential to be mass manufactured at reasonable costs, allowing their integration as the active sensor part in electronic point-of-care diagnostic devices. Health monitoring systems combining networked databases with on-line wearable/ implantable monitoring devices represent a true potential for better therapy and increased autonomy of the patients. However, few systems with on-line biosensing capabilities are currently available, and are often limited to either wearable devices for human telemetry that do not measure any molecular metabolites, or glucose monitoring systems for diabetic patients. For other needs, blood sampling and off-line analysis are used and require large and expensive laboratory equipments. Designing accurate and affordable biosensing devices able to provide fast response and secure interaction with on/in body electronics, as well as to detect and quantify multiple compounds in parallel several times a day thus represents a crucial area of research. An example of the research developed in Nano-Tera.ch in this direction is the i-IronIC project, which aims at designing an on-line implant for real-time monitoring of various human metabolites (such as lactate, cholesterol, ATP, glutamate, or glucose). The current i-IronIC prototype includes a sensor array, a CMOS mixed signal chip and a tridimensional integrated coil for receiving inductive power and transmitting data via backscattering. The sensor array is realized with an innovative technology, where carbon nanotube (CNT)nanostructured electrodes enable the measurement of metabolites with increased sensitivity and lower detection limits as compared to the state of the art.
The NutriChip platform, a miniature on-chip intestine, makes it possible to observe in vitro the effects of various nutrients on the human body once they have been digested. The platform has sparked the interest of Nestle. The food-and-nutrition-sector multinational is interested in objectively testing the impact Advanced diagnosis tools Advanced diagnosis requires the design of new methods for probing the human body, as of its dairy products on health. well as the design of miniaturized diagnosis tools that can be made easily available at points of care. In this perspective, Nano-Tera.ch projects are focusing on the following challenges: 4 Nano-Tera.ch
monitoring to intelligent textiles Designing novel techniques for the diagnosis of human tissues based on micromechanical sensing, similar to atomic force microscopy scanning. The measurement of nano-mechanical properties of cells and cell interactions as a function of milieu parameters offers unprecedented insights into the tissue structure and is of interest in cancer research, where it has been recently shown that stiffness of cancer cells affects the way they spread in the body. The PATLiSci project is an example of a Nano-Tera.ch research in this direction. Building integrated lab-on-a-chip platforms able to monitor and investigate various metabolic functions of the human body. In particular, the NutriChip project focuses on food digestion with the design of a prototype of an artificial and miniaturized gastrointestinal tract using a minimal set of biomarkers identified through in vivo and in vitro studies. Such a prototype offers novel perspectives for probing the impact on health of dairy food samples, and will be tested for the screening and selection of dairy products with specific health-promoting properties. Developing miniaturized X-ray sources based on multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) cold-electron emitters. When combined with novel image processing techniques exploiting X-ray time-of-flight measurements (to probe the depth inside objects), as well as the specific pixel structures of both the X-ray source and the X-ray detector, such approaches open very interesting possibilities for the design of portable X-ray systems with fully unprecedented tomographic imaging capabilities. The Nexray project is an illustration of such a research track in the Nano-Tera.ch program. Medical care support The general area of monitoring systems for medical care support represents an extremely rich research domain with multiple research directions:
The Nexray project aims to produce miniaturized X-ray sources, an innovation which will drive a five-fold improvement in the resolution of X-rays and a reduction in radioactivity. Nexray will also make it possible to reduce the size of medical equipment, paving the way for off-site medical exams such as mammograms that could be performed by doctors in a house-call setting in regions that are far from hospitals.
Electronic textiles relying on advanced fibers incorporating sensors, signal transmitters and other active nano-components provide interesting possibilities for implementing body area networks where both sensing and communication are integrated in the same medium. In this domain, the TecInTex project aims at the development of a technology demonstrator, embodied in an electronic underwear for paraplegic people able to prevent pressure ulcers. Smart prostheses integrating innovative micro-devices to measure in vivo crucial biomechanical parameters of joint prostheses, orthopedic implants, bones and ligaments. For example, the Nano-Tera.ch SImOS project focuses on the design of an implant module including sensors to measure forces, interface frictions, stem micro-motion and impacts to help surgeons with prosthesis alignment and positioning during surgery, detect early migration during rehabilitation, thus potentially avoiding failure due to excessive wear or TecInTex involves creating “intelligent” micro-motion, and evaluate in vivo joint functions. sensor-equipped textiles that are washable Smart drug delivery based on drug response monitoring through the in vivo measurement and wearable and capable of monitoring of drug concentrations and relevant biomarkers. Indeed, medical progress is increasingly muscle-tissue oxygenation. In particular, improving the survival rate and life quality of patients affected by long-lasting diseases. the project team is developing socks that But these achievements significantly rely on drug regimens and therapeutic protocols that can detect peripheral vascular disease, and require long-term daily administration of highly active drugs, for which the huge individual underwear that can detect incipient pressure response variability raises severe problems in efficient treatment definition. In this ulcers (or “bedsores”) in paraplegics and perspective, the Nano-Tera.ch ISyPeM project aims at providing advanced technologies for people who are confined to their beds. seamless drug monitoring and delivery by an ultra-low power integrated system. Nano-Tera.ch 5
Environmental monitoring
Within Nano-Tera.ch, the objectives of the research on environmental monitoring include monitoring the quality of air and water, by measuring pollution in terms of biological and/or inorganic compounds, and instrumenting the environment to detect movements that can lead to catastrophes, such as rockslides, avalanches, floods or to the instability of constructions such as buildings and bridges. Monitoring water pollution The quality of water is crucial for both developed and developing countries, as it directly affects health and quality of living. The design of efficient, reliable and affordable technologies to measure levels of pollution in fresh waters is therefore an important problem.
 
Environmental pollution is at the center of the LiveSense project, which consists of an autonomous node made of living cells that function as biosensors.The platform’s nodes can be contacted remotely from a mobile phone: a node placed on a riverbank, for example, can provide information on water pollutants at its location remotely, via text message.
In   this perspective, Nano-Tera.ch research is focusing on environmental sensing based on living cells. Indeed, living cells are the most natural biosensors, since they integrate the biological effects of the pollutants and respond by metabolic or phenotypic changes that are relevant to potential effects in the human body. For example, the Nano-Tera.ch LiveSense project aims at designing a cell-based sensing platform taking the form of an autonomous, wireless, hand-held system for fluid monitoring. The modular prototype includes a fully functional bioreactor as well as various secondary sensors for fluorescence, impedance, and mechanical/trans-epithelial resistance. The prototype (which can be remote controlled with a smart phone) has been validated by characterizing the relation between measured fluorescence intensity and the concentration of arsenic in the analyzed water sample. Monitoring air pollution Wireless sensor networks publishing sensor data on the Internet bear the potential to substantially increase public awareness and involvement in environmental sustainability. The Nano-Tera.ch OpenSense project is an example of research on air pollution monitoring. It focuses on the design of a network of mobile air pollution sensors with intermittent GPRS connectivity, deployed on top of public transportation in the cities of Lausanne and Zurich. The prototype sensor network is now operational and provides valuable insights on sensor capabilities and behaviors in realistic environments. The generated network and air pollution data is used for the various modeling tasks that have been identified as key challenges in the project and the resulting models in turn serve for generating numerical input that can be used for efficient signal processing and machine learning. In addition, a collaboration with the Nokia Research Center in Lausanne led to the set up of user studies that clearly demonstrated both the public interest for air pollution data and the commercial potential of the developed technology. Monitoring rock and glacier movements Global climate change dramatically influences the visual appearance of mountain areas like the European Alps, and may trigger or intensify destructive geological processes that impact the stability of slopes, thus posing a threat to local communities. In this perspective, research in Nano-Tera.ch is focusing on the development of wireless sensing technologies for environmental sensing under extreme environmental conditions. In particular, in the Nano-Tera.ch X-Sense project, various rugged electronic chips have been built to install
6 Nano-Tera.ch
more than 50 sensors in the Mattertal area of Switzerland. The corresponding prototype of wireless sensor network and GPS data processing framework has been deployed with improved system reliability and data quality derived from model-based design principles. Data have been collected and are currently undergoing geophysical analysis, as well as being used to produce models for the understanding of the processes governing terrain movement in alpine environments.
Enabling technologies In some cases, research and development may impact several areas in the health and environment domains, and some of the Nano-Tera.ch projects are therefore focusing on generic enabling technologies. For example, the Nano-Tera.ch MIXSEL project is investigating the use of laser sources to create short pulses that can support microscopy and optical tomography. Similarly, the CabTuRes project studies new materials, such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs),using them as resonators for electronics applications as well as mass balances for sensing. Heat management in high-performance multi-processing systems, realized as 3-Dimensional Integrated Circuits is another generic track of research, and, in this domain, the Nano-Tera.ch CMOSAIC project combines competencies in thermodynamics, mechanics of materials, and dynamic power management to design liquid cooling techniques specifically tailored for 3D chips.
The Nano-Tera.ch program does away with the “Ivory Tower” approach to research where scientists work alone, cut off from the real world – instead, Nano-Tera.ch makes interdisciplinary collaboration its key asset. The scientific community is very positive about the program’s interdisciplinary approach. Dr. Alex Dommann, head of the Nexray project, concurs with the favorable reaction, saying, “Nano-Tera.ch provides a unique opportunity to bring together specialists from different fields on the same project, and also to work more closely with private-sector manufacturing and industry.”
On the other side of the spectrum, research in Nano-Tera.ch also concentrates on lowpower electronic systems, and specifically autonomous systems, that are crucial for both health and environment applications. The Nano-Tera.ch PlaCiTUS project focuses on the design of a generic technology platform that can be used to deploy biomedical wireless sensor networks. Another critical issue is the manufacturing of integrated nano-systems consisting of large numbers of connected nano-devices. The Nano-Tera.ch SelfSys project studies fluidmediated self-assembly techniques to lower manufacturing costs and enable the assembly of structures with unprecedented complexity. Finally, in the security domain, the Nano-Tera.ch QCrypt project aims at improved secret key distribution and message encryption based on the fundamental properties of quantum physics (Quantum Key Distribution), and, in the energy domain, the GreenPower project aims at the development of cost-effective membranes for H2-O2 fuel cells suitable for mobility applications based on the conversion of solar energy into hydrogen and oxygen.
Nano-Tera.ch 7
The Projects RTD
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
CabTuRes CMOSAIC GreenPower i-IronIC IrSens / IR-N-ox
C. Hierold
J. Faist
p.10 p.12 p.14 p.16 p.18
ISyPeM / TWPeM
C. Guiducci
p.20
LiveSense MIXSEL NanowireSensor Nexray / COSMICMOS
P. Renaud
p.22
U. Keller
p.24
C. Schönenberger
p.26
A. Dommann
p.28
J. Thome J.-A. Månson G. De Micheli
NutriChip / Ca-NutriChip M. Gijs
p.30
OpenSense / OpenSense+ K. Aberer
p.32
PATLiSci / MINACEL
H. Heinzelmann
p.34
PlaCiTUS QCrypt SelfSys / SelfSys+
Q. Huang J. Brugger
p.36 p.38 p.40
SImOS / SImOS+
P. Ryser
p.42
TecInTex X-Sense
G. Tröster
p.44 p.46
N. Gisin
L. Thiele
SSSTC i-Needle M3WSN NaNiBo NetCam SiC-nanomembranes 3DOptoChemiImage
2009
2011
2012
2013
S. Carrara
J. Brugger
p.48 p.49 p.50 p.51 p.52
D. Psaltis
p.53
T. Braun A. Züttel J. Lygeros
NTF BioAnt BioCS-Node EMoA Enabler G-DEMANDE MicroComb NanoUp NaWiBo NeoSense 8PMD-Program Nano-Tera.ch SecWear
2010
2009 A. Skrivervik P. Vandergheynst F. Tièche A. Ionescu M. Schumacher T. Kippenberg A. Sienkiewicz T. Zambelli M. Wolf S. Maerkl M. Sami
2010
2011
2012
2013 p.54 p.54 p.55 p.55 p.56 p.56 p.57 p.57 p.58 p.58 p.59
p.53
NTF BioAnt BioCS-Node EMoA Enabler G-DEMANDE MicroComb NanoUp NaWiBo NeoSense PMD-Program SecWear SMTS TWIGS ULP-Logic ULP-Systems
2009
2010
2011
2012
A. Skrivervik
2013 p.54 p.54 p.55 p.55 p.56 p.56 p.57 p.57 p.58 p.58 p.59 p.59 p.60 p.60 p.61
P. Vandergheynst F. Tièche A. Ionescu M. Schumacher T. Kippenberg A. Sienkiewicz T. Zambelli M. Wolf S. Maerkl M. Sami C. Dürager D. Briand Y. Leblebici Y. Leblebici
ED EducationalKit D43D NanoBio2010 COMES iCAN ISMICT SPIMD MMB2011 MicroCool B-AWaRE
D. Roggen D. Atienza J. Vörös M. Sami J. Brugger C. Enz S. Carrara O. Guenat J. Thome M. Ruggiero
p.62 p.62 p.62 p.63 p.63 p.63 p.64 p.64 p.64 p.65
Plasmonics WIMEMS-School QCrypt-ED E-Print NextGen FEDAMaT TED-Activities EASY SEE-Nano Mastering-NT
O. Martin D. Briand M. Christandl G. Nisato C. Enz Y. Leblebici P. Fischer A. Ionescu V. Wood M. Sami
p.65 p.65 p.66 p.66 p.66 p.67 p.67 p.67 p.68 p.68
Nano-Tera.ch 9
RTD RTD
D. Psaltis
J. Lygeros
SSSTC SSSTC
J. Brugger
p.49 p.50 p.51 p.52
A. Züttel
NTF NTF
T. Braun
ED ED
M3WSN NaNiBo NetCam SiC-nanomembranes 3DOptoChemiImage
Principal Investigator Prof. Christofer Hierold, ETHZ
Co-applicants Prof. Wanda Andreoni, EPFL Prof. Nico de Rooij, EPFL Prof. Lรกszlรณ Forrรณ, EPFL Dr. Oliver Grรถning, EMPA Prof. Adrian Ionescu, EPFL Prof. Maher Kayal, EPFL Prof. Bradley Nelson, ETHZ Prof. Dimos Poulikakos, ETHZ
โ ฉ
CabTuRes
Enabling autonomous sensor nodes: lowpower nano-sensor/electronics building blocks based on tunable carbon nanotube electromechanical resonators
10 Nano-Tera.ch
CabTuRes
Two specific applications are being targeted. First of all, because of their high Q × f figure of merit, carbon nanotube resonators offer a wide range of electronics applications, where they can be used as tunable voltage controlled oscillators, clocks or nano electro-mechanical filters and detectors. Another application is mass balances for sensing: since mass loading creates a shift in resonant frequency, with huge sensitivity to tiny mass variations, the resonators can be used to measure gas molecule densities or weigh nano bodies such as proteins and viruses. And as the resonant frequency is also affected by strain in the CNT, strains and forces could be measured in a rather straightforward manner. The outcome may have implications in several domains: it will support health in diagnosis or preemptive detection of air borne pathogens and advance the basic science of proteomics, genetics and virology. Besides, autonomous, ultra-small and ultra-low power sensors could find their way in many wearable, ambient or remote systems.
The project may push electronic systems and nano sensors to new “ levels of presence in our daily lives, for the benefit of elderly people,
for disabled persons, and for everybody’s security by environmental monitoring.
”
Prof. Christofer Hierold, ETHZ
Nano-Tera.ch 11
SSSTC SSSTC NTF NTF
Specifically, it seeks to demonstrate concepts and devices for ultra-low power, highly miniaturized functional blocks for sensing and electronics. Due to their small mass and high stiffness, doubly clamped CNTs can exhibit huge resonant frequencies. These are carbon nanotube resonators which, as recently demonstrated or predicted theoretically, can reach the multi-GHz range, can be tuned via straining over a wide range of frequency, offer an unprecedented sensitivity to strain or mass loading, and all these with a very low power consumption.
ED ED
Sensors are becoming ubiquitous in our lives and possible applications are countless. Micro and nanotechnologies are the natural choice for enabling complex sensor nodes, as they are small (thus unobtrusive), cheap and low power. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are a perfect example of how nanosystems offer features unachievable with microsystems: their outstanding structural, mechanical and electronic properties have immediately resulted in numerous device demonstrators from transistors, to physical and chemical sensors, and actuators. A key idea of the project is to combine elements from the fundamental knowledge base on the physics of carbon nanotubes, gathered in the past several years, and the fundamental engineering sciences in the area of micro/nano-electromechanical systems, to develop novel devices and processes based on CNTs.
RTD RTD
ENABLING AUTONOMOUS SENSOR NODES: LOW-POWER NANO-SENSOR /ELECTRONICS BUILDING BLOCKS BASED ON TUNABLE CARBON NANOTUBE ELECTRO-MECHANICAL RESONATORS
Principal Investigator Prof. John Thome, EPFL
Co-applicants Prof. David Atienza, EPFL Prof. Yusuf Leblebici, EPFL Dr. Bruno Michel, IBM ZRL Prof. Dimos Poulikakos, ETHZ Prof. Wendelin Stark, ETHZ
CMOSAIC
3D stacked architectures with interlayer cooling
12 Nano-Tera.ch
CMOSAIC
“ An important contribution to the development of the first 3D computer chip with a functionality per unit volume that nearly parallels the functional density of a human brain is the integration of highly effective microscale cooling channels directly within the chip itself.
�
Prof. John Thome, EPFL
Nano-Tera.ch 13
SSSTC SSSTC NTF NTF
The CMOSAIC project aims at contributing to the realization of arguably the most complicated system that mankind has ever assembled: a 3D stack of computer chips with a functionality per unit volume that nearly parallels the functional density of a human brain. The aggressive goal is to provide the necessarily 3D integrated cooling system that is the key to compressing almost 1012 nanometer sized functional units into a 1 cm3 volume with a 10 to 100 fold higher connectivity than otherwise possible. Even the most advanced aircooling methods are inadequate for such high performance systems where the main challenge is to remove the heat produced by multiple stacked dies with each layer dissipating 100-150 W/cm2. Therefore, state-of-the-art microscale single-phase liquid and two-phase cooling systems are being developed, using specifically designed microchannel arrangements with channel sizes as small as 50 microns. The employed coolants range from liquid water and two-phase environmentally friendly refrigerants to novel nano-coated, nonwetting surfaces. To this aim, CMOSAIC has brought together a multi-disciplinary team of internationally recognized experts who are jointly conducting research to explore the underlying physics of the proposed cooling mechanisms through experiments and theoretical modelling. The team will also develop all the necessary modelling and design tools needed to simulate 3D integrated circuits stacks during their operation in order to mitigate hot spots, and test various prototype stacks with the goal of identifying and bringing into reality novel methods for heat removal in these high performance systems.
ED ED
Indicators show that the speed of transistor density and microprocessor performance improvements that drove the IT industry for the last 50 years are now limited by connectability issues between multiple cores and air-cooling rates. With its CMOS scaling engine slowing, the industry is striving to find new packaging alternatives to maintain the overall pace according to Moore’s law. While 2D scaling has been used in high performance processors for several decades, the third dimension has not yet been tackled. Recent progress in the fabrication of through silicon vias has opened new avenues for high density area array interconnects between stacked processor and memory chips. Such three-dimensional integrated circuits are attractive solutions for overcoming the present barriers encountered in interconnect scaling, thus offering an opportunity to continue the CMOS performance trends over the next few decades.
RTD RTD
3D STACKED ARCHITECTURES WITH INTERLAYER COOLING
Principal Investigator Prof. Jan-Anders M책nson, EPFL
Co-applicants Dr. Lorenz Gubler, PSI Dr. Emmanuel Onillon, CSEM
GreenPower
Connecting renewable energy to green mobility using hydrogen as energy carrier under the Belenos Clean Power initiative
14 Nano-Tera.ch
GreenPower
As part of the developments on-going within Belenos, an issue is the development of adequate membranes for the fuel cells. In this project, the membrane will be based on new materials to enable a cost effective application in an H2-O2 fuel cell. These new membranes will be optimized for cost as well as for mechanical and chemical stability. Another issue addressed in this project is the safety related to hydrogen and oxygen storage in a car or at home: new appropriate materials will be developed to guarantee the gas storage system. The project will also seek to design, simulate and set up a unit managing gas flows, throughout the system components as well as the required communication system.
“ One of the most credible initiatives for moving from a fossil fuel based mobility towards a green, solar based mobility. ” Prof. Jan-Anders Månson, EPFL
Nano-Tera.ch 15
SSSTC SSSTC NTF NTF
The principle is to use solar energy, collected on home roofs, which is then used to electrolyze water in order to produce hydrogen and oxygen. These gases are compressed and stored locally to match the gap between supply and demand. Hydrogen and oxygen are filled in adhoc car reservoirs, and subsequently transposed to electricity for fuel cell driven cars. Such a demonstrator system can already be built today: Belenos team succeeded recently to develop H2-O2 fuel cell system and to integrate it in an appropriate vehicle and an electric boat. The vehicle will be tested for at least one year on the Swiss roads while the boat is navigating gor tests on Neuchatel Lake. However, the economic viability of the project depends on disruptive innovation based upon our capacity to face and resolve very demanding scientific and technical challenges in the years to follow. One of the main issues in this coherent effort is the optimization of the hydrogen production and usage chain. Several major steps, both in science and engineering, are needed to achieve the commercial exploitation of the overall concept.
ED ED
An environmentally friendly transportation system is of paramount importance for the decrease of emission of greenhouse gases to the environment. Belenos Clean Power (BCP) has been created as a Holding company whose aim is to accelerate the necessary revolution in clean energy production and consumption using solar energy, converting and storing it in the form of hydrogen and oxygen for mobility and other purposes. For the first time at national level, this initiative is considering green mobility as a part of the entire energy chain: it will give the impetus to accelerate and accumulate the know-how in R&D and production by associating creativity in new and existing resources in the several areas concerning clean energy.
RTD RTD
CONNECTING RENEWABLE ENERGY TO GREEN MOBILITY USING HYDROGEN AS ENERGY CARRIER UNDER THE BELENOS CLEAN POWER INITIATIVE
Principal Investigator Prof. Giovanni De Micheli, EPFL
Co-applicants Dr. Sandro Carrara, EPFL Dr. Catherine Dehollain, EPFL Dr. Fabio Grassi, IRB Prof. Qiuting Huang, ETHZ Prof. Yusuf Leblebici, EPFL Dr. Linda Thoeny-Meyer, EMPA
i-IronIC
Implantable/wearable system for on-line monitoring of human metabolic conditions
16 Nano-Tera.ch
i-IronIC
This project develops research in the field of integrated smart biosensors for online metabolism analysis that significantly improves the quality and reliability of measurements in humans, with reduced analysis-time and costs. Targets are several metabolic compounds of interest in cardiovascular diseases as well as inflammatory diseases and personalized nutrition, such as lactate, cholesterol, glucose, ATP, arachidonic acid, bilirubin, and others. The scientific goal of designing, fabricating and testing biosensors for human telemetry is embodied in the assembly of a demonstrator: a minimally-invasive implanted device will host the biosensors and related electronic and it will transmit the information to a wearable intelligent patch, communicating with a portable device (e.g., a mobile phone), which is finally in remote communication with the geographical network (hospital/medi-care-cabinet/home). The patch is inductively coupled to the implanted device, and provides wireless transmission of power and data.
“ The development of a better and more reliable diagnostics implantable system will be useful for the individualization of therapies, disease prevention and nutrition in patients, athletes and the elderly.
�
Prof. Giovanni De Micheli, EPFL
Nano-Tera.ch 17
SSSTC SSSTC NTF NTF
With the present state-of-the art, metabolism monitoring is a complex and expensive process, mainly because of the unavailability of accurate, fast and affordable sensing devices that can detect and quantify multiple compounds in parallel and several times per day. To date, medical systems available on the market for human telemetry are using wearable devices (accelerometers, heartbeat monitoring system, etc) but they do not measure molecular metabolites. The only available real-time, implantable/wearable systems for metabolic control are limited to glucose monitoring in diabetic patients. For other pathologies, molecules are monitored in daily hospital practice by means of blood sampling and off-line analysis. This requires large and expensive laboratory equipments.
ED ED
Human metabolism telemetry requires accurate and frequent monitoring of the molecular response of living tissues. On-line monitoring of patients with specific physiological conditions (e.g., heart, cardiovascular, cancer diseases) is a key factor to provide better, more rationale, effective and ultimately low-cost health care. This is also required in professional and recreational sportsmen training, as well as in chronic, elderly and/or disabled citizen care.
RTD RTD
IMPLANTABLE/WEARABLE SYSTEM FOR ON-LINE MONITORING OF HUMAN METABOLIC CONDITIONS
Principal Investigator Prof. Jérôme Faist, ETHZ
Co-applicants Prof. Edoardo Charbon, EPFL Dr. Lukas Emmenegger, EMPA Prof. Hans Peter Herzig, EPFL Dr. Daniel Hofstetter, UniNE Dr. Alexandra Homsy, EPFL Prof. Eli Kapon, EPFL Prof. Herbert Looser, FHNW Prof. Markus Sigrist, ETHZ
“ Although the general principles
IrSens
Integrated sensing platform for gases and liquids in the near and mid-infrared range
18 Nano-Tera.ch
of chemical sensing deploying optical methods are well-known, recent developments, particularly in the field of infrared photonics, will lead to a real breakthrough in this technology.”
Prof. Jérôme Faist, ETHZ
IrSens
The compact sensing platform for gases under development is based on multipath absorption cells with various compact semiconductor light source and detector types. Infrared absorption spectroscopy can be used to detect a wide variety of gases. To demonstrate its suitability for breath analysis, the first part of this project is focused on the detection of helicobacter pylori – a bacteria responsible for gastric ulcers – by means of isotopic ratio measurements in exhaled CO2. The integrated sensing platform for liquids is based on waveguiding and surface measurement technologies and the same source and detector types as for the gas sensing. The idea is to couple the sources to an optical module where the liquid analyte will flow through a built-in microfluidic channel. This is intended to be used mainly in bio-medical applications with an emphasis on drugs and doping agents detection in human fluids: specifically, a first targeted demonstrative application for this sensor would be the cocaine detection in human saliva.
Add-on: IR-N-ox
MID-INFRARED MULTI-LASER MODULE FOR DETECTION OF NXOY SPECIES
Principal investigator Co-applicants
Prof. Jérôme Faist, ETHZ Dr. Lukas Emmenegger, EMPA; Prof. Hans Peter Herzig, EPFL
IR-N-ox is an add-on project to Nano-Tera – IrSens carried out by a consortium of three academic partners (EPFL, ETHZ, and EMPA) and one industrial partner (Alpes Lasers S.A.). It seeks the realization of a module, comprising three quantum cascade lasers, emitting at three different wavelengths. The module allows for independent wavelength stabilization of each laser, and the common exit aperture is smaller than 40 microns. In addition, an alternative approach using multiple-wavelength lasers based on current broad spectral gain active material will be pursued, independent of waveguiding techniques. The laser module is dedicated to gas spectroscopy. It will allow the analysis of all gaseous species with absorption features in the frequency range of the lasers using a single optical path. The performance of the module will be proven employing a high-end spectrometer designed for measurements down to the ppt concentration level. The lasers will be selected such that they allow the simultaneous detection of N2O, NO and NO2 (or two out of the three species for the alternative approach), since there is currently no satisfactory analytic method for selective, sensitive and real time measurements of these gases. Moreover, there are numerous industrial and environmental applications where such measurements are a prerequisite to understand and control the underlying processes. In addition to IrSens, IR-N-ox has strong synergies with OpenSense - a NanoTera project focused on open sensor networks for air quality monitoring. To take advantage of these common interests, the laser module will also be coupled to the gas sensing platform currently developed within IrSens, and assessed with respect to the potential deployment as a sensor within OpenSense.
Nano-Tera.ch 19
SSSTC SSSTC NTF NTF
The idea is to create a photonic sensor platform with high performance and reliability which will leverage on the new source, detector and interaction cell technologies to create a new sensor element with vastly improved performance and lowered cost. These improvements will be demonstrated further by the incorporation into two pilot applications, the first one aiming at the demonstration of sensing in the gas phase, the second one in the liquid phase.
ED ED
There is an increasing demand for sensitive, selective, fast and portable detectors for trace components in gases and liquids, e.g. due to increasing concerns about atmospheric pollutants, and a need for improved medical screening capabilities for early detection of diseases and drug abuse. In that context, the project IrSens aims at building a versatile platform based on optical spectroscopy in the near and midinfrared range. Indeed, techniques based on optical absorption offer the possibility to realize a non-invasive and highly sensitive detection platform. It allows to probe the vibrational frequencies of the targeted molecules – most of which are located in the near and mid-infrared range, and to obtain an unambiguous signature of the investigated gas or liquid.
RTD RTD
INTEGRATED SENSING PLATFORM FOR GASES AND LIQUIDS IN THE NEAR AND MID-INFRARED RANGE
Principal Investigator Prof. Carlotta Guiducci, EPFL
Co-applicants Dr. Thierry Buclin, CHUV Prof. Giovanni De Micheli, EPFL Prof. Christian Enz, CSEM Prof. Carlos-Andrés Pena-Reyes, HES-SO
“ Our project will have a strong
ISyPeM
Intelligent integrated systems for personalized medicine
20 Nano-Tera.ch
positive impact on the health care sector, by improving medical practice in highly critical drug treatments of severe diseases in Switzerland and abroad. ”
Prof. Carlotta Guiducci, EPFL
ISyPeM
The research goes beyond the state-of-the-art because of the introduction of new sensing and delivering technologies, ultra-low power sensor interface and wireless communication integrated in a miniaturized remote-powered hardware platform with energy-efficient data processing and robust control software. Targeted application domains will be HIV infection, cancer diseases and post-transplant therapies, which are currently addressed by the research in pharmacokinetics carried out by our medical partner at CHUV. The overall benefit of this research is bettering medical practice by enabling personalized medicine while reducing health care costs. This goal is achieved by a concerted effort in various disciplines that will be embodied in demonstrators and validated in the field in the framework of the project. The state-of-the-art will be advanced by providing an electronic-control dimension to drug treatment, based on novel analytical techniques and on safe and optimal dosing policies. Expected scientific breakthroughs include new integrated sensors for specific drugs and biomarkers, new drug delivery mechanisms via electronically-controlled silicon membranes and a formal design methodology for provably correct and safe electronic drug delivery.
Add-on: TWPeM
TOWARDS WIDESPREAD PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
Principal investigator Co-applicants
Prof. Carlotta Guiducci, EPFL Dr. Thierry Buclin, CHUV; Prof. Giovanni De Micheli, EPFL; Prof. Christian Enz, CSEM; Prof. Carlos-AndrĂŠs Pena-Reyes, HES-SO
Since the elaboration of the project, a potential “cultural� barrier was identified among healthcare providers towards the acceptance of a miniaturized device able to measure drug concentration or biomarker: this is due to the fact that therapeutic monitoring almost exclusively relies on empirical procedures in the medical community and that presently, the drug concentration measurement in patients sample is performed only in dedicated medical laboratories, working rather far from clinical practice. However, a cultural change is about to occur among drug prescribers regarding therapeutic drug concentration monitoring, as several critical elements are now available, just to name a few: pharmacokinetic characterization of new drug agents has become mandatory from registration agencies, population pharmacokinetic modeling has progressed and is increasingly used in clinical research, the need for dosage individualization is more and more widely acknowledged among experts, especially regarding new critical therapies. Novel computer tools might perfectly enjoy success among medicinal drug prescribers, provided that they are easy to operate, user-friendly, multiplatform, versatile regarding drug choices, and free to use. The aim of this project is thus to rapidly develop software and hardware easy-to-use tools and to disseminate them among the community of healthcare providers. With such a vision, the Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology at CHUV and the HEIG-VD developed the Ezekiel software whose goal is to provide an ergonomic platform that will help the medical doctors with the monitoring of drug concentration, and with possible drug posology prediction. The first on line release of the software has already been made available to all medical doctors and pharmacologists interested.
Nano-Tera.ch 21
SSSTC SSSTC NTF NTF
The huge variability range in drugs response poses strong limits and severe problems in drug treatment definition. The largest part of variability in drug response (roughly 80%) resides in the pharmacokinetic phase, i.e. in dose-concentration relationships. This project aims at providing advanced technologies for assessing drug response by measuring drug concentrations and relevant biomarkers. In particular, it aims at providing drug treatment optimization based on processing of statistical and personal data and to enable seamless monitoring and delivery by an ultra-low power integrated system. Thus it is the purpose of the project to advance the state-of-the-art in personalized medicine by creating new enabling technologies for drug monitoring and delivery control rooted in the combination of sensing, in situ data processing, short-range wireless communication and drug release control mechanisms. These new technologies, in combination with currently available medical devices (e.g., micropumps, micro-needles, etc.) can significantly improve medical care and reduce the related costs.
ED ED
Medical progress is increasingly improving the survival rate and life quality of patients affected by serious, life-threatening conditions, such as HIV infection, disseminated cancers or vital organ failure. These achievements rely significantly on new radical improvements of drug regimens and therapeutic protocols. Newly adopted treatments for such diseases require the daily administration of highly active therapies in the long-term.
RTD RTD
INTELLIGENT INTEGRATED SYSTEMS FOR PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
Principal Investigator
Prof. Philippe Renaud, EPFL
Co-applicants Prof. Nico de Rooij, EPFL Prof. Martial Geiser, HESSO Prof. Hubert Girault, EPFL Dr. Martha Liley, CSEM Dr. Michael Riediker, IST Prof. Jan van der Meer, UNIL Prof. Viola Vogel, ETHZ
LiveSense
Cell-based sensing microsystem
22 Nano-Tera.ch
LiveSense
The research is based on known cell models selected in two cell types: bacteria – used because there is already a wide experience on bacterial bioreporters and they are rather easy to culture – and eukaryotic cells – because their metabolic response to toxicants is more similar to reaction pathways in the human body. The microbioreactor will be integrated into a functional demonstrator for the deployment of a cell-based sensor network monitoring water quality in a Swiss river. The long term goal of this project is to set a precedent on the industrialization of cell-based sensors which can eventually impact other fields including the toxicological screening of new drugs and chemical compounds without using animal models, large-scale studies of cell development and bioreactors for tissue engineering.
“ We are building the bio cell phone. ”
Prof. Philippe Renaud, EPFL
Nano-Tera.ch 23
SSSTC SSSTC NTF NTF
This project addresses the need to improve the environmental monitoring of the many chemical and biological compounds that are affecting our biosphere and eventually human health. The idea is to use living cells as biosensors and to monitor them in a microfluidic bioreactor equipped with microsensors. Living cells are the most natural biosensors, since they integrate the biological effects of the compound mixtures and respond by metabolic or phenotypic changes that are relevant to potential effects in the human body. The projects aims at the realization of a complete autonomous microsystem that would include a cell culture microbioreactor, secondary sensors to measure cell response and monitor the microbioreactor process, a signal processing control unit and a wireless communication unit to link the microsystem to a sensor network.
ED ED
A big challenge in environmental monitoring is to dispose of a base of autonomous remote nodes that are capable of locally collecting samples and sending biologically and chemically relevant information through a communication network. Analytical chemical methods commonly used are mostly based on sophisticated instrumentation which does not scale to miniature systems for deployment as field sensors. The use of biological entities such as cell lines or micro-organisms as the basis for assay methodologies has been well developed, and research has demonstrated their applicability for monitoring the environment for bioactive or toxic compounds. The response of cell-based sensors is related to a metabolic pathway and thus can be relevant to effects expected for human beings. In many cases, the response of cells and cell-based sensors is extremely sensitive. While the concept of cell-based biosensors has been researched for several years, their implementation is restricted to a few commercial applications that are not deployable as autonomous sensors.
RTD RTD
CELL-BASED SENSING MICROSYSTEM
Principal Investigator Prof. Ursula Keller, ETHZ
Co-applicants Prof. Eli Kapon, EPFL Prof. Thomas Südmeyer, UniNE Prof. Bernd Witzigmann, Uni Kassel
24 Nano-Tera.ch
Stock.XCHNG
MIXSEL
Vertical integration of ultrafast semiconductor lasers for wafer-scale mass production
MIXSEL
The project aims to demonstrate optically and electrically pumped MIXSELs in both the pico- and femtosecond regime. Picosecond MIXSELs are ideally suited for clocking applications whereas femtosecond MIXSELs are required for continuum generation and many biomedical applications. For both cases, average powers above 100 mW with electrical pumping and above 500 mW with optical pumping should be reached, which represent significant advances of ultrafast MIXSELs.
“ Our research on the development of novel ultrafast semiconductor lasers will support and strengthen a field that is significant in value creation.
”
Prof. Ursula Keller, ETHZ
Nano-Tera.ch 25
SSSTC SSSTC NTF NTF
Semiconductor lasers are ideally suited for mass production and widespread applications, because they are based on a wafer-scale technology with a high level of integration. Not surprisingly, the first lasers entering virtually every household were semiconductor lasers in compact disk players. A new ultrafast semiconductor laser concept has been introduced by Prof. Keller, which is power scalable, suitable for pulse repetition rate scaling in the 10 to 100 GHz regime, supports both optical and electrical pumping and allows for waferscale fabrication. This class of devices is referred to as the modelocked integrated external-cavity surface emitting laser (MIXSEL). The next step towards even lower-cost and more compact ultrafast lasers will be electrical pumping with both pico- and femtosecond pulses. This would result in devices ideally suited for many applications such as telecommunications, optical clocking, frequency metrology, high resolution nonlinear multiphoton microscopy, optical coherence tomography, laser display – anywhere where the current ultrafast laser technology is considered to be too bulky or expensive.
ED ED
Short pulse laser sources have enabled many applications in science and technology. Numerous laboratory experiments have confirmed that they can significantly increase telecommunication data rates, improve computer interconnects, and optically clock in the future multicore microprocessors. New applications in metrology, supercontinuum generation and life sciences with two-photon microscopy and optical coherence tomography only work with ultrashort pulses, but have relied on bulky and complex ultrafast solid-state lasers. However, users in health care and life sciences generally would rather get the short pulses without any further overhead and with a simple turn-on-off switch. It is therefore essential for them to have access to compact, easy-to-use and inexpensive ultrafast lasers. Recent developments in novel semiconductor lasers have the potential to reduce the complexity of ultrafast lasers.
RTD RTD
VERTICAL INTEGRATION OF ULTRAFAST SEMICONDUCTOR LASERS FOR WAFER-SCALE MASS PRODUCTION
Principal Investigator Prof. Christian Schönenberger, UniBas
Co-applicants Dr. Michel Calame, UniBas Prof. Beat Ernst, UniBas Prof. Jens Gobrecht, PSI Prof. Andreas Hierlemann, ETHZ Prof. Adrian Ionescu, EPFL Prof. Uwe Pieles, FHNW Prof. Janos Vörös, ETHZ
NanowireSensor
Integrateable silicon nanowire sensor platform
26 Nano-Tera.ch
NanowireSensor
This project seeks to develop a modular, scalable and integrateable sensor platform for the electronic detection of analytes in solution. The idea is to integrate silicon nanowire field-effect transistors as a sensor array and combine them with state-of-the-art microfabricated interface electronics as well as with microfluidic channels for liquid handling. Such sensors have the potential to be mass manufactured at reasonable costs, allowing their integration as the active sensor part in electronic point-of-care diagnostic devices to facilitate, for instance, bed-side diagnostics and personalized medicine. Another important field is systems biology, where many substances need to be quantitatively detected in parallel at very low concentrations: in these situations, the platform being developed fulfills the requirements ideally and will have a strong impact and provide new insights, e.g. into the metabolic processes of cells, organisms or organs.
“ In a long-term vision, we can expect the development of embedded systems allowing the constant monitoring of health parameters for chronicle diseases like diabetes. Prof. Christian SchĂśnenberger, UniBas
�
Nano-Tera.ch 27
SSSTC SSSTC NTF NTF
In this context, an ideal solution is an ion-sensitive field-effect transistor sensor platform based on silicon nanowires to be integrated in a CMOS architecture. Indeed, in addition to the expected high sensitivity and superior signal quality, such nanowire sensors could be mass manufactured at reasonable costs, and readily integrated into electronic diagnostic devices to facilitate bed-site diagnostics and personalized medicine. Moreover, their small size makes them ideal candidates for future implanted sensing devices. While promising biosensing experiments based on silicon nanowire field-effect transistors have been reported, real-life applications still require improved control, together with a detailed understanding of the basic sensing mechanisms. For instance, it is crucial to optimize the geometry of the wire, a still rather unexplored aspect up to now, as well as its surface functionalization or its selectivity to the targeted analytes.
ED ED
There is nowadays a growing need for sensing devices offering rapid and portable analytical functionality in real-time as well as massively parallel capabilities with very high sensitivity at the molecular level. Such devices are essential to facilitate research and foster advances in fields such as drug discovery, proteomics, medical diagnostics, systems biology or environmental monitoring.
RTD RTD
INTEGRATEABLE SILICON NANOWIRE SENSOR PLATFORM
Principal Investigator Dr. Alex Dommann, CSEM
Co-applicants Dr. Pierangelo Gröning, EMPA Prof. Hans von Känel, ETHZ
“ The results will lead to radically Nexray
Network of integrated miniaturized X-ray systems operating in complex environments
28 Nano-Tera.ch
new approaches in the use and exploitation of X-rays, and completely novel X-ray systems which are not possible today.”
Dr. Alex Dommann, CSEM
Nexray
A key application is in the area of tomographic imaging, making use of the fact that both the X-ray source and the X-ray detector are pixelated. Since the X-ray source is built as a matrix of micro X-ray sources that can also be addressed and controlled individually, the combination of pixelated X-ray sources and detectors brings up completely new imaging capabilities, in particular the possibility to do static tomographic imaging and therefore reduce costs or increase throughput.
Add-on: COSMICMOS
COMPLEX STRUCTURES MONOLITHICALLY INTEGRATED ON CMOS PLATFORM
Principal investigator Co-applicants
Dr. Alex Dommann, CSEM Dr. Pierangelo GrÜning, EMPA; Prof. Hans von Känel, ETHZ
A technical breakthrough achieved within the NEXRAY project, allows the epitaxial growth of Ge-layers of unparalleled thickness and quality on Si-substrates. While the novel process is suitable for the fabrication of X-ray absorbers, the team expects it to bring a solution also to long-standing problems associated with the monolithic integration of Ge and III-V-semiconductor devices onto a silicon CMOS platform.To this end, the intention is to extend the underlying substrate patterning technique to the nano-scale range, and reduce layer thicknesses to values compatible with state of the art semiconductor processing. On the one hand, the project aims at a fundamental understanding of the processes responsible for defect-reduction in lattice mismatched semiconductor systems. On the other hand, the new technology will be tested by means of selected microelectronic and optoelectronic devices monolithically integrated on silicon.
Nano-Tera.ch 29
SSSTC SSSTC NTF NTF
The miniaturized X-ray sources are based on multi-wall carbon nanotube (CNT) cold electron emitters and advanced microsystems technology. The electron field emission properties of CNTs, with their high current densities, make them prime candidates for cold emitter cathodes. Using CNT cold electron emitters will make it possible to miniaturize the whole X-ray source to a tiny unprecedented volume. Additionally, as opposed to classical thermionic emission, field electron emission of the CNT is voltage-controlled which allows for high modulation frequencies up to GHz level. The X-ray direct detectors in turn are based on crystalline germanium absorption layers grown directly on a CMOS sensor chip yielding high resolution and high sensitivity X-ray detectors. Single photon detection will allow for a significant improvement of contrast for applications in security, health care and nondestructive testing.
ED ED
This project targets the development of novel pocket X-ray sources and X-ray direct detectors that will be combined in a distributed network to solve important tasks, for example in the field of safety and security, by ensuring reliable and real-time monitoring of failure sensitive parts in large manufacturing plants or in public transportation.
RTD RTD
NETWORK OF INTEGRATED MINIATURIZED X-RAY SYSTEMS OPERATING IN COMPLEX ENVIRONMENTS
Principal Investigator Prof. Martin Gijs, EPFL
Co-applicants Dr. Sandro Carrara, EPFL Prof. Richard F. Hurrell, ETHZ Prof. Jeremy Ramsden, UniBas Dr. Guy Vergères, ALP
“ The project builds on modern
NutriChip
A technological platform for nutrition analysis to promote healthy food
30 Nano-Tera.ch
analytical strategies of biology, engineering and classical human nutrition research to evaluate in vitro the influence of food quality on health. ”
Prof. Martin Gijs, EPFL
NutriChip
The NutriChip will be tested for screening and selection of dairy products with specific health-promoting properties, in particular immunomodulatory properties. The CMOS detection chip will be used to image down to single immune cells. For the biochemical validation of the NutriChip platform, the response of the immune cells upon the application of food will be examined by monitoring the Toll-like receptors 2 and 4, key molecules bridging metabolism and immuno-regulation in nutrition.
Add-on: Ca-NutriChip
NUTRICHIP FOR MONITORING THE BIO-AVAILABILITY OF CALCIUM
Principal investigator Co-applicants
Prof. Martin Gijs, EPFL Dr. Sandro Carrara, EPFL; Dr. Guy Vergères, ALP
The Ca-NutriChip project will extend the Nutrichip micro-artificial gut platform by adding a nutrikinetic capability, focusing on the bio-availability of calcium in dairy products as a model system. The Ca-NutriChip platform will be able to quantitatively monitor the adsorption and transport of Ca through the epithelial cell layer as well as it’s uptake by target cells, and this in a time-resolved manner. The importance of pharmacokinetics has long been recognized in medicine and pharmacology and adsorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) studies are essential components for the development of efficient and safe drugs. In nutrition research, the concept of nutrikinetics still is in its infancy, but will undoubtedly advances its future development. Ca plays a major role in health and disruption of Ca homeostasis is associated with many diseases, such as osteoporosis, obesity, diabetes, cancer, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and kidney stones. As such the Ca-NutriChip adds an innovative and important complement to the original project, valorizing even more the multiple nano- and tera-aspects of the original Nutrichip platform. The knowledge gained from this research project can ultimately be used to investigate the bioavailability of other nutrients and therefore can serve as a paradigm for nutrient adsorption.
Nano-Tera.ch 31
SSSTC SSSTC NTF NTF
This is the major motivation of this project, focused on the development of an integrated lab-on-a-chip platform to investigate the effects of food ingestion by humans. The core of the system is an integrated chip, the NutriChip, which, as a demonstrator of an artificial and miniaturized gastrointestinal tract, will be able to probe the health potential of dairy food samples, using a minimal biomarker set identified through in vivo and in vitro studies. The project will develop innovative CMOS circuits at the nano-scale for high signal-tonoise ratio optical detection and propose a special microfluidic system closely integrating cell-based materials within the chip.
ED ED
The gastrointestinal tract plays a key role in the adsorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of nutrients, xenobiotics (drugs, toxins) as well as other molecules originating from commensal and pathogenic microorganisms. The intestinal epithelium is a tight gatekeeper controlling the uptake of nutrients and potentially harmful substances and the immune cell layer underlying the epithelial barrier is devoted to avoiding undesired reactivity to dietary proteins and enteric flora, while responding rapidly to pathogens threats. In light of the importance of gastrointestinal immuno-modulation, laboratory models have been developed, in particular, cell culture in vitro models involving a confluent layer of epithelial cells and a co-culture of immune cells separated by a permeable synthetic membrane. These models allow the activation of immune cells in response to the transfer and processing of molecules across the epithelial cell layer, and can potentially be used to screen food for specific physiological properties of nutrients. The classical cell culture design suffers, however, from a lack of efficiency when it comes to using such systems in a high throughput modus. It is therefore highly desirable to downscale such cell cultures and to make them more amenable to automation in order to promote efficient in vitro screening of the physiological properties of selected foods.
RTD RTD
A TECHNOLOGICAL PLATFORM FOR NUTRITION ANALYSIS TO PROMOTE HEALTHY FOOD
Principal Investigator Prof. Karl Aberer, EPFL
Co-applicants Prof. Boi Faltings, EPFL Prof. Alcherio Martinoli, EPFL Prof. Lothar Thiele, ETHZ Prof. Martin Vetterli, EPFL
“ Our goal is to provide an open
OpenSense
Open sensor networks for air quality monitoring
32 Nano-Tera.ch
and extensible platform for monitoring air quality in realtime, for better understanding environmental phenomena and their effects and involving people into this task. �
Prof. Karl Aberer, EPFL
OpenSense
OpenSense addresses key research challenges in the domain of information and communication systems related to community-based sensing using wireless sensor network technology in the context of air pollution monitoring. Solutions to these problems affect typically all layers of information and communication system architecture, with interdependencies and synergies among the different layers. For that reason the research team consists of experts in signal processing, networking, robotics, data management and qualitative reasoning. The project will result in open technology that allows integrating diverse sensors, including mobile sensors, into a single environmental model. The information processing techniques we develop will provide important insights to enable other Nano-Tera.ch application domains dealing with monitoring complex events.
Add-on: OpenSense+
OPEN SENSOR NETWORKS FOR AIR QUALITY MONITORING
Principal investigator Co-applicants
Prof. Karl Aberer, EPFL Prof. Boi Faltings, EPFL; Prof. Lothar Thiele, ETHZ; Prof. Martin Vetterli, EPFL
The objective of this add-on project is to explore, in collaboration with Nokia Research Center, Lausanne, some of the fundamental challenges that lie in provisioning effective and efficient personal health services through online and mobile technologies. OpenSense explores community-driven monitoring of environmental factors impacting human life, in particular air pollution, exploiting wireless and mobile sensors attached to private of public vehicles. The goal is to produce fine-grained models of dynamic environmental parameters, exploiting mobile sensors, a paradigm shift from the macro-updates we receive today. This RTD add-on project expands the scope of OpenSense to explore research questions for delivering such dynamic data and services to the community – the human consumers, through mobile consumer-facing service platforms. This largely impacts end user services in the domain of preventive health care. The project will be carried out in close collaboration with the Nokia Wellness diary, a recent strategic platform for delivering wellness related on-line services.
Nano-Tera.ch 33
SSSTC SSSTC NTF NTF
Challenges that are not well addressed today are dealing with the heterogeneity and widely varying characteristics of the sensor equipment, measurements and data analysis, supporting and exploiting mobility of sensors and involving the community in a trusted, fair and transparent manner into the monitoring activity. Air pollution monitoring is particularly suited to study these challenges as they are particularly pronounced in this scenario. A wide variety of sensors (meteorological data, air pollutants and fine particles) are used, normally not integrated with one another, with measurements sharing complex atmospheric chemistry and transport processes. These monitors could be stationary or mobile (public and private vehicles, personal devices, airborne vehicles) providing real-time information and warnings on air pollution that is of great public health importance.
ED ED
Wireless sensor networks and publishing of sensor data on the Internet bear the potential to substantially increase public awareness and involvement in environmental sustainability. These technologies enable capturing sensor data by involving public authorities and the general public and making real-time information on environmental conditions available to a wide public. Air pollution monitoring in urban areas is a prime example of such an application as common air pollutants have direct effects on human health, thus becoming an extremely important environmental issue in large areas of the world due to increasing urbanization. However, bringing the vision of public involvement in environmental monitoring to a reality poses substantial technical challenges, to scale up from isolated wellcontrolled systems to an open and scalable infrastructure where many nano-scale sensors generate terabytes of data.
RTD RTD
OPEN SENSOR NETWORKS FOR AIR QUALITY MONITORING
Principal investigator Dr. Harry Heinzelmann, CSEM Co-applicants Prof. Jürgen Brugger, EPFL Prof. Nico de Rooij, EPFL Prof. Hans Peter Herzig, EPFL Dr. Agnese Mariotti, CePO Prof. Ernst Meyer, Uni Basel Prof. Pedro Romero, UNIL Prof. Horst Vogel, EPFL
Principal Investigator Dr. Harry Heinzelmann, CSEM
Co-applicants Prof. Jürgen Brugger, EPFL Prof. Nico de Rooij, EPFL Prof. Hans Peter Herzig, EPFL Dr. Agnese Mariotti, CePO Prof. Ernst Meyer, UniBas Prof. Pedro Romero, UNIL Prof. Horst Vogel, EPFL
“ We expect our research to PATLiSci
Probe array technology for life science applications
34 Nano-Tera.ch
advance personalized medical diagnostics and to develop new tools for research in cell-based drug screening. ”
Dr. Harry Heinzelmann, CSEM
PATLiSci
The projects addresses oncology at a molecular level, by analyzing the presence of biomolecular markers involved in cancer diseases, and at a cellular level, by studying mechanical and adhesion properties of cancerous cells. First of all, it will develop non-invasive and early diagnostics tools for the detection of cancerous biological markers that can be used by medical doctors. The goal is to detect circulating tumor cells (CTC) in peripheral blood of cancer patients through the analysis of tumor specific markers in enriched samples or by direct trapping of the CTCs; as well as detect volatile organic compounds present in the exhaled breath of patients suffering from head and neck cancer. Moreover, the project seeks to acquire a better understanding of the biological processes involved in cancer diseases, such as proliferation of cancerous cell or activation of melanoma cells. On the one hand, the relation between elastic properties (cell elasticity) of cancerous cells and their degree of malignancy, invasive and metastatic properties will be analyzed and characterized. On the other hand, the adhesion properties of cancerous cells will be determined and characterized to understand how they are influenced by the tumor microenvironment, i.e. by the interaction with other cells and by the nature of the extracellular matrix. The project PATLiSci is composed of two main parts, namely the nanomechanical sensing of biomolecules (“nanomechanical nose”) and the development of cantilever arrays for highly parallel force spectroscopy. Both project parts share common technological challenges, such as microfabrication issues and surface functionalization, as well as the main field of application, which is cancer research.
Add-on: MINACEL
MICRO- AND NANOFLUIDICS FOR CELL HANDLING
Principal investigator Co-applicants
Dr. Harry Heinzelmann, CSEM Prof. Ernst Meyer, UniBas; Prof. Philippe Renaud, EPFL
Two Nano-Tera RTD projects, PATLiSci and LiveSense, are involving living eukaryotic cells. PATLiSci aims to develop research and portable diagnostic tools for oncology. Microcantilever probe arrays will be used as biochemical sensing and force sensing for detecting biological markers expressed by cancerous cells and for measuring adhesion and mechanical properties of cancerous cells. The goal of LiveSense is to develop a microbioreactor device and microfluidic for on-line water quality analysis using living cell monitoring. This Nano-Tera extension project MINACEL seeks to bridge these two ongoing RTD projects, to share complementary competences, in the field of microfluidic for cell handling in particular. A portable microbioreactor, like for LiveSense, will enable to grow cancerous cells and to collect volatile organic compounds used as cancer markers, which will then be detected by biochemical sensing. This approach offers the advantage to obtain “invitro” results that can be compared with measurements from patients. Two other microfluidic devices, to sort circulating tumor cell from blood, and to handle and manipulate individual adherent cells, will also be developed. Additionally, a post analysis of cells will be made by performing microinjection or sampling of the cytoplasm. To this aim, microcantilevers with embedded nanofluidic channels will be used. Thanks to the force sensor, the cell should not be damaged during the handling. LiveSense can here provide expertise in microfluidic networks for cell sorting and the development of the microbioreactor. On the other hand LiveSense can profit from this work by having access to new sensors for analyzing cell culture responses to different environments thus increasing the number of analytical tools at their disposal.
Nano-Tera.ch 35
SSSTC SSSTC NTF NTF
Interestingly, it has been shown recently that the stiffness of cancer cells affects the way they spread in the body. Equally important are the adhesion forces of cancer cells to other cells. The measurement of nanomechanical properties of cells as well as cell-cell interactions as a function of milieu parameters is thus of particular interest in cancer research.
ED ED
The development of techniques based on micromechanical force sensors (micro-cantilevers) is of increasing importance for applications in biological sciences. Scanning force microscopy and related techniques allow for high resolution imaging e.g. of membrane proteins, offering unprecedented insights into their structure and their functioning. Furthermore, related non-imaging methods such as force spectroscopy allow studying the mechanics and the adhesion forces between materials ranging from proteins to entire cells. An impressive body of literature on mechanical properties of molecules and their interaction forces has been generated in the recent past. However, little has been done so far on a cell level, due to the complexity and the number of the experiments to be conducted.
RTD RTD
PROBE ARRAY TECHNOLOGY FOR LIFE SCIENCE APPLICATIONS
Principal Investigator Prof. Qiuting Huang, ETHZ
Co-applicants Dr. Catherine Dehollain, EPFL Prof. Christian Enz, CSEM
Platform circuit technology underlying heterogeneous nano and tera systems
36 Nano-Tera.ch
Š CSEM
PlaCiTUS
PlaCiTUS
This project investigates the challenges in mixed signal platforms, such as those embedded in biomedical electronics, micro-systems, sensor networks and wireless communications, from both device and systems perspective. Demonstrators will be developed that cover generic sensor interface/data acquisition, passive telemetry, wireless body area network, wireless sensor networking and wireless wide area networks. The achievements will benefit other Nano-Tera projects focusing on the sensor/actuator side of microsystems, as well as wireless communications SoCs that will challenge the state-of-the-art in integration level, versatility and sophistication of nano CMOS systems.
“ The nano-CMOS design platform will allow the different devices
required for health, security and environment applications to be much smaller and have a much longer autonomy, thus offering more comfort and enabling new applications. Prof. Qiuting Huang, ETHZ
�
Nano-Tera.ch 37
SSSTC SSSTC NTF NTF
It is therefore crucial to fully understand the operation and limitations of these devices in order to design robust digital, analog and RF circuits. In the next decade, the challenges to the semiconductor industry and the applications it supports will lie not so much in realizing smaller and faster transistors as in how to make the best out of the billions of transistors per chip we already have. Understanding how to handle complexity in mixed signal embedded systems is therefore crucial for the next generation of applications that deal with health, microsystems and communications. How to partition system functionality into digital, analog and RF or sensor realizations on a system on chip optimally is one of the key topics that will impact the era of nano CMOS technologies.
ED ED
The revolution in information and communication technology that is taking information flow into the era of tera-bits and the biomedical advances down to molecular scale would not have taken place without the accompanying downscaling of CMOS technology to the nano scale device size and tera system complexity. This aggressive downscaling has allowed the number of transistors per chip to be increased, thus extending their functionality and pushing up speed performance. However, this is obtained at the cost of severe degradation in certain quality metrics, such as increase of parameter variability, strong degradation of device matching, and increase in leakage currents including gate leakage, stronger short-channel effects (weak-inversion slope reduction, drain-induced barrier lowering, etc), ever lower supply voltage, novel degradation mechanisms and increasing reliability constraints. The profound changes in the device structure that are required to mitigate or eventually circumvent all these degradations will obviously have a significant impact on the way circuits, and particularly analog and RF circuits, have to be designed.
RTD RTD
PLATFORM CIRCUIT TECHNOLOGY UNDERLYING HETEROGENEOUS NANO AND TERA SYSTEMS
Principal Investigator Prof. Nicolas Gisin, UniGE
Co-applicants Prof. Andreas P. Burg, EPFL Prof. Norbert Felber, ETHZ Prof. Etienne Messerli, HES-SO Dr. GrĂŠgoire Ribordy, IDQ
Secure high-speed communication based on quantum key distribution
38 Nano-Tera.ch
Photoxpress
QCrypt
QCrypt
NTF NTF
SSSTC SSSTC
This project aims to considerably improve cryptography on both the key distribution level and the encryption level. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) is a secure way to generate and distribute keys, which is based on the fundamental laws of quantum mechanics. However, existing systems are too slow. The new QKD system will be capable of producing keys at 1 Mbps rate, which means it will allow 1 MHz OTP encryption for high-level applications. In standard applications the data exchange rates continue to increase. Today’s commercial encryptors are already approaching 10 Gbps. Consequently the project seeks to develop a future proof encryption engine for up to 100 Gbps and looks to combine this high-speed encryption with high rate QKD, to allow the rapid changing of keys, thus considerably improving the security and simplifying the key management.
ED ED
Today’s information society relies heavily on storing and transferring data in digital form. Cryptography provides the means that is necessary to exchange data securely. It relies on two fundamental parts: first, one needs a secret key, which is subsequently used to encrypt the data with a mathematical algorithm. Secret keys can be transmitted using a trusted messenger, or in a more convenient way, using public key infrastructure, the security of which is based on computational complexity and suffers from the lack of a mathematical proof for the class of complexity. Modern encryption, using algorithms like the Advanced Encryption Standard, is generally considered unbreakable, provided the keys are sufficiently long. However, absolute security can only be guaranteed by the so-called one-time-pad (OTP), where secret keys as long as the message, have to be used.
RTD RTD
SECURE HIGH-SPEED COMMUNICATION BASED ON QUANTUM KEY DISTRIBUTION
The project will develop advanced prototypes for very-high-speed QKD and encryption. Both of these systems will greatly surpass any technology currently available. This is only possible by combining the outstanding competencies of the partners in such diverse fields as quantum optics, high-speed electronics and integrated circuit programming as well as cryptographic and network security. The modular approach will provide flexible solutions for diverse communication scenarios by operating the devices in unison or stand-alone. Finally, in contrast to current quantum key distribution systems, they will be compatible with standard optical networks and capable of using wavelength multiplexing.
“ We seek to take the emerging quantum technology associated with QKD to the level of future secure and high-speed communication networks.
”
Prof. Nicolas Gisin, UniGE
Nano-Tera.ch 39
Principal Investigator Prof. Jürgen Brugger, EPFL
Co-applicants Dr. Helmut Knapp, CSEM Prof. Alcherio Martinoli, EPFL Prof. Bradley Nelson, ETHZ M.Sc. Laurent Sciboz, Icare Prof. Nicholas Spencer, ETHZ
“ We strive to find a remedy for the
Fluidic-mediated self-assembly for hybrid functional micro/nanosystems
40 Nano-Tera.ch
”
Prof. Jürgen Brugger, EPFL Stock.XCHNG
SelfSys
upcoming assembly challenge for ultraminiature functional systems, and to contribute to novel manufacturing schemes for high added value products that represent one of Switzerland’s key economic factors.
SelfSys
The first phase of the research focuses on the setting-up of the free-floating and guided fluidic assembly technology. The work will then be devoted to the implementation of the enabling technology for two applications that have been identified, one targeting the assembly of liquid-containing micro-capsules that can be triggered for liquid release, the other aiming at the assembly of RFID micro-tags with other M/NEMS in a massive parallel way. In general, such integrated systems can enable non-invasive smart drug delivery devices, self-assembling implants, surgical microrobots, smart clothing, ultra-small wireless sensor nodes for environmental monitoring and proactive maintenance of complex civil and mechanical structures.
Add-on: SelfSys+
FLUIDIC-MEDIATED SELF-ASSEMBLY FOR COMPLEX, HYBRID FUNCTIONAL MICRO/NANOSYSTEMS
Principal investigator Co-applicants
Prof. J端rgen Brugger, EPFL Prof. Christofer Hierold, ETHZ; Dr. Helmut Knapp, CSEM Prof. Alcherio Martinoli, EPFL; Prof. Bradley Nelson, ETHZ; Prof. Dimos Poulikakos, ETHZ M.Sc. Laurent Sciboz, Icare; Prof. Nicholas Spencer, ETHZ; Prof. John Thome, EPFL
The SelfSys consortium recently identified additional mechanisms to enhance the self-assembling of MEMS capsules as envisioned in SelfSys that would further enhance both our scientific content and application spectrum. Adding them to the ongoing activities increases on one hand side the success rate of our chosen approach and secondly, it integrates other research groups with complementary skills recently uncovered. The central part of the add-on activities involves the controlling of mutual interaction among self-assembling micro capsules inside a liquid. The project seeks to activate following three key features that affect their fabrication and conditioning: directionality, i.e. anisotropy, selectivity, i.e. distinction between interaction and component types, as well as reversibility including programmability. To this end, additional schemes that are complementary and fully compatible with the technologies already matured in SelfSys are planned: a) long-range attraction and local heating by magnetic particles embedded in a 3D structured polymer, b) selective deposition of curable polymer on target patterns on capsule surface by a novel fabrication technique called ILEM. These additions involve physical interactions dominating at nanoscale (i.e. magnetic nanoparticles, tunable surface tension, and local heat generation) and will increase the success rate for robust assembly. It will furthermore make the process readily suitable for upscaling in dimension and structural complexity (i.e. for the assembly of heterogeneous components into non-trivial spatial patterns of enhanced functionality).
Nano-Tera.ch 41
SSSTC SSSTC NTF NTF
The ultimate goal is to self-assemble free-floating N/MEMS building blocks in a liquid, and then deploy the assembled parts onto substrates, in the environment or in the human body, where they fulfill an application-specific functionality. This fluidics-based self-assembly forms the basis for future manufacturing of intelligent systems beyond robotic assembly. The expected outcomes are cost-efficient yet flexible, and form an exemplary combination of high numbers (tera) of ultra-small components (nano/micro) to be assembled into complex systems. The project involves an intimate interaction between advanced micro/nanoengineering, surface functionalization, microfluidics, sensing/actuation, micro/nanorobotic and model-based design concepts.
ED ED
Packaging and assembly is a key factor in the commercial success of micro/nanosystems (M/NEMS), but it is often neglected in academic and pre-competitive industrial research and development. A lack of innovative solutions for the manufacturing of nextgeneration smart systems with hybrid, multi-functional devices would hamper the advances that are needed in health care, information technology and environmental engineering. For instance, a typical situation today is that the individual components of the hybrid system can be readily fabricated separately by well-known state-of-the-art methods, but they are either too small or too numerous to be assembled using conventional assembly techniques. The solution studied in this project is based on interaction forces in liquids and goes well beyond what is known today as fluidic self-assembly on surfaces using wetting properties to fine-position MEMS parts.
RTD RTD
FLUIDIC-MEDIATED SELF-ASSEMBLY FOR HYBRID FUNCTIONAL MICRO/NANOSYSTEMS
Principal Investigator Prof. Peter Ryser, EPFL
Co-applicants Prof. Kamiar Aminian, EPFL Dr. Catherine Dehollain, EPFL Prof. Pierre-André Farine, EPFL Prof. Brigitte Jolles-Haeberli, CHUV M.Sc. Vincent Leclercq, Symbios Prof. Philippe Renaud, EPFL
“ This much more effective
SImOS
Smart implants for orthopaedics surgery
42 Nano-Tera.ch
monitoring of the patient’s function will contribute to valuable improvements of their quality of life and of future treatments. ”
Prof. Peter Ryser, EPFL
SImOS
This equipment is designed to help the surgeon with the alignment or positioning phase during surgery. After surgery, by providing excessive wear and micro-motion information about the prosthesis, it will allow to detect any early migration and potentially avoid later failure. During rehabilitation, it will provide useful outcomes to evaluate in vivo joint function. The tools provided can also be implanted during any joint surgery in order to give the physician the information needed to diagnose future disease such as ligament insufficiency, osteoarthritis or prevent further accident. The proposed nanosystems are set to improve the efficiency of healthcare, which is both a benefit to the patient and to society. Although the scientific and technical developments proposed in this project can be applied to all orthopaedic implants, the technological platform which is being built as a demonstrator is limited to the case of knee prosthesis. In addition, by reaching the minimum size achievable thanks to clever packaging techniques and also by reducing, or even removing, the cumbersome battery, it paves the way for a new generation of autonomous implantable medical devices.
Add-on: SImOS+ KNEE SIMULATOR
Principal investigator Co-applicants Industrial partner
Prof. Peter Ryser, EPFL Prof. Kamiar Aminian, EPFL; Dr. Catherine Dehollain, EPFL; Prof. Pierre-AndrĂŠ Farine, EPFL Prof. Brigitte Jolles-Haeberli, CHUV; M.Sc. Vincent Leclercq, Symbios; Prof. Philippe Renaud, EPFL Symbios SA
During the first year of SImOS project, the consortium designed a first version of the large scale demonstrator in which inertial sensors were integrated, strain gauges and conditioning electronics which will be consequently capsulated into the prosthesis. The team also provided a wireless communication and power transmission between the implanted sensors and electronics, and the receiver part outside the prosthesis. Therefore the project reached the point that it is in serious need for validating all the designed sensory parts as well as the algorithms in conditions close to invivo. One solution as described in the SImOS proposal extends this first prototype to a simple motorized version where kinematics and force are controlled with one or two degree of freedom. In this case, the simulator can be used as a large scale demonstrator for different parts of the project but will have many limitations such as restricted degree of freedom, impossibility to fix artificial or cadaveric limb or simulate soft tissue artifact. A much robust and global solution to validate the systems and to demonstrate the project’s results is to use a commercial mechanical simulator of knee. The simulator must have the capability to move in a similar way of the human knee, and provide the realistic axial forces. This simulator can play an integral role to make us sure that the best system with minimal configuration will be implanted on the patients. Using this simulator can also provide valuable documentary and articles from the project works, which can be more meaningful and useful for prosthesis designers, clinicians, and other researchers. Therefore, the add-on funding plan is to purchase a MTS 858.20 system for kinematic knee testing.
Nano-Tera.ch 43
SSSTC SSSTC NTF NTF
This project seeks to design innovative tools to measure in vivo biomechanical parameters of joint prostheses, orthopaedic implants, bones and ligaments. These tools, partly implanted, partly external, will record and analyze relevant information in order to improve medical treatments. An implant module includes sensors in order to measure the forces, temperature sensors to measure the interface frictions, magneto-resistance sensors to measure the 3D orientation of the knee joint as well as accelerometers to measure stem micro-motion and impacts. An external module, fixed on the patient’s body segments, includes electronic components to power and to communicate with the implant, as well as a set of sensors for measurements that can be realized externally.
ED ED
Over one million hip and knee prostheses are implanted each year in the EU and the US. The expected lifetime for these prostheses is between 10 and 20 years, but premature failure is quite common (about 20% for people less than 50 years old). Prosthesis failures require revision surgeries that are generally complex and traumatic. None of these prostheses contain microchips and few are analyzed based on motion analysis devices.
RTD RTD
SMART IMPLANTS FOR ORTHOPAEDICS SURGERY
Principal Investigator
Prof. Gerhard Tröster, ETHZ
Co-applicants Dr. Manfred Heuberger, EMPA M.Sc. Jean Luprano, CSEM Dr. Stéphanie Pasche, CSEM Dr. René Rossi, EMPA Prof. Martin Wolf, USZ
Technology integration into textiles: empowering health
44 Nano-Tera.ch
Stock.XCHNG
TecInTex
TecInTex
The expected results cover a family of new sensorized and functional fibers, which will allow in situ measurements of body functions and biological species in body proximity, approved fabrication processes and working prototypes dedicated to health care, rehabilitation and prevention. One tremendous and growing market for these textiles is health care. Two demonstrators for wearable biosensing will be developed under the leadership of the Swiss Paraplegic Center and the University Hospital of Zurich. The TecInTex mission will be concentrate specifically on two demonstrators in the health care domain. The active NIRS sock is a wearable near infrared spectroscopy device which allows to monitor tissue oxygenation in the muscle continuously and non-invasively for the early detection of peripheral vascular disease. Another application is the intelligent underwear for paraplegic people, which allows the detection of pressure ulcers, an open skin lesion affecting bed-ridden patients.
“ Our mission is to provide the crucial core modules to design and to manufacture truly wearable functional clothes. ” Prof. Gerhard Tröster, ETHZ
Nano-Tera.ch 45
SSSTC SSSTC NTF NTF
TecInTex addresses these issues by developing the necessary basic fiber and textile technology, at the nanometer and micrometer scale, that will provide the highly needed full integration of novel functionalities into truly wearable clothes without compromise on textile properties. The key elements include electronic and optical fibers, sensor yarns, transducers between electrical and optical signals, sensor stripes and functionalized fabrics.
ED ED
Future personal mobile systems consist of a communication and computing hub – e.g. a Smart Phone – which ensures the continuous and online connectivity. The personalization of this communication node requires the connection to sensing capabilities close to the human body, which detect the user’s context, be it the activity, motion, health or the mental and social behavior. In that spirit, an increasing variety of wearable functionality is being developed and demonstrated worldwide. However, in the textile sector, the actual breakthrough of these novel technologies is absent due to a general lack of compatibility of conventional electric, electronic and sensory devices with textile processing procedures and textile wearability. Indeed, existing e-textiles usually integrate state-of-the-art electronic devices into clothing, inducing many limitations like restricted flexibility, washability and comfort.
RTD RTD
TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION INTO TEXTILES: EMPOWERING HEALTH
Principal Investigator Prof. Lothar Thiele, ETHZ
Co-applicants Dr. Jan Beutel, ETHZ Prof. Alain Geiger, ETHZ Dr. Stephan Gruber, UZH
QuickTime™ et un décompresseur sont requis pour visionner cette image.
Dr. Hugo Raetzo, FOEN Dr. Tazio Strozzi, Gamma Remote Sensing
46 Nano-Tera.ch
Stock.XCHNG
X-Sense
Monitoring alpine mass movements at multiple scales
X-Sense
Research and development of several advanced sensing technologies and their system-level integration via systems and software engineering lie at the core of the project. They include model-based design to ensure dependable operation in a highly resourceconstraint setting, optimized use of harvested solar energy through energy-efficient algorithms and long-term reward maximization as well as multi-objective optimization of the multi-processor hardware platforms. Also crucial is research on advanced differential GPS sensing for high-precision movement detection and the development of sensor fusion algorithms combining different classes of sensors with high spatial granularity and satellite-scale X-ray images. All these activities are guided by thorough geophysical modeling and simulation as well as by demands from early warning scenarios. The project has the clear objective to develop a technology demonstrator that integrates the new technologies into the application field.
“ Anticipation of future environmental states and risk is improved by a
systematic combination of environmental sensing and process modeling.
�
Prof. Lothar Thiele, ETHZ
Nano-Tera.ch 47
SSSTC SSSTC NTF NTF
It will develop dependable wireless sensing technology as a new scientific instrument for environmental sensing under extreme conditions in terms of temperature variations, humidity, mechanical forces, snow coverage as well as unattended operation that are needed for longterm deployment. This technology should integrate various sensing dimensions (such as pressure, humidity, crevice movements, high precision deformation and movements) in terms of sensing and processing and the idea is to extend the spatial scope from local (microscopic) measurements to large scale information derived from satellite radar remote sensing and fuse the resulting information to achieve an unparalleled degree of precision in space, time and accuracy. The new measurement technology developed can be used to advance applications in science and society: geophysical and climate-impact research as well as early warning against landslides and rock-fall.
ED ED
Recent observed environmental changes as well as projections in the fourth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change shed light on likely dramatic consequences of a changing mountain cryosphere following climate change. Some very destructive geological processes are triggered or intensified, influencing the stability of slopes and possibly inducing landslides. Unfortunately, the interaction between these complex processes is poorly understood. This project addresses the key issues in response to such changing conditons: monitoring and warning systems for the spatial and temporal detection of newly forming hazards, as well as extending the quantitative understanding of these changing natural systems and our predictive capabilities.
RTD RTD
MONITORING ALPINE MASS MOVEMENTS AT MULTIPLE SCALES
Intelligent needles with wireless connection to internet for biophysical bases of acupuncture
Principal investigator Dr. Sandro Carrara, EPFL Prof. Giovanni De Micheli, EPFL Dr. Christine Nardini, Shanghai Inst. for Biological Sciences
48 Nano-Tera.ch
i-Needle Autoimmune chronic diseases are gaining increasing prevalence in our societies, and therefore require intensified efforts towards their effective treatment. Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is one such disabling disease, affecting synovial tissue of the joints, and resulting in loss of function and mobility. RA hits patients in their productive, working age, and it is characterized by a strong prevalence in women (~70%). Despite no cure existing, patients receive therapies during the active stage of the disease when inflammation peaks and symptoms become acute. Conventional treatments make use of drugs with heavy side effects. Acupuncture is used by an estimated 13 million Chinese people and received increased interest in the western world. It appears to control the symptoms of the disease and/or the conventional treatment’s side effects, which limit the applicability of the therapy and strongly debilitate the patients’ organism. With very limited exceptions, no molecular rationale for the efficacy of acupuncture is available to date. Although supported by the World Health Organization for the treatment of RA, the use of acupuncture remains limited and the real effect on the disease based on scientific investigations remains largely unaddressed. Therefore, given the tremendous potential benefits of acupuncture, this project aims to address the currently lacking in systematic and scientific evidence of the physical and molecular mechanisms acting behind this therapy, by combining of clinical and broad spectrum high-throughput (omic) biomolecular data (sampled in blood) as well as innovative tools (the intelligent needle) to acquire additional data during acupuncture practice in animal models (rats). The identification of the molecular bases of acupuncture has the potential to open to a whole new area of research, where the present approach (and improvements) can be extended to the study of other diseases, and the integration of acupuncture and pharmacology can be envisaged for the design of new, more efficient and effective therapies.
Principal investigator Prof. Torsten Braun, UniBE Liusheng Huang, Uni of Science and Technology of China, Suzhou
The target research platform is based on existing solutions developed and used in previous projects. In particular, the achievements of the EU FP7 project, Wisebed (Wireless Sensor Network Testbed) will be used. The work performed in M3WSN will enhance the Wisebed platform by wireless mesh nodes to allow experiments with software running on both wireless mesh and sensor nodes. The VirtualMesh emulation engine, which only supports wireless mesh nodes until now, will be extended to wireless sensor nodes. This will allow to experiment with software on real sensor nodes, but mobility and wireless communication of sensor nodes will be emulated. The research platform will be used by researchers to support their experimental research work on mobile multi-media sensing. M3WSN is designing a scalable network architecture for mobile multi-media wireless sensor networks. It targets a multi-media sensor system for object detection and tracking based on steerable cameras that are triggered and steered based on discrete sensor data. Moreover, M3WSN will explore how opportunistic forwarding can be used to support the delivery of multi-media sensor data, when sensors are mobile. M3WSN will investigate mobile base stations visiting sensors for collecting multi-media sensor data. In this case, energy consumption at the sensors should be decreased by minimizing the activation of the transceivers used for communication between sensors and base stations.
Nano-Tera.ch 49
NTF NTF
Sensor network research should be supported by realistic experiments performed in wireless sensor network test-beds. This requires repetition of experiments to achieve statistical significance, and to allow researchers to verify results. However, mobility of objects, sensors, and base stations is difficult to implement and to repeat in a testbed. The Mobile Multi-Media Wireless Sensor Networks (M3WSN) project seeks to use real testbeds for experiments but emulate mobility of personal devices, sensors, and base stations. M3WSN aims to build an experimental research platform including both communication in wireless sensor networks and processing sensor data in cloud computing environments.
SSSTC SSSTC
RTD RTD
M3WSN
ED ED
Mobile multi-media wireless sensor networks
Nano-confinement of nitrogen and boron based hydrides
Principal investigator Prof. Andreas Z端ttel, EMPA Dr. Andreas Borgschulte, EMPA Prof. Ping Chen, Dalian Inst. of Chemical Physics (DICP) Prof. Yao Zhang, Dalian Inst. of Chemical Physics (DICP)
NaNiBo The main aim of this project is the development of novel and safe boron respectively nitrogen containing hydrogen storage materials with the help of nano-structures. Hydrogen is the ideal means of storage, transport and conversion of energy for a comprehensive clean-energy concept. The availability of a safe and effective way to store hydrogen reversibly is one of the major issues for its large scale use as an energy carrier. Hydrogen storage in solids offers a safe alternative to storage in compressed or liquid form. However, at present, no single material fulfilling all requirements is in sight. Amidoboranes and aluminium borohydride have high hydrogen content and release hydrogen at rather the low temperatures. However, these materials have been found emitting toxic and possibly explosive hydrogen containing species such as ammonia and diborane, which is a drawback for the reversibility of the materials and a severe safety issue. Efforts will be put to achieve the goal of not having toxic exhausted gas and to drive the kinetics and thermodynamic constraints of these systems toward technology application ranges. The project involves synthesis, analysis and theoretical modelling. While in China the focus is laid on the synthesis of amidoboranes, in Switzerland the aluminium borohydride will be the material of choice. Various mechanical and chemical syntheses will be carried out aiming at nano structuring the materials. Since the goal is to try to release pure hydrogen, decomposition experiments will be the main tool to check the effectiveness of the proposed system. An apparatus combining gravimetric and spectroscopic analysis detects the exhausted gas, giving the quantitative amount of the gaseous decomposition products, while structural analysis gives a picture of the changes in the samples upon hydrogen sorption. The experiments will be supported by theoretical modelling of the involved reaction paths in order to help the data interpretation and to provide an explanation of the mechanisms behind the decomposition reactions.
50 Nano-Tera.ch
Principal investigator Prof. John Lygeros, ETHZ Prof. Takkuen John Koo, Shenzhen Inst. of Advanced Technology
This project aims to develop control algorithms to enable the automation of surveillance tasks for networks of cameras. The control problems of interest in this context involve both continuous decisionmaking (selecting the pantiltzoom inputs for the cameras) and discrete decision-making (e.g. the combinatorial allocation of tasks to cameras). Moreover, they also involve substantial stochastic uncertainty (regarding the movement of the targets, measure ment noise and errors, etc.). The problems of interest can therefore be formulated in the framework of stochastic hybrid systems. Specifically, common surveillance tasks such as target acquisition and target tracking can naturally formulated as stochastic reachability problems, where the objective it to maximize the probability that the specific task is accomplished.
Nano-Tera.ch 51
NTF NTF
In recent years there has been a growing interest in the use of surveillance cameras to prevent accidents and crime, promote security and safety, and monitor critical systems and traffic scenes. Surveillance systems can be found everywhere: in transport systems from taxis to trams, from small corner stores to large banks, from lonely footpaths to crowded streets and sport arenas. With the advent of closed circuit television (CCTV) the task of monitoring no longer requires a significant physical presence: the collective images from a large number of cameras may be monitored by “controllers� working in front of several monitors. Because human monitoring of surveillance video is a very laborintensive task, however, there is growing interest in developing intelligent and automated surveillance systems.
SSSTC SSSTC
RTD RTD
NetCam
ED ED
Real Time Computation & Optimization for Networked Camera Surveillance
SiC nanomembranes for MEMS biofuel cell
Principal investigator Prof. J端rgen Brugger, EPFL Prof. Haixia Zhang, Peking University
52 Nano-Tera.ch
SiC-nanomembranes The main objective of this Pilot Project is to develop a new technology platform of a SiC thin membrane with engineered nanopore structures for potential use in (bio)fuel cell application. The fabrication of the SiC nanopore membrane includes two key technologies: one is material preparation, and the other is the bulk micromachining process. The Peking University team prepares and characterizes SiC thin film on Si substrate, systematically investigates growth conditions and optimizes its mechanical properties, by performing PECVD or LPCVD at different temperatures and studying the effects of growth and annealing conditions on the morphology, crystal structure, roughness, Young modulus, hardness and stress. The EPFL team develops process flows to pattern nanopore structures in the film and further fabricate SiC nanomembranes. They will adapt deep reactive-ion etching (DRIE) process to engineer nano channel structures in SiC thin film based on top-down lithography, or alternatively by a bottom-up approach by transferring self-assembled nanostructures of a mask into a membrane thin film. Free-standing SiC nanopore membrane can subsequently be achieved by further releasing the film from Si substrate. Together, Peking University and EPFL will functionalize the etched SiC pores with appropriate polymer or molecular monolayer to enhance proton transport through the membranes. If successful, we will further develop a microfluidic cell to demonstrate the principle of a biofuel cell by using glucose as fuel and enzyme as catalyst. The system is designed to gain advantages of high efficiency, chemical and mechanical stability, as well as scalable fabrication process
Principal investigator Prof. Demetri Psaltis, EPFL Prof. Kebin Shi, Peking University
Different from conventional optical microscopy method including phase contrast and fluorescence, CARS is a technology for bio-specimen imaging with chemical contrast without labelling. As the contrast of CARS image is based on the inherent molecule vibrational characteristic, CARS provides a high resolution and sensitive method for noninvasive imaging which is particularly suitable for high throughput screening of biological samples. On the other hand, digital holographic method provides a single shot method for recording 3D images of objects, which is especially suitable for high throughput imaging screen of living cells. This project will develop an on-chip, self-reference interferometry method for recording the CARS hologram, hence simplifying the optical setup and improving reliability. The collaboration of Prof. Psaltis’s group in EPFL with the group of Prof. Shi in Peking University benefits from the complementary expertise of the two groups. The EPFL group has extensive experience and a record of past developments in optofluidic devices. The EPFL group has strong capability in micro-optic and microfabrication. The Peking group has extensive experience in nonlinear optics and holography, especially in the areas of CARS spectroscopy and imaging. The convergence of the optical skills in nonlinear optics and microfabrication will pave the way to developing a compact and low cost nonlinear optofluidic 3D imaging cytometry for fast screening of bio-specimen. The potential impact of this work is in the areas of both health and environment monitoring. In particular, the consortium expects valuable applications in food and water safety monitoring due to the high sensitivity and throughput of this method.
Nano-Tera.ch 53
NTF NTF
The project seeks to develop a compact optofluidic 3D imaging cytometry system for high throughput screening of micro-scale objects based on their chemical fingerprint. By properly designing the optical system and selecting two excitation laser beams, we take holographic pictures based on the emission of Coherent Anti-Stoke Raman scattering (CARS) from the objects. A 3D image of the each object can be then digitally reconstructed.
SSSTC SSSTC
RTD RTD
3DOptoChemiImage
ED ED
Optofluidic 3D chemical imaging cytometry based on inline digital coherent anti-Stoke Raman scattering holography
Bio implantable antennas
 
BioAnt The aim of this project is the theoretical study, design and characterization of implantable antennas dedicated to in-body telemetry. The latter is used to transmit sensor data from an implanted module to a base station located out of the body, and receive instructions (for drug delivery for instance) from the same base station. Applications for this project are far field telemetry, where sensor communications with base stations relatively far from the body are considered.
Principal Investigator Prof. Anja Skrivervik, EPFL
This project studies the effect of a complex dielectric environment on the antenna characteristics and elaborate new theoretical limits on what can be obtained. Classical antenna design and characterization techniques will be enhanced to consider this new environment. The results obtained will be tested by designing ultra miniature implantable antennas that will be used in the i-IronIC project.
Prof. Juan Ramon Mosig, EPFL
Enabling ultra-low-power ambulatory monitoring of cardiac and neurological bioelectrical signals using compressed sensing
BioCS-Node Wireless body sensor network (WBSN) technologies promise to offer large-scale and cost-effective solutions to the problem of increasingly prevalent cardiac and neurological diseases. Outfitting patients with wearable, miniaturized and wireless sensors able to measure, pre-process and wirelessly report cardiac and neurological signals to telehealth providers would enable the required personalized, long-term and real-time remote monitoring of chronic patients.
Principal Investigator Prof. Pierre Vandergheynst, EPFL Prof. David Atienza, EPFL
54 Nano-Tera.ch
To successfully deploy WBSNs able to perform long-term, remote and clinically relevant monitoring of chronic patients in free-living conditions, it is critical that sensor devices become vanishingly small and autonomous, while retaining their embedded intelligence and wireless capabilities. Significant research contributions remain to be made in terms of ultra-low-power embedded compression of ECG and EEG signals and ultra-low-power WBSN connectivity. This project proposes a novel and promising approach to tackle the former challenge. More specifically, it devises low-complexity, yet powerful multilead cardiac and neurological bioelectrical compression techniques and designs their supporting ultra-low-power sensor digital processing platform.
Principal Investigator Prof. François Tièche, HES-SO Dr. Nuria Pazos, HES-SO
Enabling energy efficient tunnel FET-CMOS co-design by compact modeling and simulation
The ultimate goal pursued by this project is thus the enhancement of the existing single smart camera fall detection system, developed at ISIC/He-Arc, to cover a larger field of view and make the system more robust. This depends on a successful implementation of a mobile agent middleware on the target embedded platform. Such middleware has to be designed for distributed image processing, where two or more cameras can cooperate for a single task such as tracking a person. The main requirements of such a mobile agent system for distributed smart cameras are: lightweight, abstractions of image processing, collaborative image processing, and synchronizations.
Enabler This project addresses the power dissipation as the greatest challenge for today’s nanoelectronics, from a novel device and circuit hybrid design perspective. Tunnel FETs are steep slope switches that address critical power issues in nanoelectronics and are considered as the candidate with the highest potential for low power circuits and systems.
Principal Investigator Prof. Adrian Ionescu, EPFL Dr. Heike Riel, IBM ZRL Prof. Andreas Schenk, ETHZ
The Enabler project focuses on the development of a modeling and simulation environment necessary to enable to co-design of steep slope switches with advanced CMOS for novel energy efficient integrated circuits. Its goal is to establish the core physical modelling and derive basic compact DC models, calibrated and validated on nanowire tunnel FETs, in order to enable the emergence of future hybrid Tunnel FET-CMOS IC design. Two stateof-the-art trends in the realization of tunnel FET architectures will be particularly followed: ultra-low power all-silicon (Si or SiGe source) device, integratable on advanced CMOS platforms, and device based on III-V materials, also integratable into the future CMOS platforms that are expected to exploit novel super-mobility III-V material channels for n-MOSFETs.
Nano-Tera.ch 55
NTF NTF
This project tackles in-house safety by communicating domestic incidents such as a person falling or unusual behavior. The use of multiple video sources provides a powerful, flexible and accurate surveillance/detection system. With this purpose, we envision a distributed smart camera system, based on low-power embedded systems-on-chip targeting image processing and network communication.
SSSTC SSSTC
RTD RTD
EMoA
ED ED
Embedded mobile agent framework for smart buildings
Gestational diabetes expert-based monitoring aided by networks of distributed agent environments
G-DEMANDE Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) occurs during pregnancy due to increased resistance to insulin. The current treatment approach includes a planned diet, exercises, self-blood glucose monitoring tests and frequent visits to the dietician. Fast action is crucial in case of hyperglycemia and specific symptoms to prevent any serious complication.
Principal Investigator Prof. Michael Schumacher, HES-SO
This project proposes the deployment of a pervasive healthcare infrastructure to monitor GDM patients and inform their caretakers with historical values and alerts. To setup this infrastructure, a ubiquitous multi-agent system is deployed pervasively in the environment and accessible to users by means of smart phone devices. The data produced by wearable sensors is fed in the distributed multi-agent infrastructure. The intelligent agents deployed in the infrastructure use the data to pre-diagnose possible conditions and alert health professionals in charge of the patient. The primary goal is to break the boundaries of hospital care, allowing patients to be monitored while living their day-to-day life.
Dr. Juan Ruiz, CHUV
Chip-scale optical frequency combs for near and mid-infrared
MicroComb Optical frequency combs have revolutionized optical frequency metrology in just a few years, but a major obstacle has been the lack of integration; it has been impossible to create compact on chip comb sources. The aim of this project is to build a planar optical frequency comb generator on a chip using CMOS compatible processing. It complements the Nano-Tera projects IrSens and MIXSEL by targeting multi-wavelength sources not based on semiconductor based materials, but rather by nonlinear frequency conversion.
Principal Investigator Prof. Tobias Kippenberg, EPFL
56 Nano-Tera.ch
The project builds on the 2007 discovery of the principal investigator, who has demonstrated an entirely new way of generating combs, without making use of mode locked lasers. Concretely, it will develop fully integrated nanophotonic waveguides and microresonators on the same silicon chip using SiN (and HfO2). Using atomic layer deposition, dispersion will be controlled and broadband frequency combs generated. The overall objective is to create a phase coherent link from RF to optical on a chip as well as the demonstration of combs in the mid-IR by pumping >2 micron pump wavelength.
Principal Investigator Dr. Andrzej Sienkiewicz, EPFL Prof. Alke Fink, UniFR
Nanowire bonding: in-situ interconnecting and addressing of individual nanowires
The project focuses on synthesis and characterization of NIR-to-visible up-converting multifunctional nano-constructs based on highly efficient up-converting phosphors (NaYF4:Yb3+,Er3+) and superparamagnetic iron oxides. For performing local bio-oxidations the outer shell of the constructs will be functionalized with photosensitizers of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The overall aim of the project is to explore technological routes towards obtaining efficient NIR-to-visible up-converting multifunctional nano-phosphors and bring them closer to biomedical applications.
NaWiBo This project proposes a new approach toward the in-situ addressing of nanowires. The starting point is the FluidFM, an atomic force microscope (AFM) provided with microchanneled cantilevers for local liquid dispensing and stimulation of single living cells under physiological conditions. On the one hand, the accurate force feedback of the AFM allows for a reliable and automated approach of the cantilever tip onto both hard and soft surfaces. On the other hand, such microchanneled cantilevers may be loaded with any soluble molecule. Because of the size match between the tip aperture and the nanowire dimensions, the FluidFM is the appropriate tool to locally modify devices made of nanowires.
Principal Investigator Dr. Tomaso Zambelli, ETHZ
Two main aspects will be treated: the individual functionalization of closely packed nanowires with specific marker biomolecules; and the fabrication of interconnecting metallic wires between micropads and conducting objects such as carbon nanotubes or polymer chains, preadsorbed on an insulating surface.
Nano-Tera.ch 57
NTF NTF
The aim of this project is to prepare multifunctional magnetic–fluorescent nano-engineered systems, which would combine useful functions of superparamagnetic and near-infrared (NIR) to visible up-converting particles. The particles will also be conjugated with photosensitizing agents, thus allowing to perform locally-mediated photochemistry under NIR light illumination. Such properties render these constructs suitable for a range of applications, including bio-imaging, magnetic separation, contrast enhancement in magnetic resonance imaging, fluorescent labeling, targeted drug delivery and efficient deep-tissue treatment of cancers in photo-dynamic therapy (PDT).
SSSTC SSSTC
RTD RTD
NanoUp
ED ED
Core-shell superparamagnetic and upconverting nano-engineered materials for biomedical applications
Novel integrated wearable sensors for multi-parameter monitoring in critically ill newborns
NeoSense Monitoring the vital signs of preterm infants and severely ill newborns is crucial, including the arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2), measured by pulse oximetry and tissue oxygen saturation (StO2), measured by near-infrared spectroscopy. State-of-the-art probes for SpO2 are attached around the hand and foot, locations that are prone to motion artefacts due to the tendency of babies to move arms and legs, causing inaccurate measurements and false alarms. StO2 is a novel parameter, which reflects the oxygenation of the brain, an organ which is highly sensitive to lack or excess of oxygen.
Principal Investigator PD Dr. Martin Wolf, USZ
This project seeks to build a novel integrated system that is able to monitor the SpO2 more robustly and accurately, uses up less body surface of the newborn infant, monitors brain StO2, and fuses the data intelligently to achieve a higher sensitivity, specificity and reliability. To prevent motion artefacts, the novel SpO2 sensors will be positioned on the trunk.
Dr. Olivier ChÊtelat, CSEM PD Dr. Jean-Claude Fauchère, USZ
A programmable, universally applicable microfluidic platform
PMD-Program The development of microfluidic technology has revolutionized biological research thanks to the fluid handling capabilities, integration and economies of scale it offers. Currently, microfluidic devices are highly specialized components that require expert knowledge for their design and fabrication. The application specificity of designs significantly increases the cost of microfluidic technology and reduces its applicability.
Principal Investigator Prof. Sebastian Maerkl, EPFL
58 Nano-Tera.ch
This project developed a new class of generally applicable microfluidic devices that can be reconfigured for different applications by means of software. These software-reconfigurable devices do not require application-specific designs leading to a subsequent reduction in cost. Conversely, the necessary programs and methods required for each application can be easily distributed along with the devices or even developed by the end-user. The devices build of the development of multilayer soft-lithography and microfluidic large-scale integration that enable the fabrication of devices featuring a high-density of active components at very low cost.
Principal Investigator Prof. Mariagiovanna Sami, USI Prof. Silvia Giordano, SUPSI Dr. Francesco Regazzoni, USI
Structure monitoring system for high performance transportation systems
This project addresses the problem of security for BASNs, in the light of the new possibilities and challenges provided by novel technological libraries. In particular it aims at providing BASNs with strong cryptographic primitives and with robustness against physical attacks, and at evaluating the effect of such design decisions on the communication protocol. The approach is to take advantage of the novel technological libraries to develop novel devices supporting standard algorithms. Furthermore, the methodology aims at considering all the design variables since the beginning of the design process, evaluating the effects that each optimization step in one direction has on the other parameters. This project represents one of the first attempts to consider security and robustness against physical attacks together with the other primary design variables.
SMTS Safe and cost-effective operation of transportation structures is an issue of considerable importance. Use of high-performance structures made from lightweight composite materials has intensified research in damage mechanics and damage prevention. Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) systems are useful for damage detection on structural elements under laboratory conditions: they assess structural integrity or damage accumulation under applied service loads, providing information that can be used to improve safety or optimize maintenance.
Principal Investigator M.Sc. Christian D端rager, EMPA Dr. Andreas J. Brunner, EMPA Prof. Andreas Heinzelmann, FHO Prof. Manfred Morari, ETHZ
SHM of transportation structures requires integration of the monitoring system into the structure. This project develops the main components (transducers, signal transmission, data processing and analysis) to a level ready for integration into a real application. The main problems to be solved are the development of (1) sensitive transducer networks for largescale structures that allow for localization of damage sites, (2) electronic modules for signal pre-processing, storage and wireless transmission to a central data acquisition unit, and (3) algorithms for automated signal processing, analysis and evaluation that indicate in the end whether maintenance or other actions are required. The expected benefits are numerous: even though transportation structures are at the focus of the project, the SHM system can be adapted to other types of structures. Nano-Tera.ch 59
NTF NTF
Body Area Sensor Networks (BASNs) are low cost sensor networks, very often wireless, that are designed to sense physiological parameters, such as heart rate and blood pressure, and that allow easy access to users critical and non-critical data.
SSSTC SSSTC
RTD RTD
SecWear
ED ED
Design of very low power robust and secure nodes for wearable sensor networks
Textiles with integrated gas sensors
TWIGS Electronic textiles have a wide range of potential applications in wearable computing, medical monitoring, assistance to the disabled, and distributed sensor networks. The integration of electronics component within the textile yarn is the next step in the evolution of e-textiles and brings electronic-textile integration below the device-level.
Principal Investigator Dr. Danick Briand, EPFL Dr. Giovanni Nisato, CSEM Prof. Gerhard Trรถster, ETHZ
Sub-threshold source-coupled logic (ST-SCL) circuits for ultra-low power applications
While the Nano-Tera TecInTex RTD project seeks to improve on the state-of-the-art woven e-textiles by fabricating thin-film temperature and pressure sensors on plastic substrates and weaving a true e-textile with a commercial machine, the TWIGS project focuses on integrating capacitive chemical gas sensors (humidity and Volatile Organic Compounds) with optimized flexible electrodes into textiles. A simple large-area textile air-filter is being built as a demonstrator. This is to be achieved by fabricating VOC, temperature sensors and humidity sensors on plastic foils, cutting the substrate into strips and weaving the sensors into a large surface textile. The integration of humidity and VOC sensors into air filters will allow air-control systems to detect air quality in the surrounding environment and take corrective action.
ULP-Logic The demand for implementing ultra-low power digital systems in many modern applications such as mobile systems, sensor networks or implanted biomedical systems has made the design of logic circuits in sub-threshold regime a very important challenge. This project explored new methodologies for implementing ultra-low power digital integrated systems. One of the main issues in design of ultra-low power CMOS digital circuits is the leakage current due to sub-threshold conduction and gate-oxide tunneling. The tight tradeoff among different device parameters makes the design of such systems in advanced CMOS technologies a very difficult task.
Principal Investigator Prof. Yusuf Leblebici, EPFL
60 Nano-Tera.ch
To overcome these issues, a new circuit family is proposed, based on the source-coupled differential topology. Using sub-threshold source-coupled logic (ST-SCL) circuits, it is possible to reduce the stand-by current of each logic cell down to a few pico-amperes, resulting in extremely low power dissipation levels that cannot be reached using conventional circuit topologies. Experimental ST-SCL circuits have been shown to operate with an equivalent energy of 600 eV per operation.
Principal Investigator Prof. Yusuf Leblebici, EPFL
The utilization of ST-SCL circuits also offers significant advantages in terms of power dissipation, by increasing the activity rate of the circuit. Combining this technique with variable supply current, the power dissipation (and operating frequency) of critical circuit components can be scaled over a very wide range, to an extent that is completely impossible in conventional CMOS configuration. The ST-SCL circuit topology has a very wide application range covering logic, memory, mixed-signal functions and more, thus promising to develop into a complete platform for ultra-low power ubiquitous system applications.
Nano-Tera.ch 61
NTF NTF
As a continuation of the ULP-Logic NTF project (see above), this project explores further the potentials of sub-threshold SCL circuits as an alternative solution for implementing ultra low power digital systems. The research results obtained in the ULP-Logic project indicate that the operating current dissipation of logic cells can be reduced to levels as low as 1-10 pA, and that the power-delay product of a typical ST-SCL gate can be well below 1 fJ. This suggests that the proposed circuit topology has a very significant potential for ultra low-power applications, and opens up completely new possibilities for dynamic power scaling under strict energy constraints.
SSSTC SSSTC
RTD RTD
ULP-Systems
ED ED
Sub-threshold source-coupled logic (ST-SCL) systems for ubiquitous system applications
Education kit for wearable computing
Leader Dr. Daniel Roggen, ETHZ Dr. Dennis Majoe, ETHZ
Manufacturing, design and thermal issues in 3D integrated systems
Leader Prof. David Atienza, EPFL Dr. Vasileios Pavlidis, EPFL
EducationalKit This activity focuses on the development of an educational kit to support hands-on teaching of wearable computing and the rapid prototyping and demonstration of simple context aware wearable computing systems. This kit is composed of hardware, software and algorithmic building blocks that can be interfaced in a simple way using “plug-andplay” principles at the hardware and software level. Applications and demonstrations are programmed with a dedicated development environment tailored for wearable computing. The kit is a one-time development effort that is reusable by the community indefinitely.
D43D This activity consists in the organization of a tutorial course on 3D integration designed to highlight the important strides that have recently been achieved in this emerging research field. It focuses on specific issues related to vertical integration and includes world-wide renowned speakers from both academia and industry in a effort to demonstrate the different approaches and objectives that each communities has with 3D systems. It is also a unique opportunity to disseminate the research results and share the experience gained within the Nano-Tera.ch CMOSAIC project. May 26-28, 2010 http://www.d43d.com
The 3rd international NanoBio conference 2010
Leader Prof. Janos Vörös, ETHZ Prof. Markus Textor, ETHZ
NanoBio2010 Nanobiotechnology is a new interdisciplinary discipline that is expected to shape our future in various application areas. NanoBio 2010 is the third event of a highly successful biannual conference series that started in Tokyo in 2006 followed by Seoul in 2008. This meeting gathers the leaders of this progressive field from all over the world helping scientists to get an update on the most recent achievements in the different topics of nanobiotechnology, to discuss, to network, to exchange stimulating new ideas, and to take responsibility in forming public opinion about nanobiotechnology. August 24-27, 2010 http://www.nanobio.ethz.ch
62 Nano-Tera.ch
RTD RTD
Designing advanced (most often, distributed) embedded systems interacting with the physical world, such as the ones envisioned in the Nano-Tera.ch initiative, implies dealing with extreme complexity. The overall problem of complexity management for embedded systems is addressed in this project, which consists of two 1-2 day workshops and a 5-day school revolving around a few key topics. This aims at preparing a strong basis, considering different viewpoints and presenting challenges and solutions of specific relevance to NanoTera.
Contest of applications in nano-micro technology
Leader Prof. Jürgen Brugger, EPFL M.Sc. Philippe Fischer, FSRM Prof. Christofer Hierold, ETHZ
ED ED
Sept. 23, 2009 + Nov. 16-20, 2009 + Nov. 24, 2010 http://www.alari.ch/comes
iCAN iCAN is a global contest for young university students interested in micro-nano technology, by using micro-nano devices from sponsoring companies to create new applications. The goal of this project is to set up and organize the Swiss-based contest to select the best student team to participate to the international iCAN contest that will be held during the Transducers’11 conference in June 2011, Bejing, China. Two teams from the EPFL have been selected to represent Switzerland in China. March 15, 2011 http://www.ican-contest.ch
The 5th international symposium on medical information and communication technology 2011
Leader Prof. Christian Enz, CSEM Dr. John Farserotu, CSEM
SSSTC SSSTC
Leader Prof. Mariagiovanna Sami, USI
COMES
NTF NTF
Complexity management in embedded systems
ISMICT The purpose of the ISMICT is to bring together leading researchers and experts from the medical and hospital community with those from the information and communication technology (ICT) domains in order to exchange experiences and share new ideas and promote innovation. After previous editions in Japan (2006), Finland (2007), Montreal (2009) and Taiwan (2010), the focus of ISMICT 2011, held in Montreux, is on “medical body area networks technology and services for personalized medicine”. March 27-30, 2011 http://www.ismict2011.org
Nano-Tera.ch 63
Workshop on security and privacy in implantable medical devices
Leader Dr. Sandro Carrara, EPFL Prof. Wayne Burleson, EPFL
SPIMD Implantable Medical Devices are increasingly being used to solve a wide variety of medical and research challenges and allow an unprecedented view into the human body as well as the ability to deliver life-saving therapies. However, they introduce potential vulnerabilities to adversaries that can result in life-threatening situations as well as compromises of privacy. This 1-day workshop brings together researchers and advocates from a range of perspectives to present recent research and experiences in this domain. April 1, 2011 http://si.epfl.ch/SPIMD
The 6th international conference on microtechnologies in medicine and biology
Leader Dr. Olivier Guenat, CSEM Prof. Yves-Alain Peter, EPFL
MMB2011 Microtechnologies in Medicine and Biology conferences are highly focused and interactive meetings that gather people who want to do biology using microtechnologies. Unlike many other conferences, MMB place the biological and/or the medical questions at the centre of the problem to be solved, rather than specific technologies. The past successes of MMB conferences are certainly due to the high scientific level of the presenters – internationally renowned scientists, physicians, chemists, physicists and engineers – but also to the friendly atmosphere providing unique networking opportunities. May 4-6, 2011 http://www.mmb2011.org
Summer school on microscale cooling of 3D integrated systems
Leader Prof. John Thome, EPFL
MicroCool Leveraging the development of 3D integrated systems will have a profound impact in multiple aspects of our life. Besides of course the much higher computing performance of these systems, it is expected that a very significant decrease in energy consumption will be achieved, making high performance computing into a green technology for the future. The key objective of this summer school is to convene researchers from different disciplines such that the complete spectrum of the Microscale Heat Transfer domain important to interlayer cooling of 3D-ICs is brought together in one high level training exercise. June 5-10, 2011 http://microscale.epfl.ch
64 Nano-Tera.ch
Prof. David Atienza, EPFL
RTD RTD
Wireless Body Sensor Networks (WBSNs) have tremendous potential to transform how people interact with and benefit from information technology, but their practical adoption must overcome formidable technical challenges. The objective of B-AWaRE is to organize an educational event at EPFL in the areas related to ultra-low-power electronic circuits, WBSN system-level architectures and advanced signal processing. It is a 5-day summer school introducing the challenges and opportunities for WBSNs to young researchers and PhD students world-wide interested in this fascinating and highly promising field.
Summer school on plasmonics
Leader Prof. Olivier Martin, EPFL
ED ED
June 20-24, 2011 http://b-aware.epfl.ch
Plasmonics The activities in this program provide in-depth education in plasmonics, the optics of specific metallic nanostructures, an extremely dynamic field of research with applications in signal processing and optical biosensing. The topics covered by the school include both fundamental principles of optics and detailed applications in information processing and optical sensing. Thanks to the contributions from renowned teachers coming from all Europe, this summer school has a very dynamic flavor. July 18-22, 2011 http://www.nano-tera.ch/projects/210.php
Doctoral school NAMIS 2011: micro- and nanosystems based technology for wireless applications in environment, health and security domains
Leader Dr. Danick Briand, EPFL Prof. Hannes Bleuler, EPFL
SSSTC SSSTC
Leader Dr. Martino Ruggiero, EPFL
B-AWaRE
NTF NTF
Body area wireless sensor network summer school
WIMEMS-School The scope of the WIMEMS workshop in Neuch창tel is to disseminate and enhance competences on micro and nanosystems based technologies for wireless applications in the Nano-Tera domains (health, energy, environment and security). Gathering future researchers and actors in the MEMS/NEMS field is a crucial step in the dissemination of know-how as well as to encourage exchanges and networking among participants. Ph.D. students and postdoctoral fellows attending this workshop were in touch with current research trends during this school. September 12-13, 2011 http://namis.epfl.ch
Nano-Tera.ch 65
First annual conference on quantum cryptography
Leader Prof. Matthias Christandl, ETHZ
QCrypt-ED Quantum cryptography aims to achieve security from fundamental physical principles, such as the quantum mechanical phenomena of entanglement and Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle. QCrypt initiates a new conference series on quantum cryptography, seeking to bring together researchers working on all aspects of the subject build a research community in Quantum Cryptography. The conference also featured tutorials on the subject and thus provide a teaching function and help recruit junior members to the field. The mission and goals of the conference tie in very closely with the QCrypt RTD project. September 12-16, 2011 http://www.qcrypt2011.ethz.ch
Swiss E-Print workshop
Leader Dr. Giovanni Nisato, CSEM Dr. Danick Briand, EPFL Prof. JĂźrgen Brugger, EPFL M.Sc. Philippe Fischer, FSRM
E-Print Swiss E-print is the 1st Swiss workshop dedicated to E-Printing, a set of key enabling technologies going well beyond established paper printing. The workshop allows professionals to identify partnership in this emerging discipline spanning across several fields including tools, ink materials, surfaces, chemistry & physics, electronics and optics. The 1.5-day workshop features invited lectures of international and Swiss key contributors to the field. December 1-2, 2011 http://www.swiss-eprint.ch
The Nano-Tera workshop on the next generation MOSFET compact models
Leader Prof. Christian Enz, EPFL Dr. Wladyslaw Grabinski, EPFL Prof. Adrian Ionescu, EPFL Dr. Jean-Michel Sallese, EPFL
NextGen The design of integrated circuits strongly relies on the accuracy of the compact models available in the circuit simulators. In this perspective the BSIM group recently proposed the BSIM6 as a new compact model to eventually replace BSIM3, BSIM4 and PSP for next generation bulk CMOS processes. BSIM6 uses many of the features that were proposed by the EKV charge-based model: this workshop convenes all the BSIM and EKV researchers as well as experts from the industry to contribute and give an update on the latest status of BSIM6 and EKV. December 15-16, 2011 http://ekv.epfl.ch/workshop
66 Nano-Tera.ch
Prof. Georgios Stamoulis, EPFL
RTD RTD
This one-week, special workshop is a unique opportunity to witness first hand the upcoming revolution in
 systems design. It brings together leading academic researchers with IC and CAD industry leaders in order to pinpoint the shortcomings of the current design methodologies and CAD tools, identify new problems that may lie ahead, provide a vision of the new CAD tool capabilities requirements, and crystallize everything into a new paradigm for design methodologies that fully exploits the potential of new process technologies.
Training, education and dissemination activities
Leader M.Sc. Philippe Fischer, FSRM Prof. Nicolaas de Rooij, EPFL
ED ED
January 16-20, 2012 http://si.epfl.ch/DesignTechnologies
TED-Activities The diverse background of scientists in the Nano-Tera program leads to a large demand for cross-disciplinary education among the scientists, which is being addressed by an internal workshops program, which encourages interaction within the community. There is also a need for transfer of knowledge from the research institutions to the industry: this is addressed by a large continuous education program for engineers and other professionals. For students and researchers at Swiss and foreign universities and especially for young researchers from the Nano-Tera community, a condensed summer school on specific topics was organized.. 2009-2011 http://www.nano-tera.ch/projects/204.php
Educational workshops on energy efficient autonomous systems: a collaborative framework between Nano-Tera and Guardian Angels for a Smarter Planet
Leader Prof. Adrian Ionescu, EPFL Prof. Christofer Hierold, ETHZ
SSSTC SSSTC
Leader Prof. Yusuf Leblebici, EPFL
FEDAMaT
NTF NTF
2011 Nano-Tera workshop on future electronic design automation methodologies and tools
EASY One of Switzerland’s leading ongoing Future Emerging Technologies Flagships is Guardian Angels for a Smarter Planet. Guardian Angels are future zero-power intelligent autonomous systems featuring some well defined human-like functions but having many other capabilities beyond human aptitudes. With Nano-Tera.ch covering energy challenges in its continuation starting in 2012, two major educational events dedicated to the advancements, challenges and opportunities of energy aware technologies and system will be organized to enable synergies between Nano-Tera.ch and Guardian Angels. July 2011 + Feb. 2012 http://www.nano-tera.ch/projects/215.php
Nano-Tera.ch 67
Swiss education and entrepreneurship in nanoelectronics
Leader Prof. Vanessa Wood, ETHZ
SEE-Nano This activity consists of an outreach program that provides educational opportunities for current and future leaders in the area of nanoelectronic devices. It focuses on providing hands-on training in material development, device preparation and system characterization in nanoelectronic device fabrication for students and industry professionals in the field of nanotechnology. The program consists of a hands-on “Introduction to nanoelectronics� class for MSc students, a 1-week course for mid-career researchers in industry, a 1-day seminar for business professionals evaluating possible entry points or investment opportunities, as well as various activities for young students. http://www.nano-tera.ch/projects/213.php
Exposing master students to Nano-Tera innovation
Leader Prof. Mariagiovanna Sami, USI
68 Nano-Tera.ch
Mastering-NT The Mastering-NT educational experiment extends the present teaching plan of the Master of Science in Embedded Systems Design offered by the Faculty of Informatics of USI and organized by the ALaRI institute by means of an advanced Nano-Tera-related course structured around a number of specific, cutting-edge seminars held by experts coming from a number of Nano-Tera RTD projects. A relevant point is that the project will not be just a series of seminars but a proper integrated course.
Governing Bodies RTD RTD
The Executive Committee
Prof. Giovanni De Micheli Chair, EPFL
Prof. Nicolaas de Rooij EPFL
Dr. Alex Dommann CSEM
Prof. Boi Faltings EPFL
Prof. Mehdi Jazayeri USI
Prof. Lothar Thiele ETHZ
Dr. Hugo Zbinden UniGE
ED ED
NTF NTF
SSSTC SSSTC
The Executive Committee (ExCom) acting on behalf of the Steering Committee, is the scientific executive body of Nano-Tera.ch; it consists of scientists from the partner institutions appointed by the Steering Committee and is chaired by the spokesperson of Nano-Tera.ch; it is responsible for defining and monitoring the scientific and academic strategy of the program and for providing scientific guidance.
Prof. Christofer Hierold ETHZ
The Scientific Advisory Board The Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) consists of academy and industry representatives from institutions other than the ones participating in the Nano-Tera.ch consortium; it is appointed by the Steering Committee, and provides an external evaluation of the overall performance of the program, as well as recommendations for its improvement.
- Prof. Enrico Macii, Politecnico di Torino - Prof. Teresa Meng, Standford University - Prof. Heinrich Meyr, SAB Chair, University of Aachen (visiting Prof. EPFL) - Prof. Khalil Najafi, University of Michigan - Prof. Calton Pu, Georgia Tech
The current members of the SAB of Nano-Tera.ch are:
- Prof. Lina Sarro, Technical University Delft
- Dr. Andrea Cuomo, STMicro
- Prof. Gรถran Stemme, Royal Institute of Technology Stockholm
- Prof. Satoshi Goto, Waseda University
Nano-Tera.ch 69
The SNSF Evaluation Panel The SNSF Evaluation Panel, a group of international experts appointed by SNSF to evaluate the RTD proposals; the selection of the RTD proposal to be funded, as well as their funding level, is decided by SNSF based on the recommendations of the Evaluation Panel.
- Dr. Urs D端rig, SNSF
The members of the SNSF Evaluation Panel of Nano-Tera.ch are currently:
- Dr. Karl Knop, SATW
- Dr. Amara Amara, ISEP
- Prof. Jan Rabaey, University Berkeley
- Prof. Manfred Bayer, TU Dortmund
- Prof. Albert van den Berg, University Twente
- Dr. David Bishop, Bell Labs
- Prof. Hubert van den Bergh, SNSF
- Prof. Harald Brune, SNSF
- Dr. Marco Wieland, SNSF
- Prof. Frederica Darema, NSF (USA)
- Prof. Hiroto Yasuura, Kyushu University
- Prof. Rolf Ernst, TU Braunschweig - Prof. Georges Gielen, Leuven University - Prof. Chih-Ming Ho, UCLA - Dr. Patrick Hunziker, University Basel - Prof. Paul Leiderer, SNSF Chair, Uni Konstanz
The Management Office The Management Office (MO), responsible for operational tasks, lead by an executive director, and involving specific staff for accounting, controlling, reporting, dissemination and web presence; the Management Office is operating under the supervision of the ExCom.
Dr. Martin Rajman, Executive Director
70 Nano-Tera.ch
Yann Dixon Finance & Control Coordinator
John Maxwell Webmaster
Dr. Patrick Mayor Scientific Coordinator
Jocelyne Vassallli Administrative Assistant
The Steering Committee The Steering Committee (SC), representing the Presidents/Rectors/CEO of the partners of the Nano-Tera.ch consortium; The Steering Committee is composed of the Rectors/Presidents/Directors/ CEOs of the partner institutions involved in the Nano-Tera.ch consortium. The Steering Committee is responsible for all decisions/actions requiring statutory authority, as well as the overall monitoring of the program, including reporting, and the implementing evaluations/recommendations of the Scientific Advisory Board and of the SNSF Evaluation Panel.
Dr. Mario El-Khoury CEO CSEM
Prof. Antonio Loprieno President UniBas
Prof. Patrick Aebischer Chairman and President of EPFL
Prof. Philippe Gillet Alternate to the Chair and Vice-President for Academic Affairs, EPFL
Prof. Ralph Eichler President ETHZ
Prof. Piero Martinoli President USI
Prof. Martine Rahier President UniNE
Prof. Jean-Dominique Vassalli Rector University of Geneva
Nano-Tera.ch 71
Leading house EPFL Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne Consortium institutions CSEM Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology EPFL Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne ETHZ Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich UniBas University of Basel UniGE University of Geneva UniNE University of Neuch창tel USI University of Lugano Other partners ALP Agroscope Liebefeld-Posieux CePO Pluridisciplinary Oncology Center CHUV University Hospital of Vaud EMPA Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research FHNW University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland FHO University of Applied Sciences of Eastern Switzerland FOEN Federal Office for the Environment FSRM Swiss Foundation for Research in Microtechnology GAMMA Gamma Remote Sensing HES-SO University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland IBM ZRL IBM Zurich Research Laboratory Icare Icare Institute IDQ id Quantique IRB Institute for Research in Biomedicine IST Institute for Work and Health PSI Paul Scherrer Institute SPZ Swiss Paraplegic Center SUPSI University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland Symbios UniBE University of Bern UniFR University of Fribourg UNIL University of Lausanne USZ University Hospital of Zurich UZH University of Zurich Chinese institutions DICP Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics PICB Partner Institute for Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute for Biological Sciences PKU Peking University USTC University of Science and Technology of China, Suzhou SIAT Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology
72 Nano-Tera.ch