Science

Reliable detection of microplastics in water

Microplastics pose an increasing threat to human health and the environment. The absence of a reliable detection methods is an obstacle for legislation and restriction of these new contaminants. Associate Professor Alvaro Marin, Chair of Physics of Fluids, and his team are developing an efficient detection technology for microplastics in water. This is a first step towards better microplastic management.
Science
UT scientists design a chip using light and sound waves

Novel chip may revolutionize data transfer

David Marpaung, UT professor of the Nonlinear Nanophotonics Group, and his team designed a high-performance chip that processes digital information using a combination of light and sound waves. This next generation chip could complement the traditional chips based on electrical currents, giving information transfer more volume and precision.
Science
UT scientists are developing lung and kidney support for ill newborns

Artificial placenta to save babies’ lives

UT scientists Jutta Arens and Dimitrios Stamatialis are developing an artificial placenta, a device that could save lives of hundreds of thousands babies. The technology combines lung and kidney support for ill newborns and is much less invasive than current methods. ‘Our approach will result in better care for the baby and more involvement of the family. The impact is not only scientific, but also social.’
Science

Geo-health research knows no limits

COVID-19, access to safe water, ticks, obesity, impact of heatwaves… all of these topics have been ‘put on the map’ by scientists at the Geo-health research group of the University of Twente. ‘There is no limit on topics that could be explored within geo-health,’ says professor Justine Blanford, the head of the chair at the Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC).
Science
Energy-efficient data processing inspired by nature

Brain-like technology: ‘Smart molecules will open doors’

Christian Nijhuis, UT professor at Hybrid Materials for Opto-Electronics, developed a novel technology inspired by the human brain. Nijhuis and his team designed a system which is able to process and transfer information in a highly energy-efficient way. The technology might prove invaluable for use in self-driving cars and other applications.
Science

Bored at work? That doesn't have to be a bad thing

For many managers, employees who get bored during working hours are a nightmare. But according to UT researcher Caroline Fischer, it doesn't have to be a problem. 'Boredom is a functional emotion.'
Science
Better treatment for patients that suffered oxygen shortage in the brain

Mimicking a stroke to minimize brain damage

Neurologist and UT scientist Jeanette Hofmeijer studies how to improve the prognosis and treatment of patients that suffered brain damage due to oxygen shortage. Results from her research showed that activation of brain cells had positive effects on their recovery. This is at odds with the current treatment where the brain is actually calmed down.
Science
UT research on human behaviour during lockdowns

‘It took time for people to adjust to a lockdown and its end’

Kostas Konsolakis, PhD candidate at the University of Twente, spent two months measuring human behaviour during a lockdown. His study, which aimed to show the effects of enforced confinements on people’s lives, was published in Nature last month.
  • EN
  • NL
Science

Robots als oplossing voor het personeelstekort? Veel blijft mensenwerk

De beveiligers bij Schiphol zijn niet aan te slepen en de zorg staat door personeelstekort op knappen. Zijn robots het antwoord op al deze vacatures? UT-experts zien grote mogelijkheden in de nabije toekomst, maar plaatsen ook kanttekeningen.
  • EN
  • NL
Science

Could robots solve staff shortages? Humans are not easily replaced

Security guards at Schiphol Airport are in short supply and the healthcare sector is on the verge of collapse due to staff shortages. Are robots the answer to all these job vacancies? UT experts see great potential in the near future, but also make some critical observations.
Science

Nuclear fusion: ‘Great and important achievement’

A breakthrough in nuclear fusion was announced by US scientists last week. For the first time ever, a nuclear fusion reaction resulted in a net energy gain. UT researcher Arend Nijhuis (Energy, Materials & Systems group) explains why this could be a milestone for the future of clean energy – and how the UT contributes to it.
Science

Better diagnosis of rheumatic diseases

Scientists of the UT and VieCuri Medical Centre (Venlo) are improving the diagnosis of crystal-related diseases, like gout. By using their Raman spectroscope, they were able to reliably identify sodium urate crystals in joints, that are associated with gout. ‘In fact, any tissue where some kinds of crystals are formed, can be studied with this method. The potential is enormous!’
Science

Creating awareness around sinkholes

‘Sinkholes can often be caused by damaged sewer pipes. I wanted to show that it is a real problem with a big impact on people’s lives,’ says PhD researcher Hengameh Noshahri. In her study published last week, she explored causes and consequences of sinkholes from the perspective of media.
Read more articles