Robotics is a broad theme at Drivers of Change. Katrien van Riet (Industrial Design) talks enthusiastically about her soft robotics project: “In soft robotics it's usual for only the gripper (in this case the big red component shown in the photo) to be soft. I was challenged to produce something that is soft in its entirety.” She succeeded and has brought along various demonstration models. “I'm just so interested in this kind of work. I love electronics and at its heart it's all about building circuits. We can now build air-based circuits, and that's what I'm using my models to demonstrate. At first I thought these pneumatic circuits could help university students to better understand circuits and build circuits of their own, but because it's so safe to be working without electricity, this is a great way to teach children about circuits. And we're finding that children really enjoy working with them.” The circuit with the white flag clearly demonstrates action-reaction. The colored sticks with white caps are whistles. Different tones are played by the various whistles depending on how the flag moves.

Instant result

Moving along, we come to some Biomedical Technology students who are standing in a darkened room with what is a very special virus test: one that gives an instant visible result thanks to the NanoLuc protein found in a particular shrimp. This is a technology we profiled in a recent Home Stretch. A test like this one could provide an alternative to corona tests, for example, because it is faster and accurate. An official market launch is still in the works.

Of course there's much more to see than just the TU/e inventions. In the Klokgebouw you'll find plenty of biobased projects, like inventions based on algae or coffee grounds. There are also new material discoveries that are better for the climate, like construction materials based on clay, such as tiles. Clay is easy to obtain, strong and highly reusable. Increasingly, designers are placing a premium on these conditions when making material choices. The simpler the better, obtainable with as little negative impact as possible on people, animals and the environment, and infinitely reusable, please. Food, too, is often a source of inspiration when making something new. Candy paper becomes environmentally confetti, coffee grounds are transformed into acoustic panels. The possibilities are endless.