Transcript Research

Success stories
KTH reaching for the stars
Technology for fun and security
Home Assurance –
in collaboration with Ericsson
• Measures electrical consumption
of appliances
• Checks if everything is working
• Does not give unnecessary detail
• Knows if the TV is switched on –
but not on which channel
2010-05-06
KTH Royal Institute of Technology • www.kth.se
Mark T. Smith, Professor of IT product
development at KTH.
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Using the greatest energy source
Grätzel cells
• Cheaper and simpler to manufacture on large scale
• Allow for wider scope of design, such as coloured
or translucent panels
• If improved, can satisfy a growing demand for clean energy
• Must become at least half as efficient and five times as
cheap as silicone cells
2010-05-06
KTH Royal Institute of Technology • www.kth.se
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Discovering the world of sound
The sound of rowing – KTH
and the Swedish rowing team
• Teach the rowers how their
stroke sounds at optimal level
• Factors such as acceleration,
speed and effect are considered
• Based on the basic idea that
sound and movement are closely
connected
Roberto Bresin, Associate Professor of speech
and music communication at KTH.
2010-05-06
KTH Royal Institute of Technology • www.kth.se
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Packaging as a competitive edge
Monitoring the
transport of food
• A wireless system monitors the
food inside and communicates
results to a server
• Can be used on ordinary
cardboard boxes
• Developed in partnership with
industrial partner Billerud for
use when transporting fruit
Li-Rong Zheng, director of the research
centre Ipack. Photo: Jann Lipka
2010-05-06
KTH Royal Institute of Technology • www.kth.se
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Calculating fuel-efficient aircraft
The Ekman Computer
• Takes up 60 square meters and
consists of 1 268 servers
• Is being used to make advanced
calculations on how turbulence
behaves on different surfaces,
in the air and above the sea
• Can result in aircraft wings that
reduces turbulence, and thereby
fuel consumption
Dan Henningson, Professor of Fluid Mechanics
at KTH.
2010-05-06
KTH Royal Institute of Technology • www.kth.se
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Revolutionising the music industry
Spotify has revolutionised the
way we listen to music. The
service is a gigantic online music
library, free of charge in exchange for an advertisement
interruption, or advertisement
free for a monthly fee. The software also lets its users share
songs and playlists, and discover
new music based on their tastes.
2010-05-06
KTH Royal Institute of Technology • www.kth.se
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Did you know?
Little known facts and trivia
KTH in space
Christer Fuglesang, Sweden’s
first astronaut, studied
Engineering Phsyics at KTH. He
is also an Affiliated Professor at
KTH.
Christer has been on two trips to
the international space station.
On the second journey, he spent
his free time measuring
particle radiation, using a device
of his own invention – built at
KTH.
2010-05-06
KTH Royal Institute of Technology • www.kth.se
Christer Fuglesang performing one of his
missions at the International Space Station.
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Creating a Swedish whiskey
In 1998, eight KTH students on
a ski trip asked themselves a
question: why aren’t there any
Swedish whiskeys?
Before the end of 1999,
Mackmyra Swedish Whiskey had
been founded. Using all of the
skills learned at KTH, the group
distilled their first drops.
Over a decade and numerous
awards later, Mackmyra is a
success.
Harvesting juniper twigs, one of the
herbs used in Mackmyra Whiskey.
Photo: Johan Olsson
2010-05-06
KTH Royal Institute of Technology • www.kth.se
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Monitoring football stars
It started as a degree project for
two students at KTH. Activio is a
unique, wireless system that
measures pulse and heart
frequency during a workout.
The data is sent to a computer
and shown on a big screen.
The workout can then be adjusted
to fit the individual.
Today, the system is found in over
200 gyms around the world, and
used by about 60 sports
organisations: including Real
Madrid, FC Barcelona, and half
of the Premier League.
2010-05-06
KTH Royal Institute of Technology • www.kth.se
The Activio Fitness System has also been used
in the Vasaloppet ski race, giving millions of TV
viewers real-time updates on the heart rates of
the leading athletes.
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