We build secure and safe solutions for connected systems within highly complex and dynamic sectors. The limitless possibilities for these technologies stand to revolutionise industries.
On a cloudy day in November, a Kia Soul pulled out of the Adenauer parking lot on Kirchberg and joined the flow of traffic, all by itself. This made it the first time a single-family autonomous car drove on a public road in Luxembourg with members of the public as passengers.
The metaverse is taking shape as we speak, with companies and institutions building premises and launching initiatives in the new virtual world. And while 3D experiences have been permeating our lives for many years now, all conditions are in place for the metaverse to become the next iteration of the internet. From entertainment to shopping, virtual and augmented realities are becoming more and more commonplace – and they are set to grow exponentially in the next few years.
Every day, radar provide us with critical information about moving objects, such as their position and trajectory. Traditionally radar has done this by continuously scanning an entire area, but emerging Cognitive Radars instead focus on certain regions using contextual knowledge.
Every electrical appliance we use, even our cars, embeds electromechanical components. These are, for example, the countless switches and sensors built in the devices we use daily. Due to the crucial functions they perform, these components need to go through rigorous production processes, which involve intense testing and close monitoring.
As the Grand Duchy progresses towards using renewable energy for up to 25% of its gross final consumption of electricity by 2030, its dependency on renewable energy will increase. At the same time, a higher reliance on renewables translates to significant fluctuation in supply. Beyond the challenges brought on by this shift in paradigm, are there opportunities to optimise supply and demand?
Car accidents are one of the leading causes of avoidable deaths in Europe, and despite numbers falling in recent years, there were still almost 20,000 people who lost their lives in 2021 as a result. It’s a problem that has many proposed solutions under way, with the EU aiming to reduce the number of deaths and serious injury by 50% by 2030, and to zero by 2050. This kind of world is hopefully one that will be our future, and SnT researchers are finding ways to bring it closer to a reality.
Whether we as consumers are buying a product or receiving a service, we’d like to think we’re going to be safe in our choices. If we’re buying responsibly, experts behind the scenes have distilled their knowledge into standards that keep us safe from harm. More generally, through technical standardisation, society overall can benefit from consensus-based technical specifications that enhance interoperability, efficiency and quality. We see this through product quality control, health and safety practices and food safety protocols – to name just a few – but actually, technical standards can cover most areas of our life, beyond just safety.
Covering nearly three quarters of our world, we’d imagine that water is one of our most plentiful resources on Earth – but everything we do on a daily basis consumes vast quantities of it. From the 130 litres of water it took to make the beans in your morning cup of coffee, to the 10,000 litres in just one pair of jeans, our water usage is astounding when you really look deeper.
