Impression photo

Our motivation was the global supply problem of FFP2 masks at the start of the corona pandemic in 2020 and the environmental impact of these masks. With the ProM mouth/nose masks, Europe no longer has to depend on the supply from Asia because the production of these masks takes place in Europe and can be quickly scaled up, while the FFP2 masks are also more environmentally friendly throughout their lifespan. This project was successfully concluded at the end of 2022 and was supported by Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency and the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport.

Sustainable, lighter and high comfort

ProM mouth/nose masks are incredibly sustainable as they are made almost entirely (95%) from renewable, biological resources: PLA with bio-based polypropylene (PP) for filtration and recycled steel for the nose bridge. In addition, the mask is about 30% lighter than regular mouth/nose masks made of polyphenylene ether (PPE), requiring fewer raw materials to produce the mask. Last but not least, the mouth/nose mask is also highly comfortable to wear. From mid-2024, the production of these masks will take place entirely at co-developer and manufacturer SionBiotext BV in Maastricht, thereby ensuring better security of supply.

Certification and market readiness

This consortium worked on a prototype FFP2 mouth/nose mask, successfully testing its (technical) feasibility, business case, wearability and contribution to sustainability. In the final phase of this project, a lifecycle analysis (LCA) was also performed for the mask. The analysis proves that it is possible to develop and produce an FFP2 mouth/nose mask made of PLA and bio-based PP. Among other things, the LCA tests show that these masks have some 72% lower CO₂-related environmental impact throughout their lifecycle compared to a conventional PPE mouth/nose mask. The next step is to certify these masks.

Let’s disrupt 2023 lunch

“It is so nice to get acquainted with the Eindhoven Engine projects, which are very diverse in terms of technical subjects,” says Janne. “Being engineers, we like this! In other respects, the projects are very similar: the energy and inventiveness are high. And also the involvement with each other, as shown, for instance, in the 5-weeklys.”

What also became clear in the past two months is that it is getting busier and more dynamic at our beautiful location in Disruptor. It is often a puzzle to find a workplace or workshop space for everyone with the increasing number of activities of projects and student groups. How different this was only half a year ago. It means a lot to us as the Eindhoven Engine core team: now that the COVID time is definitely behind us, we see the fruits of our efforts to turn our offices into a vibrant innovation location.

We are also making plans for the future: Maarten (Steinbuch, scientific director at Eindhoven Engine) and Janne are busy working out two scenarios for the future of Eindhoven Engine, aligning with the Brainport agenda and in close consultation with our critical friends. More on this later in the year. Stay tuned!

Events in January and February 2023

Traffic in the built environment has more and more access to linked open data. Through smart use of communication between vehicles and road network the traffic flow can be improved. The SmartTwo+ project investigates the possibilities of this improvement. How will road traffic evolve in the future and how can emergency services benefit from this evolution? I’m Giel, an EngD graduate from the SmartTwo+ project, and these are the overarching questions that have been puzzling me for the past two years. There is a broad consensus that road traffic will radically change in the coming decades.

On the one hand, vehicles will be enabled to talk to each other and to the road infrastructure, constituting a connected traffic system. On the other hand, vehicle-driving functions will be increasingly automated on the path to fully autonomous vehicles. These transitions are expected to reduce the number of road accidents drastically, resulting in fewer road deaths and serious injuries. This is specifically relevant to emergency services as their operation typically entails high-pressure situations involving many risks.

Research in communication devices

In my research, I proposed three applications that employ communication devices to reduce the response time of emergency services and improve their safety in traffic. The first two applications were evaluated in large-scale simulations performed with the Simulation of Urban Mobility (SUMO) traffic simulator. The third application was tested in the realistic 3D traffic environment provided by CARLA, utilizing the Autoware.auto autonomous driving software.

Vision Zero

The investigation resulted in a formula to determine the minimum range at which the emergency vehicle should request its priority depending on the specific circumstances at the intersection. For the past two years, I have immersed myself in studying connected and automated mobility. I now consider it a crucial development in achieving Vision Zero by reducing the number of road deaths and serious injuries to nearly zero by 2050. At the same time, the Smart Cities and Buildings EngD program expanded my view and helped me to become a more confident professional. Soon, I will leave for a thrilling adventure in Nepal and plan my next career steps!

The built environment is responsible for about 36% of the global energy demand. About 5-30% of the energy use of buildings is related to energy waste due to faults in heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. The goal is to develop a self-learning module that can monitor and diagnose climate systems in large buildings.

“In my current role as director at Bureau WO, I deal with the strategy regarding changes within ecosystems,” Janne explains. “Innovations can enter the market faster by including the larger context as a degree of freedom for change. With this approach, I hope to contribute to the success of Eindhoven Engine. I look forward to working with the energetic team in order to take Eindhoven Engine to the next level.”

“Innovations can enter the market faster by including the larger context as a degree of freedom for change.”

Janne Brok | Managing Director Eindhoven Engine

 

Janne joins Eindhoven Engine at an excellent time. Following the successful OpenCalls and the current portfolio of innovation projects, she will work with Maarten Steinbuch and the team to further build on this success and shape the next phase.

Janne has been assigned to Eindhoven Engine for three days a week. In addition, she will continue to carry out her duties as director of Bureau WO.

Credits: Izzy Fotografie