Eindhoven Engine and the TU/e department Industrial Design is offering a fully funded 2-year position to master graduates leading to the award of an EngD (Engineering Doctorate) degree in Designing Human- System Interaction. Start date: as soon as possible.

About the assignment

In this assignment you contribute to a deeper understanding and the design of a few meaningful interventions, addressing the huge societal challenge of non-inclusiveness. In particular, while the Brainport region is a highly intellectual region, at the same time 15% of the population is low literate, which excludes them from part of the possibilities available in the region. With that purpose in mind, Eindhoven Engine will bring together an ecosystem of students, researchers, start-ups and corporates to co-create, in an open innovation mindset, meaningful technology-based solutions with a strong human dimension. Are you creative, innovative and open minded? You are someone who can take responsibility for steering the ecosystem and leading the design of the possible solutions, for instance with student teams? For you no roads are impossible, as long as the impact is clear and it contributes to a solution of a real problem? ​For obvious reasons we require  a B2 level of the Dutch language. 

Do you have questions about this traineeship? You can also contact Walter Baets, Learning Officer @ Eindhoven Engine, via w.r.j.baets@tue.nl or Lotte Geertsen, Project Leader Emergence Lab @ Eindhoven Engine, via c.h.e.geertsen@tue.nl

Eindhoven Engine and the TU/e department Industrial Design is offering a fully funded 2-year position to master graduates leading to the award of an EngD (Engineering Doctorate) degree in Designing Human- System Interaction. Start date: as soon as possible.

About the assignment

In this assignment you contribute to a deeper understanding and the design of a number of meaningful interventions, addressing the huge societal challenge of the Future of Work. Are you creative, innovative and open minded? You are someone who can take responsibility for steering the ecosystem and leading the design of the possible solutions, for instance with student teams? And for you no roads are impossible, as long as the impact is clear and it contributes to a solution of a real problem?

Do you have questions about this traineeship? You can also contact Walter Baets, Learning Officer @ Eindhoven Engine, via w.r.j.baets@tue.nl or Lotte Geertsen, Project Leader Emergence Lab @ Eindhoven Engine, via c.h.e.geertsen@tue.nl

Challenges

• ‘How can you help people with MS manage a healthy lifestyle?’
  Provided by De Tolbrug, an expertise center for rehabilitation in north-east Brabant.

• ‘How can we take advantage of data about behavior, health and households to help less self-reliant people?’
  Provided by Tzorg, an organization that provides home care.
  

• ‘How to keep the social network strong for elderly people and help with isolation in general?’
  Provided by Fontys Verpleegkunde.

Reconceptualizing education

“There are two sides to what I do,” begins Dimitri. “One is that I help the office team with a combination of technical learning and social innovation. Second is making the connection between Fontys and everything Eindhoven Engine does – not just the technical engineering but all the disciplines.”

This is an area in which Dimitri has deep experience, having spent 15 years at Avans University of Applied Sciences. There, he developed innovative education in which the research questions of companies in Eindhoven’s high-tech industry formed the basis for the learning experience. Practice-oriented research in a joint learning environment was used as a vehicle to link education to companies and, in this co-creation, knowledge sharing was stimulated and innovation processes were accelerated. With a focus on smart industry and data science, this led to novel concepts such as the reconceptualization of teachers as coaches that help students create their own learning experiences in industry-led projects and challenges.

“More and more students from Fontys are getting involved with Eindhoven Engine

and it’s great to see.”

Dimitri van de Kelft, Liaison Manager Fontys at Eindhoven Engine

“That was seen by Fontys and they found me an interesting candidate for the position of research manager for the Centre of Expertise High Tech Systems & Materials,” Dimitri continues. “The great thing about my new position is that I now also act as a liaison for Eindhoven Engine on behalf of Fontys. It felt like a homecoming! Here, people look at the world not as it is but at how they can change it.”

Reaching further out

In terms of what Fontys and Eindhoven Engine mean to one another, Dimitri emphasizes interdisciplinarity and co-creation – after all, fundamental knowledge from technical universities such as Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) has no hope of reaching society unless it can applied. “Eindhoven Engine attracts all kinds of students from Fontys and we form an innovation accelerator for start-ups and (SME) companies. Fontys therefore has a bigger impact,” says Dimitri. “More people understand that technical universities should work with universities of applied science, which is very different to just a few years ago.”

As an example, Dimitri looks to the recent Hack2Impact Health@Home hackathon that brought together Eindhoven Engine, Fontys, TU/e and MIT Hacking Medicine to generate solutions for healthcare and industry. “It was a really inspiring group: students who didn’t know each other but worked together constructively and positively,” he smiles. “More and more students from Fontys are getting involved with Eindhoven Engine and it’s great to see.”

Sustainability is high on Dimitri’s agenda for future innovation. He is therefore very interested in the projects at Eindhoven Engine, such as on circular food packaging and air quality. “At Fontys, I’m now looking for parties with whom we can connect in the field of battery recycling. Perhaps a nice connection with Eindhoven Engine can be created for this special challenge,” he concludes. “After a few months here, I see their vision and the way they’re evolving. The most important thing is an impact for both society and the university. And I want to participate in making this even bigger.”

(in Dutch)

Source: FMT gezondheidszorg

Eindhoven Engine News – April

The latest edition of Eindhoven Engine News is out! The results of the OpenCall 2022 were recently published and we are very pleased with the outcome! We are very much looking forward to welcoming the 7 new innovation projects to Eindhoven Engine and our community and start to make impact and cross-over innovations with all 26 projects!

The e-learning course Business Model Innovation in an Exponential World is now available as a 4-day course for professionals, in the beginning of June 2022. We offer this new course in collaboration with The High Tech Institute.

We also have news on:

• The Hack2Impact hackathon. you can still sign up!
• Our project updates from Carbyon, SmartMan and Medicaid
• Our new of Eindhoven Engine and its community
• and more!

Eindhoven Engine, the innovation accelerator of the Brainport region, is launching seven new innovation projects. These projects in the fields of energy, health and smart mobility will undertake research in the coming years with a total budget of almost 17 million euros, to which Eindhoven Engine is contributing a total of over 2.4 million euros. The investment for the Eindhoven Engine OpenCall 2022 comes from the Brainport Region Deal.

The seven projects can bring their innovations to market faster by continuing their research within Eindhoven Engine, collaborating on the Eindhoven Engine co-location on the TU/e campus, and building the internal community together. The new projects have the time until 2025 to use the impetus from Eindhoven Engine to further develop their innovations.

Ella Hueting, Chair of Advisory Board Eindhoven Engine

“We have received iconic project proposals that meet the call’s stringent requirements and are of high quality. In addition, I also see a balanced mix of partners representing the chain. In addition to knowledge institutions, including our shareholders Fontys, TNO and Eindhoven University of Technology, we also welcome new partners from industry and other education and research institutions in very diverse consortia.”

AUXSTENT

Unlocking mechanical limitations of synthetic heart stents with auxetic, fiber tubular scaffolds

In the fight against cardiovascular disease, stents and grafts are implanted in patients to support or repair damaged or high-risk vessels. These stents and grafts provide robust mechanical support, but do not provide tissue repair. It would be better if such implants actively promoted tissue repair and regeneration over time. The AUXSTENT project addresses these challenges and is already working on 3D-printable and bioresorbable stents that encourage and stimulate regeneration. At Eindhoven Engine, AUXSTENT will take the next step: developing a functional prototype. In this project, the focus is on combining the functional design of these stents with available engineering and materials knowledge.

Partners: Fillip Studios, TU/e

CoLLidE

Co-creation in Living Labs as impact Engine. Living labs as catalysts for circular societal impact

The CoLLidE project focuses on the market introduction of reusable food packaging. The Circulware system, developed by project partner Haval, replaces single-use food packaging with reusable and recyclable, bio-based packaging and will be applied in a living lab in this project. This will enable the use of the new packaging to be investigated from a technical, economic and social perspective. In the living lab, entrepreneurs, students, researchers, public authorities and companies will collaborate and learn together. The living lab will act as a catalyst for circular societal impact and will also investigate how a behavioral change towards food packaging can be achieved.

Partners: Fontys, Haval, Innovatiehuis de Peel, VNO-NCW, Midpoint Brabant, Avans

Direct Air Capture 2.0

Carbyon is developing technology to capture CO₂ directly from ambient air (Direct Air Capture, DAC). The captured CO₂ can be converted into a renewable carbon source in various ways. Net-zero solutions are made possible by using this CO₂ in processes and products, such as in greenhouses to improve crop growth or for the production of renewable synthetic fuels (e.g., for aviation). Net-zero solutions involve the permanent storage of CO₂ underground, for example in depleted gas fields.

During the previous Eindhoven Engine project (OpenCall 2020), Carbyon achieved breakthrough results in proving the working principles of the key components of Carbyon’s DAC solution. The current project (OpenCall 2022) aims to further develop this innovative technology and its key factors on an industrial scale.
Partners: Carbyon, TU/e, DIFFER

DynaPopeX

The concentration of nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter is still too high in the Netherlands according to WHO guideline values in 2021. In the Eindhoven region, several technical developments and research and innovation initiatives have been started in this field. As a result, a lot of information on population dynamics, such as commuting traffic and air pollution, is readily available. In DynaPopeX, this information is brought together for the first time and visualization techniques can be used to make connections to the sources of air pollution. The combination of data, location and human movements in Eindhoven makes it possible to take tangible measures to reduce the exposure of people on the street to harmful particulate matter and limit possible harm to health.

Partners: TNO, ZichtopData

PowerLift

In the Powerlift innovation project, research is being done on a sustainable battery for the electric aviation industry (eFlight). This battery not only has a long lifetime but can store an extraordinary amount of energy and delivers a lot of energy when used. Within Eindhoven Engine, PowerLift will further develop this technology into a standardized platform for the production of customized eFlight batteries.

Partners: LeydenJar Technologies B.V., Titan Batteries B.V., Wingtra AG

Smart Heat Shed

The Smart Heat Shed (smart heat storage) project addresses the rapid energy transition by combining two international breakthrough technologies, a heat façade and a heat battery. The heat facade (developed by TNO-Emergo spin-off Calosol) is an innovative, aesthetically versatile solar thermal facade collector, which effectively harvests solar energy at low outdoor temperatures. The heat battery (developed by the TNO-TU/e spin-off Cellcius) is the first completely loss-free heat storage solution. The latter is also 10x cheaper than electrical storage and much more compact than water or phase transition materials (PCM).

Partners: Cellcius, Emergo, TBRM, TNO, TU/e

WECARE

Currently, there are 55 million people worldwide with dementia. This number is expected to rise to 78 million by 2030 and 138 million by 2050 according to the WHO. There is currently no medical solution for dementia. In addition, there is a shortage of caregivers. This is putting the healthcare system under pressure. Technology should and can provide the support needed for dementia sufferers and their caregivers.

The WECARE project focuses on extending human care by applying the Warm Technology concept to interactive agents, such as chatbots and companion robots. Warm Technology ensures that this technology is made accessible and appropriate for the environment of people with dementia and their caregivers, thereby also taking this environment into account. In this project, work is being done to develop more advanced behaviors and representations in interactive agents.

Partners: TU/e, Alzheimer Netherlands, Fontys, SARA Robotics, Tinybots

Accelerating at the Eindhoven Engine co-location

In the Eindhoven Engine OpenCall 2022, projects were again invited to come up with innovation proposals that contribute to solving societal challenges. This time a team of independent experts selected the projects on the basis of predefined criteria.

“I am extremely satisfied with the result. The project proposals are of very high quality,” says Maarten Steinbuch, scientific director Eindhoven Engine. “Two current Eindhoven Engine projects, Carbyon and iHeat@Home, have even successfully submitted a proposal for a follow-up project. These projects, which are currently still in the startup phase, will grow into impactful businesses with the help of the Eindhoven Engine ecosystem.” Katja Pahnke adds: “This call once again confirms that there are plenty of technical innovations with societal impact emerging from the region. Eindhoven Engine’s co-location and cross-sector collaborations offer project partners and their innovations the place to get to market faster and more successfully.”

Funding for the 2022 OpenCall comes from the final Brainport RegioDeal. Eindhoven Engine is working hard on a follow-up to the OpenCall.

Other OpenCalls

Eindhoven Engine welcomes four new innovation projects valued at over 11 million euros

29 June 2021

Eindhoven Engine, the accelerator for innovation projects, welcomes four projects with a focus on energy and health technology.

Read more

Eindhoven Engine gives green light to new innovation projects collectively worth €16.8 million

8 July 2020

With an investment of over €2.2 million, various challenging, innovative projects with potential impacts on society and the economy are being given space within Eindhoven Engine.

Read more

By carrying out their research under the same roof at the Eindhoven Engine co-location, the two projects have found each other, got connected and have been able to make a terrific crossover.

The right candidate

The SmartMan project, a consortium of Eindhoven Engine, Fontys, TNO and Brainport Industries Campus, aims to improve factory efficiency by optimizing production processes with the support of HBO students through an assignment or internship at SMEs. Carbyon was searching for a student who would be able to help them with exactly that. Moudar Al Abdullah was the right candidate from the start. Using the competencies built up in the mechatronics curriculum, Moudar will work on the design of the sorbent-coating process of Carbyon’s equipment. Carbyon develops systems to extract CO₂ from the air. By capturing CO₂ from the atmosphere and storing it in empty gas fields under the sea, Carbyon contributes to the CO₂ reduction program.

It is the ambition of the two projects to extend their collaboration with multiple project activities in the different phases of the students study time at Fontys. An ambition that we fully support and that fits the DNA of Eindhoven Engine.

We wish Moudar good luck with his internship!

More information

• www.carbyon.com
• www.fontys.nl/smartman

The Emergence Lab philosophy is all about the wider prosperity of our Smart Society. After all, everyone should be able to be part of it! Using ‘Smart Society’ as an umbrella, we work on impactful themes such as (1) Inclusiveness, (2) Quality of Life and (3) Future of work. These are themes that affect us all. Eindhoven Engine works together with the ecosystem on these themes in projects where the power lies in the connection. We work with each other, together. The Emergence Lab projects really bring people, society, technology and wicked problems together. As a project leader I like to bring these ideas to life and implement them together with the entire community.

In addition, I am responsible for The Entrepreneurial Lab of TMC where I stimulate and facilitate innovation projects in which we develop technology-based solutions that solve real problems and contribute to tackling societal challenges. You may go faster on your own but you come further together.

Innovation enthusiast

I am an innovation enthusiast who organizes, connects and loves to build bridges. I develop forward-looking strategies, particularly at the intersections of technology, people, entrepreneurship, innovation and creativity. I enjoy developing business from ideas. I also marvel at technology and human interaction, and believe that people make innovation possible. I enjoy building ecosystems with stakeholders and working towards a better world for tomorrow.

” I develop forward-looking strategies, particularly at the intersections of technology, people, entrepreneurship, innovation and creativity. I enjoy developing business from ideas. “

Lotte Geertsen, project leader Emergence Lab at Eindhoven Engine

Furthermore, I am active as a Mentor at Female Tech Heroes and as co-founder of Female Founders Brabant. Besides all this, I am the mother of Mats (18 months) together with my boyfriend, Steven, and we live in Tilburg. In my spare time I love to be amongst people: my family, friends and as Burgundian Brabanders we get together with some scrumptious food and drinks.

A report that looks back on four years of Regio Deal Brainport Eindhoven. A period in which Brainport Eindhoven succeeded in developing 26 ambitious projects with a combined value of more than 370 million euros and providing them with co-financing. With the Region Deal, Brainport Eindhoven gives an enormous boost to the level of facilities, attracting and retaining talent and new social innovations that are significant for the region and far beyond.

Now 19 projects have been started within the Eindhoven Engine. Together they ensure an innovation acceleration in the Brainport region in the field of energy, mobility and healthcare among others. More than 70 partners and more than 380 involved researchers, students and employees from the business community have now linked to Eindhoven Engine.

• Read more about the Progress Report Regio Deal Brainport Eindhoven (Dutch)
• Read more about Regio Deal Brianport Eindhoven (Dutch)