University of Twente launches public-private research projects on microchips, friction and stents

In November, UT is launching three public-private research projects in collaboration with the High-Tech Systems and Materials (HTSM) top sector. These projects relate to chip design, friction and wear processes, and patient-specific stents. The total budget for these projects is 4.9 million euros and the projects have been initiated in the Top Technology Twente programme ‘Connecting Industries’.

WHAT TOPICS ARE COVERED BY THESE PROJECTS?

ANALOGUE CIRCUIT DESIGN IN ADVANCED CMOS TECHNOLOGIES (ACDACT) – PROF. BRAM NAUTA (FACULTY OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTER SCIENCE)

The development and production of integrated circuits and computer chips are important for the Netherlands and for the EU. The chip design industry in the Netherlands plays a significant role on the world stage. In this project, UT, together with NXP Semiconductors and Teledyne Dalsa, is developing new design techniques to create analogue circuits in advanced CMOS nodes. At present, nanoscale transistors (only a few atoms wide) are generally used to scale up digital circuits. However, analogue circuits are proving very hard to use in these very advanced technologies.
The ACDACT project comes under the recently started initiative Chip Tech Twente.
Private partners: NXP Semiconductors and Teledyne Dalsa.

MECHLIFEPERFECT – PROF. MATTHIJN DE ROOIJ (FACULTY OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY)

The aim of MechLifePerfect is to make friction and wear processes in a variety of systems predictable. This invariably involves lubricated rolling contacts. Reducing friction and wear leads to significant energy savings and extension of the useful life of components. By making relevant friction and wear processes predictable, this research can contribute to developing more efficient engines, production processes and suchlike, as well as to more efficient maintenance.

Private partners: SKF, DAF Trucks, Tata Steel, Shell.

THE STENTED VASCULAR TWIN – PROF. BOB GEELKERKEN (FACULTY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY)

An abdominal aortic aneurysm – a swelling in the main body artery – is seen by many patients as a ticking time bomb. That is not surprising, given that an aortic rupture is fatal in up to 80% of cases. So prompt treatment is crucial. The current treatment consists of inserting a stent. This can be compared to a new ‘inner tube’. However, present-day stents inserted in arteries at risk of rupture are unfortunately not sufficiently patient-specific and lead to complications and drastic follow-up treatment. The aim of this project is to develop imaging models that facilitate the production of patient-specific stents tailored to suit the patient’s body, on the basis of scans.

Private partner: Terumo Aortic.

Thanks to this impetus, eight PhD candidates and one post-doctoral researcher get the opportunity to develop new technologies in the Healthcare, Electronics, High-Tech Materials and Automotive sectors within the HTSM top sector.

This article was first published on 20 October by University of Twente.