Research News

For Marjan Popov it is clear: our society is at a crossroads. “We are undertaking perhaps the biggest engineering challenge of our time – we are radically changing the electricity grids.” According to him, the complexity of the electricity grids is comparable to the human body. “Similar to how patients are treated, in terms of taking care of their health, we should always monitor, control, and protect the electricity grids. I make this comparison because both the human body and the electricity grid are vulnerable to many different diseases, or disturbances, and some of them can have serious consequences. Therefore, undertaking comprehensive security and safety measures is an essential part of our energy transition.”

Researchers from TU Delft and Brown University have engineered string-like resonators capable of vibrating longer at ambient temperature than any previously known solid-state object — approaching what is currently only achievable near absolute zero temperatures. Their study, published in Nature Communications, pushes the edge of nanotechnology and machine learning to make some of the world’s most sensitive mechanical sensors.

TU Delft is one of the academic partners in an innovative aviation hydrogen handling and refuelling project, led by Airbus and supported by academic partners, airport operators and leading hydrogen-industry companies that was launched on 16 May in Brussels. The project, co-funded by the European Union, has been launched to demonstrate small-scale liquid hydrogen aircraft ground operations at three European airports, including Rotterdam The Hague Airport.

A team of researchers at Delft University of Technology has developed a drone that flies autonomously using neuromorphic image processing and control based on the workings of animal brains. Animal brains use less data and energy compared to current deep neural networks running on GPUs (graphic chips).

In a dynamic collaboration between academia and young minds, 12 enthusiastic children from a school in Delft recently embarked on an enriching journey into the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). This event was part of the project “Bliksemstage” of JINC organisation.

What determines the cycle life of batteries? And, more importantly, how can we extend it? An international research team led by TU Delft has discovered that local disorder in the oxide cathode material increases the number of times Li-ion batteries can be charged and discharged. Their results have been published in Nature.

On the 2nd of May 2024, a scaled version of a large passenger aircraft with distributed electric propulsion undertook its maiden flight. Further testing will follow to qualify and measure its dynamic flying behaviour, aimed at understanding the advantages of this Distributed Electric Propulsion technology for large passenger aircraft.

Did your grandmother also do the laundry when a sunny day was forecast? Now that so many households have solar panels and the electricity network is experiencing problems due to overload at peak times, it would also be better if households with solar panels run appliances such as the washing machine on sunny days.