Projects & Theses
Below you find a collection of BSc and MSc projects and theses that can be carried out within the MaP community.
Deep Learning of Residual Physics For Soft Robot Simulation
Incorporating state-of-the-art deep learning approaches to augment conventional soft robotic simulations for a fast, accurate and useful simulation for real soft robots.
Keywords
Soft Robotics, Machine Learning, Physical Modeling, Simulation
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Semester Project , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-07-01 , Earliest start: 2025-03-01 , Latest end: 2026-03-01
Organization Soft Robotics Lab
Hosts Michelis Mike , Katzschmann Robert, Prof. Dr.
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences , Engineering and Technology
High-speed imaging of bubble dynamics using dynamic vision sensing
This project requires the calibration of event cameras to optimize high-speed imaging processes for laboratory visualization of bubble dynamics. See the project description for further details.
Keywords
high-speed imaging; bubble dynamics; laser induced bubble collapse
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Semester Project
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Published since: 2025-07-01 , Earliest start: 2025-09-01 , Latest end: 2025-12-19
Organization Group Supponen
Hosts Brewer Cameron , Collado Gonzalo
Topics Engineering and Technology
Ultrasound-driven dynamics of confined microbubbles in capillary-scale hydrogel microchannel networks
Coated microbubbles are commercially available and clinically approved ultrasound contrast agents used in ultrasound imaging to enhance imaging contrast when injected systemically, thereby improving diagnostic capabilities. Recently, microbubbles have been proposed as therapeutic agents for targeted drug delivery. In order to reliably characterise these agents, suitable in vitro phantoms that mimic the mechanical properties of vascular networks are required to study the dynamics of microbubbles in a confined environment.
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-07-01
Applications limited to ETH Zurich
Organization Group Supponen
Hosts Guerriero Giulia
Topics Engineering and Technology
Small-batch produciton automation with Cobot
Most automated production relies on high number and uniformity of produced items, because of prohibiting fixed an programming costs. However, "Industrie 4.0" calls for more flexibility and customizability in the product, necssitating an easy way to transfer tasks to a robot in a short amount of time. To this end, we will explore the usage of a cobot (Franka Research 3) for an indistrial case study.
Keywords
Robotics, Automation, Control, Path Planning, Intelligent Systems
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Semester Project , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-07-01 , Earliest start: 2025-09-01 , Latest end: 2025-12-31
Organization pd|z Product Development Group Zurich
Hosts Gimeno Lucas
Topics Engineering and Technology
Stable Friction Compensation with Impedance/Admittance Control under Virtual Inertia using DeePC
Background: When using Impdeance/Admittance or other control methods allowing (low) virtual inertias (robot feels lighter than it is), noise in the force readout or friction torques accidentally detected as external forces can cause instability. Also integrator-based appraoches can have this problem. The goal of this Thesis is to create a friciton compensation algorithm for the FR3 robot to increase it's precision and stability using Data-Enabled-Predictive Control. The developed Method is contrasted with our current, analytical model and additionally, stability guarantees under virtual inertia control need to be established. The approach should be validated vis-a-vis our existing framework. Further Reading: https://control.ee.ethz.ch/research/theory/data-enabled-predictive-control.html
Keywords
Robotics, Control, Stability, Data-Enabled Predictive Control
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Semester Project , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-30 , Earliest start: 2025-09-01 , Latest end: 2025-12-31
Organization pd|z Product Development Group Zurich
Hosts Gimeno Lucas
Topics Engineering and Technology
Visual Object Reconstruction and Generalized Collision-aware Manipulation using Reinforcement Learning
We propose to develop a neural motion planning method that incorporates 3D-reconstructed geometry of in-hand objects into a reinforcement learning policy for collision-aware manipulation. This enables generalization across novel tools and objects with precise, geometry-driven motion in both stationary and mobile robotic setups.
Keywords
Neural motion planning, 3D reconstruction, reinforcement learning, mobile manipulation
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Master Thesis , ETH Zurich (ETHZ)
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Published since: 2025-06-30 , Earliest start: 2025-08-31 , Latest end: 2026-07-31
Organization Robotic Systems Lab
Hosts Portela Tifanny , Zurbrügg René
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences
Activity and fatigue detection using machine learning based on real-world data from smart clothing
The aim of this project is to use machine learning methods to extract useful information such as activity type and fatigue level from real-world data acquired from our textile-based wearable technology during sport activities.
Keywords
smart clothing, wearable technology, textile sensor, fitness tracking, sports medicine, fatigue, machine learning, artificial intelligence, computer science
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Semester Project , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-30 , Earliest start: 2025-07-01 , Latest end: 2026-03-31
Organization Biomedical and Mobile Health Technology Lab
Hosts Ahmadizadeh Chakaveh
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences , Engineering and Technology
Design data acquisition solution for smart clothing
The aim of this project is to develop and improve wearable electronics solutions for data acquisition from textile-based sensors used in our smart clothing.
Keywords
smart clothing, wearable technology, textile sensor, fitness tracking, sports medicine, PCB, electronics, computer science
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Semester Project , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-30 , Earliest start: 2025-07-01 , Latest end: 2025-12-31
Organization Biomedical and Mobile Health Technology Lab
Hosts Ahmadizadeh Chakaveh
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences , Engineering and Technology
AI-Based Estimation of Blood Pressure via Pulse Transit Time and Vascular Dynamics from piezoelectric sensors
This project explores the development and validation of an AI based system for non-invasive blood pressure estimation. The method focuses on deriving pulse transit time (PTT) using dual A-mode piezoelectric sensors (ultrasound) and characterizing vascular features such as arterial wall diameter and flow velocity. The work contributes toward a future wearable ultrasound-based solution for continuous cardiovascular monitoring.
Keywords
Keywords: machine learning, deep learning, artificial intelligence, blood pressure, pulse transit time, vascular imaging, Doppler
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Semester Project , Internship , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-28 , Earliest start: 2025-07-01 , Latest end: 2026-07-31
Organization Biomedical and Mobile Health Technology Lab
Hosts Otesteanu Corin, Dr
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences , Engineering and Technology
AI-Based Motion Estimation and Fatigue Monitoring Using Triboelectric Nanogenerators
This project explores the feasibility of using triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) for joint angle analysis and fatigue monitoring during repetitive human movements using machine learning and deep learning.
Keywords
machine learning, artificial intelligence, generative AI, triboelectric nanogenerator, joint angle estimation, motion analysis, fatigue detection
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Semester Project , Internship , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-28 , Earliest start: 2025-08-01 , Latest end: 2026-08-01
Organization Biomedical and Mobile Health Technology Lab
Hosts Otesteanu Corin, Dr
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences , Engineering and Technology
Artificial intelligence for anxiety level classification using data from wearable devices
The aim of this project is to study the feasibility of using wearable devices for anxiety detection using machine learning models. By creating a robust framework for continuous monitoring and early assessment, it has the potential to meaningfully impact the users wellbeing.
Keywords
Keywords: wearable technology, anxiety monitoring, health tracking, machine learning, artificial intelligence
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Semester Project , Internship , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-28 , Earliest start: 2025-08-01 , Latest end: 2026-07-01
Organization Biomedical and Mobile Health Technology Lab
Hosts Otesteanu Corin, Dr
Topics Medical and Health Sciences , Information, Computing and Communication Sciences , Engineering and Technology
SensAL - Early Anastomotic Leak Monitoring
Anastomotic leakage is among the leading causes of morbidity and death following gastrointestinal surgery. A significant factor behind this is the delayed detection provided by existing diagnostic methods. At The Ingenuity Lab, we are dedicated to addressing these challenges and revolutionizing the landscape of postoperative diagnostics. For this reason we developed SensAL, a naked-eye-readable enzyme responsive hydrogel based sensor. After inital success in a pilot study in collaboration with USZ the sensors ability will now be tested in an international multicenter study.
Keywords
Point of care, Biosensor, Bedside Sensor, Clinical Study, Sensing, Chemistry, Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Hydrogels, Anastomotic Leak, Bench to Bedside, Patient Monitoring, Biology, Biomedicine, Applied Engineering
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Semester Project , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-27 , Earliest start: 2025-07-01 , Latest end: 2026-07-01
Applications limited to Balgrist Campus , Eawag , Empa , ETH Zurich , Hochschulmedizin Zürich , Swiss National Science Foundation , Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics , IBM Research Zurich Lab , Università della Svizzera italiana , Université de Neuchâtel , University of Basel , University of Berne , University of Fribourg , University of Geneva , University of Lausanne , University of Lucerne , University of St. Gallen , University of Zurich , Wyss Translational Center Zurich , Zurich University of Applied Sciences , [nothing]
Organization Nanoparticle Systems Engineering Laboratory
Hosts Jessernig Alexander
Topics Medical and Health Sciences , Engineering and Technology , Chemistry
X-Ray based registration of vessel models
We are looking for a motivated Master student for the ANGIE project, , which envisions a future where targeted drug delivery is made possible through magnetically guided capsules. To enable localisation the student will develop an algorithm to estimate the 6 DoF pose of a vascular model using a 2D low resolution X-ray image.
Keywords
Computer vision, medical imaging, pose estimation
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-27 , Earliest start: 2025-07-13 , Latest end: 2026-03-31
Organization Multiscale Robotics Lab
Hosts Sivakumaran Derick
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences , Engineering and Technology
Volumetric Bioprinting of Engineered Muscle Tissues
We are working with an innovative volumetric printing technique – Xolography – to fabricate engineered muscle tissues that function as bioactuators for biohybrid systems. You will work at the interface between biology and robotics, helping us exploring new designs and strategies to advance the field of muscle tissue engineering and muscle-powered living machines.
Keywords
bioprinting, muscle, tissue engineering, 3D cell culture, hydrogels, biohybrid robotics, regenerative medicine, 3D models, biomaterials, biofabrication.
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Semester Project , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis , ETH Zurich (ETHZ)
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Published since: 2025-06-27 , Earliest start: 2025-07-15
Organization Soft Robotics Lab
Hosts Badolato Asia
Topics Medical and Health Sciences , Engineering and Technology , Chemistry , Biology
Thesis at the Exploration Lab - join an agile innovation task force; find needs, build prototypes, & more (Multiple industry partners!)
ETH Zürich's Feasibility Lab is partnering with leading industry players to offer a unique thesis opportunity. You'll have the freedom to choose from a diverse range of real-world projects across multiple companies, based on your individual interests.
Keywords
usability, high-tech, rapid prototyping, sustainability, industrial automation, mechanical design, mechanical engineering, automation, process design, robotics, machine learning, applied AI, food processing, advanced materials
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Semester Project , Master Thesis , ETH Zurich (ETHZ)
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Published since: 2025-06-27 , Earliest start: 2025-10-01 , Latest end: 2026-04-05
Applications limited to ETH Zurich , EPFL - Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne , Zurich University of Applied Sciences
Organization pd|z Product Development Group Zurich
Hosts Gisler Daniel , von Hopffgarten Arne , von Petersdorff-Campen Kai
Topics Engineering and Technology
Development of Wireless Ion Sensing Platforms using Metamaterials and Soft Biointerfaces
This project explores the design and realization of a flexible, wireless ion-sensing patch by integrating resonant metamaterial structures with bio-interfacing soft materials. The system is intended for noninvasive detection of physiologically relevant ions from skin-interfaced fluids using passive sensing mechanisms
Keywords
flexible electronics, metamaterials, wireless biosensors, resonant sensors, skin-compatible interfaces
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Semester Project , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-26 , Earliest start: 2025-08-01 , Latest end: 2025-12-31
Organization Biomedical and Mobile Health Technology Lab
Hosts Zada Muhammad
Topics Engineering and Technology
3D reconstruction with open-vocabulary reconstruction priors
Push the limits of arbitrary online video reconstruction by combining the most recent, prior-supported real-time Simultaneous Localization And Mapping (SLAM) methods with automatic backend regularization techniques.
Keywords
Structure from Motion Visual SLAM
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Master Thesis , ETH Zurich (ETHZ)
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Published since: 2025-06-26 , Earliest start: 2025-07-01
Organization Robotic Systems Lab
Hosts Kneip Laurent
Topics Engineering and Technology
Learning Manipulation beyond Single End-Effector
Robots, like humans, should be able to use different parts of their morphology (base, elbow, hips, feet) for interaction. This project focuses on learning multi-modal interactions from demonstrations for mobile manipulators.
Keywords
machine learning, manipulation, robotics
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Semester Project , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-25 , Earliest start: 2024-01-08
Organization Robotic Systems Lab
Hosts Mittal Mayank
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences , Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences
Wearable 2D Capacitive Auxetic Structures for Motion Monitoring
The aim of this project is to develop a single sensor capable of measuring both unidirectional strain and bending angle.
Keywords
wearable, flexible electronics, 3D printing, capacitive strain sensors
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Semester Project , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-24 , Earliest start: 2025-08-01 , Latest end: 2026-12-31
Organization Biomedical and Mobile Health Technology Lab
Hosts Kateb Pierre
Topics Engineering and Technology
Acoustic signatures associated with ADV – Influence of drop size and concentration
Acoustic droplet vaporization (ADV) is the phase-change process of superheated micron- and sub-micron-sized droplets into microbubbles under the application of high-frequency, high-amplitude ultrasound. Both optical and acoustic methods have been used to estimate the vaporization threshold, as during ADV the droplets grow multiple times their initial radius with the phase change emitting acoustic waves. However, very little research exists to correlate the optically observed dynamics with their respective acoustic signatures. To address these issues, this project aims to build upon previous work to combine optical and acoustic measurements and correlate the visualized ADV dynamics with the associated acoustic emissions. The goal is to measure the vaporization threshold for single droplet vaporization and study the variation with respect to the droplet size. The student will then proceed to work with multiple droplets to correlate the measured emission with different types of droplet populations and concentrations.
Keywords
Medical ultrasound, physics of fluids, acoustic, droplet vaporization, superheated, phase change
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-24
Applications limited to ETH Zurich
Organization Group Supponen
Hosts Collado Gonzalo
Topics Engineering and Technology , Physics
RA position: Combining Human And Robot Data To Train Manipulation Policies
Data collection by humans for training robotic policies is traditionally a strenuous task. It requires the recorder to teleoperate the robot, commonly leading to a slow task execution due to the indirect and unfamiliar control mechanism, and the need to record task demonstrations multiple times due to control imperfections. The work EgoMimic [1] introduces a framework intelligently combining human-only task demonstrations without robotic hardware with traditional human-robot ones, greatly reducing the required recording time due to the high proportion of quick-to-record human-only demos. In this project, four top research labs (from Georgia Tech, Stanford, UCSD, and ETH) across the world join efforts to test various challenging hypotheses, such as scaling laws in robotic learning, cross-embodiment generalisation, etc.
Keywords
egocentric vision, robotics, robotic manipulation
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Student Assistant / HiWi , ETH Zurich (ETHZ)
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Published since: 2025-06-23 , Earliest start: 2025-06-20
Organization Computer Vision and Geometry Group
Hosts Zurbrügg René , Zurbrügg René , Wang Xi , Chen Jiaqi , Gavryushin Alexey
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences , Engineering and Technology
Developing Multi-Functional Microrobots Using Microfluidic Chips (3M project)
We are looking for a motivated Master’s student to join an exciting interdisciplinary thesis project, collaborating between the Multi-Scale Robotics Lab (D-MAVT) and the deMello group (D-CHAB) at ETH Zurich. This project focuses on creating a novel microfluidic-based bottom-up method to fabricate multifunctional microrobots. This innovative approach seeks to revolutionize microrobot fabrication, opening the door to diverse new applications.
Keywords
Microfluidics, Self-assembly, Microrobots
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Master Thesis , ETH Zurich (ETHZ)
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Published since: 2025-06-22 , Earliest start: 2025-02-17
Organization Multiscale Robotics Lab
Hosts Hu Minghan
Topics Engineering and Technology , Chemistry
Automated Cartridge Loading Station for Point-of-Care PCR in a medtech startup
diaxxo, a start-up from ETH Zürich, is transforming molecular diagnostics with an innovative Point-of-Care Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) device. Designed to accelerate and democratize access to diagnostic testing, our cutting-edge technology can be used across various fields, from human diagnostics to vet and food testing. Our products are also tailored for use in developing countries and resource-limited settings, aiming to bring reliable diagnostics to every corner of the globe. We are developing a high-throughput cartridge loading station to support our Point-of-Care PCR platform. This station will automate liquid dispensing into our cartridges, ensuring speed, and reliability. Key features: - Real-time feedback for quality assurance - High throughput - Integration capabilities with existing production workflows.
Keywords
liquid dispensing, cartridge filling, high throughput, automation, quality control, diagnostics, feedback system, PCR, manufacturing, Diaxxo
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Semester Project , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-19 , Earliest start: 2025-06-19 , Latest end: 2026-05-31
Organization Functional Materials Laboratory
Hosts Gregorini Michele
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences , Engineering and Technology
Hardware / software development in medtech startup (project / thesis)
diaxxo, a start-up from ETH Zürich, is transforming molecular diagnostics with an innovative Point-of-Care Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) device. Designed to accelerate and democratize access to diagnostic testing, our cutting-edge technology can be used across various fields, from human diagnostics to vet and food testing. Our products are also tailored for use in developing countries and resource-limited settings, aiming to bring reliable diagnostics to every corner of the globe. The company offers several projects and thesis opportunities focusing on interfacing computer and camera systems (e.g. controlling Camera Pi from ESP microcontrollers, and integrating hardware and software components to address design and automation challenges.
Keywords
Point-of-Care PCR, Molecular Diagnostics, Embedded Systems, Arducam SPI, Camera Pi ESP Microcontroller, Hardware-Software Integration, Design and Automation Challenges
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Semester Project , Internship , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-19 , Earliest start: 2024-07-01 , Latest end: 2025-06-30
Organization Functional Materials Laboratory
Hosts Gregorini Michele
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences , Engineering and Technology
Measuring rough colloid mechanics through gold plasmon resonance.
Materials formed by colloidal gels and suspensions are common place with examples ranging from concrete to yogurt. Tuning the properties of such materials requires modification of the microscopic particle-particle interactions, however the relationship between micromechanics and the macroscopic mechanical properties of the material are not fully understood. To develop predictive microstructure-based models for the macroscopic response of such soft materials, we propose a novel plasmon-resonance-based imaging technique. This approach relies on synthesizing rough colloidal gels by absorbing gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) onto larger silica colloids. Visualizing these modified colloidal gels under deformation at high speeds would enable direct observation of localized plastic events by monitoring the spectral shift of gold plasmons. The relaxation of localized stresses through particle rearrangements, leads to changes in plasmon coupled interaction as a function of distance between the AuNPs. When two particles come into contact, their AuNPs exhibit plasmonic coupling, leading to a detectable redshift in their absorption/emission spectrum. This proposal presents a novel technique for measuring micro-mechanical interactions in rough colloidal gels.
Keywords
Materials, Mechanics, Colloids, Microscopy, Plasmons
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-18 , Earliest start: 2025-07-01 , Latest end: 2026-07-01
Applications limited to ETH Zurich
Organization Soft Materials
Hosts Gowen Savannah
Topics Mathematical Sciences , Engineering and Technology , Chemistry , Physics
Wearable kirigami antenna for motion monitoring
The aim of the project is to develop a simple method for fabrication of kirigami-inspired laser-cut or molded antennas on flexible substrates. This technology will enable advancements in wearable electronics for wireless communication and sensing applications.
Keywords
wearable, flexible electronics, kirigami, laser cutting, 3D printing, antenna design, conductivity, wireless communication
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Semester Project , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-18 , Earliest start: 2025-03-24 , Latest end: 2026-08-31
Organization Biomedical and Mobile Health Technology Lab
Hosts Kateb Pierre
Topics Engineering and Technology
Master Thesis - Process Chain Optimization
Process chains in modern manufacturing are complex systems involving multiple, often interdependent processes governed by different physical principles. Traditional modelling of these systems is challenging, particularly in precision manufacturing. However, sensor data from digitalized production lines now enables data-driven modelling. This thesis builds on an in-house machine learning model trained to assess batch quality and aims to optimize the process chain by identifying optimal process parameters. By defining a cost function based on model predictions, the project explores and applies optimization techniques to ensure consistently high-quality production outcomes.
Keywords
Machine Learning, Optimization, Manufacturing, Process Chains
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Master Thesis , ETH Zurich (ETHZ)
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Published since: 2025-06-17 , Earliest start: 2025-09-01 , Latest end: 2025-11-03
Organization Computational Modelling of Materials in Manufacturing
Hosts Scipione Francesco
Topics Engineering and Technology
RL Finetuning for Generalized Quadruped Locomotion
This project investigates the potential of reinforcement learning (RL) fine-tuning to develop a single, universal locomotion policy for quadruped robots. Building on prior work in multi-terrain skill synthesis [1], we will probe the limits of generalization by systematically fine-tuning on an ever-expanding set of diverse environments. This incremental approach will test the hypothesis that a controller can learn to robustly navigate a vast range of terrains. As a potential extension, procedural terrain generation may be used to automatically create novel challenges, pushing the boundaries of policy robustness.
Keywords
Reinforcement Learning, Quadruped Locomotion
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-17 , Earliest start: 2025-06-15
Organization Robotic Systems Lab
Hosts Schwarke Clemens , He Junzhe
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences
Master's Thesis - Anomaly Detection in Process Chains
Process chains are fundamental to modern manufacturing but are difficult to model due to the complexity and interplay of diverse physical processes. While traditional modelling faces limitations, the rise of sensor-equipped, digitalized production environments enables data-driven approaches. This work leverages such data to deploy an anomaly detection model developed in-house, aimed at identifying deviations in manufacturing process chains. Trained using a supervisory signal reflecting batch quality, the model learns parameter distributions to detect anomalies and predict product quality. The project focuses on developing out-of-distribution detection methods and evaluating the model's performance under continual learning conditions.
Keywords
Machine Learning, Anomaly Detection, Virtual Production, Process Chains
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-17 , Earliest start: 2025-08-04 , Latest end: 2025-10-01
Organization Computational Modelling of Materials in Manufacturing
Hosts Scipione Francesco
Topics Engineering and Technology
Differentiable Simulation for Precise End-Effector Tracking
Unlock the potential of differentiable simulation on ALMA, a quadrupedal robot equipped with a robotic arm. Differentiable simulation enables precise gradient-based optimization, promising greater tracking accuracy and efficiency compared to standard reinforcement learning approaches. This project dives into advanced simulation and control techniques, paving the way for improvements in robotic trajectory tracking.
Keywords
Differentiable Simulation, Learning, ALMA
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Semester Project , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-17 , Earliest start: 2025-01-27
Organization Robotic Systems Lab
Hosts Mittal Mayank , Schwarke Clemens , Klemm Victor
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences
Learning a Simulation-Trained Safety Critic for Safe Online Learning in Legged Robots
This project focuses on developing a safety critic—a model that predicts the safety of robot states—to enable safe online learning on legged robotic hardware. The safety critic is trained in simulation using labeled data from diverse robot behaviors, identifying states likely to lead to failure (e.g., falls). Once trained, the critic is deployed alongside a learning policy to restrict unsafe exploration, either by filtering dangerous actions or shaping the reward function. The goal is to allow adaptive behavior on real hardware while minimizing physical risk.
Keywords
safety critic, online learning
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-16
Organization Robotic Systems Lab
Hosts Li Chenhao , Li Chenhao , Li Chenhao , Li Chenhao
Topics Engineering and Technology
Data Driven Simulation for End-to-End Navigation
Investigate how neural rendering can become the backbone of comprehensive, next generation data-driven simulation
Keywords
Neural rendering, Simulation
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Internship , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-16 , Earliest start: 2025-01-27
Organization Robotic Systems Lab
Hosts Kneip Laurent
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences , Engineering and Technology
Event-based feature detection for highly dynamic tracking
Event cameras are an exciting new technology enabling sensing of highly dynamic content over a broad range of illumination conditions. The present thesis explores novel, sparse, event-driven paradigms for detecting structure and motion patterns in raw event streams.
Keywords
Event camera, neuromorphic sensing, feature detection, computer vision
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-16 , Earliest start: 2025-03-17
Organization Robotic Systems Lab
Hosts Kneip Laurent
Topics Engineering and Technology
Soft object reconstruction
This project consists of reconstructing soft object along with their appearance, geometry, and physical properties from image data for inclusion in reinforcement learning frameworks for manipulation tasks.
Keywords
Computer Vision, Structure from Motion, Image-based Reconstruction, Physics-based Reconstruction
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-16 , Earliest start: 2025-03-17
Organization Robotic Systems Lab
Hosts Kneip Laurent
Topics Engineering and Technology
Utilizing the human body for ambient electromagnetic energy harvesting
The goal of the project is to develop wearable devices, for use in environmental electromagnetic energy recovery based on human body application.
Keywords
Flexible electronics, electromagnetic energy harvesting
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Semester Project , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-15 , Earliest start: 2025-06-20
Organization Biomedical and Mobile Health Technology Lab
Hosts Li Yuanlong
Topics Engineering and Technology
Learning to Socially Navigate in Crowds using RL
This project aims to develop a robotic planner that can safely navigate crowded environments, considering human movement patterns and social norms. It seeks to overcome limitations of current planners, which either require privileged information or can't handle semantic constraints. The goal is to create a robust planner for real robots (ANYmal or Unitree B2W) that works in dynamic, constrained environments. Challenges include training an RL policy, expanding movement patterns, and transferring from simulation to real hardware.
Keywords
Reinforcement Learning, Navigation, Planning, Robotics, Legged Robotics, Simulation
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-11
Applications limited to ETH Zurich , EPFL - Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
Organization Robotic Systems Lab
Hosts Roth Pascal
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences
Simulation-Based Design of a Heavy Media Separation System for Isolating Mineral Waste after Cavitation for Low-CO2 Cement Production
This project focuses on the simulation-based design of a heavy media separation system for isolating mineral waste after cavitation for low-CO2 cement production
Keywords
Simulation, CFD, Cavitation, Fluid Dynamics
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Semester Project , Bachelor Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-10 , Earliest start: 2025-09-15 , Latest end: 2025-12-19
Applications limited to ETH Zurich
Organization Group Supponen
Hosts Bauer Tobias
Topics Engineering and Technology
Development of a Pilot-Scale Ultrasonic Cavitation System to Upcycle Mineral Waste for Low-CO2 Cement Production
This project focuses on developing a Pilot-Scale Ultrasonic Cavitation System to Upcycle Mineral Waste for Low-CO2 Cement Production
Keywords
Cavitation, Fluid Dynamics, Experimental
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Semester Project , Bachelor Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-10 , Earliest start: 2025-09-15 , Latest end: 2025-12-19
Applications limited to ETH Zurich
Organization Group Supponen
Hosts Bauer Tobias
Topics Engineering and Technology
Pre-clinical mechanical evaluation of a novel spinal implant
Lower back pain is one of the most prevalent health issues in Switzerland, with severe socio-economic consequences and a leading cause of reduced work performance. Approximately 20% of spinal fusion surgeries performed using off-the-shelf implants result in the surgical outcome being compromised post-operatively, often requiring one or more revision surgeries to address the associated pain. The Laboratory of Orthopedic Technology has recently developed a novel spinal implant using topology optimization, which is currently undergoing a feasibility study for clinical applications. We are seeking a master’s student who is passionate about medical devices and mechanical design and testing to join us for a master thesis. In this role, you will gain insight into the spinal surgery process, receive input from surgeons, and contribute to the mechanical testing of the implant on human cadaveric spine. Objectives: • Perform the CT scan on human cadaveric vertebrae • Evaluate the influence of implant placement/location variability • Mechanical testing on the implant and failure mode analysis • Develop surgical tools if needed • Write related SOPs and testing report Your Profile: • Hands-on and detail-oriented, need to work with human cadaveric bones. • Experience with SolidWorks or Fusion 360, as well as Python or Matlab. • Need to have Hepatitis B Vaccine to be able to work in BSL 2 level labs
Keywords
implant, medical device, mechanical testing, clinical application
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-10 , Earliest start: 2025-06-23 , Latest end: 2026-01-30
Organization Bone Pathologies and Treatment
Hosts Du Xiaoyu
Topics Medical and Health Sciences
Internship at the Exploration Lab - Tackle Real Industry Challenges in Engineering & Innovation
Join a multidisciplinary task force of ETH students in a hands-on internship solving real-world challenges with leading Swiss industry partners like Bühler, Bossard, V-Zug, and VAT. Gain practical experience in areas such as AI, automation, logistics, UX, and product innovation, all while working in an agile team within a modern maker space environment.
Keywords
Internship, Innovation, Industry Collaboration, Engineering, AI, Machine Learning, Automation, Product Development, Logistics, Manufacturing, UX, Maker Space, ETH Zurich
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Internship , ETH Zurich (ETHZ)
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Published since: 2025-06-10 , Earliest start: 2025-10-01 , Latest end: 2026-02-28
Applications limited to ETH Zurich , EPFL - Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne , Zurich University of Applied Sciences , Zurich University of the Arts
Organization pd|z Product Development Group Zurich
Hosts von Petersdorff-Campen Kai , von Hopffgarten Arne
Topics Engineering and Technology
Neuronal Cell Culture and Electrophysiology Using CMOS Microelectrode Arrays
Join our interdisciplinary research team to explore the fascinating world of neuronal networks in vitro. These master projects focus on culturing neurons on CMOS-based microelectrode arrays (MEAs) to study their electrophysiological properties. The exact project scope will be tailored to your interests and background, offering a unique opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge neuroscience and bioengineering research.
Keywords
Neuroscience, Cell Culture, CMOS MEA, Electrophysiology, In Vitro Models, Neural Networks, Bioengineering, Neurotechnology
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Semester Project , Internship , Lab Practice , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-08 , Earliest start: 2025-06-15
Organization Bio Engineering Laboratory
Hosts Cardes Fernando
Topics Medical and Health Sciences , Engineering and Technology , Biology
FPGA-based platform for in-vitro neural interfaces
The student will develop an FPGA-based platform for interacting with in-vitro neuronal cultures, including real-time spike detection and neuron stimulation. The project is focused on VHDL programming, although it could include other software development and/or wet-lab tasks with neurons depending on the interests of the student.
Keywords
VHDL; FPGA; Engineering; Neural interface; In-vitro neuronal culture; CMOS Microelectrode Array; Neuroscience; embedded systems.
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Semester Project , Internship , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-06 , Earliest start: 2022-09-01
Organization Bio Engineering Laboratory
Hosts Cardes Fernando
Topics Medical and Health Sciences , Engineering and Technology
Active System Identification for Efficient Online Adaptation
This project proposes a novel single-stage training framework for system identification in legged locomotion, addressing limitations in the conventional two-stage teacher-student paradigm. Traditionally, a privileged teacher policy is first trained with full information, followed by a student policy that learns to mimic the teacher using only state-action histories—resulting in suboptimal exploration and limited adaptability. In contrast, our method directly trains a policy to regress privileged information embeddings from its history while simultaneously optimizing for an active exploration objective. This objective is based on maximizing mutual information between the policy’s state-action trajectories and the privileged latent variables, encouraging exploration of diverse dynamics and enhancing online adaptability. The approach is expected to improve sample efficiency and robustness in deployment environments with variable dynamics.
Keywords
Active Exploration, System Identification, Online Adaptation
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-06
Organization Robotic Systems Lab
Hosts Li Chenhao , Li Chenhao , Li Chenhao , Li Chenhao
Topics Engineering and Technology
Photoresponsive slide-ring hydrogels for on-demand modulation of mechanical properties
Hydrogel materials are crosslinked polymer networks with reversible swelling, tunable porosity, elasticity, toughness, and flexibility. Conventional hydrogels often suffer from weak mechanical properties and display brittle and unstable behaviour limiting their scope for load-bearing applications. Such networks consist of side-chain functionalized polymers, whose covalent crosslinks occur at fixed positions on the polymer backbone (Figure 1A). Upon deformation, tensile stress is concentrated on the closest neighboring crosslinks, eventually leading to their rupture and material failure. Hence, the molecular design of high-performance hydrogels with toughness and elasticity similar to rubber is an emerging area of research in the engineering of polymeric materials with applications towards robust medical materials or soft robotics.
Keywords
Slide-Ring Gels, Supramolecular Chemistry, High-Performance Hydrogels
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-06 , Earliest start: 2024-07-18
Organization Macromolecular Engineering Laboratory
Hosts Mommer Stefan
Topics Engineering and Technology , Chemistry
Learning from Online Demonstrations via Video Diffusion for Local Navigation
This project introduces a framework for local navigation skill acquisition through online learning from demonstrations, bypassing the need for offline expert trajectories. Instead of relying on pre-collected data, we use video diffusion models conditioned on semantic text prompts to generate synthetic demonstration videos in real time. These generated sequences serve as reference behaviors, and the agent learns to imitate them via an image-space reward function. The navigation policy is built atop a low-level locomotion controller and targets deployment on legged platforms such as humanoids and quadrupeds. This approach enables semantically guided, vision-based navigation learning with minimal human supervision and strong generalization to diverse environments.
Keywords
Learning from Demonstrations, Video Diffusion, Semantic Conditioning
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-06
Organization ETH Competence Center - ETH AI Center
Hosts Li Chenhao , Li Chenhao , Li Chenhao , Li Chenhao
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences
Micropatterned Hydrogel Channels for Proximal Tubule-on-Chip Models
Microphysiological systems aim to reproduce the complex biological functions and architecture of human organs in vitro. One of the current challenges in the field is to not only replicate physiological flow conditions but also to recreate the key microenvironmental features that govern cellular behavior—such as cell-to-cell interaction, 3D tissue organization and extracellular matrix (ECM) composition. This 6-month internship project focuses on developing a microfluidic device that integrates a micropatterned hydrogel channel, designed to mimic the architecture and environment of small tubular structures like the proximal tubule of the kidney. The hydrogel will serve both as a biomimetic scaffold and as cellular substrate.
Keywords
organ-on-chip, ECM, hydrogels, kidney, microfabrication
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Internship , Master Thesis , ETH Zurich (ETHZ)
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Published since: 2025-06-06 , Earliest start: 2025-07-01
Organization Bio Engineering Laboratory
Hosts Garcia Marta
Topics Engineering and Technology
Learning World Models for Legged Locomotion (Structured legged world model)
Model-based reinforcement learning learns a world model from which an optimal control policy can be extracted. Understanding and predicting the forward dynamics of legged systems is crucial for effective control and planning. Forward dynamics involve predicting the next state of the robot given its current state and the applied actions. While traditional physics-based models can provide a baseline understanding, they often struggle with the complexities and non-linearities inherent in real-world scenarios, particularly due to the varying contact patterns of the robot's feet with the ground. The project aims to develop and evaluate neural network-based models for predicting the dynamics of legged environments, focusing on accounting for varying contact patterns and non-linearities. This involves collecting and preprocessing data from various simulation environment experiments, designing neural network architectures that incorporate necessary structures, and exploring hybrid models that combine physics-based predictions with neural network corrections. The models will be trained and evaluated on prediction autoregressive accuracy, with an emphasis on robustness and generalization capabilities across different noise perturbations. By the end of the project, the goal is to achieve an accurate, robust, and generalizable predictive model for the forward dynamics of legged systems.
Keywords
forward dynamics, non-smooth dynamics, neural networks, model-based reinforcement learning
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-06
Organization Robotic Systems Lab
Hosts Li Chenhao , Li Chenhao , Li Chenhao , Li Chenhao
Topics Engineering and Technology
Ultra-High Molecular Weight Hydrogels With Extreme Mechanical Properties
Hydrogels composed of ultra-high molecular weight polymers exhibit remarkable mechanical properties, including exceptional stretchability exceeding 2000%. This performance stems from the extensive polymer entanglements inherent to their high molecular weight. These entanglements create a dense, interconnected network that distributes stress efficiently, enabling the hydrogel to withstand significant deformation without breaking. The resulting materials combine the advantageous properties of hydrogels, such as high water content and biocompatibility, with superior mechanical robustness, making them ideal for applications in flexible electronics, soft robotics, and biomedical devices. Their ability to endure extreme stretching and recover their original shape highlights their potential in innovative, high-performance material design.
Keywords
Ultra-High Molecular Weight Hydrogels, Highly Entangled Hydrogels
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Semester Project , Course Project , Internship , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-06 , Earliest start: 2024-07-01
Organization Macromolecular Engineering Laboratory
Hosts Mommer Stefan
Topics Engineering and Technology , Chemistry
All-textile Wearable Thermochromic Displays
The goal of the project is to develop a technology for information display on textile utilizing thermochromism phenomenon.
Keywords
wearable, display, textile, thermochromism, e-textile, fabric
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Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-05 , Earliest start: 2025-06-01
Organization Biomedical and Mobile Health Technology Lab
Hosts Shokurov Aleksandr
Topics Medical and Health Sciences , Engineering and Technology
Mechanophores for advanced wearable strain and pressure sensors
The goal of the project is to synthesize and characterize a number of small molecules capable of acting as mechanophore addition to various polymers. These polymers would then be used as wearable strain or pressure sensors.
Keywords
mechanophore, polymer, wearable, sensor, color, strain, pressure
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-05 , Earliest start: 2025-06-01 , Latest end: 2026-04-01
Organization Biomedical and Mobile Health Technology Lab
Hosts Shokurov Aleksandr
Topics Engineering and Technology , Chemistry
Point-of-Care Sensor for Urinary Iodine
The goal of the project is to develop a cheap and disposable sensor capable of determination of iodine levels in human urine for early diagnostic purposes.
Keywords
electrochemistry, iodine, nutrition, health, point of care
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-05 , Earliest start: 2025-01-01 , Latest end: 2025-10-01
Organization Biomedical and Mobile Health Technology Lab
Hosts Shokurov Aleksandr
Topics Medical and Health Sciences , Engineering and Technology , Chemistry
How to Touch: Exploring Tactile Representations for Reinforcement Learning
Developing and benchmarking tactile representations for dexterous manipulation tasks using reinforcement learning.
Keywords
Reinforcement Learning, Dexterous Manipulation, Tactile Sensing
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Semester Project , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-04 , Earliest start: 2024-12-15 , Latest end: 2025-06-01
Applications limited to ETH Zurich
Organization Robotic Systems Lab
Hosts Bhardwaj Arjun , Zurbrügg René
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences
Data-Driven Mesh-to-BREP Reconstruction for WAAM Residual Analysis
This project focuses on finding CAD models from laser-scanner measurements using Machine Learning. Fitting a faithful CAD representation to the measured surfaces of WAAM produced parts allows more efficient and automated post-processing.
Keywords
Wire-Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM); Laser scanner; B-rep; Mesh; Point clouds; Machine Learning;
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Master Thesis , ETH Zurich (ETHZ)
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Published since: 2025-06-03 , Earliest start: 2025-06-03
Organization Advanced Manufacturing Laboratory
Hosts Sideris Iason
Topics Engineering and Technology
Extracellular matrix remodeling: influence of cellular scaffolds on proteases activity
You will measure the concentration and activity of matrix metallo-proteases in various samples mimicking human dermal tissue.
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Semester Project , Internship , Bachelor Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-02 , Earliest start: 2025-08-04 , Latest end: 2025-12-19
Organization Macromolecular Engineering Laboratory
Hosts Pietrantuono Nepomuceno Jaime
Topics Medical and Health Sciences , Engineering and Technology , Biology
AI-Driven Rock Reshaping Simulation and Control
This project develops an intelligent system for controlling rock fracture by combining finite element analysis (FEM) with machine learning. FEM simulations train a graph neural network (GNN) to predict fracture patterns. A reinforcement learning (RL) agent then uses this predictive GNN to learn optimal actions for guiding fractures towards a desired rock geometry, enabling precise and goal-oriented control.
Keywords
machine learning, deep learning, reinforcement learning, graph neural networks, construction robotics, space robotics
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Semester Project , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-06-02 , Earliest start: 2025-07-07
Organization Robotic Systems Lab
Hosts Spinelli Filippo
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences , Engineering and Technology
Active Perception for Ball Catching with a Quadrupedal Manipulator
Catching fast-moving objects presents a significant challenge for mobile manipulators due to the need for tightly coupled perception and control under dynamic conditions. This project aims to develop a unified visuomotor control policy for a quadrupedal robot equipped with an arm-mounted RGB-D camera, enabling it to perceive, track, and intercept a thrown ball using only onboard sensing. By mounting the camera on the end-effector, the robot gains the ability to adjust its viewpoint in real time, mimicking human strategies of active perception. The control policy will be trained entirely in simulation with randomized ball trajectories and perception noise models to support robust, zero-shot deployment in the real world. The resulting system will advance research at the intersection of active perception, reinforcement learning, and dynamic whole-body manipulation.
Keywords
Loco-manipulation, active perception, reinforcement learning
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Master Thesis , ETH Zurich (ETHZ)
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Published since: 2025-05-30 , Earliest start: 2025-06-08 , Latest end: 2026-01-31
Applications limited to ETH Zurich
Organization Computational robotics laboratory (Prof. Stelian Coros)
Hosts Cheng Jin , An Tianxu, PhD student at RSL & CRL
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences , Engineering and Technology
Design and Optimization of Biomimetic Laser Textures for Advanced Tribology
Laser surface texturing (LST) is a cutting-edge manufacturing technique that transforms conventional surfaces into functional structures inspired by nature. By mimicking biological textures—such as the lotus leaf, snakeskin, or Namib beetle shell—engineered surfaces can achieve functionalities like friction reduction, self-cleaning, or superhydrophobicity. However, optimizing laser-textured surfaces to meet specific application requirements is complex, due to a vast and interdependent parameter space involving laser settings, material properties and performance goals. Traditional trial-and-error or design-of-experiments approaches are inadequate for this multidimensional challenge. This project aims to develop and experimentally validate a Bayesian optimization framework for identifying the optimal laser surface textures that enhance tribological performance in ceramic materials.
Keywords
Bionic, Biomimetic, Laser, Tribology, Optimization, Manufacturing, Surface, Design, AI
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Semester Project , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis , ETH Zurich (ETHZ)
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Published since: 2025-05-30 , Earliest start: 2025-06-15 , Latest end: 2026-04-30
Organization Advanced Manufacturing Laboratory
Hosts Reichel Andreas
Topics Engineering and Technology
Injectable polyrotaxane-based hydrogels for controlled drug delivery
Hydrogels are widely investigated materials for versatile biomedical applications. In particular, hydrogels are a good drug delivery system for controlled drug release. In this project, polyrotaxane-based hydrogels are developed and tested for their ability to deliver model compounds in a controlled way. The main goal of the project is to design and fabricate polyrotaxane-based hydrogels, characterize their mechanical properties (rheology) and perform release studies with model compounds. Suitable for master thesis, bachelor thesis and semester project.
Keywords
Injectable hydrogels, drug delivery, supramolecular interactions
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Semester Project , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-05-30 , Earliest start: 2025-06-01 , Latest end: 2026-04-30
Organization Macromolecular Engineering Laboratory
Hosts Petelinsek Nika
Topics Engineering and Technology
Bridging the Gap: Enabling Soft Actor-Critic for High-Performance Legged Locomotion
Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) has become the de facto standard for training legged robots, thanks to its robustness and scalability in massively parallel simulation environments like IsaacLab. However, alternative algorithms such as Soft Actor-Critic (SAC), while sample-efficient and theoretically appealing due to entropy maximization, have not matched PPO’s empirical success in this domain. This project aims to close that performance gap by developing and evaluating modifications to SAC that improve its stability, scalability, and sim-to-real transferability on legged locomotion tasks. We benchmark SAC against PPO using standardized pipelines and deploy learned policies on real-world quadruped hardware, pushing toward more flexible and efficient reinforcement learning solutions for legged robotics.
Keywords
Legged locomotion, Soft Actor-Critic, Reinforcement learning, Sim-to-real transfer
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-05-30
Organization ETH Competence Center - ETH AI Center
Hosts Li Chenhao , Li Chenhao , Li Chenhao , Li Chenhao
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences
Life cycle analysis on living materials for CO2 sequestration
Hey there! Do you know that bacteria can be powerful fighters for CO2 capture? (Not kidding, they are really useful). Recently, engineered living materials embedded with photosynthetic cyanobacteria has been designed to permanently store atmospheric CO2 in the form of stable minerals such as calcium carbonate [1]. While it is a promising alternative to industrial carbon capture and storage methods, the production of such living materials still incurs process-related CO2 emission. To better understand the bottleneck and the most emission-heavy part of the living materials, we plan to conduct life-cycle analysis (LCA) on the living materials. [1] Dranseike, D., Cui, Y., Ling, A. S., Donat, F., Bernhard, S., Bernero, M., ... & Tibbitt, M. W. (2025). Dual carbon sequestration with photosynthetic living materials. Nature Communications, 16(1), 3832.
Keywords
life cycle analysis, living materials, carbon sequestration
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Semester Project , Internship , Master Thesis , ETH Zurich (ETHZ)
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Published since: 2025-05-29 , Earliest start: 2025-05-30 , Latest end: 2026-06-30
Organization Macromolecular Engineering Laboratory
Hosts Cui Yifan
Topics Engineering and Technology
Physics-informed digital twin from video for task and motion planning of deformable objects
Robotic task and motion planning (TAMP) for deformable objects typically relies on predefined physics models, limiting the robot’s adaptability in real-world scenarios. This project explores how robots can autonomously construct physics-informed digital twins directly from videos and integrate the learned physics model into a TAMP framework to achieve "on-demand" manipulation of deformable objects.
Keywords
physics-informed-modeling,deformable-objects,task-and-motion-planning,simulation
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-05-28 , Earliest start: 2025-05-28 , Latest end: 2026-01-01
Applications limited to ETH Zurich
Organization Computational robotics laboratory (Prof. Stelian Coros)
Hosts Huang Yijiang
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences
Development of Neuromuscular Biohybrid Robots
Biohybrid robots integrate living cells and synthetic components to achieve motion. These systems often rely on engineered skeletal muscle tissues that contract upon electrical stimulation for actuation. Neuromuscular-powered biohybrid robots take this concept further by integrating motor neurons to induce muscle contractions, mimicking natural muscle actuation. In our lab, we are developing neuromuscular actuators using advanced 3D co-culture systems and biofabrication techniques to enable functional macro-scale biohybrid robots.
Keywords
Tissue engineering, mechanical engineering, biology, neuroengineering, biomaterials, biohybrid robotics, 3D in vitro models, biofabrication, bioprinting, volumetric printing.
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Semester Project , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis , ETH Zurich (ETHZ)
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Published since: 2025-05-28 , Earliest start: 2025-06-02
Organization Soft Robotics Lab
Hosts Badolato Asia , Katzschmann Robert, Prof. Dr.
Topics Medical and Health Sciences , Engineering and Technology , Biology
Software Development Internship/thesis: Enabling In Vitro Neuroscience Research
This 6-month internship focuses on developing software for advanced neural interfaces used in in vitro studies. These interfaces enable precise exploration of neural activity, providing critical insights into neuronal dynamics, drug interactions, and neurological disorders. The project involves creating and optimizing software for data acquisition, analysis, and visualization, which directly enhances the usability and impact of these tools in research and healthcare applications. Ideal candidates will possess strong programming skills in Python, with a preference for knowledge also of C++ and Cython, and excellent documentation practices. This project is also available as Master thesis or semester project.
Keywords
Internship; Software development; Neural Interfaces; Neuroscience; Python; C++; Cython; Biomedical Research; Neuroengineering; Neurotechnology.
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Semester Project , Internship , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-05-28 , Earliest start: 2025-06-15
Organization Bio Engineering Laboratory
Hosts Cardes Fernando
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences
Strategic Humanoid Box Lifting
Manipulating large, heavy objects without convenient grasp affordances poses a significant challenge for humanoid robots. This project develops a demonstration-guided reinforcement learning framework enabling a humanoid robot to strategically lift unwieldy objects through coordinated full-body motion.
Keywords
reinforcement-learning, trajectory-optimization, humanoid, contact-rich-manipulation
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-05-25 , Earliest start: 2025-05-25 , Latest end: 2026-09-01
Applications limited to ETH Zurich
Organization Computational robotics laboratory (Prof. Stelian Coros)
Hosts Huang Yijiang
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences
Resin with a Twist: Photoreversible Material for Digitally Printed Films
Create a next-gen resin that switches from solid to liquid using light! Dive into synthesizing, testing, and refining this unique material with exciting potential in the watch industry and beyond. Ideal for a chemistry or engineering student ready to explore the full journey—from lab synthesis to real-world application. Join us to make light a game-changer in material science!
Keywords
photoreversible, resin, light-activated, digital printing, smart materials, synthesis, rheology, polymers, formulations, prototyping, engineering, chemistry, innovation, dynamic materials, industry, material, characterization, application, light, photosensitive, photocleavable
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Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis , ETH Zurich (ETHZ)
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Published since: 2025-05-23 , Earliest start: 2025-06-22 , Latest end: 2026-01-23
Organization Macromolecular Engineering Laboratory
Hosts Wolf Morris
Topics Engineering and Technology , Chemistry
Trajectory Optimization and Policy Distillation for Agile Control of Hybrid Mobile Robots
Hybrid mobile robots that integrate wheels and legs present a promising locomotion paradigm, combining the speed and efficiency of wheeled motion with the adaptability of legged systems. However, controlling such platforms remains challenging due to their underactuated and hybrid dynamics. This project explores a control-learning framework that leverages trajectory optimization (TO) or model predictive control (MPC) to generate high-quality motion plans while concurrently distilling a lightweight neural policy through supervised learning. The approach supports both sampling-based and gradient-based optimization methods, depending on simulator capabilities, and emphasizes real-world learning by collecting rollout data directly from hardware. The resulting policy enables efficient and robust control suitable for deployment under real-time constraints. Development and evaluation will be conducted using the LIMX Dynamics TRON1 robot, a bipedal wheeled platform with 4 DoF per leg, providing a rich testbed for advancing agile and intelligent control in hybrid robotic systems.
Keywords
Bipedal wheeled locomotion, Trajectory optimization, Model predictive control, Policy distillation, Sim-to-real transfer
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Master Thesis , ETH Zurich (ETHZ)
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Published since: 2025-05-22 , Earliest start: 2025-05-22 , Latest end: 2025-12-31
Applications limited to EPFL - Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne , ETH Zurich
Organization Computational robotics laboratory (Prof. Stelian Coros)
Hosts Cheng Jin
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences , Engineering and Technology
Fabrication of TiC-Reinforced Alumina Composites with Enhanced Mechanical Properties and Self-Healing Capability via Spark Plasma Sintering
The objective of this project is to design, fabricate and characterize TiC-reinforced alumina (Al₂O₃) ceramic composites using Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS), with the aim of achieving a combination of a low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), high hardness (approximately 10–13 GPa), high bending strength and enhanced fracture toughness, as well as the potential for self-healing. Although SPS is a promising method of sintering for dense, fine-grained ceramic composites, controlling the microstructure and optimizing properties such as hardness, toughness and dimensional stability remains challenging. This research project will therefore focus on developing optimized Al₂O₃–TiC composite formulations and SPS processing parameters, integrating experimental sintering trials with microstructural and mechanical characterization. Particular attention will be given to exploring the self-healing behavior induced by TiC oxidation at high temperatures. This project will contribute to the development of toughened, high-performance ceramic composites suitable for advanced engineering applications.
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Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis , ETH Zurich (ETHZ)
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Published since: 2025-05-22 , Earliest start: 2025-06-01
Organization Advanced Manufacturing
Hosts Kovalska Natalia
Topics Engineering and Technology
Modelling and experimental validation of near-net-shape densification in ceramic composites using Spark Plasma Sintering
This project aims to advance finite element modelling (FEM) techniques to predict material densification and optimize tool design for 3D spark plasma sintering (SPS) of Si₃N₄-based ceramic composites. While SPS has shown enormous potential for processing nanocrystalline and ultrafine grained materials. Its application to the fabrication of complex 3D geometries has been challenging due to difficulties in controlling material properties such as dimensional accuracy, local densification, and microstructural integrity. Recent developments in selective powder deposition combined with sacrificial materials have shown promise in increasing design flexibility and enabling the production of more complex geometries. This project will focus on using FEM to model the densification behavior during the SPS process, taking into account factors such as applied pressure, temperature and current. The aim is to predict the densification profile of the material and optimize tool design to improve the overall quality of the sintered components. By integrating experimental results with numerical simulations, the study will address key issues such as local variations in densification and dimensional distortion during sintering. This research will contribute to improving the accuracy and reliability of SPS for Si₃N₄-based ceramic composites, enabling the production of high-performance components with complex shapes and superior mechanical properties.
Keywords
finite element modelling, spark plasma sintering, complex geometries
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Semester Project , Course Project , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis , Student Assistant / HiWi , Summer School
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Published since: 2025-05-22 , Earliest start: 2025-06-01
Organization Advanced Manufacturing
Hosts Kovalska Natalia
Topics Engineering and Technology
Inverse Design for Robotic Assembly via Task and Motion Planning
Can we optimize a design so that a robot can assemble it more easily? This project explores inverse design for robotic assembly using task and motion planning (TAMP), coupling design optimization with planning algorithms that lays the foundation for designing robot-friendly structures.
Keywords
task and motion planning, robotic assembly, inverse design, co-design
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Master Thesis , ETH Zurich (ETHZ)
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Published since: 2025-05-22 , Earliest start: 2025-05-22 , Latest end: 2026-09-01
Applications limited to ETH Zurich
Organization Computational robotics laboratory (Prof. Stelian Coros)
Hosts Huang Yijiang
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences
6month Master Thesis Project: Dynamic Hydrogels for Cardiac Tissue Regeneration
Congenital heart diseases represent a significant cause of infant morbidity and mortality. Current therapeutic materials for congenital heart defect closure have been evaluated in 2D in vitro models and in vivo animal studies, both of which have inherent limitations in replicating human cardiac physiology. This is reflected in common surgical complications like inflammation and fibrosis as well as in a lack of integration with native cardiac tissue. To address these challenges, this project aims at the development of a 3D in vitro tissue model that mimics the native heart defects, offering an innovative platform to study regenerative closure mechanisms and evaluate therapeutic materials. This model will be composed of cardiac cells and a dynamic, decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM)-based hydrogel scaffold, processed into a defect shape by 3D bioprinting.
Keywords
Biomaterials; Hydrogels; Tissue engineering
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-05-21 , Earliest start: 2025-08-01 , Latest end: 2026-03-31
Organization Biomimetic Membranes and Textiles
Hosts Wei Kongchang
Topics Engineering and Technology
Learning Terrain Traversal from Human Strategies for Agile Robotics
Teaching robots to walk on complex and challenging terrains, such as rocky paths, uneven ground, or cluttered environments, remains a fundamental challenge in robotics and autonomous navigation. Traditional approaches rely on handcrafted rules, terrain classification, or reinforcement learning, but they often struggle with generalization to real-world, unstructured environments.
Keywords
3D reconstruction, egocentric video, SMPL representation
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Semester Project , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-05-21 , Earliest start: 2025-05-26
Organization Computer Vision and Geometry Group
Hosts Wang Xi , Frey Jonas , Patel Manthan , Kaufmann Manuel , Li Chenhao
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences
HandoverNarrate: Language-Guided Task-Aware Motion Planning for Handovers with Legged Manipulators
This project addresses the challenge of task-oriented human-robot handovers, where a robot must transfer objects in a manner that directly facilitates the human’s next action. In our prior work, we demonstrated that robots can present objects appropriately for immediate human use by leveraging large language models (LLMs) to reason about task context. However, integrating task-specific physical constraints—such as ensuring a full mug remains upright during transport—into the motion planning process remains unsolved. In this project, we aim to extend our existing motion planning framework for legged manipulators by incorporating such constraints. We propose using LLMs to dynamically generate task-aware constraint formulations based on high-level task descriptions and object states. These constraints will then be used to adjust the cost function of the model predictive controller in real time, enabling more context-sensitive and physically appropriate handovers.
Keywords
language-guided motion planning, legged robotics, human-robot collaboration
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Semester Project , Bachelor Thesis
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Published since: 2025-05-21
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Organization Robotic Systems Lab
Hosts Tulbure Andreea
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences
6month Master Thesis Project: 3D printing of dECM hydrogels for in vitro cardiac tissue modelling
Congenital heart diseases represent a significant cause of infant morbidity and mortality. Current therapeutic materials for congenital heart defect closure have been evaluated in 2D in vitro models and in vivo animal studies, both of which have inherent limitations in replicating human cardiac physiology. This is reflected in common surgical complications like inflammation and fibrosis as well as in a lack of integration with native cardiac tissue. To address these challenges, this project aims at the development of a 3D in vitro tissue model that mimics the native heart defects, offering an innovative platform to study regenerative closure mechanisms and evaluate therapeutic materials. This model will be composed of cardiac cells and a dynamic, decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM)-based hydrogel scaffold, processed into a defect shape by 3D bioprinting.
Keywords
Biomaterials; Hydrogels; Tissue engineering; Cardiac model
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-05-21 , Earliest start: 2025-08-01 , Latest end: 2026-03-31
Organization Biomimetic Membranes and Textiles
Hosts Wei Kongchang
Topics Engineering and Technology
Humanoid Locomotion in Rough Terrain via Imitation Learning
TLDR: Make Humanoid walk in rough terrain using human demonstration and RL
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Semester Project , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-05-21 , Earliest start: 2025-05-31 , Latest end: 2025-09-30
Applications limited to ETH Zurich , EPFL - Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne , University of Zurich
Organization Robotic Systems Lab
Hosts Frey Jonas
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences , Engineering and Technology , Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences
Master Project/Thesis: Investigation of Polyvinyl Alcohol/Carbon Fiber Hydrogel for Wearable Devices
(see attached pdf for clarification) Project overview: Focus: fabrication process of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/carbon fiber (CF) hydrogel Aim: building a hydrogel that possesses both good conductivity and good stretchability, with the end goal of using it for wearable devices
Keywords
Wearable Devices Soft Electronics Hydrogel
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Semester Project , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-05-20 , Earliest start: 2025-08-24
Organization Multifunctional Materials
Hosts Kuang Hekun
Topics Engineering and Technology
Global Optimization Enabled by Learning
We aim to characterize optimization landscapes using metrics such as Sobolev norms, measuring function smoothness, Hessian spectral properties, indicating curvature, and the tightness of semidefinite programming (SDP) relaxations (relevant for polynomial optimization). The core innovation lies in translating these metrics into differentiable objectives or regularizers. By incorporating these into the training process, we encourage the learned modules to produce downstream optimization problems that are inherently well-conditioned and possess favourable global structures
Keywords
Optimization, Learning, Optimal, Robotics
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Semester Project , Master Thesis , ETH Zurich (ETHZ)
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Published since: 2025-05-19 , Earliest start: 2025-06-01 , Latest end: 2026-06-01
Organization Robotic Systems Lab
Hosts Talbot William , Tuna Turcan
Topics Engineering and Technology
Human-scene interaction reconstruction based on Gaussian Splats
Three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of dynamic scenes, particularly those involving humans interacting with their environment, remains a challenging problem in computer vision and graphics. Traditional volumetric and mesh-based methods can struggle with occlusions, complex geometries, and real-time performance. Recent advances in neural rendering—especially Gaussian splatting—offer promising alternatives by representing scenes as clouds of oriented 3D Gaussians (“splats”) that can be rendered extremely efficiently. The goal of this project is to develop a novel pipeline that leverages Gaussian splatting to reconstruct, analyze, and interpret human–scene interactions in 3D.
Keywords
3D reconstruction, Gaussian splats, Human pose estimation
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Semester Project , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-05-18 , Earliest start: 2025-05-31
Organization pd|z Product Development Group Zurich
Hosts Wang Rui
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences
Long-term ex situ liver perfusion for tissue repair
Liver transplantation is the only treatment for patients with end-stage liver disease. Unfortunately, there are not sufficiently many transplantable liver grafts available to meet the patient demand. Therefore, many patiens remain on waiting lists and eventually die when they do not get a transplant in time. While a lot of people donate organs after their death, many organs are not used because the organ is injured or diseased and thus cannot be transplanted. We aim at increasing utilization of available liver grafts by preserving livers outside of the body on so-called perfusion machines, where they can be preserved for multiple days. Perfusion devices pump a perfusate, similar to blood, through the vessels and provide the organ with nutrients, oxygen and a series of stimuli that mimick in vivo conditions. The perfusion time window gives the opportunity for treatment allowing for reconditioning and repair of the allografts.
Keywords
tissue engineering, ex situ perfusion, liver transplant, hepatology, bioengineering, medical engineering, surgery
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Master Thesis , ETH Zurich (ETHZ)
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Published since: 2025-05-15 , Earliest start: 2025-06-02 , Latest end: 2026-04-30
Organization Macromolecular Engineering Laboratory
Hosts Huwyler Florian , Cunningham Leslie
Topics Medical and Health Sciences , Engineering and Technology
Design and development of a novel printing approach
3D printing has revolutionized the way objects are designed and fabricated across a wide range of industries—from aerospace and automotive to healthcare and consumer products. It enables rapid prototyping, complex geometries, customized solutions, and recently bioprinting of living tissues that are difficult or impossible to achieve with traditional manufacturing methods. Every 3D printing method has certain drawbacks, often related to resolution, material compatibility, speed, or scalability. The ongoing search for new approaches aims to overcome these challenges and expand the potential of the technology. We have developed and demonstrated a proof of concept for a novel printing approach, and are now seeking to advance it into a fully functional prototype.
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Semester Project , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-05-15 , Earliest start: 2025-06-01 , Latest end: 2025-12-31
Organization Zenobi-Wong Group / Tissue Engineering and Biofabrication
Hosts Janiak Jakub
Topics Engineering and Technology
Stanford – UC Berkeley Collaboration: Learning Progress Driven Reinforcement Learning for ANYmal
TLDR: Improving navigation capabilities of ANYmal - RL is simulation - optimizing learning progress.
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Semester Project , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-05-14 , Earliest start: 2025-05-14 , Latest end: 2025-08-31
Applications limited to EPFL - Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne , ETH Zurich , University of Zurich
Organization Robotic Systems Lab
Hosts Frey Jonas
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences , Engineering and Technology , Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences
Master's Thesis Project: Soft tribology with self-built "macroAFM"
This project builds on an existing proof-of-concept device, "macroAFM", a large-scale equivalent of an atomic force microscope that works as a tribometer to study friction, wear, and lubrication properties between surfaces at the macro- or meso-scale.
Keywords
soft tribology, strain sensors, atomic force microscopy, poly(dimethylsiloxane), self-built
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-05-14 , Earliest start: 2025-05-14 , Latest end: 2026-02-28
Applications limited to Zurich University of Applied Sciences , Agroscope , Balgrist Campus , Berner Fachhochschule , CERN , Corporates Switzerland , CSEM - Centre Suisse d'Electronique et Microtechnique , Department of Quantitative Biomedicine , Eawag , Empa , EPFL - Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne , ETH Zurich , Fernfachhochschule , Forschungsinstitut für biologischen Landbau (FiBL) , Friedrich Miescher Institute , Hochschulmedizin Zürich , IBM Research Zurich Lab , Institute for Research in Biomedicine , Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts , NCCR Democracy , NGOs Switzerland , Pädagogische Hochschule St.Gallen , Paul Scherrer Institute , Physikalisch-Meteorologisches Observatorium Davos , Sirm Institute for Regenerative Medicine , Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research , Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics , Swiss National Science Foundation , SystemsX.ch , Università della Svizzera italiana , Université de Neuchâtel , University of Basel , University of Berne , University of Fribourg , University of Geneva , University of Lausanne , University of Lucerne , University of St. Gallen , University of Zurich , Wyss Translational Center Zurich , Zurich University of the Arts , Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen , European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) , FH Aachen , Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin , Justus Liebig University, Gießen , Ludwig Maximilians Universiy Munich , Martin Luther Universitat, Halle , Max Delbruck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) , Max Planck Society , Otto Von Guericke Universitat, Magdeburg , RWTH Aachen University , Social Science Research Center Berlin , Technische Universität Hamburg , Technische Universität München , TU Berlin , TU Darmstadt , TU Dresden , Universität der Bundeswehr München , Universität Ulm , Universität zu Lübeck , University of Cologne , University of Erlangen-Nuremberg , University of Hamburg , University of Konstanz , Universtity of Bayreuth , Imperial College London , National Institute for Medical Research , Royal College of Art , UCL - University College London , University of Aberdeen , University of Cambridge , University of Leeds , University of Manchester , University of Nottingham , University of Oxford , Delft University of Technology , Maastricht Science Programme , Radboud University Nijmegen , Utrecht University , [Other Institutions] , Addis Ababa University , ASPIRE League , Chalmers University of Technology , Champalimaud Foundation , CNRS - Centre national de la recherche scientifique , Comsats University of Islamabad , CSIRO , Dana-Farber Cancer Institute , ENHANCE Alliance , European Molecular Biology Laboratory , Grenoble Institute of Technology (G-INP) - Phelma , Harvard , Hong Kong University of Science and Technology , IEE S.A. Luxembourg , IDEA League , Indian Institute of Technology, Powai, Mumbai , International Alliance of Research Universities , International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology , Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia , KAIST - Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology , Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Max Planck ETH Center for Learning Systems , Nanyang Technological University , National University of Science and Technology - Pakistan , National University of Singapore , Open University of Hong Kong , Peking University , Politecnico di Milano , Princeton University , RIKEN , Research Internships at HU Berlin , San Jose State University , SiROP Association , Stanford University , Swansea University , Technical University of Denmark , Technion - Israel Institute of Technology , The Australian National University , The Microsoft Research – University of Trento Centre for Computational and Systems Biology (COSBI) , The Ohio State University , The Petroleum Institute-Abu Dhabi , The University of Edinburgh , The University of Melbourne , The University of Tokyo , Tokyo Institute of Technology , Tsinghua University , TUM CREATE Singapore , Universidade de São Paulo , Universidade Eduardo Mondlane , BITS Pilani , Université de Strasbourg , Universiteit Stellenbosch , University College Dublin , University of California, Berkeley , University of California, San Diego , University of Copenhagen , University of Ghana , University of Hyderabad, India , University of Johannesburg , University of Queensland , University of Southern Denmark , University of Toronto , University of Washington , Uppsala Universitet , Vienna Biocenter - Scientific Training , Vratis , WASEDA University , Weill Cornell Medicine , Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Biology , Yale University , [nothing]
Organization Interfaces, Soft matter and Assembly
Hosts Kuk Keumkyung
Topics Engineering and Technology , Physics
Multi-Critic Reinforcement Learning for Whole-Body Control of Bimanual Legged Manipulator
Recent work in legged robotics shows the promise of unified control strategies for whole-body control. Portela et al. (2024) demonstrated force control without force sensors, enabling compliant manipulation through body coordination. In another study, they achieved accurate end-effector tracking using whole-body RL with terrain-aware sampling. Fu et al. (2023) showed that unified policies can dynamically handle both movement and manipulation in quadruped robots by training with two critics: one for arms, and one for legs, and then gradually combining them. In this project, you will investigate reinforcement learning for whole body control of a bimanual legged manipulator. You will implement a baseline single-critic whole body controller for the system. You will then investigate different multi-critic approaches and their effects on the training and final performance of the whole-body controller. References: Learning Force Control for Legged Manipulation, Portela et al., 2024 Whole-Body End-Effector Pose Tracking, Portela et al., 2024 Deep Whole-Body Control: Learning a Unified Policy for Manipulation and Locomotion, Fu et al., 2023
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Semester Project , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-05-09 , Earliest start: 2025-05-11 , Latest end: 2025-12-31
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Organization Robotic Systems Lab
Hosts Fischer Oliver , Elanjimattathil Aravind
Topics Engineering and Technology
Visual Language Models for Long-Term Planning
This project uses Visual Language Models (VLMs) for high-level planning and supervision in construction tasks, enabling task prioritization, dynamic adaptation, and multi-robot collaboration for excavation and site management. prioritization, dynamic adaptation, and multi-robot collaboration for excavation and site management
Keywords
Visual Language Models, Long-term planning, Robotics
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Semester Project , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-05-07 , Earliest start: 2025-06-01 , Latest end: 2025-12-31
Organization Robotic Systems Lab
Hosts Terenzi Lorenzo
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences
AI Agents for Excavation Planning
Recent advancements in AI, particularly with models like Claude 3.7 Sonnet, have showcased enhanced reasoning capabilities. This project aims to harness such models for excavation planning tasks, drawing parallels from complex automation scenarios in games like Factorio. We will explore the potential of these AI agents to plan and optimize excavation processes, transitioning from simulated environments to real-world applications with our excavator robot.
Keywords
GPT, Large Language Models, Robotics, Deep Learning, Reinforcement Learning
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Semester Project , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-05-07 , Earliest start: 2025-07-01 , Latest end: 2025-12-31
Organization Robotic Systems Lab
Hosts Terenzi Lorenzo
Topics Engineering and Technology
Robotic motion planning for active environmental manipulation
Robotic motion planning usually happens in static environments, and we typically do not reason about how we can (or need to) change the environment in order to reach certain places or fulfill certain tasks. In reality, this is an important part that can not be neglected: think of grabbing a chair to reach an object high up, or building a bridge to walk to another place over a gap (see images below, from [1]). Another setting can be found in the construction industry, where we need to build scaffolding to facilitate work higher up. In these cases, the robot intentionally extend its reachable space by building supports (bridges or makeshift staircases). Traditional motion planning techniques requires explicitly representing and enumerating all the different surfaces on which a robot could move, which usually involves case-specific assumptions and engineering heuristics. [1] Atlas Gets a Grip | Boston Dynamics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e1_QhJ1EhQ
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-05-03 , Earliest start: 2025-05-05 , Latest end: 2025-12-31
Organization Computational robotics laboratory (Prof. Stelian Coros)
Hosts Hartmann Valentin
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences
Transcatheter Heart Valve Repair and Replacement Devices at Harvard Medical School
Master thesis on novel devices and tools for both valve repair and replacement at Harvard Medical School
Keywords
Prototyping, Experimental Evaluation, Materials
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-05-02
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Organization Multiscale Robotics Lab
Hosts Gantenbein Valentin
Topics Medical and Health Sciences , Engineering and Technology
Autonomous Robotic Cardiac Catheters at Harvard Medical School
We are developing robotic catheters for heart valve repair and for treatment of arrythmias.
Keywords
Autonomous Control, Medical devices, Animal models, Prototyping
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Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-05-02
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Organization Multiscale Robotics Lab
Hosts Gantenbein Valentin
Topics Medical and Health Sciences , Engineering and Technology
Feedback Optimization of Acoustic Patterning in Real Time for Bioprinter
Our project aims to enhance the ultrasound-assisted bioprinting process using real-time feedback and image processing. We have developed a transparent nozzle equipped with multiple cameras for real-time monitoring. The next steps involve integrating advanced image processing techniques, such as template matching, and implementing a feedback system to optimize the printing process. The system will be fully automated, featuring a function generator for wave creation and cooling elements. By analyzing the printing process and acoustic cell patterning with computer vision and leveraging real-time sensor feedback, we aim to dynamically optimize parameters such as frequency and amplitude for accurate and consistent pattern formation, crucial for bio applications.
Keywords
Machine learning, control and automation, 3D Printing, Ultrasound
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Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-04-29 , Earliest start: 2025-02-01 , Latest end: 2025-09-30
Organization Acoustic Robotics for Life Sciences and Healthcare (ARSL)
Hosts Medany Mahmoud
Topics Medical and Health Sciences , Information, Computing and Communication Sciences , Engineering and Technology , Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences
BEV meets Semantic traversability
Enable Birds-Eye-View perception on autonomous mobile robots for human-like navigation.
Keywords
Semantic Traversability, Birds-Eye-View, Localization, SLAM, Object Detection
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Master Thesis , ETH Zurich (ETHZ)
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Published since: 2025-04-29 , Earliest start: 2025-01-15 , Latest end: 2025-10-31
Organization Robotic Systems Lab
Hosts Gawel Abel
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences , Engineering and Technology
Scene graphs for robot navigation and reasoning
Elevate semantic scene graphs to a new level and perform semantically-guided navigation and interaction with real robots at The AI Institute.
Keywords
Scene graphs, SLAM, Navigation, Spacial Reasoning, 3D reconstruction, Semantics
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Master Thesis , ETH Zurich (ETHZ)
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Published since: 2025-04-29 , Earliest start: 2025-01-15 , Latest end: 2025-10-31
Organization Robotic Systems Lab
Hosts Gawel Abel , Kneip Laurent
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences , Engineering and Technology
Acceleration of Crack Growth Prediction in Metamaterials by Distributed Multi-XPU Computing
Predicting the failure mechanisms of low-density cellular solids, from random fiber networks to periodic architected materials (or metamaterials), remains a challenge for computational mechanics. One fundamental distinction between beam-based architected materials and classical homogeneous solids lies in the nature of their failure. Unlike classical materials, beam-based architected materials fail through the discrete breaking of individual beams. This results in complex patterns of crack initiation and propagation, that are significantly different from those observed in classical materials. As computational models for large-scale, manufacturable metamaterials often involve millions or even billions of unknowns, we are developing an open-source C++ library for scalable finite element simulations. Currently, this library leverages distributed computing on CPUs via Open MPI, utilizing ETH Zurich’s Euler cluster. The goal of this project is to improve simulation performance for predicting failure in large-scale beam networks. A key focus will be integrating Nvidia’s GPU accelerators to achieve significantly enhanced computational efficiency beyond what distributed CPU computing alone can provide. Throughout this project, the student will contribute to an open-source project, conduct in-depth performance studies, and utilize the developed software to predict fracture behavior in novel materials with different (multi-)material properties, including both linear elastic and plastic regimes.
Keywords
Fracture, Metamaterials, GPU, Accelerators, HPC, Distributed Computing
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Semester Project , Master Thesis , ETH Zurich (ETHZ)
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Published since: 2025-04-28 , Earliest start: 2025-05-12 , Latest end: 2026-04-01
Organization Mechanics and Materials
Hosts Kraschewski Kevin
Topics Information, Computing and Communication Sciences , Engineering and Technology
Modelling and Optimizing the Power Budget of a Bridge-Mounted Camera System for River Waste Monitoring
In this thesis, you will contribute to the Autonomous River Cleanup (ARC) by helping develop SARA, a bridge-mounted, camera-based system for monitoring river waste. Your focus will be on modeling the system’s power dynamics to determine the ideal battery and solar panel size, and balancing runtime throughout the day with overall the system size and weight. If time allows, you will also validate your findings with tests on the real hardware.
Keywords
system modelling, power electronics, simulations
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Semester Project , Bachelor Thesis
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Published since: 2025-04-27 , Earliest start: 2025-05-05 , Latest end: 2025-09-30
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Organization Robotic Systems Lab
Hosts Elbir Emre
Topics Engineering and Technology
Domain Adaptation Techniques for Vision Algorithms on a Smartphone for River Waste Monitoring
In this thesis, you will work on SARA, a bridge-mounted, smartphone-based system for detecting and monitoring river waste. The focus will be on selecting lightweight detection and classification models suitable for smartphones and exploring domain adaptation techniques to improve performance across different locations with minimal retraining. Your work will build on previous research at ARC and current literature to develop solutions that balance model robustness and computational efficiency.
Keywords
machine learning, computer vision, domain adaptation techniques
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Published since: 2025-04-27 , Earliest start: 2025-05-05 , Latest end: 2025-09-30
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Organization Robotic Systems Lab
Hosts Elbir Emre
Topics Engineering and Technology
Optimal Robot Configuration for Autonomous Waste Sorting in Confined Spaces
In this thesis, you will contribute to the Autonomous River Cleanup (ARC) by helping improve MARC, our robotic platform for autonomous waste sorting. Your work will focus on optimizing the robot arm configuration by simulating different base locations and degrees of freedom to achieve faster and more efficient pick-and-place movements in a confined space. You will build on our existing simulation environment to model and evaluate various setups.
Keywords
modelling and simulations, robotics, robot dynamics
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Published since: 2025-04-27 , Earliest start: 2025-05-05 , Latest end: 2025-09-30
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Organization Robotic Systems Lab
Hosts Elbir Emre
Topics Engineering and Technology
Thermal Protection of a Bridge-Mounted Camera System for River Waste Monitoring
The Autonomous River Cleanup (ARC) is developing SARA, the next iteration of a bridge-mounted, camera-based system to detect and measure riverine waste. Smartphones offer a compact, affordable, and powerful core for year-round monitoring but are vulnerable to shutdowns from extreme heat in summer and cold in winter. This thesis focuses on assessing these thermal challenges and designing protective solutions to ensure reliable, continuous operation.
Keywords
thermodynamics, heat transfer, testing
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Semester Project , Bachelor Thesis
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Published since: 2025-04-27 , Earliest start: 2025-05-05 , Latest end: 2025-09-30
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Organization Robotic Systems Lab
Hosts Elbir Emre
Topics Engineering and Technology
Reinforcement learning for robotic 3D bin packing
Many industrial assembly tasks require high accuracy when manipulating parts, e.g., when inserting an object somewhere, such as a box that we would like to put in a bin. Here, the tolerances that are required can vary wildly. While industrial manipulators are generally accurate in a controlled setting, as soon as the environment is not as structured as we would like it to be, we need to leverage feedback policies to correct for inaccuraies in estimation, and unexpected/unmodeled effects. The setting we are interested in in this work is robotic bin packing, i.e., enabling a robot to pick objects (initially boxes/parcels), and (the focus of this work) placing them in a box, where other previously placed object possibly obstruct the placement.
Keywords
Reinforcement learning, robotics
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Published since: 2025-04-23 , Earliest start: 2025-05-01 , Latest end: 2026-02-01
Organization Computational robotics laboratory (Prof. Stelian Coros)
Hosts Hartmann Valentin
Topics Engineering and Technology
Single-cell Encapsulation for RNA Sequencing
This project focuses on understanding the metabolism of bacteria exposed to an enzymatic inhibitor. By employing microfluidic systems, we aim to perform a single-based encapsulation in hydrogel beads to be exposed to inhibitors. Using FACS-based sorting and bulk sequencing, bacteria in hydrogel beads will be sorted and the RNA from pool or individual beads will be extracted for sequencing. We aim to create an RNA sequencing protocol for sorted hydrogel beads containing bacteria to analyze the total gene expression profiles of our candidates.
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Keywords: Bacteria, RNA, droplets, microfluidic, high-throughput, hydrogel, gene expression, sequencing
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Semester Project , Internship , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-04-21 , Earliest start: 2024-08-01 , Latest end: 2025-07-31
Organization Complex Materials
Hosts Enrriquez Nadia
Topics Medical and Health Sciences , Engineering and Technology , Chemistry , Biology
pH Quantification in Emulsified Droplets for High-Throughput Screening
This project focuses on finding a suitable emulsification system for encapsulating bacteria in water-in-oil droplets. By employing microfluidic systems and versatile pH dyes, we aim to create emulsified droplets with reduced crosstalk rates to screen bacteria based on the pH changes as a result of their metabolic activity.
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Keywords: Bacteria, pH, droplets, microfluidic, high-throughput.
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Published since: 2025-04-21 , Earliest start: 2024-08-01 , Latest end: 2025-07-31
Organization Complex Materials
Hosts Enrriquez Nadia
Topics Medical and Health Sciences , Engineering and Technology , Biology
Biomineralization of Hydrogels-Based Structures
Currently, the mineralization capacity of S. pasteurii is being exploited in developing construction materials in the form of bio-bricks and bio-cement. These materials are mostly compact structures with different degrees of porosity to increase the diffusion of nutrients through the material. Nevertheless, one recurrent challenge in biomineralized structures is the limited precipitation across the structure.
Keywords
Biomineralization, Hydrogel Scaffolds, Bacteria, 3D Printing
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Published since: 2025-04-21 , Earliest start: 2024-08-01 , Latest end: 2025-04-01
Organization Complex Materials
Hosts Enrriquez Nadia
Topics Engineering and Technology , Chemistry , Biology
Microelectronic circuit design for neural interfaces in 0.18um CMOS technology
This project is about the development of integrated circuits to study neurons and neural networks, and may comprise different parts of the design including analog and/or digital microelectronics, PCB design, signal processing and programming.
Keywords
Microelectronics, CMOS, circuit design, electronics, PCB, signal processing, neural interface.
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Semester Project , Internship , Bachelor Thesis , Master Thesis
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Published since: 2025-04-14 , Earliest start: 2022-01-03
Organization Bio Engineering Laboratory
Hosts Cardes Fernando
Topics Engineering and Technology