Success storiesKTH reaching for the stars

Technology for fun and security

Home Assurance – in collaboration with Ericsson

• Measures electrical consumption of appliances

• Checks if everything is working

• Does not give unnecessary detail

• Knows if the TV is switched on – but not on which channel

22010-05-06 KTH Royal Institute of Technology • www.kth.se

Mark T. Smith, Professor of IT product development at KTH.

Using the greatest energy source

Grätzel cells

• Cheaper and simpler to manufacture on large scale

• Allow for wider scope of design, such as coloured or translucent panels

• If improved, can satisfy a growing demand for clean energy

• Must become at least half as efficient and five times as cheap as silicone cells

32010-05-06 KTH Royal Institute of Technology • www.kth.se

Discovering the world of sound

The sound of rowing – KTH and the Swedish rowing team

• Teach the rowers how their stroke sounds at optimal level

• Factors such as acceleration, speed and effect are considered

• Based on the basic idea that sound and movement are closely connected

42010-05-06 KTH Royal Institute of Technology • www.kth.se

Roberto Bresin, Associate Professor of speech and music communication at KTH.

Packaging as a competitive edge

Monitoring the transport of food

• A wireless system monitors the food inside and communicates results to a server

• Can be used on ordinary cardboard boxes

• Developed in partnership with industrial partner Billerud for use when transporting fruit

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Li-Rong Zheng, director of the research centre Ipack. Photo: Jann Lipka

2010-05-06 KTH Royal Institute of Technology • www.kth.se

Calculating fuel-efficient aircraft

The Ekman Computer

• Takes up 60 square meters and consists of 1 268 servers

• Is being used to make advanced calculations on how turbulence behaves on different surfaces, in the air and above the sea

• Can result in aircraft wings that reduces turbulence, and thereby fuel consumption

62010-05-06 KTH Royal Institute of Technology • www.kth.se

Dan Henningson, Professor of Fluid Mechanics at KTH.

Revolutionising the music industry

Spotify has revolutionised the way we listen to music. The service is a gigantic online music library, free of charge in ex-change for an advertisement interruption, or advertisement free for a monthly fee. The soft-ware also lets its users share songs and playlists, and discover new music based on their tastes.

72010-05-06 KTH Royal Institute of Technology • www.kth.se

Did you know?Little known facts and trivia

KTH in space

Christer Fuglesang, Sweden’s first astronaut, studied Engineering Phsyics at KTH. He is also an Affiliated Professor at KTH.

Christer has been on two trips to the international space station. On the second journey, he spent his free time measuring particle radiation, using a device of his own invention – built at KTH.

92010-05-06 KTH Royal Institute of Technology • www.kth.se

Christer Fuglesang performing one of his missions at the International Space Station.

Creating a Swedish whiskey

In 1998, eight KTH students on a ski trip asked themselves a question: why aren’t there any Swedish whiskeys?

Before the end of 1999, Mackmyra Swedish Whiskey had been founded. Using all of the skills learned at KTH, the group distilled their first drops.

Over a decade and numerous awards later, Mackmyra is a success.

102010-05-06

Harvesting juniper twigs, one of the herbs used in Mackmyra Whiskey.Photo: Johan Olsson

KTH Royal Institute of Technology • www.kth.se

Monitoring football stars

It started as a degree project for two students at KTH. Activio is a unique, wireless system that measures pulse and heart frequency during a workout. The data is sent to a computer and shown on a big screen. The workout can then be adjusted to fit the individual.

Today, the system is found in over 200 gyms around the world, and used by about 60 sports organisations: including Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, and half of the Premier League.

112010-05-06

The Activio Fitness System has also been used in the Vasaloppet ski race, giving millions of TV viewers real-time updates on the heart rates of the leading athletes.

KTH Royal Institute of Technology • www.kth.se