Applicant
Univ.-Prof. Dr Ruth Breu, Department of Computer Science

Content and impact

The aim of the project is to develop a modular study programme in the field of Software and Data Engineering in continuing education in accordance with UG 2002. The programme will be adapted to the needs of people interested in education who are already in employment and who want to change to a function with an IT or data focus. The continuing education programme is being developed as an innovative educational product with a showcase character. Central elements are the adaptability to individual study goals using the concept of micro-credentials, the support of self-directed learning through a combination of classroom teaching, well-prepared online learning material and digital exercise platforms, as well as problem-orientated learning with reference to research topics and in interaction with companies. Within the project, two university courses in Software Engineering and Data Engineering will be set up, possibly with the option of connecting to regular degree programmes and/or interdisciplinary courses.

Applicant
Aurora Office Innsbruck

Content and impact

As part of Aurora, the University of Innsbruck is actively involved in the European Universities Initiative together with eight other European universities. The partner institutions range from Reykjavik to Naples and from Tarragona to Copenhagen, with which a wide range of collaborations in the areas of teaching, research, third mission and administrative cooperation are implemented. The initiative, which is supported by the European Commission via Erasmus+, aims to strengthen the European dimension in university cooperation in general, but in particular to support the expansion of mobility programmes at all levels. In the field of research, the Aurora network launched its first call for proposals to strengthen research cooperation in spring 2024 and rolled out various funding streams. One of these is aimed at supporting research stays for early career researchers ("Aurora Short-Term Research Secondments") and was heavily oversubscribed at the University of Innsbruck. As part of this funding programme, young researchers (MA, PhD, postdoc) are given the opportunity to spend up to three months conducting research at another Aurora partner institution and carrying out research activities for their projects and theses. Thanks to the support of the Sponsorship Programme, a larger group of interested young researchers now have the opportunity to take advantage of such a research stay, improve the quality of their work and establish important networks for their future career path. In this way, the funding programme makes an important contribution to the European Universities Initiative, both individually and collectively, in order to promote European networking.

Applicant
Stefanie Jäger, MSc, Department of Zoology

Content and effect

Honey bees play an indispensable role in the ecological balance. Despite their immense importance for humans and the environment, they are exposed to numerous threats such as habitat loss, pesticides, diseases, parasites and climate change. The high winter mortality rate of bee colonies is particularly alarming, with beekeepers losing up to a third of their colonies every year. There is therefore an urgent need to rethink the design of beehives to better meet the needs of bees and improve their chances of survival, especially during the cold season. In this project, a passively highly insulated brood chamber frame with zero energy standard and integrated ventilation system is being developed to meet the requirements of bee colonies in winter and during cold spells. The inner shell is made of bee-friendly material, while the outer shell is extremely weatherproof, highly insulating and predominantly made of highly technical materials. Due to the specific technical development, a property right is being sought at national and then international level.

Applicant
Dr Arne Ramisch, Department of Geology

Content and effect

In this project, a novel method is being further developed that was specifically designed to suppress typical interference signals on image sensors in co-operation with the KU Leuven. The approach was originally developed for X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF) to analyse the elemental composition of drill cores. Initial investigations in the context of XRF showed considerable improvements in the signal-to-noise ratio and analytical precision when applying the innovation compared to conventional analysis. In this project, this innovation will be applied to hyperspectral imaging methods so that it can be used for UV light, visible light and infrared light in the future. Typical applications for hyperspectral imaging are key markets such as mining, agriculture, medical imaging and industrial quality control. A patent application is already in preparation to protect the method and the results of the project.

Applicant
Dr Günther Mühlberger & Patrick Schönegger, BSc, Department of German Studies

Content and impact

As part of the prototype funding, an important component of the "Robotics for Digitalisation - R4D" digitisation platform based on robot technology is being developed. R4D is an automated book scanner that helps archives and libraries to digitise collections in a short space of time and with very few human resources. Specifically, a multifunctional book cradle is being developed with this funding, which is of crucial importance for scanning bound originals. The book cradle aligns the book optimally for scanning the page and is controlled by a 3D camera that determines certain reference points (e.g. the lowest points in the open fold and the surfaces of the pages) and uses them to control the book cradle. This 3D data will later also form the basis for "smoothing" the unavoidable distortions caused by curled paper and the book fold. The project thus follows on from the previous project approved in 2022, in which an end effector for the page-turning process was developed. The main applicant has been pursuing the project for almost four years and steady progress can be seen. Commercialisation is to take place via the establishment of a spin-off company separate from the cooperative. Successful exploitation is very likely due to the immense need for digitalisation. A patent application is also to be filed in order to protect the IP.

Applicant
Ass.-Prof. Dr Dr Spasoje Miric, Department of Mechatronics, AB Electrical Engineering

Content and effect

Cable-connected joints are a major weak point in robotics and automation technology. Cable wear and the associated maintenance costs are very high. The "WirelessJoint" project aims to solve this problem. The new, innovative solution offers compact and efficient energy transmission that enables freedom of movement of up to 270 degrees and is therefore particularly suitable for use in environments with high cleanliness requirements, such as in the pharmaceutical or semiconductor industries. The funding is the starting signal for this project to create an initial prototype, possibly protect the IP and start successful commercialisation. The market for this invention would be very large, and the applicant has good relationships with market leaders such as ABB, Maxon and Anybotics.

Applicant
Dipl.-Ing. Andreas Hanschek, BEng, Department of Mechatronics, AB Electrical Engineering

Content and impact

This project aims to advance energy storage systems by integrating power electronics to improve their sustainability and efficiency. In current energy storage methods, the individual battery cells are not loaded evenly, which can lead to different states of charge. However, the system is only as strong as the weakest link in the series. Batteries therefore have to be replaced earlier and are no longer suitable for reuse. By developing a seamless integration of advanced cell balancing techniques and a cell wear monitoring system, the project aims to extend the life and utilisation of battery cells. In addition, the weakening batteries can then be reused in less demanding applications, which should reduce battery waste. This project aims to reduce the environmental impact by avoiding waste and also optimising the use of resources. A patent application is currently being prepared for the cell equalisation technology and the establishment of a spin-off is planned.

Applicant
Univ.-Prof. Dr Fabian Dielmann, Department of General and Inorganic and Theoretical Chemistry

Content and effect

Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) is the strongest known greenhouse gas with a global warming potential (GWP) of approx. 22,800. It is regulated by the Kyoto Protocol and must not be released into the atmosphere. In addition to applications in metallurgy and medical technology, SF6 is primarily used as an insulating and arc extinguishing gas in electrical power engineering. In the course of the project, a novel decomposition process was discovered that is clearly superior to the state of the art in terms of energy requirements and process safety. Based on this patent-pending process, a prototype is being developed that will enable a globally applicable disposal method for the problematic substance SF6 on a kilogramme scale. The main applicant has been pursuing the project for several years and steady progress can be seen. He has been in contact with various companies and project managers who are interested in the SF6 disposal issue. Successful utilisation is very likely due to the EU's F-Gas Regulation, which bans the use of SF6 in energy technology until 2032. A patent application has already been filed to protect the IP.

Applicant
Public Relations Office

Content and impact

The MINT Summer Technology Centre was founded in April 2017 and aims to inspire and encourage young women aged 15 to 19 to study MINT subjects and the MINT (Mathematics, Computer Science, Natural Sciences and Technology) career field. The pupils (girls only) are given the opportunity to attend a one-week summer school (Monday - Friday, during the summer holidays) at the University of Innsbruck free of charge. In addition, a company visit provides further important practical and theoretical insights. The aim of the project is to provide an insight into the STEM fields of study, research and work through workshops, lectures, excursions and company visits in an intensive setting. For example, a visit to the company SANDOZ GmbH in Kundl is planned for summer 2024. To date, a total of 240 young women have completed the MINT summer technology programme (2017 - 2023).

Applicant
Francesca Finotello, PhD, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, DiSC - Digital Science Centre

Content and effect

Tumours are one of the leading causes of death worldwide. The analysis of images generated from tumour specimens is crucial for the prognosis and treatment of patients in clinical practice, but has limited potential to improve the efficacy of cancer treatments. This project will leverage the complementary expertise of the Department of Molecular Biology, the Department of Computer Science and the Digital Science Center of Innsbruck University to develop a computational framework that overcomes these limitations. The proposed project is highly innovative and the project leader is an excellent young scientist. By developing a new software solution, the patterns that predict the prognosis and response of patients to therapy can be better understood. The project thus contributes to cancer research.

Applicant
Prof. Dr Heiko Gimperlein, Department of Basic Sciences in Engineering Sciences, AB Technical Mathematics, Faculty of Engineering Sciences

Content and impact

The aim of this Dig.Ing. project is to develop complex digital exercises to support independent learning in the mathematics-oriented beginners' lectures of the engineering and science degree programmes at the Faculty of Engineering Sciences and the Faculty of Mathematics, Computer Science and Physics. Based on the experience of the applicants in Edinburgh, we are introducing the world-leading automatic open source learning system STACK for mathematical subjects at the UIBK and developing electronic learning units for the basic subjects in mathematics. Teaching the fundamentals of maths is highly relevant to all STEM studies. The selected learning system is very innovative, and the exercises to be developed in the project can be used in the long term. The project will increase the studyability of STEM subjects and thus contribute both to making these programmes more attractive and to preventing students from dropping out due to a lack of basic knowledge.

Applicant
Oliver Ott, MSc, Department of Mechatronics, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Sciences

Content and impact

The aim of the project is to promote the self-determined participation of people with disabilities in society. To this end, needs-based and individualised approaches are to be developed in close cooperation between Bachelor's students of mechatronics and users in order to simplify everyday life. The innovative concept enables interested students to realise their solution approaches in the form of prototypes as part of a three-month internship. The aim is to teach students skills in engineering product development with practical problems. The project is characterised by its practical approach to involving students and its social benefits and social dimension. The project manager is part of a working group that has been working intensively on this topic for several months, is regionally networked and has already organised workshops/events.

Applicant
Cenk Guzelis, MA, Department of Experimental Architecture, Faculty of Architecture

Content and impact

Meeting A.I. Halfway aims to expand theoretical and practical knowledge of architectural design processes and design methods through the integration of two- and three-dimensional models of AI. The project will address topics such as AI ecology and design, the spatial web and new forms of social events. In this case, AI will not primarily be questioned for knowledge modelling, but will participate in the design process as a creative cooperation partner. Students will familiarise themselves with these design and production methods in workshops and seminars. Meeting A.I. Halfway has a very innovative character and enables a committed young scientist to carry out an experimental project that integrates artificial intelligence into research in a way that has not yet been done. The project therefore has the potential to further advance AI research beyond the traditional research areas.

Applicant
Prof. Dr Jürgen Fuchsbauer, Department of Slavonic Studies, Faculty of Language, Literature and Culture

Content and impact

Greek works that were translated into Slavic in the Bulgarian-speaking world in the 14th century play an important role in the linguistic and intellectual history of south-eastern and eastern Europe. Research is increasingly drawing on digital corpora. So far, however, there has been no labelling scheme that makes automated syntactic annotation of Greek and Slavic technically possible. Such a scheme is to be developed as part of this project. The queryability of syntactic phenomena makes a significant contribution to the sustainable digitisation of linguistic research. SYNPAR is to be incorporated into an MA seminar, which will teach digital skills in the classroom. The results of the project will be freely accessible on the Internet. The project makes a relevant contribution to the further development of digital edition sciences and thus the digital humanities. The knowledge and skills gained from the project will also be taught as part of a course.

Applicants
Christoph Kappacher, MSc and Jovan Badzoka, MSc, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Radiochemistry

Content and impact

As part of the prototype funding, the qualitative validation method invented at the University of Innsbruck for the analysis of the environmental contaminant microplastics is to be further developed so that an efficient and objective assessment of microplastic analyses is made possible, which is to be proposed to the ISO committees after publication and certification and is to represent the standard analysis for microplastics in the future. The developed method is to be commercialised in the course of a spin-off foundation of an analysis laboratory with the planned company name MIQALab. MIQALab will establish itself on the market as an independent analysis and certification company for microplastic-free products (PlastiTrax). In addition, the method will be used to spike human blood samples in order to further investigate the triggering of inflammatory reactions. It is necessary to add a precisely defined quantity, polymer type and size of MP in order to be able to draw further conclusions about the effects on health. Microplastics are one of the largest environmental contaminants whose effects on the environment affect us directly. MIQUALab represents an innovative, close-to-market product with a global market and can contribute to further research into the impact of specific microplastic components on living organisms and the environment and to banning them from the market.

Applicant
Stefan Frank Frick, PhD, Department of Experimental Physics

Content and effect

The aim of this prototype project is to develop a source for entangled photon pairs that can be used specifically for entangled quantum communication. Quantum communication has become one of the most important applications for quantum technologies, as it enables very secure information transmission. This requires quantum key distribution (QKD) so that a decryption code can be securely exchanged. This requires a reliable source of temporally entangled photons, which has so far only been realised in a very resource-intensive manner. In addition, noise is a major problem when transmitting this information over long distances. The newly developed source generates two very well entangled photons that can be used for quantum communication, saving resources and minimising noise. Quantum technologies are one of the great technologies of the future, and quantum communication is seen as a great opportunity, particularly in the telecommunications and financial industries. Many of these technologies are still in their infancy and it will only be decided in the next few years which of them will become established. Nevertheless, it is important to prepare any necessary technical solutions in order to be at the forefront. The project is convincing due to the low-cost production method and the significance it could have for quantum communication.

Applicant
Eva-Lotte Schabbehard, MSc, Department of Sport Science

Content and effect

In the course of prototype funding, a medical product is to be developed that promotes an increase in blood flow and shear stress through the large arteries, thereby maintaining the elasticity of the blood vessels. This medical product represents a cost-effective measure against vascular ageing and the associated cardiovascular diseases. The technology is based on an invention developed at the University of Innsbruck. The medical product keeps the arteries and blood vessels elastic and can thus prevent ageing and the associated need to take medication. On the basis of physiological principles from preliminary investigations, it was found that the medical product can be used both as a preventive measure and for long-term therapy. The present invention and the implementation of the prototype represent a highly effective, cost-saving preventive measure to prevent cardiovascular diseases, especially ischaemic strokes, or to counteract further deterioration of the elasticity of the vessels. For this reason, the global marketability is estimated to be very high.

Applicant
Michael Renzler, PhD, Department of Mechatronics, AB Electrical Engineering

Content and effect

The aim of this project is to develop a moisture sensor that can be fully embedded in concrete and used to monitor critical infrastructure such as tunnels or bridges. Although such sensors are of immense importance, current commercially available solutions have significant drawbacks that make them difficult to use in practice. The team around the applicant has developed a fully automated optimisation method that allows the sensors to be completely embedded in concrete, with the data being read out by radio and the sensors also being supplied with energy wirelessly from outside the structure. The aim of the 1669 grant is to develop a complete sensor system that can be used in practice and at the same time to test the long-term stability of the system in concrete. Sensors for monitoring critical infrastructure represent a large potential market, as both building operators (such as ÖBB and Asfinag) and building constructors benefit from them. A patent has already been filed for the optimisation method on which the project is based and a spin-off company will be founded to sell the sensors via B2B direct marketing.

Applicant
Dr Jakob Braun, BSc MSc, Department of Mechatronics, AB Mechanical Engineering

Content and effect

Additive manufacturing of metals by selective laser melting (LPBF) is a 3D printing process that can be used to produce complex geometries with unprecedented geometric freedom. The aim of this prototype project is to develop a low-pressure plasma treatment system that can be used to remove surface oxides and moisture from the metal powder. In addition, the powder is recycled and the chemical and physical properties of the powder are improved. In future, the materials should therefore have constant optimised properties regardless of the storage and ageing of the powder. The 1669 funding will be used in particular to strengthen the construction of a more powerful plasma source and to print application-related test specimens in test series. LPBF is an enormously important process with a rapidly growing future market and many manufacturing companies that would benefit from this development. The project manager would like to use this idea, for which a patent has already been granted, to establish a spin-off with B2B direct marketing of the system as a business model.

Applicant
David Mungenast, DI, Department of Structural Engineering and Material Sciences, AB Materials Technology

Content and effect

The application is based on an invention by the University of Innsbruck, which describes the development of a sustainable composite material system in the form of endless beams for statically load-bearing, thermally insulating wall structures with increased living quality. These bio-beams consist of two technically different material groups, a static load-bearing layer (such as wood or bio-based fibre-plastic composite) and an insulating layer (hemp hurds or other agricultural residues, in combination with a binder). As part of the prototype funding programme, the stability and the type of shoring are to be further developed and tested. The construction industry is increasingly focussing on hemp as a building material that is easy to extract and protects the soil. To this end, trials on cultivation and harvesting have already been carried out at the Imst research farm. Bio beams are currently only used on the market with the help of an additional solid wood framework - this innovative construction method therefore represents a massive saving in the use of wood as a raw material. The biobalks are also to be optimised for self-build, they represent an easy-to-handle, stable building element that meets the requirements of statics and sustainability for house builders - possibly also for interior construction. The marketability is also estimated to be very high due to the good networking of the applicant, on the one hand in the research community and on the other hand in the industry.

Applicant
Public Relations Office

Content and impact

The aim of the summer school is to inspire and encourage young women aged between 15 and 19 to study STEM subjects and careers in STEM (Mathematics, Computer Science, Natural Sciences and Technology). The programme enables schoolgirls to attend a one-week summer school at the University of Innsbruck free of charge. Furthermore, a company visit provides an additional important practical and theoretical insight. The aim of the project is to provide an insight into the STEM fields of study, research and work through workshops, lectures, excursions and company visits in an intensive setting. For example, a visit to the ADLER plant in Schwaz is planned for summer 2023. Since 2017, a total of 203 young women have completed the MINT summer technology programme.

A focus on internationalisation is planned for 2024:

• Increased cooperation with schools outside North Tyrol

During the STEM week, 20 slots (slots are lectures, workshops, excursions) will focus on specific questions about the importance and forms of internationalisation in the respective scientific discipline.

• What are the motivations and reasons for internationalisation?
• What scientific activities are carried out beyond the home country?
• What does the international networking of the respective discipline look like?
• What experiences have been made in recent years with regard to co-operation outside Austria?
• How do you assess the future with regard to internationalisation in your own discipline

The aim is to convey and acquire an understanding in terms of

• Added value of university mobility
• Strategies for the internationalisation of science and practice
• International future labs, language of the future

Request from
Rectorate

Content and impact

The Alpine glaciers are disappearing. Today, children and young people can still experience the ice giants up close on glacier hikes. In the new Laboratory for Experimental Behavioural Research and Media Education, they will incorporate these impressions and experiences into the design of virtual glacier worlds. In this way, researchers from the Faculty of Teacher Education want to find out what opportunities and limits virtual reality offers as a learning medium for pupils. They are also comparing groups of children who study living organisms such as the Madagascar hissing cockroach or only observe them in virtual worlds.

In the new laboratory, the researchers can use the latest eye-tracking technology, which combines visual data with data from facial expression and skin sensors, to observe the behaviour of test subjects in detail. In learning research, for example, emotional reactions when reading texts can be documented, while in media research the user-friendliness of websites and other media offerings can be analysed. Tourism researchers will have their test subjects walk on treadmills through virtual holiday landscapes and thus document the needs that tourists have when staying in local businesses. Marketing experts will use the laboratory to examine our consumer behaviour on the internet in detail, while social psychologists will analyse reaction and behaviour patterns in a wide variety of life situations. The new Laboratory for Behavioural Research and Media Education at the University of Innsbruck is being jointly initiated by five faculties. This will not only enable costly instruments and equipment to be used efficiently, but will also create new contacts and exchanges between researchers from a wide range of disciplines, from learning research, psychology, sociology, political and communication science and economics to Sport Science, who will jointly develop and investigate new research questions. In the laboratory, companies can also work on very practical questions together with scientists.

Applicant
Univ.-Prof. Dr Matthias Kettemann, Department of Legal Theory and Future of Law, Faculty of Law

Content and impact

The "Diversity in Digitality Law Lab" promotes the mainstreaming of diversity in research, teaching, organisational practice and civil society/third mission with a special focus on the digital constellation: a legal and social science experimental laboratory that advises on teaching with strong partners (Inncubator and CGI), designs AI development in a diversity-sensitive manner, carries out diversity checks and reflects insights from diversity research into society in a target group-sensitive manner. The project is a pilot project. It combines digitalisation and diversity. The project is also interdisciplinary and has an impact on research, teaching and society.

Applicant
Dr Reinhard Starnberger, Public Relations Office

Content and impact

The aim of the project is, on the one hand, to support prospective students from non-academic households at an early stage, i.e. as early as the beginning of their A-level year, in their choice of degree programme and to prepare them for studying at the University of Innsbruck. On the other hand, first-generation students are to be supported and accompanied in their first semester by higher-semester mentors. This means that individual students will receive continuous support from their school-leaving certificate year right through to their first semester, giving them the best possible start to their studies. The project supports the university's endeavours to promote the participation of underrepresented student groups in higher education.

Applicant
Mag. Dr Teresa Millesi, BA, FSP Cultural Encounters - Cultural Conflicts, Department of Romance Studies, Faculty of Literature, Literature and Culture

Content and impact

As part of the project, a film series, a film workshop and a film festival will be organised to present the films produced in order to critically examine the cinematic representation of diversity using different approaches. Both the general public and young academics are actively involved. The University of Innsbruck is thus developing into a central location for social debates on the topic of diversity with the relevant expertise and is also perceived as such by the public. The project intensively involves young academics and has a strong activation component. It also helps to raise awareness of diversity issues beyond the university.

Applicant
Florian Westreicher, Public Relations Office

Content and impact

The project brings pupils from secondary schools in Tyrol, Vorarlberg and South Tyrol to the University of Innsbruck as part of their careers guidance lessons. Children and young people in particular, who have no direct connection to the academic world due to their personal and family environment, should gain new insights and perspectives through their visit to the university and contact with students and lose any fear of contact and scepticism towards science. Students are sensitised to the topic of "equal opportunities in Education". The project supports the university's endeavours to promote the participation of underrepresented student groups in higher education.

Applicant
Dr Giovanni Cerchiari, Department of Experimental Physics, Faculty of Mathematics, Computer Science and Physics

Co-applicant
Dr Ruggero Caravita, CERN, Geneva & Istituto nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Trento

Content and effect

CARONTE (Compact AntipROtoN Transfer dEvice) is a prototype that can be used to transport quantum systems easily and efficiently so that they can be used for experiments at universities, research centres and companies around the world. Antiprotons can only be produced in a controlled manner at CERN and can therefore only be analysed there. In future, these antiprotons will be transported by prototype to research centres and companies in Europe and beyond. This will enable many more research groups to carry out experiments and take science to a new level. In addition, the prototype can also be used to make quantum systems based on ions transportable. Many research groups and companies could benefit from this prototype, as the antiprotons and quantum systems required for their work will be delivered "to their doorstep" in the future, enabling them to conduct research into antimatter or product development based on quantum systems regardless of their location. This also results in good opportunities for economic utilisation.

Applicant
Univ.-Prof. Justin S. Lawley, PhD, Department of Sport Science

Content and effect

Based on the invention of the University of Innsbruck, a physiological feedback process for the demand-orientated control of oxygen and carbon dioxide intake and output of the brain is being realised. Devices currently on the market are based on the uncontrolled release of oxygen and do not control the release of CO2. OptimO2 /CO2 is a medical technology product which, thanks to its controllability, represents a major advance on the current concept and leads to considerable cost savings and a reduction in the size of the apparatus. There are several potential applications in the industry: scientific research, medical treatment, alpine tourism and sports performance. Proof of concept has already been provided. The construction of a prototype is used for validation and in an operational environment and can lead to commercialisation, including a spin-off or licensing to manufacturers of equipment already on the market.

Applicant
Dr Gabriel Rojas-Kopeinig, Department of Structural Engineering and Material Sciences - AB Energy-Efficient Building

Supervising professor
Assoc. Prof. Dr Rainer Pfluger

Content and effect

AUVECO is responding to the increasing demand and need for an energy-efficient solution for good indoor air with high energy efficiency and low costs in the construction industry. The planned prototype represents a further development of the self-sufficient ventilation controller already developed at the institute: an intelligent and completely wireless volume flow controller with an "energy harvesting" function to reduce system complexity, which communicates wirelessly with the rest of the system and the building users (e.g. via app) to enable room-by-room, demand-adapted, intelligent and cost-effective ventilation control. AUVECO is a close-to-market development with high commercialisation potential, which is now to be optimised to be even more efficient and adapted to digital requirements. A TRL5 can be achieved through the project so that the prototype can already be used in pilot projects.

Applicant
Ass.-Prof. Dr Peter Ladurner, Department of Zoology - AG Bioadhesion

Content and effect

The adhesive developed in the "Glue4you - biomimetic adhesive for medical applications" project is part of the field of bionics and is based on the natural high-performance system of flatworms from tidal zones with strong tensile forces. Not only is the adhesive strength unique, but also the reversibility of the system. The gene sequence, localisation and chemical composition have already been researched at the Department of Zoology. The prototype funding enables the first step towards commercialisable use. To realise the production of the biomimetic glue, the essential subunit of the glue protein (a glue peptide) will be produced recombinantly and the first tests will then be carried out in an active environment and initial optimisation tests will be started. The natural adhesive Glue4you is an innovative product with a global market and high commercialisation potential and has numerous advantages over synthetic products: it is non-toxic, non-carcinogenic, tissue-compatible, reversible if required and can be used in a moist environment (wound closure). Possible commercialisation routes include the establishment of a spin-off as well as licensing to globally active industrial partners.

Applicant
Tobias Rainer, MSc, Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy

Content and effect

For the analysis of complex biomolecules, e.g. for therapeutic antibodies, there is currently a lack of immobilised enzyme reactors that enable multidimensional and fully automated mass spectrometric analysis. The project is developing high-pressure-resistant, miniaturised flow reactors that reduce both the costs and the sample and material consumption (e.g. solvents, column material) of the analyses. Pharmaceutical and research laboratories in particular, which need to characterise biotherapeutics quickly and automatically, have a great need for such reactors. The project contains a technologically innovative idea that could be of interest to research laboratories and pharmaceutical companies and could lead to successful commercial utilisation.

Applicant
Dr Günter Mühlberger, Department of German Studies, Faculty of Language, Literature and Culture

Co-applicant
Patrick Schönegger, BSc., Department of Mechatronics, Faculty of Engineering & Department of German Studies, Literature and Culture F.

Content and impact

R4D is an automatic digitisation platform for books, archive materials and museum objects based on robot technology. This scanner offers several advantages over existing book scanners (size-independent scanning, autonomous function, multifunctional, centralised control). The prototype has already been in development for 1.5 years. The funding is specifically intended to enable the development of the flexible book cradle. This rocker will make it possible to obtain high-quality scans of the materials. The applicant is an expert in digital humanities and knows exactly what is needed in this field. A number of important developments have already been made on the platform and, if the scanner is completed quickly, utilisation via services is also very possible.

Request from
Office for Public Relations

Content and impact

The MINT Summer School was founded in April 2017 and aims to inspire and encourage young women aged 15 to 19 to study MINT subjects and work in MINT (Mathematics, Computer Science, Natural Sciences and Technology). The pupils are given the opportunity to attend a one-week summer school (Monday - Friday, during the summer holidays) at the University of Innsbruck free of charge. In addition, an excursion (company visit) provides further important practical and theoretical insights. In summer 2022, for example, a visit to a TIWAG power plant is planned. So far, a total of 173 young women have completed the MINT summer technology programme (2017 - 2021).

In 2023, a focus on the key topic of digitalisation is planned. This will involve an examination of

• with mechanical processes
• the process from analogue information to digital formats
• with approaches to various digital analysis options
• with the handling of data volumes and processes of automation and the transfer of know-how in the areas of
• Media use (receptive = programme usage competence & interactive)
• Media design (innovative, creative, aesthetic approaches)

Stefanie Jäger, Msc and Associate Professor Dr Thorsten Schwerte from the Department of Zoology are developing a trap to combat varroa mites in honey bees. In winter, honey bees do not leave their hive for several months. They move close together and form a so-called winter cluster. If the temperature falls below 10 degrees Celsius, the bees release their flight muscles and produce a muscle tremor that actively warms the hive. This consumes a lot of energy, which means that bee colonies often only make it through the winter weakened or even starve to death. This effect is exacerbated by the additional infestation of a parasite - the Varroa mite. These mites suck on the body fluids and fat deposits of the often already weakened bees and also impair their vitality. A "dummy bee" with a natural attractant can deceive the Varroa mite so that it is distracted from its actual host and the number of mites inside the hives is reduced.

University Professor Dr Fabian Dielmann from the Department of General and Inorganic and Theoretical Chemistry is building a transportable prototype for the chemical decomposition of sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), which offers a technically extremely simple way of disposing of SF6 at the point of use and reduces the currently increasing release of the highly potent greenhouse gas into the atmosphere. The emission of one kilogramme of SF6 contributes as much to global warming as 23,500 kilogrammes of carbon dioxide (CO2). For this reason, SF6 has been strictly regulated as one of the six greenhouse gases of the Kyoto Protocol since 1997 and is only used in a few applications. However, until the technical service life of existing equipment for repairs and system expansions is reached, its use must continue for up to 50 years. The disposal of SF6 and SF6-containing gas mixtures is carried out in an energy-intensive and technically complex combustion process and is therefore only carried out at a few locations in Europe.

Dipl.-Ing. Dominik Mair from the Department of Electrical Engineering at the Department of Mechatronics is researching the use of evolutionary algorithms for the design and optimisation of 3D antennas. The aim is to extend a recently developed method for the fully automated optimisation and design of two-dimensional antennas so that it can be easily used by end customers via a web interface. Antennas are immensely important for a wide range of applications, and their development process is time-consuming and complex, especially for demanding boundary conditions. Many companies have little or no expertise in the development of antennas. Sub-optimal off-the-shelf antennas are therefore often used. This discrepancy should be bridged and end customers should be able to develop highly optimised antennas that are specifically adapted to specialised applications in a short time and at low cost.

Robert Eller from the Department of Strategic Management, Marketing and Tourism uses a prototype for blockchain in tourism. Almost 50 million overnight stays were recorded in Tyrol in 2019. Digital solutions have become an integral part of tourism. The market of providers is very fragmented and incompatibilities between software systems lead to considerable additional work for tourism businesses and to dependencies on booking platforms or inadequacies due to security gaps. An automated blockchain system should make it possible to map business processes and services for several tourism organisations in an efficient and distributed manner and to store transactions in a tamper-proof, trustworthy and immediate manner with the aim of achieving a secure and trustworthy settlement of services between different parties without intermediaries.

Associate Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr Anton Kraler from the Timber Engineering Unit at the Department of Structural Engineering and Material Sciences further develops a coupling element as a double dovetail tenon. The current trend in Austrian and international timber construction is clearly in favour of cross-laminated timber as a solid timber construction method, with annual growth in the double-digit percentage range. The market development of timber-wood connections was taken up because there are no such connections for structural, linear use for flat components such as those in cross-laminated timber construction. There is great potential in historical timber-wood connections such as the dovetail tenon, which can also be used for flat components and their high requirements thanks to mechanical prefabrication. The planned innovative further development of the dovetail joint as a system connector is a promising solution with high market potential in both economic and structural terms.

Dipl.-Geogr. Paul Schattan, PhD from the Department of Geography is building Cosmic-Ray-Neutron-Sensing based snow sensors. Mountain areas serve as water locks for the surrounding forelands, the snow cover as a water equivalent represents an essential component of the water balance in high mountains. As a complementary data source to satellite-based measurement methods, precise in-situ measurements of the water equivalent of the snow cover are therefore of central importance for hydrology and meteorology. A major disadvantage of the commercially available sensors to date is their small so-called "measurement footprint", i.e. only "point measurements" are possible with them. By measuring the reflection of cosmic neutrons, the water equivalent of the snow cover can be determined with high accuracy and with footprints of approx. 250 m radius. With the help of the best available neutron detector - a modified custom-made product of the research partners - a demonstration prototype with integrated snow processing algorithms is to be created, which will significantly improve user-friendliness and prove the efficiency and commercialisation potential of the method.

With the aim of promoting high-calibre international academic and didactic exchange with the University of Innsbruck and dialogue with society, the Förderkreis supports the appointment of visiting professors who are in an employment relationship with the AURORA University Alliance or at a renowned university or research institution outside Austria. In 2021, Professor Lisa Bernstein from Chicago Law School will be a guest professor at the Faculty of Law at the invitation of International Services under the direction of Dr Barbara Tasser. Her research interests are in the area of contract and commercial law with a particular focus on industry-specific dispute resolution, modern supply chain designations, social network analysis, and the intersection of strategy and relational contracting. She also researches the introduction and institutional design of commercial courts in emerging and transition countries and the relationship between social structures and economic development. Professor Bernstein brings an exciting new perspective to the University, both in economics and law and her interdisciplinary research, which will be of enormous added value not only to the Faculty of Law, but also to other faculties. Her planned guest lecture ""Managerial Contracting: A Preliminary Study"" will provide complex and very interesting insights into the economic reality that can be shaped by certain contractual techniques.

Prof Dr Kathrin Thedieck and Dr Petra Engele from the Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacy are implementing VERSA Video gamEs foR Skills trAining for our university alliance AURORA under the direction of Dr Thomas Baumgartner. The aim is to develop soft skills at doctoral student level in a new digital teaching and learning environment. Key soft skills, which are essential for both academic and senior/managerial positions, are taught using a soft skills games platform. The computer game-based training is supervised and continuously evaluated by experienced psychologists and trainers. The concept generates a high level of motivation, which not only promotes learning success, but also builds and expands professional networks across faculties and universities. VERSA aims to train eight generic competences, which can be described as both "academic" and "future skills": creativity, critical thinking, complex problem solving, cognitive flexibility, people and team management, time management, judgement and decision making, and goal-oriented action.

DI Theresa Uitz, MSc. at the Department of Experimental Architecture is conducting basic research on ""Integration of Environmentally Responsive Materials as Dynamic Markers for Augmented Reality Applications in Architecture"" With increasing awareness of our ecological responsibility, architects need to look at alternative solutions to communicate invisible environmental parameters of thermal comfort. Augmented Reality (AR) is a digital technology that allows real-world events to be virtually enhanced by overlaying a real-world data set with digital data in real time. The video camera input of a smartphone or tablet is overlaid with virtual data in real time and manifests itself in a hybrid state on the device's screen. AR offers the promising possibility of visualising complex conditions and invisible sensor data that are otherwise imperceptible to humans. This project aims to provide a design solution to counteract this limitation in the form of thermochromic AR markers. Thermochromic materials change colour when the material temperature exceeds a certain threshold. The effect can manifest itself in a change in the hue, saturation or transparency of the smart material layer. The project focuses on a change in contrast of a marker pattern caused by this effect. An AR app and thermochromic 2D and 3D markers will be created.

At the Department of Sport Science, Lisa Steidl-Müller PhD, BSc is researching ski racing: Alpine ski racing is known to be a sport with a high risk of injury. Injury prevention projects in junior ski racing have been developed to identify modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for injury and illness. The collection of internal training load parameters combined with those of the biological stage of development appear to be necessary in order to identify any correlations with injuries and illnesses and to be able to adapt training processes more closely to individual needs. Due to the double burden of ski and fitness training and competitions as well as the challenges at school, various psychological stress parameters (burnout) should also not be ignored. The aim of the project is the prospective survey of possible risk factors for injuries and illnesses of junior ski racers aged between 10 and 14 years using an app for smartphones for documentation by the athletes. By regularly measuring the biological stage of development and anthropometric characteristics, it should be possible to observe developmental processes and identify growth phases in order to identify possible correlations between stage of development, growth rates, sleep parameters, internal training load characteristics, burnout and injuries or illnesses.

Flavia Guerrini, PhD has been researching the children of occupying soldiers in Tyrol at the Department of Educational Science since the end of 2018, focussing on this population group in Tyrol, whose childhoods, life stories and living conditions have not yet been scientifically researched. According to estimates, around 30,000 children were born in Austria in the first post-war decade whose fathers were members of the Allied Forces; no figures are yet known for Tyrol. Due to this specific origin and the fact that most children were born out of wedlock, they were exposed to individual and structural discrimination. The project uses biographical interviews with contemporary witnesses to reconstruct the conditions of growing up as an occupation child in Tyrol and the significance of this specific origin for the lives of those affected. The aim of the project is to enable the completion of research already begun on the experiences and life stories of so-called occupation children in Tyrol and to publish the results in the form of a bibliophile book project.

Ass.-Prof.in Mag.a.rer.nat. Karin Labek, PhD from the Department of Psychology together with Assoc. Prof. Roberto Viviani, PhD from the Department of Psychology and Prof. Dr Michael Kirchler from the Department of Banking and Finance are conducting basic research on endophenotypes of loss, e.g. after the bursting of a financial bubble. The experience of psychological pain is considered to be the most painful state that we humans can experience. In general, the inner experience of an affectively negative ("painful") state is understood as a natural reaction to a threat to psychological integrity. Previous studies with imaging techniques have independently used different paradigms associated with psychological pain. At present, the findings to date show a very inconsistent picture with regard to their neuronal activation. This may also be due to methodological imprecision, as it is difficult to induce loss events and then measure them directly. Modern (neuro)economic research has developed innovative paradigms in the field of decision-making that enable precise investigation and modelling. For the first time, in an interdisciplinary approach, psychological pain in loss situations will be investigated using a formalised paradigm from (neuro)economic research with the aim of investigating state-independent markers (endophenotypes) that enable reliable neuronal activation of centrally significant pathogenetic life events such as loss. In the medium term, the aim is to develop more specific explanatory models and, in the longer term, predictive models with regard to the cause of the development of a psychiatric or psychological illness and the development of an illness from these causes.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Gerhard Ruedl at the Department of Sport Science has conducted the following longitudinal study on the development of sport motor fitness and its connection to mental and physical health as well as quality of life and personality development in Tyrolean adolescents with test subjects from approx. 300 Tyrolean pupils from 9th to 12th grade. The aim is to investigate the development of physical fitness, physical and mental health, relationship quality and personality and to examine causal relationships and formulate these results in corresponding recommendations and preventive measures. The coronavirus pandemic with its lockdown measures and associated home schooling is reducing physical activity and social contact on the one hand and dramatically increasing the screen time of children and young people on the other (Xiang et al. 2020). A meta-analysis by García-Hermoso et al. (2019) indicates that higher physical fitness in adolescence is an important health indicator for later adult life with positive effects on cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors. In addition, higher physical fitness is associated with improved quality of life (Evaristo et al. 2019), self-esteem and self-concept (Bonhauser et al. 2005, Späth & Schlicht 2000) in adolescents. Cooperation partners at the university are: Associate Professor Dr Karin Labek, Vice-Rector for Personnel Department Dr Anna Buchheim, Priv.-Doz. Dr Nikolaus Greier and the KPH Edith-Stein.

Univ.-Prof.in Dr Barbara Juen can continue her important research at the Faculty of Psychology and Sport Science on the effects of the COVID 19 crisis on students at the University of Innsbruck. Studies conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic show that students are suffering more from the current crisis. It is therefore crucial to understand their problems, identify support options and expand them. Vice-Rector for Personnel Department Univ.-Prof.in Dr Anna Buchheim , Vice-Rector for Teaching and Students Univ.-Prof. Dr Bernhard Fügenschuh, Univ.-Prof.in Dr Tabea Bork-Hiffner, ass.-Prof.in Dr Karin Labek, ass.-Prof.in Dr Maria Hildegard Walter, all from the Department of Psychology, Mag.a Dr Heidi Siller from the Medical University of Innsbruck, Gender Medicine & Diversity Unit are involved in the research project.

Univ.-Prof. Dr Mathias Rotach at the Faculty of Geo- and Atmospheric Sciences heads TeamX, an international research group for atmospheric measurements. The aim of the basic and applied research is to collect improved weather and climate information through hydrological modelling for even more precise measurements of air pollution and more accurate forecasts of air pollution and adverse effects on health, the energy sector, agriculture and other stakeholder groups. The research area is located in the Inn Valley, Adige Valley in South Tyrol and the Alpine foothills.

Univ.-Prof.in Dr.in Claudia Pasquero from the Institute of Urban Design / Landscape Architecture is showing the installation Bit.Bio. Bot, photosynthetic architecture. The installation of the photobioreactor in the Arsenale is at the invitation of the main curator Hasim Sarkis. The installation is a true urban laboratory, combining advanced architecture with microbiology to create an artificial habitat, a prototype dwelling in which urban algae can be collectively cultivated. Each phase of project conception, production, cultivation and re-functionalisation after the Biennale contributes to the experiment of coexistence. Coexistence is intended, among us humans and with an extended milieu of non-human systems and living organisms. The advanced architectural system is the result of 10 years of bio-digital design research and combines computer-aided design strategies (BIT) with proprietary digital fabrication techniques (BOT) to implement a collective microbiological cultivation protocol (BIO). The installation is created with the aspects of ecology and how humans coexist with other species and organisms on the planet in mind. Schools and institutions in Tyrol will be involved in the production and subsequent use of the prototype, and parts of the installation will also be available to them afterwards as teaching material on ecological aspects such as air quality and food production in cities. Co-operation partners are: ecoLogicStudio, London The Urban Morphogenesis Lab at the Bartlett UCL, London, Destination Wattens

AIANI, the scientific network Israel-Innsbruck of the university led by Mag.a Marion Wieser and Prof. Noam Zadoff from the Department of Contemporary History - Israel Studies are organising the scientific workshop with photo exhibition on: Promised Land - Diversity, Science and Society in Israel. Israel is a projection surface for many things. This harbours great potential for illustration, discussion and reflection on a wide variety of questions and exciting topics, such as systematic research into the handling of innovative biomedical technologies and the resulting ethical questions, especially in a country comparison. In addition, there are also numerous worthwhile research questions for sociology with the study of socio-cultural diversity, as well as for the historical disciplines that deal with the older and more recent history of the founding of the country and the visions associated with it. Israel is to be used as a highly interesting cultural and research area for a discussion on the significance of diversity within societies. To this end, a half-day interdisciplinary workshop on the meaning of the term and its manifestations from different perspectives is planned, and the event will also be the prelude to a photo exhibition on the topic. The prevailing image of Israel in Europe is often characterised by the political, religious and cultural conflicts in the country. Rarely is Israel seen as a "beautiful country of diversity". In cooperation with Israel Ariel, travel guide and photographer, who has been leading bio-ethics excursions for Innsbruck students from the University of Innsbruck and the Medical University together with associate professor Dr Gabriele Werner-Felmayer for years.

Vice Rector for Teaching and Students Bernhard Fügenschuh launched the MINT Summer School, and the Public Relations Office, headed by Uwe Steger and coordinated by Ulrike Pfeiffenberger, will once again offer one-week summer schools during the summer holidays in 2021. Every year, this format succeeds in motivating a number of girls to enrol in STEM subjects. Girls and young women from all of the university's catchment areas take part, with the Förderkreis 1669 funding board and lodging.