News in brief – Grid congestion, regenerative implants and the next generation of high-tech

Using smart devices to reduce problems on the electricity grid
TNO investigated whether the use of smart devices can prevent overloading of the electricity grid in the future, and yes, that seems to be the case. The researchers looked at neighborhoods where no reinforcement of the electricity grid has been implemented by 2030, which could cause congestion in the system, also known as ‘grid congestion‘. The so-called ‘smart’ devices can shift electricity consumption outside the morning and evening peak. The current low-voltage networks that we use at home are calculated at 1.5 kW per household and do not meet the current need of 5 kW or more. This is mainly due to more heat pumps and charging points for electric cars. To perform this, a communication protocol is required between the devices and the network, which unfortunately does not exist yet. The organization hopes that the national government will coordinate this.

Message at TNO and it research report (PDF)

Think about it human enhancement or technology in your body
Intimate Implant won the Melanie Peters Prize from the Rathenau Institute for an art project on ‘regenerative medical implants’. These are implants that are placed in the human body and eventually disappear on their own. If all goes well, a piece of new body tissue will have grown back at the site of the implants, such as a meniscus, a heart valve or the palate. The art objects are meant to be picked up and touched. When you pick up such an object, you hear a voice that reflects on the relationship between human and implant. This can be techno-optimistic or techno-pessimistic or posthumanistic, in which humans and technology have a symbiotic relationship with each other.

Message at Rathenau in projectwebsite

€16 million available for research into next-generation high-tech
Six projects, carried out by researchers from various colleges and universities, will receive funding from the National Growth Fund to conduct research into ‘Future-proof high-tech equipment’. The projects should ‘maintain and strengthen the current strength of the Netherlands in the field of high-tech equipment’, writes the Dutch Organization for Scientific Research NWO. This includes a very sensitive detection system for microbial contamination and a project aimed at creating advanced sensors to solve vibration problems in the production of semiconductors, read: computer chips. Partners such as ASML and other co-financiers will pay around €5 million to the six projects. The rest comes from the NXTGEN High-tech program of the National Growth Fund.

Message at NWO

Every day there is a lot of interesting news to report that we would like to write about. So that you don’t miss it, here is a new section that appears several times a week: three short news items with direct links to the articles for more information!
Image at the top of this article: Michal Czyz, Instant Images