Empa researcher Mirko Kovac has been appointed as Professor of Sustainability Robotics at EPFL, marking a new collaboration aimed at developing cutting-edge drone and robotic technology for environmental and construction applications.
Empa and EPFL have announced a new partnership with the creation of a joint professorship in Sustainability Robotics. Mirko Kovac, an Empa researcher and professor at Imperial College London, will take up the position on September 1, 2024. This initiative combines Empa’s expertise in materials science and test infrastructures, including the DroneHub under construction at Empa’s NEST campus, with EPFL’s strengths in environmental sensing.
This collaboration will allow researchers and students to work across both institutions, taking advantage of the unique resources each brings to the field of robotics. “The synergy between Empa’s materials engineering and EPFL’s environmental sciences opens up new possibilities for developing autonomous systems that can operate in complex and changing environments,” said Professor Kovac.
Since 2018, Kovac has headed the Laboratory of Sustainability Robotics at Empa, in collaboration with Imperial College London. His teams in London and Dübendorf, and now at EPFL’s School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, are focused on developing next-generation drones capable of interacting with their surroundings in real-world conditions. These drones are designed to perform tasks such as placing sensors in tree canopies or collecting water samples from oceans, generating vital environmental data that can help protect fragile ecosystems.
A new era for robotics
The emerging field of Sustainability Robotics promises to revolutionize both environmental science and industries such as construction. Inspired by natural systems, these autonomous robots can perform a range of tasks, from 3D printing building materials in flight to inspecting and repairing buildings. “Drones could open up new possibilities for environmental monitoring and even improve safety by assessing dangerous situations before humans enter,” said Kovac.
Empa’s DroneHub, which will open in November, will serve as a state-of-the-art research platform for drone technology. With its unique features, including an “aviary” for testing drones and a dedicated Aerial Additive Manufacturing (AAM) wall, it will enable researchers to conduct open-air experiments and develop new solutions for building maintenance and environmental monitoring.
