Success stories KTH 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 KTH Royal Institute of Technology 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 KTH Royal Institute of Technology

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 KTH Royal Institute of Technology 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 5 Li-Rong Zheng, director of the research centre Ipack. Photo: Jann Lipka KTH Royal Institute of Technology

Calculating fuel-efficient aircraft The Ekman Computer Takes up 60 square meters and consists of 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 KTH Royal Institute of Technology 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 KTH Royal Institute of Technology

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

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 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