News

A few weeks ago, the 1st EAAP Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Animal Science took place at ETH Zurich. The event successfully brought together over 200 participants from around the world, showcasing current research on the role of AI in animal science and fostering meaningful exchange among researchers, professionals, and stakeholders.

Six spin-offs of ETH Zurich were among the 18 finalists in this year’s Venture Awards. Three of them won in their respective categories, and three came in second. The Grand Prize went to spin-off MyNerva.

As part of the Swiss Innovation Tour-Food Tech, a group of Italian opinion leaders traveled through Switzerland meeting actors in the food technology ecosytem. The group visited the World Food System Center to learn more about current research and collaborations focused on food processing for sustainable food systems.

Three women spin-off founders from ETH Zurich have developed a portable measuring device that analyses soil quality and enables customised fertilisation. The device makes farming more sustainable and efficient while reducing its environmental impact.

By focusing on identifying efficient pea varieties with superior photosynthetic performance, a new interdisciplinary project explores an alternative approach to improving nitrogen use efficiency at the farm level.

Many types of bacteria produce a protein complex that injects toxins into neighbouring cells to eliminate competitors. For the first time, researchers at ETH Zurich and Eawag discovered that these killer bacteria also use this weapon to feed on their neighbours.

A delegation from Indian ministries and universities visited ETH Zurich in May to learn more about research and initiatives focused on agroecology and resilience.

Five years ago, an experiment began at ETH Hönggerberg: researchers set up an outdoor laboratory in the forest near the campus. They used sensors positioned in trees, the soil and in a stream to study water dynamics and the “old water paradox”. ETH News accompanied the head of the experiment, Marius Floriancic.

Recognizing the limitations of current crop monitoring techniques in providing timely and precise data, an ongoing project is developing an innovative solution using smartphone vision and Artificial Intelligence (AI). This technology is aimed to provide farmers and researchers with detailed 3D/4D insights into plant health and development, advancing sustainable agricultural management.