ETH Competence Center - Competence Center for Rehabilitation Engineering and Science (RESC)| Acronym | RESC | | Homepage | https://resc.ethz.ch/ | | Country | Switzerland | | ZIP, City | | | Address | | | Phone | | | Type | Academy | | Parent organization | ETH Zurich | | Current organization | ETH Competence Center - Competence Center for Rehabilitation Engineering and Science (RESC) | | Child organizations | | | Members | |
Open OpportunitiesInjuries to the soft tissues of weight-bearing joints can lead to post-traumatic osteoarthritis (OA), a debilitating, degenerative joint disease affecting about 57 million people in Western Europe alone (~14%). These injuries ultimately result in functional impairment and loss of independence of many athletes and the elderly, representing an immense burden to patients as well as society. The main repair therapies used in clinics to date include: 1) bone marrow stimulation, 2) osteochondral (OC) plug transplantation from a non-weight-bearing site of the joint, and 3) matrix-assisted autologous chondrocyte implantation. Clinical outcomes after these treatments, however, show deterioration of the cartilage 5-10 years post-surgery, ultimately leading to total joint replacement (TJR). It is, therefore, imperative to develop strategies to successfully treat small articular lesions and prevent their progression towards OA.
Tissue engineering has the potential to regenerate joint tissue to its native form and therefore preserve joint function. To this end, the Tissue Engineering and Biofabrication (TEB) laboratory has developed osteochondral grafts to treat articular lesions. These grafts comprise a bone ceramic with interlocking pores onto which a cartilage layer could be cast. Importantly, a novel hydrogel formulation allowed us to regenerate hyaline cartilage matching native tissue-like properties. To further advance this project, novel strategies to improve the stability of the cartilage-bone junction need to be developed. New interlocking designs will be developed with our collaborators from the University of Sydney. Therefore, this project aims to evaluate these designs' impact on cartilage-bone bonding. Establishing an improved cartilage-bone interface will significantly contribute to the success of these osteochondral grafts.
- Biomaterials
- Internship, Master Thesis
| The goal of this project is to develop an integrated framework for the detection and pick-and-place of irregular wooden shingles with rough surfaces using the quadrupedal robot ALMA for automating the assembly process of wooden shingle roofs. - Building, Intelligent Robotics
- Master Thesis, Semester Project
| The goal of the project is to develop a simple and versatile method for production of robust conductive patterns on textile via deposition of conductive polymers. This technology will allow further development of wearable electronics for biomedical applications. - Chemistry, Medical and Health Sciences, Polymers
- Bachelor Thesis, Semester Project
| The goal of the project is to modify commercially available conductive yarns to improve their operational properties for potential employment in novel garment-embedded sensors for human motion detection. - Engineering and Technology, Medical and Health Sciences, Other Chemistry
- Semester Project
| Our goal is to establish a heterocellular 3D printed bone organoid model comprising all major bone cell types (osteoblasts, osteocytes, osteoclasts) to recapitulate bone remodeling units in an in vitro system. The organoids will be produced with the human cells, as they could represent human pathophysiology better than animal models, and eventually could replace them. These in vitro models could be used in the advancement of next-generation personalised treatment strategies. Our tools are different kinds of 3D bioprinting platforms, bio-ink formulations, hydrogels, mol-bioassays, and time-lapsed image processing of micro-CT scans. - Biomaterials, Biomechanical Engineering, Cell Development (incl. Cell Division and Apoptosis), Cellular Interactions (incl. Adhesion, Matrix, Cell Wall), Polymers
- Bachelor Thesis, ETH Zurich (ETHZ), Internship, Master Thesis, Semester Project
| In dieser klinischen Studie werden jugendliche Patienten mit Skoliose einer Röntgenuntersuchung unterzogen. Anschliessend werden optische 3D Aufnahmen der Rückenoberfläche in verschiedenen Haltungen und Bewegungen aufgenommen. Die Ergebnisse aus den optischen 3D Aufnahmen werden in der Datenauswertung mit den klinischen Parametern aus der Röntgenauswertung verglichen. - Biomechanics
- Internship, Master Thesis
| The project is devoted to development of new generation sensors for human bodily fluid biomarkers. The main aim is development of compact and non-invasive modified electrodes for electrochemical sensing of these important compounds. - Analytical Chemistry, Biosensor Technologies, Electrochemistry, Medical and Health Sciences
- Master Thesis
| It was recently shown that helical auxetic structure allows one to achieve strain sensitive fibres with high sensitivity. Rigidity/stiffness of components of these sensors also plays a role in sensitivity to strain. To further improve our recently published textile strain sensing modality—helical auxetic yarn capacitive sensors—we are seeking a thesis/project student to develop a conductive composite formulation and process to wet-spin fibres of different stiffnesses. Employed as sensors, the effect of stiffness on sensitivity can be tested experimentally. The outcome of this project will further the development of highly sensitive, scalable textile strain sensors. - Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry, Composite Materials, Polymers, Process Control and Simulation
- Master Thesis, Semester Project
| A new platform is to be developed that can be used to promote the training of wake-initiated lucid dreaming and can also be used to apply mental relaxation strategies. - Biomedical Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Interdisciplinary Engineering, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
- Bachelor Thesis, Internship, Master Thesis, Semester Project
| This project aims to develop and validate an easy-to-use, versatile and cloud Virtual Reality (VR) platform, combining customizable visual scenarios and Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS), for the assessment and intervention of disabilities leading to body representation disorders. On one hand, the system holds potential to gather closer insights on how patients perceive their body due to their condition. On the other hand, the platform would exploit VR features to create personalized and interactive scenarios for rehabilitation purposes. - Biomedical Engineering, Information, Computing and Communication Sciences, Medical and Health Sciences
- Internship, Master Thesis, Semester Project
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