ETH Zurich

Open Opportunities

Flexible Wireless Sensing Node for Continuous Body Monitoring ETH Zurich Digital Circuits and Systems (Benini) Advancements in sensor technology, low-power mixed-signal/RF circuits, and Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) have enabled the creation of compact, cost-effective solutions for healthcare applications. A notable development in this field is the Body Sensor Network, which is designed to monitor the human body for healthcare purposes. Biomedical Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering Bachelor Thesis, Internship, Semester Project

Continual Learning for Adaptive Hand Gesture Recognition with A-mode Ultrasound ETH Zurich Digital Circuits and Systems (Benini) Hand Gesture Recognition has gained significant attention in recent years due to its potential applications in various fields, including interaction with virtual environments (like the Metaverse), teleoperation, and prosthetic device control. Multiple sensing techniques can be employed for hand movement recognition, including vision-based sensors (cameras), mechanical sensors (e.g., IMUs), sEMG, and the more recent and increasingly popular Ultrasound (US). US enables high-spatial (submillimeter) and temporal (fraction of a millisecond) resolution imaging of deep musculoskeletal structures. While several studies [1], [2], [3] have used US for hand gesture recognition, challenges remain in ensuring robustness against factors like sensor shift, donning and doffing, varying muscle force, and interday use [4]. Biomedical Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Information, Computing and Communication Sciences Bachelor Thesis, Master Thesis, Semester Project

Clinical investigation of the pathophysiology and reciprocal relationships between progressive disc degeneration and spinal (mal-) alignment ETH Zurich Musculoskeletal Biomechanics Lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration (LDD) is estimated to affect 400M individuals worldwide annually, which causes pain and disability for the patients affected by it [1]. Continuous localized, and structural degeneration on multiple intervertebral disc (IVD) levels can progress to accumulated macroscopic deformities, manifesting in abnormal spinal curvatures, also known as Adult Spinal Deformities (ASD). LDD and spinal alignment are hypothesized to be closely interrelated, with specific alignment parameters showing mutual correlations with the degree of LDD [2]. Through analyzing longitudinal data - including X-ray-derived biplanar alignment parameters and MRI-based Pfirrmann grading - this study aims to identify extensive patterns between alignment characteristics and the individual degenerative state of lumbar IVDs. Such insights could improve our understanding of degenerative cascades and influence decision making in clinical treatment approaches by identifying alignment profiles at higher risk for degeneration. The proposed study includes a clinical cohort of degenerative lumbar back pain patients who were treated conservatively, and followed up over a period of 3-5 years, before eventually undergoing surgery at Schulthess Clinic Zurich. This project is jointly supervised by an interdisciplinary group of researchers and clinicians of ETH Zurich and Schulthess clinic Zurich, which offers insights into fundamental spinal research, as well as daily clinical practice. Your tasks will include data annotation, model development, and collaborative discussions of results, providing a comprehensive experience in interdisciplinary research. This project offers an excellent opportunity to engage in impactful research at the intersection of biomechanics, clinical practice, and data-driven modeling. Biomedical Engineering, Clinical Sciences, Interdisciplinary Engineering Bachelor Thesis, ETH Zurich (ETHZ), Internship, Master Thesis, Semester Project

Chemical composition of atmospheric aerosol particles from Greenland, the Arctic and the Alps Paul Scherrer Institute Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry Global warming induces emissions changes in global ecosystems, for example changes to marine algal blooms, emerging terrestrial vegetation, increasing glacial dust or fires. At the same time human activities in the cryosphere cause emissions from traffic, domestic activities and animal herding. All these emissions change the composition of the atmosphere. The main task of this project will be to analyse mass spectrometry data from Greenland or the Jungfraujoch, to understand the complex puzzle of atmospheric aerosol sources. You will have the option to analyse aerosol filter samples in the lab, collected during different (ongoing) campaigns, like the GreenFjord project's atmospheric cluster in Greenland (https://greenfjord-project.ch/). This work will be carried out at and with the team of the Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry at PSI, Switzerland. Analytical Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry (incl. Atmospheric Chemistry) Internship, Lab Practice, Master Thesis

Improvements of the Detection Block of a Rapid PCR diagnostic device in a medtech startup ETH Zurich Functional Materials Laboratory diaxxo, a start-up from ETH Zürich, is transforming molecular diagnostics with an innovative Point-of-Care Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) device. This project aims to enhance the detection module of Diaxxo's Point-of-Care Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) system by improving light uniformity to ensure precise and reliable optical detection. The redesigned detection block will be compatible with Diaxxo's existing cartridges and support multiplexing with up to three distinct light channels. High light uniformity across the cartridge will be a key focus to enhance detection accuracy and reliability. Additionally, the project emphasizes cost-effective design, leveraging affordable materials and methods to maintain performance without increasing production costs. Biomechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Optical and Photonic Systems, Optics and Opto-electronic Physics, Optometry Bachelor Thesis, Master Thesis, Semester Project

Fast Object Detection Using Spiking Neural Networks and Event Cameras for Real-Time Scene Analysis University of Zurich Robotics and Perception This project leverages spiking neural networks (SNNs) and event cameras to create a real-time system for detecting fast-moving objects with high efficiency and minimal latency. Engineering and Technology, Information, Computing and Communication Sciences Master Thesis, Semester Project

Event-Augmented Image-Based Neural Networks for High-Accuracy, Low-Latency Visual Perception University of Zurich Robotics and Perception This project develops a hybrid framework combining the high spatial detail of image-based neural networks with the high temporal resolution of event camera data to achieve accurate, low-latency visual perception. It targets real-time tasks like semantic segmentation and object detection, addressing challenges such as open-vocabulary recognition for dynamic and adaptive applications. Engineering and Technology, Information, Computing and Communication Sciences Master Thesis, Semester Project

Safe RL for Robot Social Navigation ETH Zurich Spinal Cord Injury & Artificial Intelligence Lab Other organizations: Sensory-Motor Systems Lab, ETH Competence Center - ETH AI Center Developing a constrained RL framework for social navigation, emphasizing explicit safety constraints to reduce reliance on reward tuning. Engineering and Technology Master Thesis

Enhancing Vision-Based Drone Racing with Neural-based Rendering Augmentation Techniques University of Zurich Robotics and Perception This project enhances vision-based drone racing by integrating neural rendering and advanced data augmentation techniques to improve policy generalization and robustness in unseen environments. It focuses on developing methods to strengthen gate detection accuracy and overall perception for autonomous drone navigation in dynamic scenarios. Engineering and Technology, Information, Computing and Communication Sciences Master Thesis, Semester Project

Investigating the Influence of Polymer Chain Length on Reaction Reactivity ETH Zurich Macromolecular Engineering Laboratory Polymer networks have become ubiquitous in fields ranging from biomedical applications to sensors or the development of new recyclable plastics. They are formed by reacting polymer chains at specific locations, often their ends, a process called cross-linking. The properties of these networks can be tuned by adjusting chain length and the reactive groups. However, the link between the length of a polymer chain and the reactivity of its terminal functional group has not been elucidated yet. This project focuses on investigating the influence of the length of a polymer chain on the reactivity of a functional group at its end. Preliminary experiments in our lab have shown experimentally that longer polymer chains lead to a decreased reactivity of the functional group at its end. The goal is to confirm this trend and gather more precise data. The first phase will focus on studying reversible reactions with well-defined chemical equilibria. If time allows, we will explore irreversible systems, focusing on reaction rates. Characterisation of Macromolecules, Organic Chemical Synthesis, Physical Chemistry of Macromolecules, Synthesis of Macromolecules, Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics Bachelor Thesis, Semester Project