Videos

Maria

Culman

KU Leuven

VITO

Satellite images: giving computers better eyes for tree mapping

Trees are an important source of food and fuel for local communities all over the world. It is important to map them, so as to be able to protect them. But how do you start mapping millions of trees? Well, by combining satellite images with digital image processing technology. Problem solved? Not yet, as even computers have a hard time recognizing trees on top-down satellite images of the Earth's surface. Maria Culman (KU Leuven - VITO) explains how she intends to overcome this challenge.

Rafa

Gálvez

KU Leuven

How to make smart devices smart enough to respect our privacy?

A smart speaker can make our lives easier by acting as our home assistant and helping us manage our daily tasks. But what about our privacy? Can we trust these devices with our family arguments over money spending? By designing technologies and workflows, engineer Rafa Gálvez wants to help companies develop smart devices that respect our privacy.

Milica

Velimirovic

FWO

UGent

VITO

Nanoparticles in your sunscreen

When you enjoy a day on the beach, you want to make sure to wear sunscreen to avoid sunburn. But did you know that quite a few sunscreens contain nanoparticles to help protect your skin from the sun? The use of nanoparticles is strictly regulated and only a limited amount can be used. Milica Velimirovic (VITO) is developing a new & fast analysis method to measure nanoparticles and their quantity in sunscreen.

Joris

Van Houtven

UAntwerpen

UHasselt

VITO

Pathology-predicting proteins

Imagine being sick and simply being able to ask your body what's going on and what it needs to get better. Well, the proteins in our body can tell us that. But it takes a long time for us to understand what they're saying. With his tool, QCquan.net, bioinformatician Joris Van Houtven is determined to speed up that process!

Brecht

Neyt

UGent

How to have success on Tinder

Do you want to know how to be successful on Tinder? Then take a look at this pitch by economist Brecht Neyt (University of Ghent). In his Ph.D., he unraveled whether your level of education plays a role in getting matches on the online dating app Tinder.📱💘

Awadesh

Mallik

FWO

imec

UHasselt

Growing diamonds for cool electronics

Diamonds are not only a girl's best friend (M. Monroe), but they're also an engineer's best friend (A. Mallik). Awadesh Mallik (Universiteit Hasselt - imec) explains why that is and how engineers grow diamonds in the lab. 👨🏽‍🔬 💎

Tim

Bomberna

FWO

UGent

Liver cancer: how do we get the medicines to the tumor?

As if developing a cancer drug is not difficult enough, you still have to successfully get that medicine to the tumor. Tim Bomberna (Ghent University) explains how computer simulations show us the way.

Simon

Amez

UGent

Exams and a smartphone: a toxic combo?

Heavy smartphone use results in poorer study performance, according to research by Simon Amez (Ghent University). To investigate this, Simon followed students for three years. Students with above-average smartphone use even score up to 1 point out of 20 less on their exams than their fellow students. 👨🏼‍🎓 📱

Pieter

Verding

FWO

UHasselt

No dirty glasses anymore!

Pieter Verding wants to make your life easier. His goal: to make sure you no longer have to clean your windows or glasses. How? Well, by developing self-cleaning coatings 👇 🎥

Maja

Verstraeten

UAntwerpen

Tracking down the production of illegal nuclear weapons

Maja Verstraeten contributed to SoLid, a detector at the nuclear research center SCK-CEN in Mol consisting of about 13,000 transparent cubes. Why build such a thing? Well, the SoLid detector allows researchers to find out whether illegal nuclear weapons are being produced anywhere in the world 🕵️‍♀️🌍

Charlotte

Bonte

imec

KU Leuven

How to protect your data in the cloud?

To protect your data in the cloud, you can encrypt it to make it impossible for others to see. But, if you want to edit your data, for example, put a filter on a picture, you first have to remove the encryption. Cryptographers such as Charlotte Bontee are developing new techniques to keep your data safe at all times.

Jonathan

Op de Beeck

FWO

imec

KU Leuven

How to see the invisible?

Have you ever tried to look at something, but it was too small to see? Well, scientists improving your smartphone are facing this issue on a daily basis. Jonathan Op de Beeck (imec - KU Leuven) explains how they are able to 'see' the invisible.