NWO institutes at the Hannover Messe technology fair
From Monday 24 to Friday 29 April, NWO will be participating in the world’s largest technology fair, the Hannover Messe. The main theme of the 2017 fair is Integrated Industry – Creating Value. In line with this, various NWO institutes and TNO will make a joint appearance under the theme Big Science for Industry. Also participating in the fair are the Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (NWO institute CWI) with several spin-offs and the Responsible Innovation (NWO-MVI) research programme.
NWO institutes seek partnerships with the high-tech industry
High-quality technology is the key to converting scientific curiosity into economic and social innovation. The pioneering research being conducted by the NWO institutes and TNO makes them a valuable source of knowledge in their areas of expertise for partnerships with the high-tech industry. These partnerships will be emerge at the Hannover Messe in three areas: Big Science for Industry, Big Data and Responsible Innovation. Researchers from NWO institutes such as DIFFER, SRON, Nikhef and CWI, and from TNO, as well as representatives from parties such as the Industrial Liaison Officers-Network, NWO-MVI, VDL, NOVA, and various start-ups, will immerse visitors in the story of the innovation chain – from fundamental research, via applied research to demonstration and value creation – and reveal business opportunities for the technology sector.
Showcasing Big Science for Industry, Big Data and Responsible Innovation
The innovation chain is the main theme of TNO and NWO's joint presentation at the Messe. Innovations such as the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT), the world’s ‘s largest eye on the sky, components of the KM3NeT neutrino telescope, which is attempting to unveil the nature of elusive elementary particles, and a mock-up of the ITER reactor, which is trying to prove that fusion is a technically feasible source of energy, showcase this chain. CWI will present its expertise in the area of Big Data with the spin-offs SEITA, SWAT.engineering and Stokhos Emergency Mathematics. The NWO programme Responsible Innovation will use a 360-degree animation to show how technological innovations that are approached from a socially responsible perspective can accelerate opportunities for the Dutch top sectors and industry. Below you will find more information about the showcases from Nikhef and DIFFER.
KM3Net neutrino balls (Nikhef)
KM3NeT is a new neutrino detector in the Mediterranean Sea with a volume of one cubic kilometre at a depth of 2.5 km. When neutrinos interact with water they produce a blue light. This light is registered by thousands of light-sensitive systems. It enables us, for example, to study objects in the centre of faraway galaxies, such as black holes. Nikhef plays a crucial role in the design and production of this system, and there is great demand for the many components produced by Dutch industry. We will present a system at the Hannover Messe consisting of three balls with light-sensitive detectors.
ITER/Magnum PSI (DIFFER)
In Cadarache in France, the most important countries in the world are building a new fusion energy project called ITER. From 2025 onwards, the first experiments will be conducted there to bring us one step closer to establishing working fusion power plants. In the Netherlands, the NWO institute DIFFER’s Magnum PSI is working overtime to investigate the heavily burdened ITER wall. In addition to an ITER model, there will also be a mirror-cleaning installation on display at the Hannover Messe, which was designed and built by the Dutch company De Roover with TNO.
NWO's presentations in the presence of cabinet members
Both Sander Dekker, State Secretary of Education, Culture and Science, and Henk Kamp, Minister of Economic Affairs, will be guests of NWO in the Holland High-Tech pavilion in Hall 2 (Research & Development). During these visits on Monday and Tuesday mornings on 24 and 25 April, various presentations and occasions for signing agreements will take place with the participating NWO divisions. For example, CWI and Databricks, the big data analysis and data science software company, will launch a new partnership. The press and visitors of the fair are cordially invited to attend these key moments.
Major Dutch representation
NWO is one of more than 140 Dutch exhibitors at the fair. The Dutch pavilions are situated in Hall 2 (Knowledge and R&D), Hall 4 (Start-up, Automotive and Industrial Supply), Hall 8 (IT and Smart Industry) and Hall 27 (Energy and E-mobility).
More information
For more information about the programme please visit the NWO-website. On this webpage on the NWO-website you will find more information about the showcases.