[pageLogInLogOut]

#Research & Development

Launch of new National Center of Competence in Research

The NCCR explores the development of autonomous, sustainable and smart energy systems. Photo: Claudio Schwarz for Unsplash © 2021 EMPA
The new National Center of Competence in Research (NCCR) Automation has been launched – with the goal of establishing Switzerland as one of the world's leading hubs for research, education and innovation in automation and control technology. As one of the four participating institutions, Empa is contributing its expertise in data and energy management.

NCCR Automation to develop intelligent energy systems

In the new NCCR "Dependable Ubiquitous Automation", which is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), more than 40 scientists from Empa, ETH Zurich, EPFL and the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW) will work together. They will investigate new approaches to reliably control complex automation systems and develop applications in the fields of energy, mobility and industrial manufacturing over the coming years. "We want to coordinate research in this area across Switzerland, improve the flow of information between institutions, exploit synergies and make technology transfer more effective," explains ETHZ researcher John Lygeros, director of the new NCCR. Another important aspect is the promotion of young scientists so that Switzerland can maintain its leading position in innovations in automation in the future.




Empa's Urban Energy Systems lab is contributing its expertise in energy and data management to various project phases of the new NCCR. The focus will be on developing innovative solutions for control at component level in buildings as well as for energy flexibility at district level. Moreover, efficient communication between the different systems will play a central role. For initial studies, the infrastructure of Empa's Energy Hub (ehub) will be used, which provides a wide range of data and can be flexibly controlled. "Our goal is to develop methods that can ultimately be used to build a fully autonomous, sustainable and smart energy system at city level," says Varsha Behrunani, one of three PhD students hired by Empa as part of the newly launched NCCR.

An in-depth interview with John Lygeros, director of the NCCR Automation, can be found here:

https://nccr-automation.ch/news/2021/if-we-pull-together-we-achieve-more

Website of the NCCR Automation:

https://nccr-automation.ch/




More News from TEXDATA International

#ITM 2026

ITM 2026: The new geography of textile production

New production hubs are emerging across North Africa and Central Asia, while Türkiye is accelerating its transformation toward higher-value, technology-driven and more sustainable textile manufacturing.

#Research & Development

“Production is a product”

From technical textiles and AI-driven robotics to the limitations of textile circularity: Professor Dr Thomas Gries looks back on more than two decades of development at ITA Aachen. In the interview, he explains why production technology remains a decisive success factor, discusses international collaborations and innovation ecosystems, and shares his views on the transformation of production landscapes and the challenges facing an increasingly regulated industry.

#Knitting & Hosiery

“We need to move away from the price trap and return to a value-driven mindset.”

With its new Textile Innovation Center, KARL MAYER is sending a strong signal for innovation, collaboration, and the future of textile applications. In this interview, Karl Josef Mayer discusses new opportunities in warp knitting, the processing of staple fibres, recycling, the changing role of machinery manufacturers, and why the textile industry must once again focus more strongly on the value of textiles. by Oliver Schmidt

#Associations

“Innovation, resilience and international experience remain the great strengths of the Swiss textile machinery industry”

Geopolitical uncertainty, growing competitive pressure from China, new free trade agreements and the shift towards a circular economy are currently reshaping the global textile industry. In this interview, Cornelia Buchwalder discusses the current mood within the Swiss textile machinery sector, the industry’s distinctive innovative strength, new market opportunities in India and Asia, and the technological trends that could shape the upcoming trade fair cycle leading up to ITMA 2027.

More News on Research & Development

#Research & Development

Reducing development times for technical textiles by accelerated thermo-oxidative aging in a high-pressure autoclave

Synthetic polymers used in technical textiles can be effectively protected against degradation caused by heat, oxygen, and water through the use of stabilizer systems. This enables service lives of several decades, extending to more than 50 years. As the use of durable technical textiles continues to grow, so does the demand for reliable methods to predict their service life within economically feasible testing periods. For the first time the German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF) developed methods for robust service life prediction for textiles in an IGF research project.

#Research & Development

ITA has developed a washable digital smart jacket with real-time feedback and an AI-powered app for rehabilitation

As part of the PhysioTaix research project, the Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen University is developing a digital smart jacket with integrated sensors. The jacket is washable and reusable; it tracks movements during rehabilitation exercises in real time and transmits the data to an app.

#Research & Development

ADD-ITC 2026 highlights strong industry participation

The Aachen-Dresden-Denkendorf International Textile Conference (ADD-ITC) 2026 will place a strong focus on the exchange between textile research and industry when it takes place on November 26–27, 2026, at the International Congress Center Dresden. According to the preliminary conference program, more than two-thirds of all presentations will be contributed by companies or jointly presented by industry and research institutions.

#Recycling / Circular Economy

2. RETRAKT EU Conference - „Join the Circle“: Turning challenges of the textile sector into chances

On 19 November 2026, the second RETRAKT EU Conference – “Join the Circle” will take place in Brussels. The event, which focuses on the transformation of the textile sector towards a circular economy, will be held under the motto: “Turning Challenges in the Textile Sector into Chances.”

Latest News

#Industry 4.0 / Digitalization

Coats Digital launches AI-powered GSD RealMotion for motion analysis

Coats Digital has launched GSD RealMotion, an AI-powered solution designed to provide apparel manufacturers with greater visibility into factory-floor operations. By analysing shop-floor video and applying Coats Digital’s GSD methodology, the solution turns video recordings into structured, motion-by-motion method studies.

#Textile chemistry

Archroma and Lameirinho partner in pioneering deployment of InOneGO single-step dyeing

Archroma, a global leader in specialty chemicals, and Lameirinho, a leading home textiles manufacturer based in Portugal, are collaborating to bring InOneGO by Archroma, a new single-step dyeing process, into commercial production. Lameirinho’s first InOneGo bedlinens collection is now available worldwide.

#Knitting & Hosiery

KARL MAYER launches extra-wide HKS 3-M EL for increased productivity

KARL MAYER has launched a new extra-wide version of its HKS 3-M EL tricot machine, designed to increase productivity particularly in the manufacture of textiles for sports, activewear and athleisure applications.

#Nonwovens

25 years in the room: EDANA’s OUTLOOK™ returns to Cascais to shape a changing industry

The market does not wait, and it does not grant easy answers. Across the absorbent hygiene, personal care, and wipes sectors, business is undergoing a period of intense, necessary adjustment. New European rules on packaging, single-use items, product safety, and end-of-life are forcing companies to drop old assumptions about materials and performance. At the same time, producers must keep their goods safe, reliable, and affordable for the babies and aging adults, who rely on them every day.

TOP