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Research & impact

Research & Impact

Our projects and programs aim to address the key causes of extreme vulnerability: poverty, humanitarian crises, conflicts and violence, all of them in a environmental crisis context.

Every project undergoes a rigorous process including needs assessment, concept and proof-of-concept, all in close collaboration with local stakeholders. This approach emphasises the transfer of technologies to private sector, ensuring sustainable and scalable impact.

Peacetech
Humanitarian Action
Sustainable Development
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Programme

GlobalHealthyStarts

Essential newborn healthcare for vulnerable contexts
Sustainable Development
Ongoing
children, health, neonatal, survival, equipment, technology, oxygen, incubator, low-cost
Health

GlobalViewAid

Enhance the autonomy and safety of blind people in urban environments
Sustainable Development
Ongoing
handicap, blind, health, AI, disability
Reduced inequalities
Programme

PeaceTech Innovation Hub

Address key challenges in conflict prevention, peace processes, and post-conflict recovery.
Peacetech
Ongoing
interdisciplinarity, social sciences, political sciences, STEM, hub, innovation

Ren'All care

An Alliance for Affordable and Sustainable Dialysis for ALL
Sustainable Development
Ongoing
health, dialysis, nephrology, LMICs, kidney failure, mortality, healthcare, training
Health
Technology Transfer

Agilis

Affordable, dynamic prosthetics giving amputees mobility and dignity in humanitarian contexts
Humanitarian Action
Successfully Transferred
handicap, health, prosthetic, amputations, affordability, mobility, ICRC, foot, robust, dynamic, cost-effective, accessibility
Reduced inequalities

BmAi

AI for Malnutrition awareness
Sustainable Development
Ongoing
health, children, newborn
Health
Completed

CURES

Low-cost, sustainable energy solutions to power healthcare in developing countries
Sustainable Development
Completed
research, energy, healthcare, Cameroon, primary, hospitals, sustainable, low-cost, electricity, entrepreneurship

Coldbox

Off Grid Mobile Cold Box for Food and Vaccine Transport
Sustainable Development
Ongoing
vaccination, health, healthcare, cold-chain, refrigeration, off-grid, mobile, vaccines, foodborne illnesses, sustainable
Health
Programme

EHA - Engineering for Humanitarian Action

Bridging the Gap between Humanitarian Needs and Technological Innovation
Humanitarian Action
Ongoing
engineering, humanitarian, icrc, innovation, education, challenges, workers, technology
Completed

Entrepreneurs in Residence (EIR)

Swiss-Tanzanian collaboration for medical device innovators
Sustainable Development
Completed
Tanzania, Education, Tanzania, healthcare, medical, innovation, entrepreneurs, startup, engineering
Education
Programme
Completed

GTH - The Geneva Technical Hub

Improving refugees' lives through sustainable solutions in energy, environment, and shelter
Humanitarian Action
Completed
unhcr, refugees, camp, displacement, host communities, energy, environment, shelter, housing, settlement, water, sanitation, hygiene
Technology Transfer

GlobalDiagnostiX

All-in-one system for universal access to radiology
Sustainable Development
Successfully Transferred
radiology, health, X-ray imaging, low-income countries, medical, power outages, digital system, low-cost

GlobalNeoNat

Affordable, robust neonatal incubators to combat hypothermia and save newborn lives
Sustainable Development
Ongoing
newborns, mortality, hypothermia, infection, asphyxia, unstable electricity, humidity, heat, dust, maintenance, incubator, thermal regulation

GlobalO2

Improving access to medical oxygen
Sustainable Development
Ongoing
oxygen, medical, concentrator, power supply, humidity-resistant, healthcare, equipment, training, maintenance, remote monitoring
Health

HAC3 Point-of-Care Test

Rapid Beriberi Detection through Salivary Testing: Enhancing Early Intervention for Malnourished Detainees
Humanitarian Action
Ongoing
Beriberi, detection, salivary testing, malnutrition, detainees, thiamine, biomarkers, point-of-care test
Technology Transfer

HelloMask

Transparent masks for safer, more human healthcare communication
Sustainable Development
Successfully Transferred
covid, health, transparency, medical safety, communication, breathability, non-verbal interactions, empathy, patient care, sustainability
Health
Completed

IDAIR Pathfinder

AI-powered, privacy-preserving epidemiology app to predict and manage epidemics securely
Sustainable Development
Completed
covid, health, tracking, ia, epidemiology, data security, privacy, interoperability, real-time data, low-cost devices
Programme

Mine Action

Integrating physical and digital technologies to enhance the efficiency and impact of demining operations
Peacetech
Ongoing
demining, mine action, landmines, AI, artificial intelligence, drones, prosthetic
Completed

OKA Taxi

Turning taxis into life-saving ambulances for maternal emergencies
Sustainable Development
Completed
mobility, Mozambique, transport, emergencies, pregnancy, tuktuks, entrepreneurs, taxi, health
Programme

PeaceTech Alliance

Leveraging technology to promote peace while addressing the risks of technology being used to enable violence
Peacetech
Ongoing
PeaceTech, technology, peacebuilding, violence prevention, cybersecurity, AI, disarmament, human rights, sustainability, radicalization, landmine, recovery, prosthetics, weapons

SafeStart

Detecting and preventing aflatoxin exposure for mothers & babies
Sustainable Development
Ongoing
food, health, toxin, aflatoxin, B1, carcinogenic, mycotoxins, molds, contamination, children, exposure, agriculture, portable, detection
Food

SmartCervix

A smartphone-based AI solution for the detection of cervical cancer
Sustainable Development
Ongoing
Cervical cancer, screening, SmartCervix, AI, image analysis, healthcare, telemedicine, lesions, prevention, diagnosis
Health
Technology Transfer

SmartPPE

Advanced protective suits for safer, cooler, and more humane Ebola care
Humanitarian Action
Successfully Transferred
Ebola, PPE, healthcare workers, infection prevention, self-contamination, temperature, patient care, eco-friendly, reusable, epidemic
Health

T4D Affordable Solar Fuel for Clean Cooking

Solar-powered plant for clean hydrogen production and clean and safe food cooking
Sustainable Development
Ongoing
clean cooking Cameroon, clean cooking solutions Africa, indoor air pollution cooking, alternative cooking fuels, hydrogen cooking technology, solar-powered hydrogen production, clean energy cooking systems, sustainable fuel production local communities, hydrogen cooking stoves, affordable clean cooking solutions, renewable energy for cooking, energy access sub-Saharan Africa, reducing indoor air pollution health, women and children health cooking fuels, decarbonizing cooking energy, low-emission cooking technologies, climate-friendly cooking solutions, off-grid energy systems cooking, sustainable household energy solutions, innovation clean cooking technology, energy transition developing countries, scalable clean cooking models, ecosystem protection clean energy, food security cooking solutions
Energy

T4D Concrete Reuse for Reconstruction

Rebuilding greener with concrete reuse
Sustainable Development
Ongoing
post-disaster reconstruction construction materials reuse
Climate action

T4D DAKFLOW Drone-Based Traffic Monitoring

Drone and AI-based traffic data for smarter mobility planning in Dakar
Sustainable Development
Ongoing
Urban mobility Dakar, traffic congestion Dakar, sustainable urban mobility Africa, mobility data Senegal, AI mobility analytics, drone traffic monitoring, geospatial mobility data, data-driven urban planning, smart city Dakar, transport planning Senegal, congestion management Africa, multimodal traffic data, urban transport data integration, open mobility data platforms, inclusive urban mobility, road safety data analysis, CO2 emissions reduction cities, air quality urban transport, climate-resilient cities, digital urban infrastructure, smart mobility solutions, Global South urban innovation, evidence-based mobility planning, informal transport systems Africa, capacity building local institutions, SDG 11 sustainable cities, urban mobility innovation Global South
Climate action

T4D Participatory GIS Toolkit

An open-source, web GIS based participatory mapping to improve mobility in rural areas.
Sustainable Development
Ongoing
rural mobility Kenya, transport access rural communities, mobility challenges developing countries, participatory GIS mobility mapping, PGIS toolkit transport planning, open-source GIS mobility tools, community-based mapping transport, rural transport data solutions, accessibility to essential services rural areas, data-driven transport planning low-income regions, inclusive mobility solutions, mobility barriers mapping, geospatial data for transport planning, participatory planning tools communities, digital tools rural development, transport equity and inclusion, sustainable mobility solutions, infrastructure access mapping rural regions, community empowerment through data, open data mobility solutions, scalable GIS toolkit international development, humanitarian technology mobility, evidence-based mobility planning, last-mile connectivity solutions
Mobility

T4D Safer traditional houses

Building on tradition: Optimizing dry stone masonry for earthquake resistance in Pakistan
Sustainable Development
Ongoing
seismic resistant housing typologies earthquake construction, earthquake-resistant housing Pakistan, seismic resilience homes, safe housing solutions developing countries, affordable earthquake-resistant homes, sustainable construction Pakistan, low-cost resilient housing, seismic risk mitigation housing, local building materials construction, timber scarcity construction alternatives, reinforced adobe stone houses, resilient housing Global South, disaster-resilient architecture, community-based housing design, inclusive housing solutions, culturally adapted housing design, climate-resilient housing, housing reconstruction innovation, local capacity building construction, mason training earthquake-safe building, sustainable building materials, reduced timber construction methods, healthy housing conditions, ventilation and indoor comfort housing, post-disaster housing solutions, scalable housing models developing countries, housing resilience Nepal Afghanistan Peru
Climate action

T4D Smarter mapping for recovery

Hyper-Localized GeoAI models for Post Disaster Assessments
Sustainable Development
Ongoing
geospatial artificial intelligence disaster management systems post-disaster damage assessment Nepal, flood and landslide risk Nepal, disaster risk management Nepal, GeoAI damage assessment, AI disaster response, drone mapping disaster assessment, building damage classification AI, geospatial data disaster response, rapid damage assessment tools, disaster recovery planning data-driven, climate disaster resilience Nepal, flood risk management Global South, landslide monitoring systems, AI for humanitarian response, localized AI models disaster assessment, human-in-the-loop AI validation, digital disaster management platforms, resilient reconstruction planning, emergency response coordination tools, data-driven disaster preparedness, community resilience disaster-prone regions, capacity building disaster management, inclusive damage data systems,
Climate action

T4D Sustainable 3D Printing for Peace

Sustainable 3D Printed Assistive Devices for Disabled People.
Sustainable Development
Ongoing
assistive devices Colombia, disability access Colombia, landmine victims rehabilitation, inclusive healthcare solutions, affordable assistive technology, 3D printing assistive devices, sustainable prosthetics production, recycled materials assistive devices, circular economy healthcare solutions, disability inclusion innovation, low-cost medical devices developing countries, local manufacturing assistive technology, rehabilitation technology innovation, digital fabrication for healthcare, environmental sustainability medical devices, plastic waste reuse innovation, natural fiber composite materials, inclusive economic development disability, job creation social impact innovation, accessible technology for disabled people, open-source assistive devices database, NGO partnerships disability support, social entrepreneurship healthcare solutions
Health

T4D TUCAN-GS Trees for urban resilience

Testing urban conditions for afforestation in hot-dry climates for groundwater management and socioeconomic benefits
Sustainable Development
Ongoing
urban afforestation, groundwater management, groundwater flooding Nouakchott, urban flooding Mauritania, nature-based solutions urban flooding, urban afforestation Africa, climate adaptation arid cities, green infrastructure flood management, sustainable urban drainage alternatives, evapotranspiration groundwater management, salt-tolerant trees urban environments, low-cost flood mitigation solutions, climate-resilient cities Africa, urban heat reduction greenery, microclimate cooling urban areas, air quality improvement urban trees, water management nature-based solutions, community-based urban greening, participatory environmental solutions, women-led climate initiatives, local capacity building urban resilience, sustainable landscaping arid regions, ecosystem-based adaptation cities, public health urban flooding, scalable climate solutions coastal cities, urban resilience
Climate action

T4D Warnings that reach the last mile

Strengthening community resilience in Maroantsetra by connecting local ecological knowledge with institutional alerts through off-grid, culturally grounded tools.
Sustainable Development
Ongoing
early warning systems Madagascar, disaster risk reduction Madagascar, multi-hazard early warning systems, community-based warning systems, traditional warning systems integration, climate disaster resilience Madagascar, flood cyclone landslide risk Madagascar, inclusive disaster communication, local language early warning systems, culturally adapted risk communication, resilient communication systems low-resource settings, hybrid warning systems traditional and modern, disaster preparedness Global South, participatory disaster risk management, community resilience building, local knowledge disaster prediction, indigenous knowledge early warning, solar-powered communication tools disaster response, low-cost warning technologies, last-mile risk communication, trust in disaster warning systems, capacity building DRM DRR, Sendai Framework early warning access, scalable community warning systems, humanitarian innovation disaster preparedness
Climate action

Water filtration using MOFs

Affordable, efficient, and sustainable water filtration system to remove toxic contaminants
Sustainable Development
Ongoing
water, filtration, MOFs, arsenic, contamination, affordable, efficient, sustainable, developing countries, health
Water & Sanitation
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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Whether you’re an organization, NGO, company, teacher, student, or simply someone interested, discover how you can support or collaborate with the EssentialTech Centre. No matter your question, our team is here to assist and explore opportunities with you. We look forward to connecting with you!

Contact us
How can I donate for a project or for the Centre?

There are two primary ways in which you can contribute to our work, either by supporting a specific project or by contributing towards our core costs. All donations are subject to a written agreement reviewed by EPFL ethical and legal teams to ensure all parties are protected and the projects aligned with our work. Please contact us directly for specific details on how to donate to the centre.

Is my donation tax deductible?

Yes. As an academic institution, EPFL is a non-profit institution under Swiss law, and your donations are tax deductible. However, should you wish to know more precisely how this will affect your personal tax situation, we advise you to consult a tax specialist in your place of residence. Please contact us for more information.

What does it imply to give to research projects?

There are different stages in the development of our projects and timeframes vary significantly. From the moment we explore the possibility of a technology to the moment we find the right path and are able to deploy in the field, several years can go by. Starting from research has the advantage of allowing to address important challenges in new ways. This has the potential for impact at large scale.

How can I support EssentialTech’s activities?

Aside from financial support, everyone can play a role and support us by subscribing to our newsletter, following us and sharing our updates on social media (LinkedIn, Youtube and Instagram), and advocating for the Centre’s activities within your network.

Can I volunteer for EssentialTech?

EPFL's HR policies do not allow unpaid work, however, please don’t hesitate to contact us to discuss other ways in which you can get involved.

Are there opportunities at the Centre for student jobs or bachelor/master projects?

If you’re a student and would like to collaborate with our Centre, whether for a bachelor/master project or a part-time job, there are options for you! For project opportunities, reach out through our Contact form, explaining your field of study and the project or technology you’re interested in. For part-time job openings, keep an eye on our job page or contact us directly to explore potential opportunities suited to your profile. Don’t forget to include your CV for faster consideration.

Why should I consider working with EssentialTech?

Our unique methodological approach is focused on maximizing changes for a tangible impact at scale, with a track-record of successful projects. Furthermore, under the EPFL umbrella the EssentialTechCentre is a secure and world-wide recognized partner. We strictly follow EPFL regulations, being legal or ethical and as a Swiss Confederation entity, we can guarantee strict and transparent financial practices, ensuring our donor that their investment is used only as stipulated in the contract or agreement. On the other hand, EssentialTech Centre is a small physical structure with only the necessary management and staff to ensure a proper follow-up of projects and programmes. Our small size gives us the agility and pragmatism to operate freely.