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From scented mobiles to optical gears: Three MCI researchers receive million-krone grants
With million-kroner grants from the Villum Foundation, three researchers from the Mads Clausen Institute will challenge the boundaries of science with projects on scent transmission via mobile phones, affordable, flexible solar cells, and optical gears in future computers.
Though it may sound like something from a science fiction film, three researchers from the Mads Clausen Institute are working on projects that could make it possible to send scents via mobile phones, produce flexible, organic solar cells, and integrate "optical gears" into the computers of the future.
Associate Professor Roana de Oliveira Hansen, Postdoc Daniel Garcia Martos, and Postdoc Ayoub Laghrissi recently received approximately two million kroner from the Villum Foundation's prestigious Experiment programme.
The funds will finance groundbreaking research in digital scent transmission, optical manipulation of nanomaterials, and organic solar cells. The grants are awarded to projects that push the boundaries of what we consider possible in science.
The TeleScent project, led by Roana de Oliveira Hansen, aims to make it possible to transmit scents over long distances, just as we can send sound and images today. The project can potentially revolutionise telecommunications and the entertainment industry by incorporating the sense of smell into digital communication tools. You can read more about the project here.
Daniel Garcia Martos' "NanostuctOPV" project focuses on developing organic semiconductor nanoparticles for organic solar cells.
Traditional solar cells, typically consisting of silicon, are efficient but expensive and complex to produce. Garcia Martos' research aims to develop organic solar cells that are both cheaper and more flexible, which could open the door to new applications such as portable energy sources and integrated solutions in buildings.
The third project, "Optical Gears", led by Ayoub Laghrissi, focuses on harnessing the angular momentum of light to manipulate objects on a nanoscale. It may sound complicated, and perhaps it is, but the concept is about creating something resembling tiny gears, where light beams can cause these tiny gears to turn and move even smaller particles. This technology could be used to sort small substances, create new materials, and assist in developing future computer chips.
High-Risk Research
The Villum Experiment programme is known for supporting high-risk projects with the potential for groundbreaking discoveries. The projects are evaluated anonymously, ensuring the focus is on the idea's potential rather than the researcher's background. According to Villum Foundation's Director of Research, Thomas Bjørnholm, the programme allows researchers to take risks and explore the untested.
"We know that some of these projects could lead to groundbreaking discoveries that can change the world," he says.
This year, the Villum Foundation has awarded grants to 51 projects, ranging from artificial intelligence to new material technologies and sustainable solutions. With the three grants to SDU researchers, the Mads Clausen Institute cements its position as a leading player in innovative research.
"This is the second time since 2022 that we've had the good fortune—and the skill—to achieve a 'hat trick' with three Villum Experiment projects awarded to the institute. It's a fantastic testament to the institute's commitment to supporting free, fundamental research and our ability to attract incredibly creative and highly motivated researchers to SDU," says a very proud and delighted Head of the Mads Clausen Institute, Horst-Günter Rubahn.
FACT BOX: The Villum Experiment Programme
- Focuses on innovative and unconventional research ideas
- Projects are evaluated anonymously to promote creativity and boldness
- Supports research with high-risk and breakthrough potential
- Grants are awarded in the early stages of research projects, where idea development is central