Last February, IdeaSquare, the innovation space at CERN, opened its doors for a two days event for the internal community. The event offered visitors a unique opportunity to discover our rapid prototyping and multipurpose facilities and to learn how they could get involved.
Using electronic tools for rapid prototyping, and programming for hardware projects and the big world of Internet-of-Things, is possible if you know how to interface an Arduino. This microcontroller board can represent diverse objects connected to the Internet, for example, traffic lights, air quality monitors, or presence detectors.
CERN operates the LHC (Large Hadron Collider) the largest particle accelerator ever built. Four main experiments were established on its circumference with the purpose of resolving major scientific enigmas. The general-purpose detector CMS (Compact Muon Solenoid) is one of these experiments.
The strong magnetic field means standard steel components cannot be used.
Engineers use IdeaSquare workshops to prototype a better shock absorber for the largest experiments at CERN.
What happens when we apply fundamental science to real-world challenges?
Today, TERAPET is a Swiss medical technology start-up, but the idea did not start off in the business world. Two of the three founders had the idea when working on proton beam technology here at CERN.
Researchers from ISOLDE used our facilities to make many different things. Using the water jet cutter we were able to quickly and cheaply create non-magnetic brass tools for their highly magnetic equipment.
During 3 days in November 2021, IdeaSquare was able to provide 3D printers and access to the machine shop to members of CLEAR (CERN Linear Electron Accelerator for Research) for a prototyping project under the skillful supervision of Oscar Lilleløkken, workshop supervisor.
The most recent generation of RPCs is aimed at the High Luminosity LHC upgrade of ATLAS and CMS, allowing the detectors to use low global warming potential gases.