10th Zurich Hardware Meetup Recap

Drones for nature

Thank you to all of you who came by to our 10th event! It was a small yet mighty meetup, all about using hardware - specifically drones - to study and preserve nature.
Special thanks to Ralph for manning the fort alone this time, and to all the attendees that helped out!

Presenter Recap

We first had Cameron tell us about how his background in drones led him to inverto earth. From their beginnings in sowing trees in mangroves, he explained how their focus has changed to using drones and sensors to collect high-quality data that enables effective and transparent ecosystem restoration projects. With insights from the data they collect, they can partner with local groups to implement more impactful interventions.

Then Pham from the Laboratory of Sustainability Robotics explained how they design and build soft robotic actuators for aerial drones. Their crash-resistant drones enable data and sample collection in fragile or hard-to-reach natural environments by adapting to the diverse shapes found in nature.

Community Announcements

• We have a Zurich channel on the global hardware meetup Discord! Join the server to connect with other hardware people around the world.

• This is our first *real* newsletter post: take a mini survey to let us know the content you’d like to see here aside from the meetup recaps!

• We’re taking a break in September, but we’ll be coming back strong in October.

Shout Out to our Hosts and Sponsors

Thank you to the Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich (IPZ) for hosting us. IPZ is a dynamic hub for innovators, fostering connections between academia and industry with its unparalleled global network. It serves as a catalyst to enhance their innovation potential and market readiness. Located next to the Dübendorf airfield, its focus areas are primarily, but not exclusively, Robotics & Mobility, Space & Aviation and Advanced Manufacturing. Reach out to Ralph to find out more. 

Supporting us from the very beginning were also:

Thank you to the ETH Feasibility Lab for their support. Their experienced product development engineers are supported by ETH engineering students and help organizations tackle innovative topics that are too uncertain for large-scale projects, by reducing the initial uncertainty through testing of minimal viable prototypes.

Thank you to informal for helping make the night possible! informal is a freelance collective for the most talented independent professionals in hardware and hardtech with hundreds of experienced senior professionals in hardware branding, design, engineering, marketing, and operations ready to join your team for short, long, and full-time engagements.

Finally
If you're interested in hosting or speaking at the next event or have any feedback for us, get in touch :) 

Cheers!
Rayan