Innovative Prague XII
Prague is not only an amazing historical city with a wealth of monuments, excellent gastronomy, cordial residents, and a wide range of events. It is also a modern and innovative science hub. Prague excels in many fields, such as artificial intelligence and robotics, biomedicine, low-carbon technologies, data technologies and selected creative industries, providing ideal opportunities for holding conventions and conferences with the matching topics.
The twelfth edition of Innovative Prague will take you to space on the Prague metro, introduce you to a project exploring the possibilities of slowing down brain aging or how to measure heart activity more accurately. Finally, you will learn which research projects have received the awards for the greatest contribution to society.
Subway to Space
Prague's public transport has long been rated as one of the best in the world. Its network is so sophisticated that from November this year you can travel all the way to space – that is, to the conditions that prevail there, to be exact. The Czech Technical University (CTU) has opened a new training and research center for simulating space missions called "Little Moon City Prague" on its Dejvice campus, only a few steps away from the local metro station.
Can We Slow Down Brain Aging?
Czech and Norwegian scientists have combined their know-how to create an international team to research how to slow down the process of brain cells dying. The death of brain cells is responsible, for example, for the development of Alzheimer's disease. Representatives of the Faculty of Medicine of Charles University and the University of Oslo are now researching the so-called brain cells cleansing processes, which become less effective with age. The results of this research could eventually lead to the development of a drug that would delay the onset or slow down the progression of neurodegenerative diseases in humans. A report about the international project of both universities called MitAD is on the Science and Research website.
Heart Monitoring More Accurate Than Ever
While the research into a cure for neurodegenerative diseases is still in its infancy, an improved device for measuring heart activity (also known as an ECG) is already heading to doctors' offices. The new technology, developed over more than a decade by scientists from Charles University, the Czech Academy of Sciences and Cardion company, will allow doctors to diagnose heart disease even more accurately. A report about the non-invasive method of examination, which has already received two American patents and a number of awards, is on the Science and Research website.
Which Research Projects Are Greatest Benefit for Society This Year?
This is exactly what the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic found out during its TA CR Day, during which it announced four applied research projects with the greatest benefit for society and the economy. The absolute winner, which could also be voted on by the general public, was an online psycho-diagnostic application that helps teachers identify talented students. The other three places were taken by the project of an autonomous robot "builder", research into the impact of the production and use of artificial snow on the nature of the Krkonoše National Park, and the processing of biomass for new products from renewable sources. More information about individual projects can be found in the Technology Agency report.
Would you like to learn more interesting facts? Read the three previous issues of Innovative Prague: