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Health and life science /

Articles and blog posts on Health and Life science

How can artificial intelligence (AI) improve diagnostics? What is needed to combat antibiotic resistance? RISE shares research results and insights that demonstrate how innovation can be transformed into clinical benefits.

Articles

Article / Social innovation

Human-centred innovation challenges "business as usual"

Can innovation contribute to a better life for people while also creating a sustainable society? Innovation expert Dennis Pamlin explains why we need to abandon the 'fossil-free typewriter tactic' and innovate with people at the heart of it. Seniortorget in Umeå is a prime example of this approach …

Article / Wood technology

Can hospitals be built out of wood?

The idea of building hospitals out of wood arouses both curiosity and scepticism, but the Vinnova-funded project Health in Wood shows that there are great opportunities. In a groundbreaking collaboration between the timber construction and hospital construction sectors, experts have tested the limi…

Article / Climate adaptation

Heat waves create unhealthy indoor climate – Swedish houses need climate adaptation

Climate change is making heatwaves more frequent and intense, even in cold countries like those in the Nordic region. This creates new challenges for our buildings, which are designed to retain heat rather than release it. RISE is addressing this pressing issue from several angles.

New framework reveals how architecture might rewire our brains

What if the buildings around us are quietly reshaping our minds? RISE researchers have developed a groundbreaking framework proposing that our built environments might fundamentally influence brain function.

Can your office make you sick? The hidden health risks of architecture

We spend more than 90 percent of our lives indoors. But what if the very buildings designed to protect us are quietly undermining our health? Emerging research, within the field of neuroarchitecture and neurodesig, suggests that certain architectural features – from narrow hallways to windowless ro…

Nature-inspired architecture may reduce brain inflammation

What if the places we live and work in could affect more than just our moods — what if they could influence the very health of our brains? This is the question driving Cleo Valentine, Senior Researcher and Innovation Lead at RISE, and PhD candidate at the University of Cambridge. Her research sits …

Article / Chemical and biological analysis

Blåbær Production – from chemical crisis to PFAS-free production

Many companies face the challenge of managing chemical issues that are becoming increasingly complex due to new regulations and rising expectations for transparency. For Blåbær Production AS, a chemical crisis in 2015 marked the starting point for a change in their way of working. Through collabora…

Article / Neuro-architecture and neuro-design

Neurodesign and Neuroarchitecture Index measures spaces' health impact

A groundbreaking index in the emerging field of neurodesign and neuroarchitecture could transform the way we plan and invest in our cities, schools, and workplaces. Drawing on brain science and AI, researchers can now measure how physical environments influence our health, cognition, and overall we…

Article / Chemical and biological analysis

Reaching REACH: How VMG Is Rising to the Challenge

We spend a lot of our lives indoors, so it’s important that the materials around us are safe and don’t release anything that could impact our health. To help protect us, there are rules in place – and these are about to get stricter. A new EU regulation is coming next year, and VMG Group is already…

Article / Innovation management

How ISO 56001 can help secure your organization’s innovation power

Innovation doesn’t happen by itself. To go all the way from idea to business opportunity and success requires leadership and organization. Now, companies and organizations have the opportunity to set a new standard and lead the way for future innovation efforts with ISO 56001 through RISE. The ques…

Article / Additive manufacturing

Region Västra Götaland Identifies a Growing Need for Additive Manufacturing

In an era defined by rapid shifts and global challenges, the pursuit of sustainability, resilience, and competitiveness has never been more important. Yet, the path to achieving these goals remains anything but straightforward. The Swedish region Västra Götaland believes that additive manufacturing…

Innovation in broth form paves the way for the food of the future

An everyday food like bouillon can help improve public health in countries where many people lack access to a nutritious diet. This is the conclusion of a recent international research project that has developed a fortified bouillon cube – designed to deliver essential vitamins and minerals despite…

Brain Research Aims to Make Future Cities Better to Live In

Can brain research be used to design and build cities in ways that improve human well-being? A major step forward is now being taken in the fields of neuroarchitecture and neurodesign, which could help make cities around the world healthier places to live in.

Article / Chemical and biological analysis

Water analysis: an objective and cost-effective tool in the fight against drugs

Wastewater analysis can help a community or business track drug use over time and identify areas of unusually high use. It can also help the police detect the influx of new drugs. – Water analysis can act as a 'health check' for a community, similar to occupational health services. It provides…

Article / Chemical and biological analysis

How to identify PFAS in your products

Scientists and politicians agree – PFAS should not be present in products manufactured now or in the future. In anticipation of a broad EU ban, companies need to ascertain whether their product portfolios contain PFAS substances. This knowledge is essential to meet future requirements.

Article / Wood technology

Remediating wood the right way

Wood exposed to moisture or free water becomes susceptible to microbial growth over time. Remediation of the growth may be a better option than tearing out and replacing all the wood with new. An overall perspective with knowledge of all relevant parameters is required in order to make the right as…

Blog posts

Blog post / Food

Nutritional benefits and shortcomings of plant-based dairy analogues

Growing consumer demand for plant-based alternatives to dairy products has led to the launch of many innovative products on the market in recent years. Although plant-based alternatives are more climate-friendly than dairy products, they have both nutritional strengths and weaknesses compared to mi…

Blog post / Food

With legumes at heart!

To quote the Danish Food Authority's new music video: "What the fuck is a legume"? Legumes such as peas, lentils and beans are ingredients we should eat more of, both for our own health and for the planet's. Within RISE we are working on several projects to help ensure that there is a variety of a…

Blog post / Food

Antinutrients – a pitfall in the protein shift?

A shift towards a more plant-based diet would generally benefit both health and the climate and environment. From a nutritional perspective, however, there are certain potential pitfalls that one needs to navigate to avoid missing the mark. One such pitfall is so-called antinutrients. But what are …

Blog post / Composites

Graphene - what happened after the hype?

The answer is that graphene, now celebrating 20 years since discovery, show substantial market growth rates even though it is still at the early stages of its journey into real-world applications. Are you curious in learning more? Let’s start at the beginning.

Blog post / Design

Design for All: Inclusive Solutions in a Diverse World

"Design for All" relates to the vision of a society that includes everyone. The Sustainable Development Goals emphasize the need to prioritize these aspects for us to evolve as a future-proof and resilient society. But what does it really mean to design for all? And why is it so important?

Blog post / Food

Nutritional LCA – what is it and what can it be used for?

There is an increasing interest in introducing nutrition and health aspects in the assessment of the environmental impact of foods. A suggested method to do it is called nutritional LCA. Through nutritional LCA, it is possible for actors in the food system to include a more holistic sustainabi…

Blog post / Food

Bilberries and lingonberries – health effects and health claims

Berries are a natural part of a healthy and sustainable diet. However, more well-designed studies are needed to better understand if and how bilberries and lingonberries contribute to specific health effects and, if so, for food companies to be able to communicate about these effects.

Blog post / Food

Can fermentation increase the availability of iron in meat analogues?

The interest in plant-based meat-like products, known as meat analogs, is high and growing. However, there are some nutritional challenges with today's meat analogs, such as an often high content of the antinutrient phytate that makes iron less available to the body. Fermentation is an interesting …

Blog post / Metrology

From the impossible to the difficult to measure

Latent traits cannot be directly observed. They can be how we feel or what we, can do, but also within organizations. Society's need for knowledge about latent traits such as experiences, feelings, behaviors, and abilities is increasing.

Blog post / Metrology

Do we have too much faith in all measurements?

Being able to trust physical measurements is done as a matter of course. But why don't we have the same requirements for reliability when we try to measure experiences, feelings, behaviours and abilities? RISE has worked together in networks and dialogues with relevant actors to offer measurement q…

Blog post / Design

What is World Usability Day?

World Usability Day is organized yearly on the second Thursday of November. The day is about celebrating the progress made in creating useful products and spreading knowledge about how usability affects our daily lives. Simply put, how to make our world work a little better.

Blog post / Chemical products and processes

Non-toxic toys – unfortunately not something you can take for granted

Surely no parent would voluntarily put a toy containing carcinogens in the hands of their child. Nevertheless, there is a risk that we will do so, especially if the item in question comes from an online marketplace.