A LEG THAT RUNS AN ULTRAMARATHON IN 2030. A RETINA ON A CHIP. SUNLIGHT THAT CAN PRODUCE MEDICINE. AND A SENSOR THAT CONTINUOUSLY MONITORS PARKINSON'S MEDICATION. FOUR EXAMPLES OF WHAT IS CURRENTLY BEING WORKED ON AT THE UT.
Four sessions on 8 and 9 May showcase where UT research is heading — not as a vision for the future, but as work that is happening right now.
There is a difference between understanding research and seeing research. Reading about a bionic leg is one thing. Hearing directly from the researcher how far along he is, and what still needs to happen before 2030, is something else entirely. The Lustrum Alumni Days offer both.
FROM SCIENCE TO SAND: THE BIONIC LEG OF 2030
Steven van Roon is manager of the UT Robotics Centre and founder of Mission I.A.M. His goal is concrete: to develop a bionic leg that will enable people with an amputation to complete an ultramarathon in 2030. Not as a concept. As a reality.
To achieve this, he needs real-world neuromuscular data. And he collects it in an unconventional way: by running 120 kilometres through the Jordanian desert himself, during the notorious Marathon des Sables. Not for the sport. But for the science. "This isn't about that one race," he says. "It's about the 1,600 days that follow."
Together with researchers from the UT's NEUBOTICS Lab, students, and dedicated athletes, he is developing a prosthesis that allows users not only to move naturally, but also to participate in extreme athletic achievements.
In his session, he explains how scientists, students and athletes come together, how to bridge the gap between lab and sand, and what still needs to happen before 2030. For anyone who thinks ambitious goals are unrealistic: "Crazy ambitions make the world a better place."
From Solar-Powered Factories to Retinas on a Chip: Research for the Future
What if sunlight could not only generate electricity, but also produce medicine? And what if you could replicate a patient's retina on a chip the size of your thumbnail?
Arturo Susarrey Arce, assistant professor within the Mesoscale Chemical Systems research group at the UT, is working on light-driven chemical processes, with applications that go far beyond solar panels.
Devin Veerman (Biomedical Technology, 2015–2021), PhD candidate at the UT, is building a retina-on-a-chip: a miniature model of the human eye that can be used for drug research and the treatment of retinal diseases.
Two lines of research that may seem unrelated at first glance, but which both demonstrate the reach of UT research when you take the time to look.
Tomorrow’s Sensor, Today
Not all research at the UT comes from professors and PhD candidates. Sometimes the most tangible innovations come from students who decided to do things differently.
The Biosensing Team Twente is a multidisciplinary student team — comparable to Solar Team Twente or Electric Superbike Twente — that translates academic knowledge into a working product. This year, their focus is on Parkinson's disease.
People with Parkinson's depend on medication such as Levodopa, for which the correct dosage is difficult to determine. Doctors currently rely largely on the patient's own description — a snapshot in time — while the situation may already be different an hour later. The team is developing a wearable biosensor, similar to a glucose meter for diabetes, that continuously and accurately monitors medication delivery.
On Friday 8 May, the students will present their project live: from initial concept to working prototype, as they prepare for the international SensUs healthcare competition in Eindhoven. Not a presentation of finished results, but science in progress.
More recent news
Tue 12 May 2026Climate exam at UT: test your climate knowledge on May 21
Tue 12 May 2026How AI transforms epilepsy diagnoses
Mon 11 May 2026The robotic penguin that makes endoscopy optional
Fri 8 May 2026UT Oral History: seven-part podcast series now available in full online
Fri 8 May 2026Current status of the Canvas data breach