Over the years we have looked at lots of materials, for example, a soft gel or a polymer that responds in the presence of a stimulus. Maybe it expands or contracts when the temperature changes, or exposure to a certain chemical or light might make it change colour. Then we use those materials to build sensors that can pick up signals from the human body or from the environment – devices that can monitor situations over time and alert us to changes. What do you do when you are not discovering new material processes and building sensors? I think more social science and humanities need to be integrated into science and technology projects, especially the game-changing flagship projects that Europe is funding now.

Source: The Irish Times November 16, 2017 14:48 UTC