University of Twente

04/09/2026

Tattoos are forever. At least, they used to be. Today, laser treatment can effectively remove tattoos. But what exactly happens when the laser hits the skin, and how does the removal process work? Actually, there's a great deal of physics behind it.

Wiendelt Steenbergen, Professor of Biomedical Optics, knows all about how light interacts with human tissue. In the article below, he explains the science behind laser tattoo removal. 👇

🇬🇧 https://ut.onl/3shhqyv
🇳🇱 https://ut.onl/8ovyjpx

People used to say you should think carefully before getting a tattoo, because it was there for life. These days, tattoos can be removed more effectively with laser treatments. But what does a laser actually do to the ink beneath your skin? And why doesn’t it simply burn your skin at the same time...

02/09/2026

Four years ago, our Master's in Robotics kicked off with just 32 students. Today, we are happy to welcome over 80 new students to the programme this week, and celebrate a big milestone: our 100th Robotics alumnus has officially received his diploma! 🤩

In recent years, students of Robotics have been building robotic solutions for real-world challenges in industry, healthcare, and beyond - one of them being Karun, our 100th graduate.

Robotics graduates always receive a miniature version of the Robotics mascot, called the Cutie. For this special occasion, Karun received a Golden Cutie instead. 🤖 Congratulations, and on to the next 100!

Alumni Universiteit Twente

01/09/2026

🤩 Yesterday, we opened the 2026–2027 academic year at Muziekcentrum Enschede, marking the start of our 65th anniversary year. The theme was courage: what does it mean to build a university where people feel safe to experiment, take new directions, and speak up when needed?

With a keynote speech from the Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate, Heleen Herbert, music from the Bartenders Reunion, panel conversations with alumni, and the awarding of the Van den Kroonenberg Lifetime Achievement Awards and UT Graduation Awards, it was an inspiring afternoon. We also welcomed Gregor Halff, who starts as President of the Executive Board today.

We are looking forward to an exciting academic year. Have a great first week, everyone!

26/08/2026

Automated passport control, photo sorting, Face ID... Facial recognition is being used more and more. But how does your phone know it's actually you? And how secure is facial recognition really?

Luuk Spreeuwers, researcher in biometrics and facial recognition, explains how facial recognition works in the article below. 👇

🇬🇧 https://ut.onl/tnd2yeg
🇳🇱 https://ut.onl/k7eibgt

Recently, I wore glasses for the first time in ages instead of my usual contact lenses. Yet Face ID unlocked my iPhone without any trouble. Apparently, my phone still knew it was me. But how? How does facial recognition actually know that you really are you?

25/08/2026

More than a degree in action! 💪 Last Thursday, our Vice President Machteld Roos and director of the Centre of Education Support Lieke Schreel were invited by the Student Union to take on the Bestorming of the Bastille, one of the most iconic moments of the yearly Kick-In. What better way to experience what student life at UT is like than to try it yourself?

We hope everyone is having a blast discovering campus life. Wishing you all an unforgettable rest of the Kick-In! 🤩

21/08/2026

Our power grid is full. Housing projects stall, businesses have to wait years for a connection, and during peak times, we use up all capacity in the grid. The simple solution seems to be to enlarge the grid. But is that truly the best way to go forward?

According to professor Johann Hurink, using our current power grid in a more efficient and smarter way is just as important. Why and how? He explains in the article below. 👇

🇬🇧 https://ut.onl/evywxmv
🇳🇱 https://ut.onl/3bmngex

You read it almost every week. The power grid is full, businesses wait years for a connection and new housing projects stall. The logical thought is then: just lay more cables. Yet that is only half the answer. The grid is far from full all the time, and building more takes longer than you would thi...

19/08/2026

It’s that time again! 🥳 Kick-In started this morning, and although the weather isn’t great, we’re onto a great week with lots of fun activities, exploring the city and making friends.

Welcome to campus! We’re excited to have you on board. 😍

17/08/2026

Our hallways have been empty for too long! We're excited to see you back on campus soon 💪

14/08/2026

Learning about smart devices is one thing, but working with them is just as important for students. That's why, at the IoT Cyberlab, students and researchers get to study real data traffic from more than forty smart devices. Set up like a studio flat, the lab hosts a smart fridge, dishwasher, robot vacuum, coffee machine, voice assistants, and much more.

One of these smart devices is a football table. Not only a welcome distraction between work, but also a never-ending student project. Currently, students are working on developing an AI commentator that can give live commentary using we**am footage of the game.

How? Read on through the article below. 👇

🇬🇧 https://ut.onl/ouimhlx
🇳🇱 https://ut.onl/er3zgtt

At the University of Twente, researchers and students are working on a smart table-football table. It could be where the first steps are taken towards AI that takes over football commentary, the VAR, or even the referee. In this article, I take a closer look at the research.