From 4 to 22 May 2026, the METAVISION DCs Nadeen Ayyash , Jiahua Zang, Marco Ribera, and Juan Pablo Escudero traveled to Dübendorf for a hands-on demonstrator secondment with SBB at EMPA. During their stay, the team developed and tested an innovative labyrinthine acoustic solution aimed at improving the functionality of small animal passages beneath railway acoustic barriers.

The results of this collaborative effort will be presented at the ISMA2026 conference, showcasing the potential of metamaterials in real-world applications.

Special thanks to Bart Van Damme and Urs Schoenholzer for their invaluable contributions, which made this secondment both successful and memorable.