Robots used to exist only in the realm of science fiction, but these days they are rapidly becoming a part of everyday life in the shape of drones, intelligent cars, industrial robots and robotic vacuum cleaners. The Parliament's legal affairs committee has decided to set up a working group to come up with proposals for legislation on how to make best use of robotics. We spoke to Luxembourg S&D member Mady Delvaux, who will write a report on this on behalf of the working group.

Baltic Aviation Academy, aviation training centre based in Central Europe expands its training capabilities in Asian market by establishing BAA Singapore training base. In cooperation with partners, China-based aerospace company Haite Group, BAA Singapore is ready to provide Pilot Type Rating, Cabin Crew and Ground Handling training to Asia, Pacific and MENA markets.

Vilnius City Municipality Council approved of the construction of a multifunctional health, education and activity centre in Vilnius. A tender for investors should be announced in May 2015.

In 2014, the share of Lithuania's population aged 30 to 34 who had completed tertiary education stood at 53.3%, which the is highest share in the European Union, Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, said. In 2013, the rate was 51.3%.

Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) has signed a double PhD studies agreement with the University of Bologna (Italy). From now on KTU Environmental Engineering PhD students will have the opportunity to study in Bologna and to acquire a double degree upon graduation.

Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) together with Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU) will offer a brand new undergraduate Health Informatics study programme in September 2015. The programme is unique in Lithuania and one of a few in the Baltic region.

The team of VU Rector prof. Artūras Žukauskas is set up by now and started functioning!

Polish duet 'Tropy' (Maciej Fortuna and Dariusz Dobroszczyk) will perform in Kaunas on 26 April under the XXV International Jazz Festival 'Kaunas Jazz'2015'.

The team of Vilnius University researchers report on the preclinical study of 3D artificial micro structured scaffolds out of hybrid organic-inorganic (HOI) material SZ2080 fabricated using the DLW (direct laser writing lithography) technique. The created 2.1 × 2.1 × 0.21 mm3 membrane constructs are tested both in vitro by growing isolated allogeneic rabbit chondrocytes (Cho) and in vivo by implanting them into rabbit organisms for one, three and six months. An ex vivo histological examination shows that certain pore geometry and the pre-growing of Cho prior to implantation significantly improves the performance of the created 3D scaffolds. The achieved biocompatibility is comparable to the commercially available collagen membranes. The successful outcome of this study supports the idea that hexagonal-pore-shaped HOI micro structured scaffolds in combination with Cho seeding may be successfully implemented for cartilage tissue engineering.

Further on human cells (including stem cells) biocompatibility with the scaffold has to be evaluated, to see if there are no adverse effects, and quantify the positive efficacy. Currently this research is being performed anticipating positive results in the nearest future.

Over the last decade DLW employing ultrafast pulsed lasers has become a well-established technique for the creation of custom-made free-form three-dimensional (3D) micro scaffolds out of a variety of materials ranging from proteins to biocompatible glasses. Its potential applications for manufacturing a patient's specific scaffold seem unlimited in terms of spatial resolution and geometry complexity. However, despite few exceptions in which live cells or primitive organisms were encapsulated into a polymer matrix, no demonstration of an in vivo study case of scaffolds generated with the use of such a method was performed.

www.vu.lt

The Agency for Science, Innovation and Technology (MITA) in Lithuania has launched a competition for students to complete an internship with NASA Ames Research Centre in the United States and is now accepting applications.