Gilles Courret

Gilles Courret is an Associate Professor at the School of Engineering and Management of the Canton of Vaud (HEIG-VD) in Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland. His primary areas of expertise include Applied Physics, Thermodynamics, Energy Efficiency, Plasma Technologies, Plasma Chemistry, and Lighting Design. With a career spanning over two decades, Professor Courret has made significant contributions to the fields of plasma physics, energy storage, and sustainable building technologies, particularly focusing on environmentally friendly solutions.

Professor Courret's research interests cover several critical areas:

• Plasma physics and applications, especially atmospheric plasma for disinfection and lighting technologies
• Energy efficiency and storage solutions, including innovative approaches to storing renewable energy
• Thermodynamic systems and magnetocaloric refrigeration
• Daylighting systems and sustainable building technologies
• Data compression algorithms for efficient information storage

His recent work has increasingly focused on practical applications of plasma technology for public health, particularly in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Courret has developed atmospheric plasma sources as alternatives to traditional hand disinfection methods, investigating both radio frequency and direct current plasma approaches. His research demonstrates that cold atmospheric plasma can achieve significant disinfection on various surfaces while being safe for skin application when properly controlled. The technology uses only electricity and air, potentially replacing or complementing current hand disinfection methods and mitigating economic burdens during public health crises.

Throughout his career, Courret has maintained a strong focus on environmentally friendly technologies. Early in his career, he worked on innovative daylighting systems based on non-imaging optics (anidolic systems) to improve natural lighting in buildings. More recently, he has explored energy storage solutions that avoid the environmental impacts of traditional batteries, developing pneumatic storage systems with 60-70% efficiency. His work on translucent honeycomb solar collectors demonstrates his commitment to integrating renewable energy solutions into building design.