Micromechanical and Horological Design Laboratory

The Micromechanical and Horological Design Laboratory (Instant-Lab) at EPFL-Neuchatel Campus, directed by Prof. Simon Henein, focuses on creating innovative mechanisms at the centimetre scale. Inspired by fields like horology, robotics, and aerospace, the laboratory's projects span mechanical watchmaking, biomedical instrumentation, and aerospace mechanisms. Prof. Simon Henein held the prestigious Patek Philippe Endowed Chair from 2012 to 2020. Besides academic research and teaching, the laboratory actively collaborates with industrial partners. Their research includes developing gravity-insensitive flexure-based oscillators for wristwatches, such as the IsoSpring project, which aims to improve chronometric accuracy and power reserve. The laboratory's work has been showcased in various exhibitions and industrial projects, with a focus on miniaturization for watch-scale applications.