Swiss Federal Councillor Pascal Couchepin visits ZRL

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Rüschlikon, 30 March 2004—Swiss Federal Councillor Pascal Couchepin visited IBM Research - Zurich in Rüschlikon. Hosted by Peter Quadri, General manager of IBM Switzerland, and Krishna Nathan, Director of ZRL, the federal councillor and his team discussed the significance of research in Switzerland, its effects on economic growth and its possible contributions to private enterprise.

During a visit to IBM's Research Laboratory in Rüschlikon, Swiss Federal Councillor Pascal Couchepin was briefed on the current state of research projects in the IT and business sectors. Foremost on the agenda were research projects in the fields of data protection and information security. IBM specialists also took the opportunity to present their new service organization "On Demand Innovation Services" (ODIS). In novel projects that fuse research and consulting, scientists are developing innovative new solutions with immediate practical applications. An example of this is Personal Care Connect, a system developed in cooperation with health care organizations for the remote monitoring of chronic patients via their cell phones.

"The key for successful cooperation between research and business consulting services lies in more than just technical innovation," explained Krishna Nathan. "It is the linkage to the business solution that turns invention into innovation."

At the IBM Research Laboratory, founded in 1956 and situated amid rolling hills above Lake Zurich, an international network of some 300 experts pursue research projects primarily in the fields of computer science, electronics and physics. IBM scientists work closely with universities throughout Europe and participate in research projects on the national level as well as within the European Union.

"Research and innovation are the forces that will drive our economy. They create a dynamic that is vital to Switzerland's economic growth," insists Peter Quadri. "The most fertile environment for this is a mixture of world-class research at universities and in private enterprises, a favorable economic climate and an open, commerce-friendly culture."

For more information, see also the Pressroom of IBM Switzerland.