<p>➀ Professor Paul Motzki at Saarland University secured an ERC Starting Grant (€1.5 million) to advance elastocaloric cooling technology, combining shape memory alloys and dielectric elastomer actuators;</p><p>➁ The eco-friendly elastocaloric method uses nickel-titanium alloys for heating/cooling without harmful refrigerants, achieving 20°C temperature differentials, with potential for multi-stage systems;</p><p>➂ Motzki’s team also leads EU projects like the EIC Pathfinder (prototype air conditioning) and SmiLE (smart medical implants), leveraging AI for sensor-free actuator control and innovative cooling applications.</p>