As our world becomes increasingly data-driven, the way information moves between systems matters as much as the data itself. Today, when graph databases exchange information using SPARQL — the standard query language of the Semantic Web — the process is surprisingly inefficient. Every exchange of federated data involves sending long text strings over the network, creating massive overhead, latency, and energy use.

The QLever project, supported by the Prototype Fund, set out to change that. Their mission: to make SPARQL federation — and by extension, open data exchange — dramatically faster and more sustainable.

“We realised that a lot of energy and time was being wasted not in the computation itself, but simply in how data was represented and transmitted,” explains the QLever team. “So we asked: what if we could make that exchange more compact — without changing how people use SPARQL?”

From Text to Binary: Rethinking Data Exchange

The team developed a new binary mapping mechanism that replaces long text strings with compact 64-bit integer identifiers. A shared lookup table keeps track of which number represents which string.

This simple but powerful shift turns SPARQL communication from text-based to binary, slashing network traffic and speeding up data transfer — especially in cases where the same identifiers appear repeatedly. The result: less bandwidth, lower latency, and reduced energy use.

“In essence, we taught the databases to ‘speak in numbers’ rather than words,” says the team. “It’s faster, lighter, and much more sustainable.”

Beyond Federation: A Broader Impact

Originally, this innovation was designed for federated queries in life sciences datasets such as UniProt and Rhea. But once tested on large public data collections like OpenStreetMap and Wikidata, the team discovered that the approach had far wider applications.

“That was the breakthrough moment,” they recall. “We realised that our method didn’t just make SPARQL federation faster — it improved QLever’s core storage and indexing efficiency too.”

This insight prompted a major pivot: instead of treating the new mapping as an experimental add-on, the team decided to integrate it directly into QLever’s main engine, bringing benefits to all users much sooner than planned.

Breaking Records — Sustainably

The impact was immediate and measurable. Using the new system, QLever indexed 800 billion OpenStreetMap triples in just 5.4 terabytes of disk space — roughly an order of magnitude smaller than commercial systems such as AWS Neptune, which requires about 128 TB for 500 billion triples.

This wasn’t just a technical win; it was proof that efficient data infrastructure can also be sustainable infrastructure.

“Seeing those numbers was our real success moment,” says the team. “It showed that efficiency and sustainability go hand in hand — and that open-source tools can lead the way.”

What Comes Next

The next phase focuses on integrating the binary exchange mechanism into full SPARQL federation and showcasing its potential for distributed and bandwidth-limited environments, such as connected vehicles or open data platforms.

By combining technical excellence with environmental responsibility, QLever is setting a new benchmark for the Semantic Web community — demonstrating that the future of data isn’t just about speed or scale, but sustainability through design.

What if technology could tell us something — without constantly demanding our attention?

The current Prototype Fund ZPI project by GaudiLabs has been exploring that question through the Zero Power Indicator (ZPI) — an open hardware project aiming to replace power-hungry LEDs with a no-power, minimalist indicator. The idea is simple but radical: create an indicator that only consumes energy when changing state, not when showing it.

As everyday electronics multiply, these small glowing lights quietly waste energy and subtly signal a culture that never truly powers down. ZPI challenges this — technically, environmentally, and philosophically.

Building the Prototype

Over the past months, Miranda and Urs have been researching, prototyping, and testing technologies that could make “always-on” indicators a thing of the past. The goal: to find solutions that are energy-efficient, open, and accessible — not just in code or licensing, but in how they can be made and replicated by others.

The team’s now at a crossroads in development, deciding which technology to take forward into a demonstrator prototype. But along the way, learnings have reshaped how they think about open hardware itself.

What We’ve Learned

1. Openness is more than a license.
   A design that requires expensive equipment or proprietary materials isn’t truly open. Accessibility in making — not just in publishing — matters most.
2. Transparency equals sustainability.
   Proprietary systems often hide their environmental and human costs. Designing for repair, adaptability, and safe materials must be part of openness from the start.
3. Sufficiency is a design principle.
   Sustainability isn’t just about efficiency — it’s about knowing when “enough” is enough. By focusing on sufficiency, Gaudi aim to make technologies that support balance rather than excess.

A Gentle Pivot

“Originally, we planned to finalize one prototype by the end of the Prototype Fund cycle. But as our research deepened, we realized the knowledge itself — our comparative findings and fabrication methods — might be more valuable than a single demonstrator.”, say the ZPI team leads in the Prototype Fund, Miranda and Urs.

“So we’ve shifted focus to publish an open comparative report and fabrication notes, allowing others to explore zero-power indication across different contexts and technologies.”

This pivot embraces the diversity of approaches rather than narrowing them down.

Success Moments

In true GaudiLabs fashion, our success has been steady and intentional. Feedback from people tired of glowing screens and blinking LEDs has affirmed the direction: there’s a growing appetite for calm, non-invasive technologies.

And on a more playful note — watching colors change, particles move, and materials respond to tiny electrical pulses has been pure magic. It reminds us why we build: to make technology a little more human, and a lot more gentle.

What’s Next

ZPI finalizes their report and documentation — to be published openly on a Nextcloud repository — so others can explore, replicate, and adapt ZPI in their own contexts.ZPI is part of our continuing effort to design technology that respects both energy and attention — inviting devices – and us as humans – to sometimes rest.

Acting  for sustainability often feels overwhelming, impossible, and, these days, sometimes not so important anymore. Between corporate inertia, moralising narratives, and the feeling that “someone else should go first”, action is often delayed indefinitely.

The team behind impACT for Companies, supported by the Prototype Fund, decided to tackle this “triangle of inaction” head-on. Their mission: to mobilise employees and organisations to take meaningful, concrete steps toward sustainability.

“The challenge isn’t a lack of awareness,” the team explains. “It’s that people feel disempowered — they don’t know where to start, or they think their actions don’t matter. We wanted to change that dynamic.”

From Research to Co-Design

The impACT project began with a deep listening phase. The team engaged in interviews and workshops with companies, sustainability experts, consultants, and researchers to understand the real needs behind corporate sustainability efforts.

One key insight quickly emerged: companies were looking for a tool that bridges individual motivation and organisational goals — something that would help employees feel part of a shared journey rather than isolated efforts.

To shape this vision, the team organised a co-design workshop with sustainability professionals, exploring how impACT could be integrated into existing strategies and workplace cultures. The result was a clear concept: a customisable app that allows companies to tailor sustainability challenges to their context, size, and sector.

Designing for Engagement and Flexibility

impACT for Companies is now entering its technical development phase, creating sector-specific actions and features. that encourage people to take action at their level in their organisation – employees, leaders, everyone can contribute at their level of responsibilities. Working together also fosters community, motivation, and shared purpose inside organisations.

“One of our biggest learnings,” says the team, “was the importance of flexibility. Each company has its own culture and priorities, so a one-size-fits-all solution simply doesn’t work. impACT needs to be adaptable — that’s how real change scales.”

Another powerful insight came from the level of interest shown by both companies and public institutions, which validated the project’s direction and highlighted the growing demand for action-oriented sustainability tools.

Small Actions, Big ripples

The project’s most rewarding moment so far came when unexpected users became advocates. People who had never considered themselves “environmentalists” found meaning and joy in completing challenges — and soon became ambassadors for change in their workplaces.

“Watching people light up as they realise they can make a difference — that’s when it clicked for us,” the team shares. “It confirmed that impACT is more than an app. It’s a movement toward collective empowerment.”

Looking Ahead

The team is now preparing to pilot impACT for Companies in real-world environments — from businesses to municipalities — and adapt it based on hands-on feedback.

For those curious to explore the citizen version of impACT, it’s already live and running:
👉 www.impact-ch.ch (currently available in French)

With each new user, conversation, and challenge completed, impACT continues to demonstrate that change doesn’t start with perfection — it starts with participation.