Press Releases

In the KIOptiPack innovation lab, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV are working with 51 partners from industry and the research sector to develop innovative AI-driven optimization tools and a data space that connects all of the stakeholders in the packaging industry and their data. The goal is to use AI tools to recycle plastic packaging in the future.

Fraunhofer researchers have succeeded in developing sustainable new seals that are free from environmentally harmful substances like PFAS and suitable for water-based lubricants. They will be presenting their solution at the joint Fraunhofer booth (Booth 431, Hall A3) at Laser World of Photonics 2025 from June 24 to 27.

From manufacturing to medicine, from quantum technology to nuclear fusion — lasers are the basis for many critical applications. However, without rare-earth elements and crystals from third countries, it is becoming increasingly difficult to produce them. Not only are export restrictions, war and restrictive customs policies putting pressure on industry, but they are also threatening Germany's technological sovereignty. Fraunhofer is researching alternatives in crystal growing and processing as well as glass fiber development. They will be on display at the LASER trade show in Munich from June 24–27.

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation and Automation IFF have developed cognitive robot capabilities that can handle complex tasks in manufacturing that were previously impossible to automate. In addition, they are also unveiling PARU and computer-aided safety (CAS), the first safety technologies and planning tools for close human-machine collaboration that can also ensure safety in AI-generated robot movements. The researchers will be demonstrating what cognitive robotics can do and how dynamic workspace monitoring works at the automatica event in Munich from June 24 to 27, 2025 (Hall A4, Booth 319).

Satellite-based electro-optical sensors are intended to detect missile launches early on, gaining valuable time for initiating countermeasures in case of an attack. The Fraunhofer Institute of Optronics, System Technologies and Image Exploitation IOSB is developing design concepts for sensors like these on behalf of the German Ministry of Defense. In this interview, Caroline Schweitzer, a research scientist at Fraunhofer IOSB, explains what electro-optical sensors can do and how they work.

Regular follow-up monitoring is crucial when it comes to treating cancer successfully. In the SPIRABENE project, Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Medicine MEVIS developed a deep learning-based software program which makes it possible to identify disease- and treatment-related changes in tumors in CT images with even greater speed and accuracy, thus improving the chances of recovery and making day-to-day clinical practice easier.

Many rural regions are already facing a shortage of medical care, which is particularly acute when it comes to high-quality diagnostics. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM plan to use radar technology to help with this issue. Working in collaboration with partners, they are developing a mobile low-power radar sensor system for non-contact patient monitoring. The physicians receive details of the patient’s vital signs, such as heart and respiratory rate, without the patient having to wear a sensor on their body.

Researchers from the Translation Center for Regenerative Therapies TLC-RT at the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC, working in collaboration with B-COS GmbH, have developed a biodegradable face mask designed as a two-component system that stimulates collagen production with the aim of rejuvenating the skin with lasting results. The anti-aging effect is triggered by ortho-silicic acid.

Traditional storage solutions are reaching their limits in light of the steadily increasing volume of data generated worldwide. In the BIOSYNTH project, three Fraunhofer institutes are developing a microchip platform for future mass data storage using synthetic DNA. In this interview, Dr. Uwe Vogel, the project’s coordinator and head of the Microdisplays and Sensors department at the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS, explains how the researchers plan to widen the use of this high throughput-capable, modular system for synthesizing DNA, RNA and peptides to also include biological applications such as screening for harmful substances and development of active ingredients.

To produce protein-rich foods sustainably, novel protein sources offer an alternative to meat, dairy and other animal products. In the FutureProteins flagship project, six Fraunhofer institutes have developed closed circulatory indoor cultivation systems for year-round production of proteins from alternative sources, independent of the climate and seasons. Then, as the next step, the researchers also combined the proteins and raw materials derived from plants, fungi, algae and insects with each other for the first time and processed them into prototypes for foods. The novel products and meat alternatives produced in this way are highly nutritionally valuable.