Press/Newsroom

Cushioning for upholstery, mattresses and vehicle seats is made primarily from petroleum-based polyurethane foams. Fraunhofer researchers are replacing the conventional material with sustainable foams made from renewable resources that provide exceptional comfort for seating and sleep systems.

Seawater and brackish water could serve as alternative water sources for hydrogen production. The challenge is that conventional electrolyzers require high-purity water that needs extensive treatment. In the SeaEly project, the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems IWES and the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM investigated how suitable seawater and brackish water are for hydrogen production and what testing and evaluation infrastructure is needed.

Heat pumps are an efficient and future-proof key technology for the energy transition in heating systems and for achieving Germany’s climate goals. In the WESPE project, Fraunhofer researchers and their partners are working to make heat pump installation faster, more productive and more efficient to support the transformation of the heating sector, despite a shortage of skilled workers. Innovative, standardized digital tools and practical installation solutions tested in real-world conditions are to significantly speed up future heat pump retrofits.

3D bioprinting opens up new possibilities for producing organs and tissues needed for applications such as organ transplants and drug development. However, while existing bioinks are cell-compatible and printable, they do not adequately replicate the physiological structure and composition of tissue. In the PhysioINK project, Fraunhofer researchers are developing bioinks from the most common tissue proteins to replicate physiological tissue structures without chemical modification.

Osteoporosis is a major cause of fractures in older adults, yet the underlying bone loss often goes undetected. In the BMDNow project, Fraunhofer researchers and their partners aim to enable early detection of this skeletal disorder and its precursor stages without the need for additional examina-tions. To achieve this, they use AI-powered software to automatically analyze existing CT scans and calculate bone density, allowing patients at risk to be identified sooner.

Not all injuries heal without complications. People with underlying conditions such as diabetes are particularly prone to chronic wounds. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems IKTS are developing specialized dressings that can speed up healing.

Germany is investing billions in key technologies through its High-Tech Agenda. But the crucial question is: How can that investment help create successful companies? That question will be front and center at Fraunhofer’s showcase at Bits & Pretzels in Munich, September 28–30.

Germany is facing major challenges: The country is a global leader in re-search, but many innovations still take too long to reach the market. Over 200 years ago, Joseph von Fraunhofer showed how to speed the journey from research to practical use. A craftsman, researcher and entrepreneur, he turned scientific insights into practical applications. In honor of its eponym, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft today reopened his historic glassworks in Benediktbeuern, joined by prominent guests from government, research and society.

Halogenated flame retardants raise environmental concerns and are considered harmful to human health. As a result, researchers have been searching for alternatives for many years. Fraunhofer researchers are focusing on sustainable phosphorus-based raw materials derived from corn steep liquor. The phytic acid it contains is an excellent natural flame retardant for biomaterials.

The network of nerves in the arm—known as the brachial plexus—transmits motor and sensory signals between the spinal cord and the shoulder, arm and hand. If this network is injured, for example due to a motorcycle accident, the result may be sensory disturbances, muscle weakness or even paralysis. The PLEXO project involves Fraunhofer researchers who are working with partners to develop a myoelectrically controlled exoskeleton designed to assist people with daily tasks. The wearable assistive system is to feature a minimalist, textile-integrated design and be easy and discreet to wear.