Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

The Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI is expanding its management team with the appointment of Prof. Jakob Edler. As a professor of innovation policy and strategy he has in recent years led the prestigious Manchester Institute of Innovation Research. Prof. Edler will join Prof. Marion Weissenberger-Eibl and Prof. Mario Ragwitz on the Fraunhofer ISI management team, contributing his expertise in the governance and policy of international research and innovation initiatives.

Robots can move – but not see – in all directions. The patented laser sensor SensePRO developed by the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Additive Manufacturing Technologies IAPT provides a solution to this problem.

Tomorrow’s building material is here today. Textile-reinforced concrete (TRC) is durable, formable in diverse shapes and suitable for lightweight construction. As the name suggests, conventional TRC is reinforced with carbon or glass-fiber fabrics rather than steel. A research team at the Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research, Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institut WKI is now replacing these fabrics with eco-friendly natural fibers. These alternatives rival conventional concrete’s performance, but leave a smaller carbon footprint, and cost less to make. Researchers will present a prototype of a natural fiber-reinforced concrete bridge at the BAU 2019 trade fair in Munich on January 14 to 19, 2019.

There is a new technology gripping the markets of the future – technology to wear. Wearables, as they are known, are portable systems that contain sensors to collect measurement data from our bodies. Powering these sensors without wires calls for pliable batteries that can adapt to the specific material and deliver the power the system requires. Micro-batteries developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM provide the technical foundation for this new technology trend.