Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

In combination with the right materials, sunbeams can work wonders: they clean building facades and decompose pollutants from the air or in the water. The magic word is photocatalysis. In practice, though, the effectiveness of this „miracle cure“ fluctuates greatly, depending on the material used and the environmental factors. With a new measuring device, researchers now want to determine the photocatalytic effectiveness of surfaces more accurately and quickly, thereby increasing efficiency.

The future is airborne. Drones may soon become the key to relieving the burden of traffic on our streets, optimizing deliveries, and improving the safety and efficiency of firefighting. But there are still a few hurdles to cross before the technology reaches the maturity required for large-scale commercial roll-out. In particular, a suitable communication system to control and determine their location remains a challenge. Drone communications must be stable and widely available, should cost as little as possible, and work reliably even when out of sight. Scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications, Heinrich-Hertz-Institute, HHI in Berlin have found a solution: call a drone.

Millions of tons of old ordnance and poison gas grenades lie at the bottom of the North and the Baltic Sea – dangerous legacies of two world wars. The old weapons are corroding and releasing the toxic substances they contain. Disposal is hazardous, time-consuming and expensive. This has led Fraunhofer researchers, in cooperation with salvage companies to develop a semi-automated robotic disposal system.

We rely on GPS signals to guide us to our destination as fast as possible while we are driving, sightseeing or hiking. It is hard to imagine everyday life without satellite-based positioning. However, alternative solutions are necessary for places that lack a direct line of sight to GPS satellites. Fraunhofer researchers have developed a system for navigating in buildings that can be put into operation in a matter of minutes. Their technology will demonstrate how GPS works as part of the special exhibition “Time” at the phaeno Science Center in Wolfsburg, Germany.