Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

Each year, the Free State of Bavaria and the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft award the Hugo Geiger Prize to young scientists in recognition of outstanding doctorates in applied research. On March 21, 2023, Roland Weigert, State Secretary at the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy (StMWi), presented this year’s prize to researchers from Munich, Freiburg and Jena.

At the embedded world Exhibition&Conference from March 14 to 16, 2023, five Fraunhofer institutes will present their developments in the fields of edge AI, sustainable systems, and sensor and system design in Hall 4, Booth 422. Under the motto “intelligent. efficient. sustainable,” the Fraunhofer experts will showcase their latest technologies and projects at the international trade show for embedded solutions in Nuremberg.

One challenge facing the widespread adoption of renewable energies is the fluctuating output of photovoltaic systems — for energy-intensive companies, this means that their distribution networks are rapidly becoming inadequate. Fraunhofer researchers have developed a solution that combines power from renewable sources with electricity from the public grid and uses batteries to compensate for fluctuations. This approach will particularly benefit companies that aim to invest in sustainability with photovoltaics — and reduce their energy costs in the process. A living laboratory, which mimics practical conditions, will give industry customers the opportunity to test components and system solutions. The solution also allows for a more efficient management of e-car charging stations.

Identifying defects in fiber composite materials during the production process will be possible in the future thanks to a novel radar method that automatically and non-destructively monitors the manufacturing process of fiber composite materials such as wind turbine rotor blades. Until now, monitoring has consisted of visual inspections. The Fraunhofer Institute for High Frequency Physics and Radar Techniques FHR collaborated with consortium partners Ruhr University Bochum, FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences and Aeroconcept GmbH to develop an innovative method in the FiberRadar project.