Press / Newsroom

Electronics exposed to radiation can be prone to failure. Satellites and medical devices such as CT scanners are especially sensitive. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS in Dresden are working on an open-source tool that can be used to better prevent radiation-related loss of function.

How can we ensure reliable communication during a disaster when mobile networks are congested? Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Information Technology FIT have found an answer to this increasingly relevant question. A mobile, self-organizing communication network based on Fraunhofer technology connects emergency services with each other, the incident command and the internet. Private 5G networks make it possible to quickly restore communication, without relying on traditional infrastructures.

Inland waterway transportation has played a limited role in Europe so far, with a share of around six percent. Together with 15 partners, Fraunhofer researchers are seeking to change this with the EU project CRISTAL. Björn Krämer and Tammo Märtens, both research scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML, explain in the interview how digital twins and smart sensor technologies can help increase transportation capacities and make logistics processes more reliable.

Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF in Jena today. As part of his inaugural visit to Thuringia, he toured one of the institute’s quantum laboratories and was given a presentation by researchers on the core components of a photonic quantum computer and state-of-the-art systems for global quantum communication.

Parking spots are scarce in densely populated areas. To plan parking efficiently, authorities need precise data on the number of spots available on the streets. Street width is an important factor here, as it determines whether vehicles can park on one or both sides of a street. Fraunhofer researchers have developed new software that enables automatic and comprehensive street width detection.

Natural gas, biomethane, hydrogen: Each of these must have their water content removed before they can enter the supply network. This process previously involved the use of chemicals and high temperatures. A new technology developed by Fraunhofer researchers can now deliver this result using nanoporous membranes—rapidly, cleanly, and with minimal energy consumption. This allows renewable energy suppliers to cut costs and reduce climate-damaging emissions.

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly important, demands on data protection, security and technological sovereignty in the workplace are rising. Since 2023, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft has addressed these challenges with its in-house AI platform, FhGenie. After two years of successful deployment, Fraunhofer is taking stock: More than 20 high-performance large language models—among them the Teuken model co-developed by Fraunhofer researchers—are supporting employees in their daily work and setting new standards for secure, flexible AI applications.

Nearly one year after launching the French-German AI Industry Executives’ Dialogue, key actors from applied research, industry, innovation and academia are sharing the initiative’s first operational outcomes. The effort, initiated by the French Embassy in Berlin and led by Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and Inria, with the support of Institut Mines-Télécom (IMT), aims to deliver concrete steps toward a sovereign, competitive and sustainable AI ecosystem in Europe. Sector-specific proposals are presented during Adopt AI summit in Paris.

On November 1, 2025, Jörg Dörr joined the institute management team at the Fraunhofer Institute for Experimental Software Engineering IESE. Together with the current director Peter Liggesmeyer, he will co-lead the institute, which specializes in efficient software development. They will share responsibilities: Jörg Dörr will serve as scientific director while Peter Liggesmeyer will act as managing director.

At its fall meeting on November 6, 2025, the senate of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft unanimously re-elected Hildegard Müller, President of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), as chair of the senate. Her term will begin on January 1, 2026. The committee also confirmed Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, and elected Anna-Katharina Wittenstein, Member of the Supervisory Board of Wittenstein SE, as deputy chairs of the senate. Both will take office on January 1, 2026.