Press/Newsroom

Nearly 11 million tons of textile waste are generated in the EU every year. Most of it is incinerated or ends up in landfills. Previously, less than one percent has been recycled into new textiles. Thomas Fehn and his team at the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT intend to change this. In the EU Autoloop project, they are working with 14 partners from 7 countries to route textiles through a closed-loop system. While recycling processes for cotton fibers are already established, there are none for synthetic blended fabrics, which make up about half of the clothing produced worldwide.

More than nine million people worldwide die each year as a result of heart disease. In Germany, it is responsible for a third of all deaths. An AI-supported sensor system can detect warning signs at an early stage, saving lives.

The power grids are old but the energy sources are new—not an ideal mix. Fraunhofer researchers have developed innovative solutions for keeping the lights on in Germany.

Palm oil is the most widely used vegetable oil in the world. The consequences for the environment and climate are catastrophic. A research team has now succeeded in producing a high-quality substitute—from industrial emissions that harm the climate.

Customized roadmaps lead to climate strategies that pay off—for the environment and for the company.

How Fraunhofer institutes use circular design, digital materials expertise and bio-based materials to keep raw materials in continuous circulation.

Earlier detection. Precision treatment. Rethinking healing. Research into precision medicine at Fraunhofer combines biological findings, digital technologies and medical expertise to gain a better understanding of diseases and to tailor therapies to individual patients. This leads to healthcare innovations that improve and save lives. Fraunhofer researchers are developing new active ingredients, precise diagnostic methods, intelligent data analyses and smart medical technology for this purpose. Our 4D approach entails an interdisciplinary combination of drugs, diagnostics, devices and data.

Artificial intelligence and innovative blood tests make it possible to detect cancer, sepsis and tuberculosis earlier and earlier. We can combat these effectively with new substances and personalized therapies. Fraunhofer researchers are now opening the door to the application of medical innovations.

At least 8,000 highway overpasses and 17,630 kilometers of railway across Germany are dilapidated, but repairs and rebuilding will take time. How Fraunhofer technology is accelerating service and maintenance – so the Carola Bridge collapse in Dresden will remain an isolated incident. so the Carola Bridge collapse in Dresden will remain an isolated incident.

Germany is investing in security and defense. There are numerous research projects ready to launch, not only within the Bundeswehr but also in the realms of civil defense and critical infrastructure. Not all challenges have been resolved yet, but the future is looking brighter.