Press / Newsroom

Today, Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier honored the winners of the Deutscher Zukunftspreis 2024 at a formal ceremony in Berlin. The award was presented to a team of experts led by Dr. Norwin von Malm and Stefan Grötsch from ams OSRAM and Dr. Hermann Oppermann from the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM for the technological implementation of their idea — an LED matrix that turns car headlights into projectors. The LED technology developed by the team opens up new possibilities for innovative designs thanks to its high-resolution light distribution and its energy efficiency.

Hardly any other chemical substance can compete with PFAS, due to their unique properties. That explains why it is so hard to find a replacement for these toxic “forever chemicals”, which accumulate in the environment and do not break down over time. A team at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM has succeeded in developing solutions that hold great promise of targeted substitution for PFAS in fields including medical engineering.

There is fresh momentum in our protein supply — and it’s moving along on six legs. Insects are a source of protein with a smaller resource footprint than conventional alternatives in every possible way. To ensure the safety of insect farms and their products, Fraunhofer researchers have developed a system that reliably detects pathogens right away, at low cost and with the possibility of automation.

To test complex brain functions during neurosurgical procedures, surgeons must operate on awake, locally anesthetized patients. This allows surgeons to interact with them and test how their intervention affects brain function. However, opening the skull while the patient is awake is extremely stressful for them psychologically. A new robot-assisted and optically precisely monitored laser procedure developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT in Aachen is set to enable gentle, vibration-free and virtually silent craniotomies while the patient is awake. The bone tissue of the skull is ablated using short-pulse laser radiation.

Bright prospects for personalized medicine: Experts from the Fraunhofer Institute for Microengineering and Microsystems IMM harness their know-how in microfluidics and single-cell technologies to print organ structures. They will be presenting their developments at the joint Fraunhofer booth (Hall 3, Booth E74) at the MEDICA 2024 trade show from November 11 to 14.

Using hydrogen to generate electricity does not cause any climate-damaging emissions. But storing and transporting the gas pose technical challenges. With this in mind, Fraunhofer researchers use ammonia, a hydrogen derivative that is easier to handle, as a starting material. Ammonia is cracked in a high-temperature fuel cell stack, and the hydrogen produced in this process is converted to electricity. The waste heat can be used as heat energy, for example.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Economics and Energy System Technology IEE in Kassel has a new leader: Prof. Martin Braun is taking over as the new director of the research institute on November 1, 2024. He is also a professor for sustainable electrical energy systems at the University of Kassel.

Despite being widely popular, moths, and their larvae in particular, are not always welcome in forests, parks and gardens. Some moth species constitute a real threat to forests when they appear en masse. In the past, they have stripped entire deciduous and coniferous stands bare in many places in Germany. Forest pest monitoring is consequently particularly important to track their reproduction and to protect forests from greater damage. Research scientist from the Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation and Automation IFF are developing a digital, automated pheromone trap together with the Nordwestdeutsche Forstliche Versuchsanstalt in the DiMoTrap project which could significantly reduce the labor of hitherto complex manual monitoring for forest protection.

Whether in Canada, California or around the Mediterranean — forest fires are becoming more frequent and, above all, more severe around the world. Especially in summer, heat, drought and wind often turn such fires into raging infernos, and the climate crisis is certainly not helping. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for High-Speed Dynamics, Ernst-Mach-Institut, EMI, and start-up CAURUS Technologies GmbH are responding to the increasing global threat. Together, they are developing an innovative extinguishing method that can be used to fight large-scale fires more efficiently from the air.

The further development and evolution of existing storage systems is a key prerequisite for the energy transition. The Center for Digitalized Battery Cell Manufacturing (ZDB) at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA and acp systems AG have joined forces to commission a winding system for cylindrical battery cells featuring flexible formats and design. It serves as an innovative research and production platform to test new cell formats and components along with tab designs and also enables development of large-format cells for future battery technologies. The winding system is the first of its kind in the world. It is embedded in an automated, digitalized battery cell production infrastructure.

On October 1, Prof. Miriam Unterlass is taking over as the director of the re-nowned Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC in Würzburg. Having previously taught at the University of Konstanz and TU Wien, the chemist and materials scientist is bringing her expertise in the synthesis of new functional materials to enrich the portfolio of Fraunhofer ISC and the University of Würzburg, where she will hold the Chair for Chemical Technology of Materials Synthesis.

Production of fine chemicals such as those used in pharmaceuticals is typically complex and laborious. An interdisciplinary team of Fraunhofer researchers worked together across different projects to devise a method modeled on a cascade, in which multiple successive stages of synthesis proceed without interruption. This is made possible through the use of novel catalysts in specially adjusted flow-through reactors. The new method makes the process of manufacturing drugs more efficient and conserves energy. In this way, the modular technology platform supports the production of pharmaceuticals in Germany as an industrial location.

Fraunhofer researchers and their partners have developed an innovative and eco-friendly method of producing soda, essential for a wide range of industries, in the Green Soda project. The process is based on bipolar electrodialysis of brine. Ion exchange processes and the addition of carbon dioxide result in green soda. The technology will also help to strengthen manufacturing in Germany as an industrial location.

Plastic waste, harmful to the environment, has been increasing continually in Germany in recent years. Packaging generates particularly high volumes of waste. Plant-based coatings for paper packaging could provide a sustainable alternative in the future. In the BioPlas4Paper project, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST and project partners have used a coating process known as plasma polymerization to create water-repellent and plant-based barrier coatings on paper, thereby im-proving the paper’s resistance to the effects of the weather.

A unique opportunity for Germany as a business location lies in deep tech and a strong innovation system of science and industry. Fraunhofer will be demonstrating its expertise in entrepreneurial technology transfer at the Bits & Pretzels innovation summit in Munich, which will be held from September 29 to October 1, 2024.

More charging power, higher range, lower environmental impact: In the COOLBat joint research project, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU have teamed up with partners to develop next-generation battery enclosures for electric vehicles. The objective is to make the enclosures, a central component in any electric vehicle, lighter and cut the carbon dioxide emitted to manufacture them by 15 percent. The project partners aim to achieve this by combining individual systems, packing more functions into a smaller installation space, and using new heat-conductive materials and bio-based flame retardant coatings.

The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems shows promise in medicine, where they can be used to detect diseases earlier, improve treatments, and ease staff workloads. But their performance depends on how well the AI is trained. A new multi-task approach to training AI makes it possible to train foundation models quicker and more cost-effectively, with less data. Researchers are turning to this approach to compensate for the shortage of data in medical imaging — and ultimately save lives.

Fungi have more to offer than meets the eye. Their thread-like cells, which grow extensively and out of sight underground like a network of roots, offer huge potential for producing sustainable, biodegradable materials. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP in Potsdam Science Park are using this mycelium to develop a wide range of recyclable products, from wallets and insulation to packaging.

Parking spaces are in short supply at rest stops along Germany’s highways. Truck drivers are required by law to observe certain rest periods, so when they cannot find parking, they often simply park off to the side of an entrance or exit or on the shoulder, all of which are very risky. The result is rear-end collisions, sometimes with a deadly outcome. There is great pressure to take action, and quickly. This is where the SOLP project comes in: Re-searchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications, Heinrich-Hertz-Institut, HHI are working with partners to develop an AI-supported prediction tool for truck drivers and shipping companies. The goal is to provide information on available parking spaces, both public and private, and make it easier to find parking.

The new European Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) is intended to prevent goods marketed in the EU from contributing to the spread of deforestation. When a wood product is brought into the EU market, for example, there must be documentation of which types of wood were used to produce it, along with proof of their legal origin. Depending on the material, even the initial review of the declared type of wood is no easy task. Paper, for example, requires time-consuming examination by specialists. Now, a new AI-based analytical tool for determining wood types is being developed to simplify and accelerate this process. Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM are working closely with the Thünen Institute of Wood Research to develop the automated image recognition system for large-scale review of declarations of wood type.

Public power grids are highly complex systems. Wind turbine manufacturers have to comply with technical guidelines when connecting new turbines to avoid putting grid stability at risk. In the Mobil-Grid-CoP project, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems IWES have developed a mobile test platform that enables realistic tests to be performed at full load, even on offshore wind turbines out in the open. The technology is assisting in the process of validating and certifying turbines and is supporting the transformation of the energy supply with a view to using more renewable energy sources.

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM have developed a new polymer patch that can significantly accelerate and simplify previously laborious, expensive, and time-consuming repair processes on damaged lightweight aircraft components. The thermoformable, recyclable repair patch is pressed onto the damaged area and fully sets in just 30 minutes. The innovative fiber-reinforced plastic is so versatile that it can be used in a wide range of different industries, from aviation to orthopedics.

Specific physical human-robot interactions are increasingly required in the manufacturing industry, the professional service sector, and healthcare. This necessitates improvements in comfort and convenience as well as in communication between humans and machines. Robots need to be able to predict human actions and recognize intentions. And that calls for flexible metamaterials, and more specifically, flat metasurface antennas with highly integrated electronics that allow for sensing of the near environment. The Fraunhofer Institute for High Frequency Physics and Radar Techniques FHR has teamed up with six partners in the EU’s FITNESS project to develop these kinds of surfaces, which cover a robot like an adaptive, intelligent skin. The idea is that robots equipped with metasurface antennas will be able to scan their near-field environment with greater accuracy and communicate more effectively with their base station in the far field.

Electronic cigarettes, or vapes, are commonly viewed as less harmful to people’s health than tobacco cigarettes. And yet, they are not without health drawbacks. For many ingredients, it is unknown how they will behave when heated. Since the temperatures inside e-cigarettes vary widely, different products can be released during thermal decomposition. This makes it more difficult to gauge the potential risks of these tobacco alternatives. Until now, there has been no testing system that could be used to test the ingredients used across the entire relevant temperature range. Now, with EVape, the Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine ITEM has developed a prototype device for controlled vaporization of e-liquids in a broad temperature range. The emissions released during the process can then be analyzed and subjected to a toxicological assessment. The findings are generally valid, regardless of which e-cigarette the liquid is used in.

A cornerstone of the energy transition, offshore wind energy supplies millions of consumers with green electricity. Export cables connect offshore wind farms to the grid onshore. The cable routes need to be surveyed regularly to ensure that the cable positions are precisely known — but the acoustic and magnetic methods that are currently used to do this are time-consuming, incur high costs and lack reliability. For this reason, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems IWES are working with partners to develop a novel measuring system for cable localization as part of the SASACD project. It overcomes the hurdles that existing systems present and not only allows cables to be located over extensive areas but can also penetrate to sufficient depths in sediment.

A second institute director is joining the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM in Berlin: Starting in August 2024, Prof. Ulrike Ganesh will work with Prof. Martin Schneider-Ramelow. The two of them will jointly further develop and shape the microelectronics institute’s strategic alignment.

The digital transformation means that more and more devices such as X-ray and ultrasound machines are being connected to networks in hospital settings, for example. These kinds of equipment have to be movable as needed. In the LINCNET project, Fraunhofer researchers are using light to transmit data to machines and robots in clinical settings and industrial production environments. Combining electrical networks with the ultra-fast 5G mobile network creates powerful and low-cost wireless networks for buildings. When deployed in hospitals, this solution means devices connect wirelessly to the network — with lower electromagnetic emissions. It also makes industrial production significantly more flexible.

Hydrogen generated with the power of the sun could largely replace fossil fuels in the future, helping to lower carbon emissions. In the Neo-PEC joint research project, Fraunhofer specialists have developed a tandem module that is self-sufficient and reliable at producing solar-generated green hydrogen.

Fraunhofer researchers have developed a method of creating biogenic construction materials based on cyanobacteria. The bacteria multiply in a nutrient solution, driven by photosynthesis. When aggregates and fillers such as sand, basalt, or renewable raw materials are added, rock-like solid structures are produced. Unlike traditional concrete production, this process does not emit any carbon dioxide, which is harmful to the environment. Instead, the carbon dioxide is bound inside the material itself.

From smart electric meters to tachometers, wherever consumption or mileage is read out electronically, the data transmitted should not be open to manipulation. That is especially true for verification of payment transfers made via credit card. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS have developed a solution that makes it possible to configure the functions of security elements to address this issue after manufacturing, reliably and cost-effectively providing them with multidimensional protection.