Press / Newsroom

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.

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.

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 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.

The tiniest parts of matter provide insight into big contexts. Sunlight, magnetism and molecular interactions are just some of the things that cannot be explained conclusively without them. As a basis for advanced technologies, quantum physics is set to achieve great things across a range of different areas. What is the current status of advances in quantum computing, communications, imaging and sensors?

Products from Germany’s factories enjoy an excellent reputation. In 2017, the “Made in Germany” label was ranked first in a study by statistics portal and market research firm Dalia Research. A recent study by entrepreneurship platform Meisterkreis, transformation research agency Sturm und Drang and agency group Serviceplan Group found that 25 percent of consumers in Europe, China and the United States favor German brands. Or rather, they still do. There is a trend toward domestic products, notably driven by U.S. President Donald Trump and his “America First” policy. And, as the study also reveals, German products have a worsening image here in their home country. Some 42 percent of German participants indicated that their reputation has declined. So how is the German art of engineering doing? Which technologies and methods might help to secure a competitive edge internationally? And how can the research sector support industry?

Science year 2025 - Energy of the Future: Fraunhofer is working to further develop and refine hydrogen technologies and geothermal systems while boosting their efficiency and at the same time to make nuclear fusion possible in the long term as an ecofriendly source of energy. The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) has dedicated Science Year 2025 to these energy forms of the future.

Fungal mycelium as a construction material, ecofriendly concrete and smart recycling solutions pave the way for climate neutrality.

The weapons available for fighting dangerous bacteria are losing their edge, and life-threatening infections are increasingly resistant to treatment. There are hardly any substitutes available so far, making it high time someone took action.

Fraunhofer-Forschende entwickeln Quantensysteme für verschiedene Anwendungen und Branchen, um damit Antworten auf die großen Herausforderungen unserer Zeit zu finden – ob Klima, Gesundheit, Verkehr oder Sicherheit.

The next stage in the evolution of technology is coming up: Artificial intelligence is poised to turn robots into all-around self-learners, helping out in industry, logistics, nursing, and private households. Will smart machines radically reshape our lives – and especially our working lives – not long from now?