Press Releases

The threat of terrorism in Europe has been on the rise in recent years, with experts and politicians particularly worried that terrorists might make use of dirty bombs. Fraunhofer researchers have developed a new system that will be able to detect possible carriers of radioactive substances, even in large crowds of people. This solution is one of many defensive measures being realized in the REHSTRAIN project, which is focused on security for TGV and ICE high-speed trains in France and Germany.

It is a known fact that adhesives may smell unpleasant. However, as Fraunhofer researchers have recently discovered, this doesn’t need to be the case. Through extensive research on acrylic adhesives they were able to identify the substances responsible for the offensive odors. So far, very little research has been conducted on the subject, but now manufacturers finally have the opportunity to optimize their production process.

In the EU-funded project SelSus, Fraunhofer scientists are collaborating in a consortium with partners from research and industry to develop maintenance technology capable of forecasting machine downtimes in production before they occur. This allows plant managers to rectify faults before the machine breaks down. The system even corrects some defects automatically.

Instant coffee and powdered milk are produced by spray drying. Fraunhofer researchers have adapted this technique to the tricky question of incorporating insoluble substances in core-shell particles. The new method helps reduce the concentration of active ingredients in therapeutic medications.

Uncontrollable flying objects in orbit are a massive risk for modern space travel, and, due to our dependence on satellites today, it is also a risk to global economy. A research team at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF in Jena, Germany, has now especially developed a fiber laser that reliably determines the position and direction of the space debris' movement to mitigate these risks.

A new project center for multidisciplinary work in the sector of microelectronic and optical systems for biomedical applications is being created in the German state of Thuringia. Three Fraunhofer Institutes, which cover the disciplines of biosciences, microelectronics, microsystems technology, optics and photonics, will be researching new biomedical applications in close collaboration with industry. In order to set up the project center, the state of Thuringia today signed a joint founding agreement with the Fraunhofer Society.

Prof. (Univ. Stellenbosch) Alfred Gossner, executive board member in charge of Finance, Controlling and IT, has informed Prof. Heinz Jörg Fuhrmann, chairman of the senate, that he wishes to step down from the board on December 31, 2017. This decision was made in consultation with Prof. Reimund Neugebauer, president of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. Prof. Gossner has proposed a flexible transition solution that meets the needs of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft.

The beverage market in the health, sports and wellness sector is continually coming up with new products. Now, researchers at Fraunhofer have developed a protein-rich drink based on sweet lupines, which tastes sour and refreshing at the same time. And the lupine drink can be produced at any brewery.

Particulate matter harms the heart and lungs. In the future, a smartphone with an inbuilt gas sensor could be used to warn of heavy exposure. To help the sensor respond quickly and provide accurate measurements, researchers at Fraunhofer have developed a powerful micro diaphragm pump for delivering ambient air to the sensor.

Uncontrollable flying objects in the Earth‘s orbit are an enormous risk for active satellites and for spacecraft in general. Since April 2012, the European environmental satellite ENVISAT has also been adrift in orbit. Now, the Fraun-hofer Institute for High Frequency Physics and Radar Techniques FHR has developed pioneering methods to precisely determine the attitude rotation of malfunctioning satellites and, thus, to support de-orbiting missions in the future.