Press Releases

In the future, virtual reality (VR) users will be able to interact even more simply, more naturally and in real time between real and virtual worlds. A scene from the real world can be transferred into virtual reality and, from there, feedback can be reflected in turn into the real situation. A new X-reality technology that makes this possible is being displayed by the Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute HHI at the CeBIT, Booth E78 Hall 27.

Industrial facilities are generally located far away from extensive forest regions. Because wood requires efforts to transport, it sees only limited use as a raw material in industry. In the EU-funded SteamBio project, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB have teamed up with various partners to change all that, developing a special steam drying technique that could significantly cut transportation costs. Another bonus is that the technique yields valuable feedstock for the chemical industry. The technique is already in use at a pilot facility in Spain. From June 11-15, visitors to the ACHEMA trade fair in Frankfurt am Main will be able to see a model of the facility for themselves (Hall 9.2, Booth D66).

Anyone who gets an artificial hip or knee joint has to spend a lot of time in rehabilitation. The offers are scarce, though, and working people often cannot make the appointments due to time constraints. The result: the therapy is delayed, there are additional costs, and there is the added risk of possible health restrictions. In the ReMove-It project, Fraunhofer and its partners have developed telemedicine-based exercise therapy that allows patients to organ-ize their rehabilitation more flexibly. The efficacy has already been proved in a representative study, and ReMove-It is expected to be approved as a medical device by 2019.

Dementia is an age-related disease that is becoming ever more prevalent as demographics change. It affects primarily people over the age of 80, with this group accounting for more than 70 percent of all dementia sufferers. Caring for these patients is an enormous challenge for their families and caregivers, especially since, in most cases, key health data lacks any useful structure and is not available when it is needed. It is hoped that a miniaturized, modular measurement and advisory system being developed in a joint project that includes Fraunhofer researchers will soon ease this situation. The system uses inconspicuous sensors to automatically measure dementia patients’ health and care data and suggests personalized treatment options based on their current condition.

If doctors diagnose a patient with blood poisoning, the patient will immediately be administered a broad-spectrum antibiotic. In many cases, however, the drug is ineffective. Multidrug-resistant pathogens are often the reason why sepsis spreads through the body, ultimately resulting in the patient’s death. As things stand, antibiotic resistance tests can take several days. In the PathoSept project, Fraunhofer researchers and partners are developing an end-to-end modular system that reduces the time needed to identify antibiotic-resistant pathogens to nine hours.

A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease is devastating for those affected, as there is still no cure for this type of dementia. One hundred years after Alois Alzheimer first described it, we neither have a drug for it, nor do we really understand what causes the severe brain impairment. The EU-based AETIONOMY project could bring about a breakthrough in research: Fraunhofer scientists have teamed up with various partners to identify the early disease mechanisms. They hope to advance research into the causes of this disease using model-based and big data approaches.

To prevent long downtimes and high quantities of scrap, manufacturers must design production processes to be stable and efficient. Particularly successful outcomes are achieved when the experience of the people who operate the machines is taken into account. The Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV in Dresden is developing a self-learning assistance system that helps machine operators resolve errors and build up their experience and process knowledge.

Excellence and originality are core objectives of the mission of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. In order to achieve these goals beyond the German borders and to secure the future viability of the business locations Germany and Europe, Fraunhofer cooperates with top international partners. Fraunhofer has therefore been working successfully with the Institute for Computer Science and Control (MTA SZTAKI) of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA) for a long time. In order to deepen the scientific collaboration, the two partners are organizing a German-Hungarian Innovation Day entitled “Partnership for Innovation and Excellence,” which will be held on the premises of MTA SZTAKI in Budapest on May 25, 2018. High-caliber speakers at the event will include Prof. Reimund Neugebauer, President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Prof. László Lovász, President of MTA, Prof. László Monostori, Director of MTA SZTAKI and head of the Fraunhofer-SZTAKI partnership, and László Palkovics, minister for Innovation and Technology. The event will also include the official opening of the offices of the newly established corporation EPIC InnoLabs Non-profit.

2017 was another successful year for the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and its institutes, during which the employees generated a financial volume of around 2.3 billion euros. The continuous development of the research portfolio expanded the range of services as well as the existing expertise, initiating new trends in technology and integrating them into its own research. In addition, the Executive Board of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft has developed the Fraunhofer 2022 Agenda: its goal is to further increase the impact on business and society through excellence and synergies.

Optical free-form systems enable new applications with an extremely compact design. Due to the complex technology involved, the production of appropriate solutions was previously impossible or too expensive. The Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF has further developed the technology to market maturity. Through collaboration with partners, a comprehensive technology platform has been created.