Press Releases

During the forming process, sheet metal materials are often stressed to their limits. Computer simulations are used to test how far it is possible to go in production. However, the simulation is only ever as exact as the data on which it is based. Fraunhofer scientists have now developed a virtual test laboratory that allows them to examine different load states for metal materials and determine precise mechanical data.

The prototype kilogram – to which all scales are calibrated to – is losing weight. International efforts are striving to redefine the base unit for measuring mass and, in future, redefine the kilogram on natural constants. For this purpose, the Avogadro experiment determines the number of atoms in almost perfect silicon spheres. Fraunhofer researchers have recently succeeded in homogeneously coating the spherical surfaces – the measurement uncertainty can be limited to a range below 10 micrograms.

A year ago, the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Information Technology FIT opened the Blockchain Lab. Its customers come from all sectors of business. They want to know if there is any substance to the hype around the new technology. And what does it mean for their industry? The Fraunhofer experts shed light on these issues, identify use cases and develop prototypes.

Across the world, severe earthquakes regularly shake entire regions. More than two billion people live in danger zones – many of them in structures not built to withstand an earthquake. Together with partners from industry, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research WKI are developing building materials designed to prevent buildings from collapsing in a natural disaster.

Mobile devices play an increasingly important role in our lives; in some situations, though, they cannot be adequately managed and even accepting a call is a real challenge. In a study, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research IGD in Rostock, Germany have evaluated which alternative control concepts are suitable to supplement the conventional use of mobile devices. EarFieldSensing (EarFS), the proprietary development that recognizes facial gestures via a special ear plug, has a lot of potential and offers further development possibilities besides its use on mobile devices.

Understanding the complex effects of new technologies is critical for the success of entire economies. Structural changes through technological developments must therefore be recognized and understood at an early stage in order to actively shape the long-term economic, social, political and cultural impact on society and the economy. With the new Fraunhofer Group for Innovation Research, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft aims to strengthen its future role in research, technology and innovation policy dialogue with industry, politics and society, thus further cementing its position as a leading player in the German innovation arena.

Due to the rapidly growing processing power of computers, conventional encryption of data is becoming increasingly insecure. One solution is coding with entangled photons. Fraunhofer researchers are developing a quantum coding source that allows the transport of entangled photons from satellites, thereby making an important step in the direction of tap-proof communication. In addition to the quantum source, researchers from various Fraunhofer institutes will be presenting other exciting optoelectronic exhibits at the LASER World of Photonics trade fair in Munich from June 26 - 29, 2017 (Hall A2, Booth 431 and Hall B3, Booth 327).

Heatwaves in the Arctic, longer periods of vegetation in Europe, severe floods in West Africa – starting in 2021, scientists want to explore the emissions of the greenhouse gas methane with the German-French satellite MERLIN. This is made possible by a new robust laser system of the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT in Aachen, which achieves unprecedented measurement accuracy.

Twenty years ago, the Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research IGD in Darmstadt, Germany took the bold step to form ties with Singapore. Back then, not many research institutions were thinking about internationalization, but this courage has paid off. A small project group in collaboration with Nanyang Technological University (NTU) evolved into the Fraunhofer Project Center for Interactive Digital Media in 2010. And now this center has become the first legally independent subsidiary in Asia – “Fraunhofer Singapore.”

Wind turbines rise into the sky on enormous feet. To ensure these giants can reliably generate electricity for many years to come, the iron processing industry must manufacture their massive components in a stable, resource-saving and yet cost-effective way. However, material inclusions such as dross are often unavoidable while casting. Fraunhofer researchers are currently working to detect and analyze such material defects.