Accelerating product development
Transition to a sustainable energy system
match.BOGS: drilling operations under extreme conditions
Fraunhofer develops wholly green value chain
Digitalization in industrial manufacturing
New approaches in dialysis technology: Wearable artificial kidney
Safe IV therapies in developing countries
Fraunhofer develops with partners new therapeutic approach in battle against infectious diseases
Using deep learning to analyze texts
Fraunhofer Innovation Platform in Stellenbosch
Open Access and Innovation Portal SAIRA®
Critical infrastructure resilience
Risk analysis, crime prevention and forensic science
Algorithms for optimized supply chains
Increasing resilience by monitoring critical infrastructure
Resilience in the food industry
Key contribution to containing the coronavirus pandemic
Highly sensitive and rapid measurements of optical components
The transition to a sustainable energy economy for industrial manufacturing
Lightweight design: Fraunhofer is reducing engine weight and assembly costs
Fraunhofer IFF Hydrogen is indispensable to successfully transitioning to renewables and meeting climate targets. It is the essential building block of sector coupling. While it provides an eco-friendly option to meet industry demand for electricity, heat and transportation, this versatile energy source is only eco-friendly when it is sourced from renewables. The Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation and Automation IFF has a demand-driven, distributed, modular solution that pro-duces and distributes green hydrogen. MORE INFO
Fraunhofer IWU Storage trays in cars can be real dustbowls. But they also fulfill a useful function. Where else to store those sunglasses, paper handkerchiefs or a parking disc? A new type of storage tray, developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU, is concealed in the dashboard and only materializes when needed a particularly useful feature for car-share vehicles. MORE INFO
Fraunhofer HHI Robots are being deployed in more and more situations, many of which involve collaboration between humans and robots for example relieving humans of onerous tasks in the workplace. The challenges are how to integrate the robot into the working environment and how to operate it. In a joint project with Volkswagen AG the Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications, Heinrich Hertz Institute, HHI, will demonstrate the advantages that the use of human-robot collaboration (HRC) can bring to the inspection of welding seams in the automotive industry. MORE INFO
Fraunhofer IDMT/Hannes Kalter Manufacturers must be able to respond immediately to faults in machinery and equipment, so as to avoid downtime. An acoustic monitoring system by the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology IDMT in Oldenburg recognizes based on noises whether production parameters are within the set limit values. AI-based techniques help manufacturers draw conclusions about the machine condition and optimize production control. MORE INFO
Fraunhofer ISST Tomorrows industrial Internet will integrate technologies that imitate human cognitive skills such as the ability to plan, to learn, and to perceive our surroundings. The Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Cognitive Internet Technologies CCIT is working to realize the vision of a Cognitive Internet of Things. MORE INFO
Fraunhofer IOF Entangled photons can be used to improve imaging and measurement techniques. A team of researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF in Jena has developed a quantum imaging solution that can facilitate highly detailed insights into tissue samples using extreme spectral ranges and less light. MORE INFO
IBM Stuttgart, Munich, Berlin The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Europes leading organization for applied research, and IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced today the signing of the agreement aimed at advancing quantum computing in Germany. The collaboration gives companies and research institutions access to IBM quantum computers in Germany and the USA under the umbrella of a nationwide Fraunhofer competence network. The aim is to research the technology, application scenarios and algorithms while generating competence development and competitive advantages for the local economy and science. MORE INFO
University of Siegen, Tim zum Hoff Most people find it difficult to concentrate on a specific voice in a busy environment, but for those who are hard of hearing its especially challenging. Now, however, a new type of hearing aid, developed with the assistance of Fraunhofer researchers, is designed to render speech more intelligible against a background of noise, thereby making it easier to follow a single speaker. MORE INFO
Hans-Peter Merten/MATOfoto There are 30,000 wind turbines in operation in Germany, many of which are starting to age. In 2019, 2000 rotor blades had to be discarded; in 2024, this figure will shoot up to 15,000. But where to put these up to 90-meter-long, 15-metric-ton behemoths? Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research, Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institut, WKI have a solution: they used a new recycling technique to recover and process the balsa wood contained in the rotor blades into, for instance, insulation mats for buildings. MORE INFO
Airbus Eis auf Flugzeugoberflchen birgt potenzielle Gefahren: Der Kraftstoffverbrauch steigt, die Aerodynamik wird gestrt und der erzeugte Auftrieb sinkt die Funktionsfhigkeit des Flugzeugs wird beeintrchtigt. Forscherinnen und Forscher am Fraunhofer-Institut fr Werkstoff- und Strahltechnik IWS haben gemeinsam mit Airbus und der TU Dresden ein Laserverfahren entwickelt, das zwei Fliegen mit einer Klappe schlgt: Zum einen fllt das Eis von alleine ab und zum anderen ist eine geringere Heizleistung beim Enteisen erforderlich. Mit der Direkten Laserinterferenzstrukturierung lassen sich Oberflchenstrukturen gestalten, die Anti-Icing effektiv ermglichen. MORE INFO
Fraunhofer LBF, Raapke Lightweight technology has long been and is sure to remain a mainstay of automotive and aerospace engineering, shipbuilding and a host of other industries. Lighter materials and components could also help cut emissions that drive climate change. But lighter options are pricier, and the relatively steep cost has impeded their adoption. That is about to change thanks to the efforts of a consortium of automakers, suppliers and research institutes. Called ALLIANCE and coordinated by Daimler and the Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF, this project has some good news for designers: As it turns out, it is entirely possible to build components that are up to 33 percent lighter at an added cost of less than three euros per kilogram-saved. MORE INFO
Fraunhofer IOSB-INA WLAN and Bluetooth have limited bandwidth, making conventional wireless communication problematic in the production environment. Nevertheless, numerous components such as sensors and robots need to be wirelessly connected. To overcome this challenge, a team of researchers at Fraunhofer IOSB-INA in Lemgo is working on solutions with help from the Ostwestfalen-Lippe (OWL) University of Applied Sciences and Arts. Soon, it is hoped that machines in factory buildings will communicate with one another using light pulses. This technology is not new, but now it needs to be adapted for use in industry. MORE INFO
A. Heller, Architektur-Institut Leipzig (ai:L) Photovoltaic elements are usually found on rooftops after all, thats where solar irradiation is highest. However, as researchers at the Fraunhofer Center for Silicon Photovoltaics CSP have discovered, PV elements on facades can be a useful way to supplement the power supply. If appropriately designed, they can be attractively integrated and deliver 50 percent more energy than existing types of wall-mounted PV elements. Even concrete walls are suitable. MORE INFO
Fraunhofer IWS Microlaunchers are an alternative to conventional launch vehicles. Able to carry payloads of up to 350 kilograms, these midsized transport systems are designed to launch small satellites into space. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS in Dresden and TU Dresdens aerospace experts developed an additively manufactured rocket engine with an aerospike nozzle for microlaunchers. The scaled metal prototype is expected to consume 30 percent less fuel than conventional engines. It will feature prominently at the Hannover Messe Preview on February 12 and in the showcase at booth C18 in hall 16 at the Hannover Messe from July 13 through 17, 2020. MORE INFO
Fraunhofer IPK In todays factories, to prevent damage to machines, sensors often trigger an alarm as soon as equipment begins to exhibit suspicious behavior but rarely is this sensor data fully exploited. At the Hannover Messe Preview on February 12, 2020, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology IPK will be showing just what is possible when sensor technology is connected to a cloud platform: perfectly coordinated workflow management and the optimization of entire fleets of machine tools. MORE INFO
Fraunhofer IWU At the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU, researchers are developing advanced technology for manufacturing fuel cell engines with the aim of facilitating their fast and cost-effective serial production. To this end, the IWU researchers are initially focusing directly on the heart of these engines and are working on ways to manufacture bipolar plates from thin metal foils. At the Hannover Messe, Fraunhofer IWU will showcase these and other promising fuel cell engine research activities with the Silberhummel race car. Journalists can gain an impression of the highlights beforehand at the Hannover Messe Preview in Hall 19 on February 12, 2020. MORE INFO
Fraunhofer IESE When it comes to cars that drive themselves, most people are still hesitant. There are similar reservations with respect to onboard sensors gathering data on a drivers current state of health. As part of the SECREDAS project, a research consortium including the Fraunhofer Institute for Experimental Software Engineering IESE is investigating the safety, security and privacy of these systems. The aim is to boost confidence in such technology. MORE INFO
Fraunhofer IDMT/Hannes Kalter Modern cars already feature a range of sophisticated systems such as remote-controlled parking, automatic lane-departure warning and drowsiness recognition. In the future, self-driving cars will also have auditory capabilities. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology IDMT in Oldenburg, Germany, have now developed a prototype system capable of recognizing external noises such as sirens. MORE INFO
Fraunhofer IAP Acute respiratory distress syndrome requires immediate action. In an emergency situation like this, patients are often ventilated using a heart-lung machine. This involves circulating the blood outside the body, adding oxygen and removing carbon dioxide via membranes. A team of researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP has developed a new kind of membrane structure that allows faster gas exchange in order to make the blood oxygenation easier on patients. MORE INFO
Fraunhofer IZI-BB Anyone can get salmonella poisoning, but babies, toddlers, the elderly and people with immunodeficiencies are particularly susceptible. For people with weakened immune systems, the gastrointestinal disease can lead to serious complications. So far it has taken several days to detect salmonella in food. A new rapid test being developed by Fraunhofer researchers will detect the germs in less than eight hours. MORE INFO
Fire on board is a huge danger-especially in the so-called safe harbor. Because the normal fire brigade cannot function in a safe harbor, in this case, the ship itself can only be used to extinguish the fire. Since 2005, 44 accidents have occurred in German ports alone, including 15 fires and 13 spills. The Fraunhofer Institute for Communication, Information Processing, and Ergonomics (FKIE) has launched a joint project, EFAS, which aims to significantly improve the safety and effectiveness of fire services through optimal equipment and technological innovation. MORE INFO
An answer to the challenges of transitioning to renewables
New Fraunhofer tool for helping municipalities transition to a new energy economy