Fraunhofer and Digital Medicine

 Fraunhofer at the DMEA

Fraunhofer to showcase digital healthcare of tomorrow

Press Release / April 05, 2023

Improved patient care, speedier diagnoses and savings in care costs – the digital transformation of the healthcare industry promises solutions to the urgent problems of our time. Increasingly, systems based on artificial intelligence (AI) are being employed. But how can these be used effectively while maintaining compliance with data protection laws? Experts from the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft will be providing insights into their current work at DMEA 2023 in Berlin and answering questions about tomorrow’s health IT at booth D107 in Hall 2.2.

Fraunhofer to showcase digital healthcare of tomorrow

Health research occupies a prominent position at the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. Together with partners from the world of medicine, a number of institutes are working to develop digital solutions for the prevention of disease as well as the diagnosis, therapy and rehabilitation of patients. The aim is to streamline processes and also to make affordable care available for an increasingly aging society. The resulting technologies support players in the healthcare sector, such as clinics and medical staff, as well as patients by providing them with applications for use at home. 

Apps and applications for optimized and individualized treatment

The Fraunhofer Institute for Intelligent Analysis and Information Systems IAIS will be demonstrating AI-based software for the automated processing of medical documents. Advances in AI research are enabling the reliable and comprehensible use of large-scale language models (foundation models) for applications such as the generation of physicians’ letters, information extraction and billing. This saves time in everyday clinical practice and guarantees high-quality treatment.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research IGD is making an active contribution to personalized medicine with digital solutions. Its software applications support specialist staff and patients in prevention, diagnostics and therapy. These include a new method for allergy test evaluation on a smartphone and the option of performing visual-interactive data analysis based on cohorts, for example in the area of chronic inflammatory bowel disease. The Guardio® AI-based software package converts heart movements into an ECG while the patient’s own smartphone is placed in proximity to the chest.

The main concern of the Fraunhofer Institute for Cognitive Systems IKS is trust and efficiency when artificial intelligence is employed in medical care. The research team will be presenting new quantum computing approaches in the context of AI to improve the early detection of breast cancer. They will also be showing how routine clinical data and AI can be reliably combined to support doctors in their decision making.

In modern clinical practice, intelligent data integration is becoming increasingly important for medical staff. With the help of new algorithms and innovative AI, more precise diagnoses and personalized therapy plans can be created automatically.

At the DMEA, the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Medicine MEVIS will present software solutions for data structuring and guideline-based decision-making to interested companies. In addition, MEVIS experts will demonstrate optimized image-based follow-up of cancer treatments using AI.

The Fraunhofer Center for Digital Diagnostics addresses the improvement of medical care in rural areas through patient-oriented diagnostics and digitalization. Data discontinuities in patient care are analyzed and optimized. Healthcare in rural areas is facilitated by the development of a fully automated, mobile health center. Next-generation virus tests will allow for needs-based diagnostics and outbreak containment. Intelligent wound care will enable faster healing of festering wounds.

In Portugal, the Fraunhofer Center for Assistive Information and Communication Solutions AICOS develops technologies for digital healthcare, in which predictive, preventive, personalized and participatory medicine plays a key role. The team will be presenting the results of its work to the German health market at the DMEA. The technologies developed facilitate human intervention, connectivity and collaboration in healthcare. In the matter of decentralized healthcare, the Fraunhofer Center has set itself the goal of improving access to early treatment, supporting clinical decisions with the help of algorithms, generating transparent and explainable AI-based decisions, and minimizing bias and unfairness.  ... ' 

Security in Cyberspace

Considerable piece in Fraunhofer mag,  intro below

More security in cyberspace

Web special Fraunhofer magazine 2.2022

The invasion of Ukraine shows that fighting is no longer just on the battlefield, but also in virtual space - with highly professional hacker attacks and targeted disinformation. How can Germany become more defensive?

Months before Putin gave his troops the marching orders, the war on the Internet began. Hackers have been preparing the Russian invasion since at least December of last year. This is the conclusion of Prof. Haya Shulman, who studied the cyber attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure. Shulman heads the "Cybersecurity Analytics and Defences" department at the Fraunhofer Institute for Secure Information Technology SIT in Darmstadt, coordinates the "Analytics Based Cybersecurity" research area at the National Research Center for Applied Cybersecurity ATHENE and holds a chair at the Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main.

One of their findings: The malware that caused the systems of the communications satellite KA-SAT to fail on the day Russia invaded Ukraine was smuggled in months ago. KA-SAT provides broadband internet to customers across Europe and is used by the Ukrainian Army for emergency communications. »The goal of the hackers was to stop the communication – and they succeeded.

It took a month for the damage to be repaired, at least for the most part,” says Shulman. The Russian attack on KA-SAT was also not without consequences in Germany and all of Central Europe: 5,800 wind turbines could no longer be maintained and controlled remotely. Systems in remote locations that are connected to the Internet via a satellite connection were affected. They continued to supply electricity. However, technical problems could only be identified and rectified on site.  ...... ' 

Green eats the future

 Broader look at research work being done of interest. More at the link

Green eats the future, feeding the world  in Fraunhofer Magazine

Without algae there would be no life on earth. Every second molecule of oxygen that we breathe comes from them. Algae could also become more important as food in the future. Fraunhofer researchers are working on professional cultivation and the extraction of numerous proteins and other nutrients.

Web special Fraunhofer magazine 3.2022

The United Nations calculated that the eight billionth person was born on November 15th. The world population has doubled in just 50 years. Even if the growth has now slowed down significantly: 8.5 billion people are forecast for 2030 and 9.7 billion for 2050. More people means: less farmland, less drinking water and less food per capita. The climate crisis means that the shortage situation is getting worse. Due to desertification, i.e. the deterioration of the soil to the point of desertification, arable land the size of Bavaria is lost worldwide every year. Already a third of the fertile soil has become unusable in the past 40 years - a result of the overexploitation as arable land and pasture. The German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) estimates that around 70 percent more food will be needed by 2050 than today. Aquatic organisms, which quite wrongly still lead a niche existence, especially in the European food industry, could help: algae. Algae contain as much protein as soy, plenty of valuable fiber and minerals, and vitamin B12, which is otherwise only found in animal products. The superfood needs neither fresh water nor land. It grows sustainably in the sea or is cultivated as a unicellular microalgae in mostly closed systems. Algae contain as much protein as soy, plenty of valuable fiber and minerals, and vitamin B12, which is otherwise only found in animal products. The superfood needs neither fresh water nor land. It grows sustainably in the sea or is cultivated as a unicellular microalgae in mostly closed systems. Algae contain as much protein as soy, plenty of valuable fiber and minerals, and vitamin B12, which is otherwise only found in animal products. The superfood needs neither fresh water nor land. It grows sustainably in the sea or is cultivated as a unicellular microalgae in mostly closed systems.   .. ' 

Energy Harvesting from 5G

Requirements to run IOT Systems. 

Energy harvesting: energy-autonomous IoT communication in 5G networks

Press release / November 09, 2022

Minimal vibrations, temperature differences and even light can be used to generate power for small electronic systems. At Booth B4/258 of the electronica 2022 trade show, Fraunhofer researchers will demonstrate how 5G radio modules with higher energy consumption can now be powered autonomously through energy harvesting — without the use of batteries and cables.

A piezoelectric vibration converter supplies energy to sensors used in a building condition monitoring system. © Kurt Fuchs / Fraunhofer IIS

Sensors are key elements of the Internet of Things (IoT). They collect information, for example, about the condition of a machine or an infrastructure, process it and pass it on. The numerous sensors can obtain the required energy from batteries or via a cable connection. Fraunhofer researchers have now found a way to harvest enough energy to operate these sensors using vibrations from machines, equipment or buildings, as well as from temperature differences between pipes, lines or valves, and the environment.

“Powering a sensor node through energy harvesting technology makes it independent from other energy supplies. This saves the cost arising from energy-storage devices, such as a batteries, and eliminates the maintenance effort required for battery replacement. It also makes cable installations redundant,” says Dr. Peter Spies from the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS in Nuremberg, explaining the advantages. The autonomous sensors are used for data collection and transmission, e.g., for the condition monitoring of machines, buildings or bridges, as well as for smart metering systems.

Spies and his team have been researching for some time how and where energy harvesting technologies can be optimized and deployed. Due to the rise in energy prices, their field of research is rapidly gaining relevance, and inquiries from industry are piling up. Their latest development is a so-called NarrowBand IoT module that collects and transmits utility data in a 5G network. To ensure that the modules and sensors can be operated energy independently, they were specially measured and optimized for energy consumption. This opens up new possibilities for autonomously powering not only LPWANs (low-power wide-area networks) but also other radio systems with higher energy consumption and more advanced functionalities, such as bidirectional communication. The systems could then also be operated in a public network.

At the electronica 2022 trade show, held from November 15-18 in Munich, Fraunhofer IIS will be using the NarrowBand IoT module and a mioty® radio sensor to show how these sensors can be operated entirely without cables or batteries using a thermo-electric generator or a vibration converter. Also on display will be a smart screw connection whose preload force can be monitored remotely thanks to energy-autonomous sensor technology. This means that loose screws should no longer pose a safety risk to bridges, machines or buildings in the future.  ... ' 

Simulation Based Dynamic Virtual Prototyping

 Simulation aided by selective AI 

Simulation-based and highly dynamic: virtual prototyping

Press release / November 09, 2022

The things that amaze us in everyday life, such as when our cars take control of the parking process, are often the result of countless series of expensive and lengthy trials. At electronica, Booth B4/258, Fraunhofer researchers will demonstrate how virtual prototyping can be used for simulations to detect errors and problems in complex electronic control systems at an early stage as well as to shorten development times and significantly reduce costs.

The team at Fraunhofer IIS/EAS is building their own vehicle-in-the-loop laborato-ry. Manufacturers can test and certify their vehicles in a virtual environment.

© Fraunhofer IIS/EAS

The team at Fraunhofer IIS/EAS is building their own vehicle-in-the-loop laborato-ry. Manufacturers can test and certify their vehicles in a virtual environment.

From navigation devices that report unexpected traffic jams before they can be seen, to robots moving in a dynamic environment — intelligent electronic components that identify, evaluate and autonomously adapt to changes in the environment and their own internal structure have long been part of our networked world and are rapidly becoming more widespread. However, the lengthy process to bring products like these to market is anything but simple.

In microelectronics, development cycles are significantly more complex than in conventional mechanical engineering. For application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and other embedded systems, it is not uncommon to see lead times of six months or more. Any delays can lead to missed market launch opportunities.

Dynamic tests in simulated environments

To shorten these processes, Dr. Christoph Sohrmann and his team at the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS, Division Engineering of Adaptive Systems EAS, are providing support for their customers through virtual prototyping: “We execute parts of the product development chain using simulations, which allows us to break up the development flow so that multiple teams can start in parallel,” explains the Virtual System Development group manager.

From purely virtual models to test stands for testing hardware and software in the context of the target product, the tests, conducted by scientists, allow for an agile development process. “Using virtual models allows us to start intensive software tests long before the hardware is available. Our customers can test their system piece by piece in the loop: This increases coverage significantly and produces more robust systems. The virtual development supplements the conventional development cycle. The software has far fewer errors when it reaches the actual prototype,” explains the EAS expert Sohrmann. This is a crucial point, because the costs of fixing an error increase exponentially from the concept to the mass production phase. If a product has to be recalled, that could spell the end of a business. This means that errors need to be identified and eliminated as early as possible.

Another good reason for virtual-based development methods is the number of tests that are necessary to ensure that a system can run without errors. The existence of countless borderline cases and exceptions poses a particular challenge. Sohrmann explains this using cars as an example: “Many of the latest models stay in lane automatically. When the sun reflects off the crash barrier, it can create an additional line on the road surface. The car can suddenly start to navigate using this third bright line.” In the simulation, experts can have a million cars driving in parallel and run through many more driving situations in the same development time — this leads to significant savings in time and costs, which saves many millions of miles traveled for the real model in the automotive sector.

Validation of AI-based systems

Testing procedures for intelligent, self-learning systems are also a focus for the professionals at EAS. For example, what do TÜV testing processes for self-driving vehicles need to look like? A lot can change in three years — in a city and in a vehicle. AI algorithms also learn and will change accordingly during that time. TÜV nonetheless needs to be able to check that all the systems are functioning correctly. A general inspection cannot take up three weeks, so virtual assistance at the test stand is unavoidable. “That is a major challenge. These testing procedures need to be available in under ten years,” Sohrmann points out. Accordingly, the researchers intend to continue their collaboration with the bodies responsible, not only in the form of consulting but also in technical support. .... ' 

AI Engineering with Paise

AI Engineering  in Germany

Welcome to the competence center for AI engineering!

Making artificial intelligence manageable and usable for engineers

The Karlsruhe Competence Center for AI Engineering creates the connection between cutting-edge AI research and established engineering disciplines. It researches the basics and develops the tools to facilitate the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) methods in operational practice. The focus is on industrial production and mobility as fields of application. The competence center is funded by the Ministry of Economics, Labor and Tourism of the State of Baden-Württemberg and offers companies concrete support.

PAISE® in action!

CC-KING expert Dr.-Ing. Chrisitan Kühnert explains the process model for AI engineering on TableSort, our demonstrator of a bulk material sorting system.  ... '

Sustainable, Efficient Use Plastics

Use of plastics is a big deal in petroleum use. 

Sustainable and efficient innovations for the plastics industry

Press release / October 06, 2022

At the world’s largest trade fair for the plastics and rubber industry, 14 Fraunhofer units have adopted the “We know plastics” slogan and will be showcasing innovative, sustainable and efficient approaches, solutions and developments for plastics processing. From October 19 to 26, 2022, the topics of circular economy, digital transformation, climate protection and functionalization will take center stage at Booth SC01 in Hall 7.

Shortages of raw material, competition and the lack of skilled workers are among the challenges that the manufacturing industry is currently facing. Researchers are therefore working on energy-efficient and resource-efficient processes for the manufacturing of the future.

Circular economy: reusable transport packaging for food shipments

Circular economy represents the greatest field of action for the plastics and rubber industry. The circular economy of plastics concerns their entire life cycle — from product design, material selection and additives, the circular business model and traceability to added value for customers.

Using reusable transport packaging for B2C food shipping, the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Circular Plastics Economy CCPE will showcase its research results and demonstrate solution approaches for circular products. The demonstrator “reusable transport box” combines the potential of circular plastic compounds with innovative manufacturing processes for component production. Newly developed PLA-based monomaterial approaches, bio-based foams with functional additives and odor-optimized recyclates open up promising design opportunities for the realization of circular product designs.  ... ' 

Fraunhofer Works Audio Experience

 Emphasizing personal experience, working with Mercedes.

Fraunhofer IDMT’s audio software enables an individual listening experience

News / July 07, 2022  by Frauhofer

Everyone hears differently – this applies inside a vehicle too. That is why Fraunhofer IDMT in Oldenburg has developed a technological concept for fast and individual sound adaptation, which has been integrated into the multimedia system of vehicles from the Mercedes-Benz Group AG. At the heart of the development is an algorithm that easily adjusts the sound of music according to passengers’ wishes. Once set, the sound is optimally adapted to listening preferences.

Fraunhofer IDMT in Oldenburg has developed a technological concept for fast and individual sound adjustment, which has been integrated into vehicles’ multimedia systems.

Important for listening comfort in a vehicle is the quality of the media system’s speech and music reproduction. Pleasant sound and better acoustic intelligibility not only contribute to comfort but can also increase safety, as the driver’s eyes stay focused on the road instead of dwelling on complex audio sub-menus.

»Studies show that people want to perceive sound individually, irrespective of age or hearing ability – inside a vehicle too. Since it’s much more difficult or even impossible to achieve personal feel-good sound with conventional equalisers, we’ve developed new algorithms and an intuitive interface,« explains Dr Jan Rennies-Hochmuth, Group Leader Personalised Hearing Systems at Fraunhofer IDMT in Oldenburg.

Simple instead of complex

Fraunhofer IDMT’s newly developed audio software allows individual sound settings without needing to get to grips with complex sub-menus or parameters. Instead, the user adjusts the sound of individual instruments once only and according to his or her listening preferences by means of an audio example. The result of this personalisation process then serves as the basis for the automatic sound adjustment of all future audio playbacks in the vehicle. Once done, readjusting the sound parameters is no longer necessary. The outcome is a better listening experience at any playback volume.

In addition to infotainment systems, the technology, which Fraunhofer also calls »YourSound«, enables users of other audio devices, such as smartphones or televisions, to adjust the audio playback to their own acoustic preferences in a fun way – without any knowledge of sound levels or frequencies.  ... ' 

The Robot Has the View

Object identification

 The Robot Has the View

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (Germany)

March 16, 2022

A sensor developed by researchers at Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering successfully captures three-dimensional views of transparent objects. Verified in tests on a robot, the Glass360Dgree sensor can reliably identify objects spatially despite reflective or light-absorbing surfaces . A high-intensity carbon dioxide laser and a mobile optical setup with special lenses beam a line moving over the measured object in fractions of a second. The object absorbs and emits the laser light's energy for perception by the two thermal imaging cameras. Software analyzes the images of the heat signature left by the infrared line on the object, and reconstructs the spatial coordinates from the two viewing angles and the deformation in the recorded fringe pattern. It then combines the data into the precise dimensions of the object.  .... ' 

Trustworthy AI

Press Release

Fraunhofer at the Hannover Messe 2022

Artificial intelligence – but please be trustworthy!

Research News / May 02, 2022

To date, entrepreneurs have not put a lot of trust in artificial intelligence – many processes are still performed manually. An example of how artificial intelligence and control technology can be combined to create a completely trustworthy system is RoboGrinder: A grinding machine developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechatronic Systems Design IEM, which eliminates up to 40 percent of grinding processes. It can be seen at the joint Fraunhofer booth at the Hannover Messe 2022 from May 30 to June 2 (Hall 5, Booth A06).

Companies often have a hard time with artificial intelligence: They are concerned that they will end up with a solution which is not always reliable – and therefore often continue to perform tasks, especially those of a complex nature, manually. Fraunhofer IEM researchers have set themselves the goal of countering this skepticism and boosting confidence in artificial intelligence. “We combine the tried and true – control technology – with the new – artificial intelligence,” explains Steven Koppert, Group Manager of Trusted Machine Intelligence at Fraunhofer IEM. “While much of control technology is based on physical and mathematical models that can be analyzed and trusted, artificial intelligence – which in itself is not particularly trustworthy at first – usually relies exclusively on data and also solves creative tasks. Combine these two approaches and you get a flexible, trustworthy system – also known as trusted machine intelligence.”

RoboGrinder: An intelligent grinding machine

What that means exactly can be best explained by an example: The RoboGrinder. At Düspohl, a mechanical engineering company, the grinding process for the rubber-like rollers that press films against the component when applying them to window frames or baseboards is being automated for the first time. Until now, these rollers, which are known as profile wrapping rollers and tend to have a complex shape, have been ground by hand. This is because automation using control technology alone is not readily feasible for the rubber-like material.  .... ' 

Smart Screws

 Interesting application to link manufacturing elements (here screws) with specifications to determine their proper application or condition.    Very useful application it seems. 

Smart Screws Keep Bridges, Machines, Wind Turbines Safe

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (Germany), May 2, 2022

At Germany's Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Cognitive Internet Technologies, researchers developed a self-powered Internet of Things (IoT) device that permits remote monitoring of the stability of screw connections in an object or structure. Smart Screw Connection incorporates sensors and radio technology in a device featuring a screw fitted with a washer containing a piezoresistive DiaForce thin film. The sensors record the preload force at three points when the screw is tightened, and changes in the preload force, which alter the electrical resistance in the thin film, are transmitted via radio module on the screw head to a base station. Fraunhofer's Peter Spies said, "No engineer is required to be on site and check each screw individually, as all the data are transmitted via radio to the service station."  .... '

Cognitive T-slot Sensor concept

Thinking this .... Cognitive slot ....smart notch ...  If you go, give us a report.  I will report it

Cognitive T-slot sensor concept: Increasing forming machine efficiency with cognitive transformation of industrial processes

Research News / May 02, 2022

Forming presses are widely used as key elements of industrial production processes. From automotive technology to refrigerators, almost every product we encounter contains formed parts. The purchasing costs of these machines can reach double-digit millions, and it takes a great deal of time to set up and adjust precisely as needed. Given such a high level of investment, buyers expect machinery of this kind to keep running efficiently for a long time without any loss in quality. At the Hannover Messe 2022, the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Cognitive Internet Technologies CCIT will demonstrate how cognitive transformation of industrial processes can improve the efficiency of forming machines (Hall 5, Booth A06). The technology that serves as the basis for the exhibit is smartNOTCH – a cognitive T-slot.

A forming press demonstrator provides visitors with live insights into how a cognitive T-slot works. The process data transferred by smartNOTCH is visualized on a connected terminal.

During operation, forming presses create vast quantities of data that are captured and stored automatically – covering everything from process information (including the forming force or the number of strokes) and quality specifications to status-related data and process variables (such as the service life). To date, machine users have in most cases only been able to collect this data at the machine itself: It has not been possible for them to gain aggregated stocks of data from machine pools or to share it with stakeholders such as manufacturers or suppliers. Additionally, previous solutions have rarely provided structured analysis, evaluation and application options for data. They have not incorporated concepts and technology for closed data life cycles in which data can be sustainably processed, retrieved and easily distributed as a way of generating new findings. In short, there has been a lack of cognitive internet technologies.

Cognitive T-slot

At the Hannover Messe 2022, Fraunhofer CCIT will use forming machines as an example for showcasing a solution in which cognitive internet technologies ensure consistently transparent processes and, as a result, enhance overall equipment effectiveness. At the heart of this new technology is smartNOTCH, a cognitive T-slot that continually monitors production processes with automated methods. The new sensor concept can be integrated into the interior of a forming press easily and with flexibility – and once installed, it is able to measure deformations and loads at interfaces with tools as well as transfer data to evaluation systems wirelessly. “The technology enables continuous monitoring that can be used inline for wear detection, protection, acceptance and tool integration. This makes it possible to streamline workflows and make processes more agile,” says Robin Kurth, Head of Group Forming Machines at Fraunhofer CCIT.

Usage conditions can be attached to the data obtained through smartNOTCH, giving machine users the ability to decide who they want to share forming press data with, for what purpose and under what conditions. In this context, intelligent, secure and standardized edge devices provide the necessary interfaces for networked processing chains that straddle regional, national or international company boundaries. When data sovereignty is assured, and intellectual property (IP) along with it, data silos can be compiled. Users, manufacturers and suppliers of forming machines can then apply machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) methods to the aggregated data, giving rise to new insights into the performance and error susceptibility of the machines. When developing a suitable analysis algorithm, the experience acquired by specialist employees throughout the long service life of a forming machine can provide additional input. Fraunhofer CCIT’s informed machine learning approach makes it possible to integrate this information.

Using data and creating new insights

The solution provides users, manufacturers and suppliers with precisely the information they need to increase the efficiency of forming machines – whenever they need it. This makes it possible to start up new machines and processes more quickly, test out new pressing tools with more specific aims in mind and perform preventive maintenance on presses, for example. Intelligent capturing, secure sharing and systematic evaluation of data can also allow new business models to emerge, enabling manufacturers and suppliers, for example, to provide their customers with not only hardware, but also smart services based on data. Examples include the remote operation of entire machines (Equipment-as-a-Service/EaaS) and targeted upgrading and modernization (retrofitting) of existing presses.

The Hannover Messe exhibit will put the smartNOTCH at the forefront: A forming press demonstrator provides visitors with live insights into how a cognitive T-slot works.

Automatic Defect Inspection

Inspection for defects

 AutoInspect takes the quality of industrial inspection processes to a new level    Research News / May 02, 2022

In the AutoInspect demonstrator, the car body is transported to the inspection stations on a conveyor system. The picture shows the deflectometry portal: The software can detect surface defects based on the reflection of the striped patterns displayed on the monitors.

© Fraunhofer

The quality of industrial production processes is ensured by a large number of sensor-based individual inspections. This generates large amounts of data. However, until now, the information from the individual sensors has generally only been looked at in isolation. The AutoInspect solution from the Fraunhofer Institute of Optronics, System Technologies and Image Exploitation IOSB overcomes this issue by linking all of the data to create a consolidated overview. Now, for the first time, linking the measured values is facilitating intelligent evaluation and the detection of hidden faults. This increases efficiency and ultimately improves product quality. A demonstrator will be presented at the Hannover Messe 2022 from May 30 to June 2 at the joint Fraunhofer booth in Hall 5, Booth A06.   More

Mobility of Tomorrow Examined.

 Excerpts from Fraunhofer piece.

The mobility of tomorrow  

“Mobility is about more than the proverbial concept of getting from A to B. When it comes to cars, there are factors that go beyond the purely objective.” Sebastian Stegmüller, Fraunhofer

Cars of the future

Web special Fraunhofer magazine 4.2021

In the right direction

The cars of the future will need design of the future. Find out how Fraunhofer is helping to restructure transport.

New times, new challenges – and new challengers. E-mobility pioneer Tesla, which launched on the German market in 2013 with its Model S, had reason to celebrate in October. The growth rates for Tesla vehicles registered in Germany were in the triple digits, marking an increase of 482.9 percent. German manufacturers saw a double-digit drop, with the exception of Porsche, which stayed almost stab-le at just minus 0.8 percent. Volkswagen, Mercedes, BMW and Audi have also taken on the challenge of e-mobility. With its research fab for battery production, in which ten Fraunhofer Institutes are involved, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is helping to expand and strengthen Germany’s position as a leader in battery manufacturing technology. And yet it will take more than that to ensure Germany maintains this position and doesn’t slip down the ranks in terms of environmental rating and reputation.

Diversity – on our roads too

The cars of the future need mobility that’s fit for the future. Dr. André Häusler has warned against closed-mindedness when it comes to mobility. The expert from the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT in Aachen believes that diversity in transportation will become a necessity. He envisions different drive methods coexist­ing harmoniously – depending on where cars are used and what they are used for Need to fill up in five minutes and then drive 650 kilometers? Hydrogen is best for the job. Living in a rural area where charging points are hard to come by? A hybrid model with a combustion engine and an electric motor might be the best option. “In the coming years, car manu­facturers won’t just have one drive type in their portfolio anymore,” says Dr. Häusler. “They’ll need to offer a separate solution for every need – hydrogen, electric, gas, diesel and hybrid models.”

New times, new challenges – and new challengers. E-mobility pioneer Tesla, which launched on the German market in 2013 with its Model S, had reason to celebrate in October. The growth rates for Tesla vehicles registered in Germany were in the triple digits, marking an increase of 482.9 percent. German manufacturers saw a double-digit drop, with the exception of Porsche, which stayed almost stab-le at just minus 0.8 percent. Volkswagen, Mercedes, BMW and Audi have also taken on the challenge of e-mobility. With its research fab for battery production, in which ten Fraunhofer Institutes are involved, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is helping to expand and strengthen Germany’s position as a leader in battery manufacturing technology. And yet it will take more than that to ensure Germany maintains this position and doesn’t slip down the ranks in terms of environmental rating and reputation.

Diversity – on our roads too

The cars of the future need mobility that’s fit for the future. Dr. André Häusler has warned against closed-mindedness when it comes to mobility. The expert from the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT in Aachen believes that diversity in transportation will become a necessity. He envisions different drive methods coexist­ing harmoniously – depending on where cars are used and what they are used for Need to fill up in five minutes and then drive 650 kilometers? Hydrogen is best for the job. Living in a rural area where charging points are hard to come by? A hybrid model with a combustion engine and an electric motor might be the best option. “In the coming years, car manu­facturers won’t just have one drive type in their portfolio anymore,” says Dr. Häusler. “They’ll need to offer a separate solution for every need – hydrogen, electric, gas, diesel and hybrid models.”  ... ' 

Self Learning Assistance forManufacturing

Similar to a proposed application we came up with for manufacturing process observation and improvement assistance for lines that needed to maximize their up-time. 

 A Smart Self-Learning Assistance System for the Manufactauring Industry

By Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (Germany), March 3, 2022

The MADDOX self-learning assistance system developed by Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV spin-off Peerox in Germany can analyze machine and process data in order to boost manufacturing efficiency.

MADDOX digitizes employees' practical knowledge to correct failures when workers are unavailable.

The search algorithm employs machine learning algorithms to review machine data, and generates categories consisting of similar data patterns; these are linked to digital knowledge cards, where employees can visually document failures and remedies using text, images, and video.

When mechanical failures occur, the algorithm analyzes the data patterns, seeks similar categories, and displays the relevant knowledge card to users on a tablet.  Features developed with engineering psychologists at the Dresden University of Technology integrate human impulses like helpfulness and appreciation, which encourage MADDOX's frequent use by workers ...

Implemented on a tablet, the MADDOX self-learning assistance system displays knowledge maps with help information on faults and solutions ..... 

From Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (Germany),   View Full Article   

IT Solutions for Stable Supply chains

Fascinating example.

Fraunhofer Logistics

IT solutions for stable supply chains

Research News / December 01, 2022

Global supply chains comprise complex networks, making them particularly vulnerable. The UK is a prime example of this, where logistics problems are currently resulting in empty supermarket shelves and closed gas stations. Fraunhofer experts provide IT solutions that counteract supply bottlenecks in international goods traffic and maintain robust supply chains.

Earthquakes in South America, floods in Germany or political unrest in Asia: all compromise supply chains. A research team at the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM is developing mathematical methods that can be used to calculate how to minimize risks to supply chains. “Mathematically speaking,” explains Dr. Heiner Ackermann, Deputy Head of Optimization – Operations Research, “these disruptive events create a multidimensional decision problem.”

Cushioning risks without additional costs

Ackermann’s team of experts analyze the properties of supply chains using mathematical models. The failure scenarios simulated on the basis of these calculations show at which points there is a greater need for action. In the second step, the researchers focus on holistic optimization – for a more robust supply chain that can cushion risks without incurring major costs. The experts package all variables into a multi-criteria optimization problem. In this way, they determine the best possible solution for the triad of resilience, cost and risk. Algorithms calculate the optimum balance and with it various options for raw materials, suppliers and warehousing. Even the use of alternative materials is considered. The top priority: as few assumptions as possible. “Our work has set the ball rolling – companies that previously relied on Excel spreadsheets and their gut feeling are now engaging in very fruitful discussions,” explains Ackermann, adding: “Whether you are dealing with supply chains or supply networks, mathematics is a universal and very effective tool.”

Early detection of potential supply shortages

The Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML also offers highly effective support for testing and optimizing supply chains with its Order-To-Delivery-NETwork (OTD-NET) simulator. Thanks to this tool, planning and material flow processes from order to delivery can be continuously assessed. “OTD-NET maps even highly complex supply chains in full and at all levels, including the planning and information flow processes. Using various parameters, it is possible to accurately model cooperation between supply chain partners on the computer,” specifies Marco Motta, Head of Supply Chain Engineering at Fraunhofer IML.

Combining digital twins of supply chains with simulations

The tool set examines networks particularly with regard to customer promises in terms of delivery reliability and quality, etc., costs, environmental considerations and, in the analysis of alternative scenarios, resilience. “In the simulation, I can easily play around with demand peaks, a slump in the respective market or scenarios in which production is disrupted,” explains the Fraunhofer IML expert. In this way, forecasts can be made about how a supply chain will react in a state of emergency. Logistics assistance systems that combine a digital twin of the supply chain with simulations show dispatchers which cargo ships have loaded which parts, where these are located and when the consignment will be available at the required location. Supply for the next 20–30 weeks can thus be depicted for global networks, enabling potential bottlenecks to be detected early on. Tracking is also a distinguishing feature of the solution for demand and capacity management. Not only is the number of parts affected displayed but planners can also directly see the impact of this on the whole of production.

Most recently, both the automotive and medical sectors have suffered from supply bottlenecks. Saskia Sardesai, Senior Scientist at Fraunhofer IML, is leading different research projects in which OTD-NET is being used to increase resilience in value creation networks for medical supplies. “Especially smaller and medium-sized companies were addressing this problem using existing spreadsheet analysis tools. However, this approach does not identify dynamics.” This is where OTD-NET comes into play: The simulation dynamically shows over a long period whether all parts will be at the right location at the right time. “If all parts are available except for those from my transatlantic supplier and there is no alternative supplier in Europe, I will quickly have a break in my chain lasting over a month,” outlines the specialist.

Increasing the European manufacturing sector’s resilience to future pandemics

In the European research project “CO-VERSATILE”, overseen by Sardesai, participants are doing everything in their power to increase the European manufacturing sector’s resilience to future pandemics. The supply chain should be able to react quickly and effectively to a sudden spike in demand for strategic medical supplies. To that end, experts at Fraunhofer IML have developed a simulation model that takes into account future peaks and fluctuations in demand as well as supplier risks. Companies are immediately given an overview of which effects they will have to face. “We have created very simple models to facilitate rapid feedback and implementation for a variety of companies,” explains the project manager. Particular attention was paid to capacities, lead times, transportation frequency and possible supply restrictions. Users can see how individual factors interplay – an invaluable advantage compared to the long-standing Excel solution.  .... 

Miniature Spectrometer for a Smartphone

A description and a number of potential application from Fraunhofer, including but not limited to detecting counterfeit drugs and other products.   We performed such tests for product authenticity checks.   Especially useful integrated in a phone with portability and well known design.    

Chip-integrated optical infrared components

Miniature spectrometer for the smartphone

Research News / July 01, 2021

Recognizing fake drugs? Testing water samples ourselves? Checking the quality of air? In the future, it could be possible to do all this using a smartphone in a quick, cost-effective and straightforward way. The process is being made possible by a spectrometer, weighing just one gram, from the Fraunhofer Institute for Electronic Nano Systems ENAS. The aim is to mass-produce this component for around a euro using conventional technologies.

Measurement setup with wafer prober, optical fiber probes and wafer with test structures.

Websites sometimes offer drugs at a much lower price than pharmacies. While we can be sure that the medicines we buy from local stores are the quality we expect, online bargains often lead us to question whether we are being palmed off with an ineffective or a differently composed counterfeit. In the future, we will be able to find out quickly and easily: Using a chip spectrometer currently being developed by researchers at Fraunhofer ENAS. “Our infrared spectrometer weighs only about a gram and we plan for it to cost less than a euro to produce,” says Dr. Alexander Weiß, Head of Department Multi Device Integration at Fraunhofer ENAS. “This will allow it to be integrated into smartphones, for instance.” As a comparison: At present, infrared spectrometers weigh several kilograms and cost thousands of euros to produce. Although transportable devices weighing slightly less do exist, they are unsuitable for the mass market – in terms of cost and size and also in terms of operation and analyzing the results. Other requirements crucial to existing on the mass market: The technology must not be overly complex – in other words, it must be easy to operate – and the production method must be suitable for the mass market. ... " 

Home Networking by Radar

Interesting.   Security?  Might this kind location could be combined with other kind of location and movement information?  

Home networking by radar

OmniConnect project: Radar beams for networking and localizing everyday objects

Research News / July 01, 2021

In the OmniConnect project, Fraunhofer researchers are working with other partners on networking objects in indoor areas. They are doing this using radar beams and passive tags that are attached to moving objects, but also to people. This technology effectively detects the positions of the tags and therefore of the objects as well. It can also be used in the care sector, to avert dangers to people who are prone to falling.

For many of us, the term “radar” conjures up scenarios from the aviation or shipping industries. Radar technology is also deployed to search for space debris. This always involves localizing and measuring the velocity of flying objects. In recent years, however, scientists have been seeking to scale up the use of radar beams for applications inside closed rooms. The Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM in Berlin is focusing on a most promising project in this area.

In the OmniConnect project, a radar is used to detect the motion and position of objects inside rooms. The researchers are using what we refer to as a secondary radar. A conventional radar detects objects and their movements, but does not provide any other data. A secondary radar combines radar beams with tags that are attached to objects. These passive tags not only reveal to the system position and movements inside a room, they can transmit information about the object as well.

Energy-efficient, compact, harmless

Thanks to the high frequency in the 60 GHz band, the systems can be developed for a high degree of integration. Each send and receive module is just 25 square centimeters in size. Conflicts with mobile radio networks, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth are impossible. The radiation this technology emits is completely harmless to human beings.

The system developed in OmniConnect is the ideal solution for networking any objects or everyday items with one another or integrating them into a home network. Because the passive tags do not need a separate power supply, there’s no inconvenience of having to replace batteries. ... ' 

Single Use Face Masks

Former employer tech activity

Circular economy for plastics

Fraunhofer, SABIC, and Procter & Gamble join forces in closed-loop recycling pilot project for single-use face-masks

Press Release / June 16, 2021

The Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Circular Plastics Economy CCPE and its Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT have developed an advanced recycling process for used plastics. The pilot project with SABIC and Procter & Gamble serves to demonstrate the feasibility of closed-loop recycling for single-use facemasks.  ... ' 

Enzymes Embedded in Plastics

Based on a conversation I have had, this is a considerable breakthrough with broad application.

Enzymes successfully embedded in plastics

Research News / June 01, 2021  Fraunhofer Institute

In general, plastics are processed at way over a hundred degrees Celsius. Enzymes, by contrast, cannot usually withstand these high temperatures. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP have managed to reconcile these contradictions: They are able to embed enzymes in plastics without the enzymes losing their activity in the process. The potentials this creates are enormous.

Materials that clean themselves, have anti-mold surfaces or are even self-degrading are just a few examples of what will be possible if we manage to embed active enzymes into plastics. But for the enzyme-specific properties to be transferred to the materials, the enzymes must not suffer damage as they are embedded in the plastic. Scientists at Fraunhofer IAP have developed a solution to the problem as part of the “Biofunctionalization/Biologization of Polymer Materials BioPol” project. Since summer 2018, the project has been running in cooperation with BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg. The Ministry of Science, Research and Culture of the State of Brandenburg is funding the project.

“It was clear from the outset that we were not looking to produce biofunctionalized plastics on a laboratory scale. We wanted to take a giant step to show that technical production is possible,” says Dr. Ruben R. Rosencrantz, Head of the “Biofunctionalized Materials and (Glyco)Biotechnology” department at Fraunhofer IAP, summarizing the ambitious project goals. At around the midpoint in the project, major breakthroughs are already emerging: Enzymes have been successfully embedded, both in terms of the enzymes themselves and the processing technique.  ..."