Press / Newsroom

The European electricity supply system is currently in flux as a result of the energy transition. An increasing number of plants and systems are feeding into the decentralized power grid through power electronics. In the future, hybrid power grids will incorporate sections with alternating and direct current lines. The partners in the InterSCADA EU project are developing a modular SCADA platform intended to help grid operators throughout Europe to maintain system stability in increasingly hybrid AC/DC power grids. In this interview, Robin Patrick Williams, a research scientist at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Information Technology FIT, explains why a SCADA platform is necessary in order to automate future transmission and distribution grids. Williams and Prof. Antonello Monti, a group manager at Fraunhofer FIT, are jointly responsible for coordinating the project.

In the EcoHub research project, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA have teamed up with partners to develop a service-oriented platform designed to collect and process sustainability data on a centralized basis. The platform makes it easier for manufacturing companies to draft environmental reports and apply for certification.

Applications such as self-driving vehicles, 6G mobile communications and quantum communications are pushing fiber optic networks to their limits. Fraunhofer researchers have joined forces with partners to devise clever ways to optimize data transmission. Optical switches with liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) mirrors shrink data packets down to size so the network can carry more data, while signals are distributed across different fiber strands to create more flexibility.

If detected early, the prognosis for skin cancer is excellent. An innovative full-body scanner linked to an AI diagnostic platform is set to help with early detection of melanoma. In just six minutes, it automatically scans a patient’s entire body, providing a risk assessment for each anomalous change found in the skin. Twenty partners are working together to develop the diagnostic system as part of the EU-funded iToBoS project. To ensure that the AI they are using works reliably and safely, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications, Heinrich-Hertz-Institut, HHI are incorporating explainable AI (XAI) technologies into the AI tools used.

Fraunhofer researchers have developed sensor systems and measuring equipment that detect leaks in hydrogen lines and tanks. Applications for the new technology include continuous monitoring of hydrogen shipments and facilities in the chemical industry. The researchers use multiple sensor technologies to provide safety equipment covering as many scenarios of the future hydrogen economy as possible.

A delegation consisting of representatives from the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and from Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY) signed a strategic collaboration agreement in Munich today. Their groundbreaking collaboration aims to pool expertise, infrastructure and knowledge across individual research institutions to open up new paths for the commercialization of technology in industry and society.

On February 19, the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy (StMWi) and the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft awarded the Hugo Geiger Prize for the best dissertations in applied research. Three next-generation researchers, one each from Freising, Munich and Aachen, were chosen as the winners for their innovative ideas and applied doctoral work completed in close collaboration with a Fraunhofer institute. The Fraunhofer Founder Award was also presented for a spin-off with an active, successful market presence.

A concrete solution for pressing challenges: In the CYCLOMETRIC project, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO have devised a solution that allows companies to incorporate sustainability assessments and circular economy concepts into the early phases of development processes — right where there is the most leverage for ecofriendly design.

Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT have teamed up with project partners to develop an AI module to help with laser material deposition. This technique is used to repair worn bucket teeth and other tools used in mining. The project partners include research organizations and companies from Canada. The Fraunhofer researchers will be presenting their solution at the Hannover Messe Preview on February 19, 2025.

On February 17, 2025, Constantin Häfner will take up his new position as Fraunhofer’s executive vice president of Research and Transfer. The Fraunhofer senate elected him to the board at its meeting on June 12, 2024. The renowned laser physicist has been the executive director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT in Aachen since 2019. With Häfner taking office, the executive board of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft will be complete.