The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft produces films about current research topics.
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The world is changing, now more than ever. We can wait and see what comes – or we take the future into our own hands. Against the backdrop of the current pandemic, it is important to act decisively to emerge from the crisis with renewed strength. We are meeting this challenge by developing innovations that will make life easier tomorrow. With our commitment, we promote the preservation of know-how and contribute to securing technological leadership and sovereignty, competitiveness and prosperity. #WeKnowHow.
For their robust, trustworthy and tamper-proof receiver technology, Dr. Wolfgang Felber, Dr. Günter Rohmer and Alexander Rügamer (from left to right) received the Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize.
Police, customs, fire brigades, critical infrastructure – they all increasingly depend on satellite navigation. But satnav is easy to disrupt and manipulate. A research team from the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS has found a fix for this security predicament. Robust, trustworthy and tamper-proof, this solution won the team this year’s Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize.
Stefan Matlok (left) and Dr. Bernd Eckardt received the Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize for developing a new generation of DC/DC converters.
Fuel cells play a key role in the transition to renewables in power and mobility. But the energy efficiency of these cells poses a major challenge, particularly in automotive engineering. The individual components need to be as light and small as possible, yet attain a high efficiency factor. One such component is the DC/DC converter that modulates the fuel cell’s voltage to suit the drive and controls the flow of energy. Conventional wisdom held that it would be impossible to develop a smaller yet more efficient converter. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Systems and Device Technology IISB defied that convention, making the impossible possible by developing a new generation of DC/DC converters that meet precisely these requirements. This stride into the future has won the researchers the Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize.
Dr. Kamen Danowski from Fraunhofer IVI (left) and Frank-Michael Löst from State Office of Criminal Investigation in Saxony received the Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize for their future-ready technology for sharing information and coordinating in the field.
Setting out to tackle real-world challenges in the fight against terrorism and crime, a team of researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Transportation and Infrastructure Systems IVI in Dresden and police officers have developed a new, future-ready technology for sharing information and coordinating in the field. The developers’ efforts have earned them the 2020 Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize. The solution has since been adopted throughout Germany on the merits of its great practical benefit and acceptance on the part of users.
Dr. Holger Wack, Damian Hintemann from Fraunhofer UMSICHT and Thomas Baus from Hörmann KG Glastechnik (from left to right) received the Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize for the hydrogel-based fire-resistant glass they developed.
The Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT in Oberhausen and Hörmann, a family-owned company, have developed a new type of fire-resistant glass that holds up under even extreme heat – and ported this glazing from the beaker to the production line within four years. No more toxic acrylamide, around 85 percent less process waste, a leaner manufacturing process, excellent performance – these product merits garnered the development team the Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize.
Martin Reininghaus, Dr. Arnold Gillner and Dr. Johannes Finger (from left to right). For their development they received the science award of The Stifterverband für Verbundforschung, a donors’ association for joint research.
A paradigm shift is underway in manufacturing. A research team with staff from the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT in Aachen on its roster has broken new ground by using numerous laser beams as tools to structure surfaces. This accelerates the process and opens the door to new applications. The Stifterverband für Verbundforschung, a donors’ association for joint research, has seen fit to acknowledge the efforts of these researchers with its Science Prize.
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