M a y 4 – 6 , 2 0 2 3 Exhibition »Down to Earth Space Technology« Come by! There will be a science trail, an open lab, a science café and exciting presentations (suitable for ages 12 and up) Fraunhofer-Forum Berlin Anna-Louisa-Karsch-Strasse 2 10178 Berlin, Germany

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 Contents 38 Title Higher yields, lower losses Empty shelves, fragile supply chains: How can we make food production more resilient in times of crisis? The future of production The industrial metaverse — fact or fiction? From sending digital twins to meetings to virtual testing of production processes, the metaverse is revolutionizing our world of work. 03 Editorial 06 Brief report, Editorial notes 20 “I’d like to see more optimism about the future!” An interview with Friedrich Merz, opposition leader and leader of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany 24 “This will save many lives” A beacon of hope: A new antibiotic can attack even multidrug-resistant germs 26 Electronics goes to print Thanks to innovative production processes, good old paper is getting smarter 20 “Be prepared to take a leap into the unknown.” Friedrich Merz, leader of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany, advocates for greater openness around technology. However, the amateur pilot doubts that he will ever fly a hydro- gen-powered plane. 4 10 An opportunity for Germany to safeguard its position as a technological powerhouse More than just hype: The industrial metaverse is speeding up innovation and has the potential to completely transform the German economy 52 AI — and what about Europe? Have China and the USA left us in the dust? When it comes to artificial intelligence, it’s not too late for Europe to forge its own path 86 How industry can learn from ants In the future, production will need to follow nature’s example and adopt a fully intercon- nected system structure 10

World heritage under the X-ray The Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS has collab- orated with the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin (Berlin state muse- ums) to digitalize valuable Benin bronzes. Germany is in the process of coming to terms with its colonial past, and as such, it is returning these stolen historic, cultural artifacts to Nigeria. The bronzes were previously displayed in around 20 museums. The scientists want to preserve these important bronzes in digital form for research purposes. To do this, experts at the Development Center for X-ray Tech- nology EZRT at Fraunhofer ISS are using state-of-the-art X-ray computed tomography to create three-dimensional models of the valuable bronze reliefs. These models are then translated into digital data sets. The size and solidity of the objects pose a chal- lenge for the X-ray machine, as does the material used, brass. In order to produce tomography images with optimal quality, the project researchers are employing the largest CT scanner in the world, which is located at EZRT in Fürth. Since 2008, Fraunhofer IIS has been working with partners to develop new processes for preserving cultural heritage. The eMobiGrid project aims to improve infrastructure for electric transportation. Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 Brief report In 1897, British troops seized the Benin bronzes from the former Edo Kingdom in what is now Nigeria. Today, around 1,100 of these objects are in German museums. Accelerating the transportation transition As part of the eMobiGrid project, the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Systems and Device Technol- ogy IISB is working with partners from science and industry to develop a comprehensive charging system for various vehicle types. Growth in electromobility is creating new challenges for infrastructure: Stations for charging batteries must be optimally integrated into stationary energy networks already in the locality, and must be available for all vehicles, from cars and trucks through to tractors and construction machinery. The project partners also want to work together to increase the use of renewable energy. To do this, they are focusing on local direct current networks — these allow for the low-loss integration of storage batteries, photovoltaic systems, wind turbines and hydrogen technologies. This relieves the burden on power grids that are less well developed. They also serve as a buffer against the overproduction of renewable energies, since the electric vehicle batteries can be used to charge other devices. 6

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 An audio-based testing system monitors whether electrical connectors in cars engage correctly. It just clicks In automotive construction, individual components are no longer attached with screws, glue or through welding. Instead, they are joined together with elec- trical connectors. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Insti- tute for Digital Media Technology IDMT’s Oldenburg Branch for Hearing, Speech and Audio Technology HSA have developed an audio-based testing system for these connectors. In the future, this system will make it possible to check whether the connectors are properly engaged. Microphones record the clicking sound they make; and algorithms then analyze it. As soon as it identifies that a connector has not been con- nected correctly, the testing system gives a warning. The technology was very challenging to develop, owing to the clicks’ similarity to each other. “For decades, we have been developing acoustic methods for detecting and analyzing sounds. Our system is now able to reliably differentiate and examine acous- tic signals that are very similar to each other,” explains Danilo Hollosi, group manager for Acoustic Event Detection at Fraunhofer IDMT. Even surrounded by the noise of a factory floor, the algorithms can isolate and analyze individual clicks. The audio-based technology not only fits in with the trend of controlling manufacturing steps in pro- duction with sensors to make them safer and more reliable — it also helps to significantly increase effi- ciency and lower costs. 8 Less food waste Due to manufacturing errors and overproduction, up to 15 percent of industrially produced bread rolls, pretzels and the like never make it to the breakfast table — instead, they are destroyed. In the future, an intelligent system will help avoid this by using sensors to continuously monitor the qual- ity of products on the bakery production line. As part of the SensoBack project, a team from the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechatronic Systems Design IEM developed this system in collaboration with partners from research and industry. The sensors are deployed at multiple points in the production line to record whether the products meet quality requirements in terms of shape, weight and the properties of the dough. For the first time, it will be possible to monitor every step of the baking process along the bakery production line, check whether each product meets the quality requirements and quickly make adjustments to the individual processes. In conventional systems, process parameters such as temperature have always had to be manually adjusted for raw materials with different properties, such as different types of flour. This new system will help bakers to optimize product quality while also making better use of the available resources. On the table instead of in the trash: Fraunhofer IEM is making bakery lines smarter with an intelligent sensor system.

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 The industrial metaverse — fact or fiction? So long to the 2D internet? Already, we are seeing the enormous advantages that the metaverse holds for development and production. By Kathrin Schwarze-Reiter, Photography: Maya Claussen 10 Ronja Gaulinger, Fraunhofer IAO

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 F rida Santos walks into her office on a Monday morning. The young engineer works for an SME that numbers among the leading com- panies in the solar cell market, with locations all over the world — but she herself lives in a small Ger- man town. Ms. Santos makes herself a cup of coffee, has a quick chat with a colleague and gets ready for her first meeting of the day, which she attends in a special room with no windows and partially sound-proof walls to avoid visual and acoustic distractions. The engineer puts on her VR headset and steps into a digital world. Some avatars are already sitting at a large table in the middle of the virtual meeting room — colleagues of hers, from Darm- stadt, Stuttgart, Bologna and San Diego. No one had to fly anywhere or request approval for a business trip: For our fictional engineer, Frida Santos, collaborating with her colleagues is an entirely climate-neutral endeavor. “Fact or fiction?” asks Dr. Dietmar Laß. The senior research manager from the Fraunhofer ICT Group’s cen- tral office answers his own question with a definite prediction. “The metaverse is more than just hype. We can be sure that it is coming — it’s just a question of how and to what extent.” Dr. Laß and his team act as the bridg- ing point between the activities of the various Fraunhofer institutes that are involved in the metaverse field and large companies’ increasing interest in the new digital reality. The ICT Group develops metaverse technologies and guides those companies as a reliable partner. “In recent years, we have seen significant investments by large companies, rapidly advancing technological developments and a sense of openness around this style of communi- cation,” says Roland Busch, Chief Executive Officer of Fraunhofer’s collaboration partner Siemens. That’s why he thinks the metaverse has a big future ahead of it: “The industrial metaverse will be a space where we use the speed of software to drive innovations. Its potential for reshaping our domestic economies and industries is enormous.” The metaverse is an important opportunity for Ger- many to safeguard its position as a technological power- house. “We have strong technology know-how in many areas, so there’s no need to hide from this new develop- ment,” points out Holger Graf of the Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research IGD. “In the future, extended reality, software solutions for industry business processes, the virtualization and combination of 3D content, and decentralized, interoperable data platforms will have a major role to play. But what we need now is to build up an innovation ecosystem, which means we have to combine industry-based digital technologies in Germany more effectively.” Siemens Energy is already constructing models of power plants in the metaverse, so it can predict when they will require maintenance work. The company expects that this will reduce downtime and save power plant operators 1.7 billion dollars per year. Car manufacturer BMW is planning a digital factory using the Omniverse platform by the graphic processor manufacturer NVIDIA. “The planned machines or structures will only be built in reality once the corresponding digital models have been designed in full and validated,” explains Dr. Leif Oppermann, the head of Mixed and Augmented Reality Solutions at the Fraun- hofer Institute for Applied Information Technology FIT in Sankt Augustin, North Rhine-Westphalia. Direct prototype testing with future users The possibilities for testing are almost endless; for exam- ple, in virtual reality driving simulators, metaverse users could try out prototypes directly and then provide feedback that would immediately be taken into account in the design and manufacturing process. Similarly, the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML has developed a simulator for DB Schenker so that their staff can practice driving forklifts. “The German rail company Deutsche Bahn uses artificial intelligence and virtual reality for digital maintenance, both for finding damage and fixing it,” relates Dr. Oppermann. When learning how to carry out repairs, mechanics can start by practicing on digital trains. “BASF is also experiment- ing with metaverse technologies for virtual labs, virtual showrooms and global 3D collaborations.” The Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO and the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA have teamed up with the Virtual Dimension Center (VDC) in Baden-Württem- berg to create a large-scale metaverse project called CyberLänd. With funding from the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labor and Tourism, the initiative will focus on discovering what political, indus- trial and social potential the metaverse could offer for the south German state. First and foremost, the project team aims to help foster a deeper understanding of this complex topic. “At present, companies still don’t have any concrete prospects for development in the metaverse,” explains Prof. Katharina Hölzle, director of Fraunhofer IAO and the University of Stuttgart’s Institute of Human Factors and Technology Management IAT. “We are exploring what interactive collaboration in the metaverse might look like, how digital twins can be used on a wide scale and how you could pay people and offer on-the-job training in the metaverse.” 12

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 “We need to build up an innovation ecosystem, which means we have to combine industry-based digital technologies in Germany more effectively.” Holger Graf, Fraunhofer IGD 14

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 “We have to develop a mindset focused on ways of eliminating abuse.” The pioneers of the metaverse have high hopes that the internet of the future will be decentralized — i.e., that it will not be controlled by any state, company or indi- vidual. This would make it possible to connect different platforms and incorporate elements from one environ- ment in the next. But this liberality also comes with many risks. “The primary points of criticism here are focused on the uncertainties regarding jurisdiction in the interna- tional sphere, the handling of user data and intellectual property, the danger of criminal activities, the high level of resource usage and the intensification of certain web 2.0 trends,” recounts Dr. Oppermann, head of Mixed and Augmented Reality Solutions at Fraunhofer FIT. “If digital twins of factories or machines in the metaverse are used based on the same architecture as conventional internet business models, the uncertainty level will be too high for companies.” He advises getting familiar with the technol- such as industrial polymers and synthetic microfibers using industry machines from ZWi Technologies. How- ever, as Kuraray operates in many different countries, it very often faces short-term technical problems, such as a machine breaking down in Japan or a need to train in new employee there. Right now, the only way of resolving these issues is for an expert to travel all the way over — that means booking a flight, canceling all other meetings for days and arranging for childcare. The cost is high, in terms of both money and working days. However, Mr. Uzun’s team has developed a solution — a system that can bring a specialist on location within seconds. With a HoloLens 2 and a VR headset, a German expert can use the metaverse to communicate with the factory worker in Japan as though they were in the same room. There is also a digital twin of the machine that needs maintenance work. “The two employees can enter the metaverse as avatars to talk and work on the virtual machine together,” explains Mr. Uzun. “In the virtual space, it’s also very easy for the German expert to send on instruc- tions and important notes to help the factory worker.” One of the real objects Mr. Uzun is testing is a virtual 3D model of a granulator, a machine that collects excess film and granulates it to form dust. “That sounds simple, but it’s not. We now know that in the metaverse, employ- ees can get training on a machine or repair it directly when it’s broken.” The adjustments would then be carried out by a worker at the factory. “The metaverse is expanding our scope for action — and it has enormous potential for the world of work.” Prof. Vanessa Borkmann, Fraunhofer IAO 16

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 Systems Engineering are working to transfer existing or possible urban environments into the virtual world, using the metaverse as a platform for quickly bringing city planning and development to the prototype stage. “These digital twins allow us to simulate future scenarios, so they become more tangible for investors and users,” says Ronja Gaulinger, a research scientist in the Urban Systems Engineering research unit at Fraunhofer IAO. As well as simulating complete cities, the researchers can also cre- ate individual buildings in the virtual world, and use them to try out different layouts and look for problems. “With this system, investors can take a virtual tour inside a building before it is ever built,” enthuses Ms. Gaulinger. Meanwhile, researchers in Fraunhofer IAO’s Future- Hotel innovation network are using the metaverse to explore what hotels might look in the future (see also page 56). However, the metaverse could also be a handy tool for vacationers, for example, by allowing them to visit hotels or other travel destinations in virtual reality so that they can book the perfect vacation in real life. “The metaverse is a turning point for companies.” It is still hard to assess to what extent this technology will actually change our individual daily lives; however, it could be as revolutionary as the introduction of the smartphone. “Will we spend even less time in the great outdoors, with real people? Or will this technology give us the freedom to do just that?” asks Prof. Hölzle. “Maybe a counter-movement could develop here, with people making more effort to seek out the real, tangible world beyond the digital sphere, and strengthening their real- life contact with people outside the metaverse.” One thing is certain: The metaverse will bring radical change to the German industry sector. In particular, it offers enormous advantages for companies’ innovation processes. Provided they have the right equipment, customers and suppliers from all over the world could participate in the ideation phase quickly and easily, meaning that product and service ideas can be even more accurately tailored to suit the needs of each situation. Processes like evaluating and selecting alternatives will be accelerated, because it will be possible to virtually simulate and test products such as cars or washing machines right from the planning phase. Companies could then use the results of these processes to improve products in a very simple way, as the new production data could be sent out to factories all over the world in a short space of time. Estimates from a study by the industry consultancy firm McKinsey suggest that the metaverse could reach a value of up to 5 billion dollars by 2030. Some 95 percent of the managers surveyed in the study expect that the metaverse will have a positive effect on their sector within five to ten years, while 31 percent of them believe that it will fundamentally alter how work is done in their sector. “The metaverse is a turning point for companies when it comes to strategy,” says metaverse expert Dr. Laß. He is in no doubt: the metaverse is just too big to ignore. The making of a twin Digital twins are set to generate more and more benefits for the industry sector. To create a visual representation of the “twin” theme for the images in this issue, photographer Maya Claussen and her assistant Jacek Wesolowski stood beside the Fraunhofer researchers, ensuring that their interactions with their avatars would look as natural as possible on camera. 18

“I’d like to see more optimism about the future!” As CDU chair and opposition leader, Friedrich Merz argues for greater openness to technology. As an amateur pilot, he remains skeptical of the idea of flying a hydrogen-fueled plane. Interview: Josef Oskar Seitz Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 Interview Friedrich Merz, 67, chair of the union’s parliamentary group, outside his office in the Jakob-Kaiser-Haus building of the German federal parliament (Bundes- tag) in Berlin. 20

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 1989: Campaigning with a side parting Until 1994 Friedrich Merz was a member of the European parlia- ment. He had already joined the CDU back in high school. 2016: Party photo in Berlin CDU deputy leader Julia Klöckner and Bavaria’s minister for economic affairs Ilse Aigner are admirers of Merz. Behind them: Thomas Gottschalk, Carsten Maschmeyer, Dorothee Bär. 2021: Four decades a couple Friedrich and Charlotte Merz met as law students. They have been married for 41 years. 2021: The man in the background In the race for the CDU leadership, Merz is overtaken by Armin Laschet, later to become the candidate for chancellor. 22 shop where skilled workers can access the entire service: everything from job placement, checks on entry requirements and help with any necessary visas, right up to organizing legal residence status once they arrive in Germany. The federal immigration agency will take over all immigration procedures currently carried out by the German missions abroad and by the immigration authorities of each district and municipality, with the exception of asylum pro- cedures. Right from the start, the work of this immigration agency will be carried out on an exclusively digital basis, and it will be equipped with the latest technologies. It will also act as a job placement agency for all workers from other European and non-European countries. What kind of working life will your grandchildren experience? Presumably, one that is very much more digital and mobile. And more varied. In contrast to their parents and grandparents, they won’t be selecting a career, remaining in it and staying until retirement. Do you worry about the future? I believe our country is still dynamic and strong enough to solve a lot of issues very successfully. What I’d like to see from our country’s political leaders is more optimism about the future. Too often, Germany hides its light under a bushel. That’s something that strikes me every time I go abroad. Whenever I return from any foreign trip, my interactions there always send me home with the impression that our fellow nations’ expectations of us are higher than what we actually deliver. And we believe the opposite: that we do not have to deliver as much those other countries out there really expect of us. We play down our image, in contrast to how we are actually viewed from outside. As you see it, are we minimizing ourselves to the point of negligence? Yes, to some extent. expertise — think of BioNTech, think of CureVac. To remain with this examples: As soon as both of those companies get big enough to really start producing, they need capital — so where do they turn? To the stock exchange in New York. That in itself is not an ideal situation. What I really find problematic, though, is another issue, and clearly, it is one that barely occurs to anyone in this country. It hardly even comes up as a topic for discussion. To look at the other end of the scale, a company like Linde delists from the German stock index because it has grown too big, yet this story is consigned to the back pages of the financial press. What sort of contribution can or should research be making to a worthwhile future? The planning process has to be streamlined: not just for projects like wind turbines, but also for the expansion of digital infrastructure. Ulti- mately we have to ask ourselves this question: In ten years’ time, where do we want our strengths to lie? Pharma, biotechnology, mechanical engineering, environmental technologies, artificial intelligence and the combination of digitalization and decarbonization — potential for new value creation is everywhere all over the industrial hub of Germany. The social market economy and competition bring forth the great- est innovations. That is the only way to maintain our prosperity. However, apart from providing the necessary infrastructure, it is also necessary to make progress in the processes already ini- tiated by the previous government, like online access to public services and data handling. On the subject of innovative strength: As a keen pilot, when do you see yourself fly- ing under hydrogen power? Hard to say. Based on my own assessment, at least, I’ll probably stick with synthetic fuels. Hydrogen is still very problematic in flight operations. Fueling has to take place at temperatures of well below zero and under conditions of extreme pressure. What is your assessment of our coun- Do you get the impression that try’s innovative strength? In some cases, breathtakingly good. We have established AI institutes in Germany; we have seen tremendous developments in the area of the latest technologies; and we are a country with the potential to make great strides in the fields of both hydrogen and regenerative technologies. We are a country with excellent biotechnology research in Germany has a sufficiently broad focus? I see a lack of willingness to examine every side of an issue, which is also a feature of our socio-political debate. We exclude many things too early on. And we phase things out before we know what we will be phasing in instead. We phased out nuclear energy — some 12 years

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 “This will save many lives” A research team has discovered a new antibiotic with a unique mode of action that can even attack multidrug- resistant bacteria. This could open the door to better treatment for patients with lung diseases in particular. By Mehmet Toprak I n 2019, almost five million people worldwide died of infec- tions that could no longer be treated with antibiotics. And, according to the results of a study by an international team of scientists published in the medical journal The Lancet in 2022, this figure could rise to ten million by 2050 if the spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria continues. The increasing resis- tance of bacteria and pathogens to antibi- otics, known as antimicrobial resistance (AMR), has become one of the greatest threats to public health. Experts warn of a lurking pandemic. But now, there is a new beacon of hope in the fight against multidrug-resistant bacteria. A team of scientists has succeeded in identifying a natural substance that is capable of effectively attacking gram-neg- ative pathogens: Known as darobactin, it could be used as an antibiotic against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a widely feared type of gram-negative bacteria. It is among the most dangerous of the bacteria found in hospitals, where it is the primary cause of lung inflammation, as well as wound infections and heart disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) has placed Pseudomonas aeruginosa high on its list of top priority bacteria, i.e. bacteria for which new antibiotics urgently need to be developed. Prof. Till Friedrich Schäberle is a lead- ing member of the research team that successfully discovered the antibiotic substance darobactin. He leads the depart- ment for Natural Product Development at the Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME in Gies- sen and holds a professorship at Justus Liebig University (JLU). As part of the current study, the researchers from Gies- sen collaborated with the department for pediatric infectious diseases at the Uni- versity Hospital of Munich (LMU). Prof. Schäberle and his team were already involved in an international research collaboration in 2019 that led to the dis- covery of darobactin’s efficacy against gram-negative bacteria. Since then, they have continuously optimized this efficacy further through laboratory tests. Attack until the bacterium dissolves Darobactin is a small peptide, a com- pound of just seven amino acids, but the way its molecules link together make it very stable. However, what really makes darobactin special is its mechanism of action. Gram-negative bacteria have an additional protective shell consisting of a protein structure. Once these patho- gens become resistant, conventional antibiotics are powerless against them. Prof. Schäberle explains the advantages of darobactins: “They attack a target structure that commercially available antibiotics do not use, which is located directly in the protective shell. There, they inhibit an essential protein, which renders the bacterium non-viable and causes it to dissolve.” It’s a deceptively brief explanation, one that has taken many years to reach. “For 60 years, there have been no truly inno- vative antibiotics that work against gram-negative pathogens,” reflects Prof. Schäberle. “This makes darobactin a break- through.” The new antibiotic candidate was discovered through conventional activity tests, where bacterial extracts obtained by fermentation are applied to pathogenic microorganisms. Next, the researchers test whether the growth of the pathogens has been inhibited. If the answer is yes, they begin to analyze the active substance and 24

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 Electronics goes to print Imagine if a package could raise the alarm itself if it fell to the ground — this is how good old paper could revolutionize the semiconductor market. By Stefanie Smuda The sensor layout is built up by printing the tracks and sensors in different inks — however, lining them up precisely is a challenge. 26

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 A sting operation — fighting cancer with bee venom Spring is here, and so are the bees. Researchers are on the hunt for a species with venom that can combat cancer cells. By Kerstin Beckert T he days are getting longer, temperatures are rising and nature is coming back to life. Around this time, if you look closely, you will see a variety of animals starting to appear. Tim Lüddecke of the Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME in Giessen, is taking a close look at small creatures. “These animals, in particular, have often developed very sophisticated methods of fending off predators, even ones that are many times larger than them.” This includes the use of highly effective venoms — though these can be used for more than just defense. Dr. Lüddecke, a biochemist with a PhD in biology, heads up the Animal Venomics working group at Fraunhofer IME. Venomous animals are his passion. However, rather than the harmful effects of the toxins, he’s more interested in their potential benefits in medicine. The way he sees it, a loss of biodiversity also means a loss of bioresources, since every animal has its own cocktail of venom. If a species dies out before it is researched, “it’s a missed opportunity to find a new active agent.” Tried-and-tested remedies For Dr. Lüddecke, working with the venom of insects that bite and sting (bees, wasps and ants) was a nat- ural choice. The animals use their venom to protect their young from parasites, hunt and ward off ene- mies — such as hungry bears that would otherwise destroy a beehive while searching for honey. For hundreds of years, people have been using honey bee venom as a remedy: it combats bacteria, viruses and fungi, boosts blood circulation and lowers cholesterol. The venom cocktail constitutes an aqueous solution with solid content. This contains enzymes — small amounts of various proteins, odorous substances, sugar and histamines. “It generally consists of up to 50 percent melittin,” explains Dr. Lüddecke, a toxinol- ogist. This destroys the tissue around the puncture site by entering the cell membranes of red blood cells and creating holes in them until they disintegrate entirely. As part of a joint research project with the LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE TBG), which includes around 20 research groups in addition to Dr. Lüddecke and his team, scientists are looking for a melittin variant that can be better used in medicine. Eight species of bee made the shortlist — in addition to honey bees, the selection includes wild bees, too. In terms of developmental biology, wild bees are over 50 million years older. In addition, many of them are solitary — and lone bees do not have a bee- hive to defend. As such, the researchers presume that the more primordial melittin protein in the wild bees’ 28

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 Most precious: diamonds increase freedom of movement A glowing red jewel that increases freedom of movement for people with paralysis sounds like magic — but this is reality. Diamond-based sensors could enable more precise control of exoskeletons. These glimmering red NV diamonds are created entirely in laboratories. By Yvonne Weiß Prof. Soekadar uses movable hand exoskeletons to train the machine in grasping move - ments. The devices weigh just under 400 grams per hand. 30

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 Wounds, dressed for success A biodegradable fiber fleece made of silica gel is paving the way for new applications inside the body: The Renacer® membrane could help improve wound healing after surgery and enable drugs to take effect directly in the brain. By Dr. Monika Offenberger W hen t reat i ng ex ten sive wounds and burn injuries, doctors face a catch-22: On one hand, the dressing material needs to be changed regularly; on the other hand, it’s better not to disturb the wound’s natural healing process. This dilemma is particularly pressing when it comes to chronic wounds with poor healing, for example on the feet of dia- betes patients. “The materials currently available on the market must be removed every three days. This disturbs the wound and slows the healing process.” So says Dr. Bastian Christ, a chemist at the Fraun- hofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC in Würzburg. The solution? A fiber fleece made of absorbable silica gel developed at the ISC. “First, our open-mesh fleece is cut to fit the geometry of the wound exactly; then, it is placed directly in the wound, ensuring that the fiber ends are in contact with healthy skin cells. From there, the connec- tive tissue cells can migrate into the wound via the fiber structure and multiply,” explains Dr. Christ. A clinical study found that almost all diabetic foot wounds that received this treatment healed completely within six to eight weeks. The material developed by Fraunhofer ISC retained its shape long enough for the cells to form a new tissue — only then did it biodegrade completely. These properties distinguish the silica gel fleece from non-degradable wound dressings such as cellulose, as well as from biologically absorbable materials such as collagen, polylactic acid and polyglycolic acid. Fiber webs made of these materials are not dimensionally stable; rather, they contract over time and grow more dense. In the process, they lose contact with the healthy cells, which would not be able to grow into the increasingly narrow fiber mesh in any case. This means that these materials are less suitable for permanent insertion into wounds, unlike the mate- rials developed by Fraunhofer, which retain a stable shape right to the end. Another advantage of the silica gel fibers is their ability to entirely decompose into nothing but orthosilicic acid. “These are small, water-soluble mole- cules that are found everywhere in nature, including in our bodies’ tissue f luid. Moreover, this bioactive substance can support the formation of skin, connective tissue, hair and nails in the body,” explains Dr. Christina Ziemann of the Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine ITEM in Hannover. Contrary to its name, orthosilicic acid does not con- tribute to excess acidity — this is yet 32

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 may or may not be able to pass through depending on the mesh size, the membrane always allows for the exchange of nutrients and other biomolecules. “This could prove useful for regenera- tive medicine,” explains Dr. Christ. “If we can ensure that the meshes are open enough, we can create a structure in the body that mimics collagen and will retain a stable shape for several weeks as it degrades. This will give connective tissue cells time to settle on it. So supporting the healing of wounds inside of the body, just as we do with external flesh wounds, is now a real prospect.” Human fibroblasts cultured in an incu- bator behaved as the chemist expected in practice. Within a few days, they grew into a fleece sample, penetrating it completely after two weeks. However, this is not always the aim. For example, doctors that have operated on an intestine or uterus will want to shield the wound from sur- rounding tissue to keep it from adhering to the peritoneum. In this case, they could use the tightest possible silica gel fleece to form a protective barrier and shield the wound from migrating connective tissue cells — this would later dissolve into orthosilicic acid. The diameter of the fiber and the den- sity of the mesh are not the only elements of the Renacer® membrane that can be adjusted. The novel fleece can also be loaded with therapeutic medications that are released over the course of decompo- sition. As Dr. Christ points out, this inno- vative drug delivery system opens up new options for treating wounds: “For example, we could embed an antibiotic in the mem- brane and this would then be released into the wound in order to prevent bacterial infections.” Another field of application involves aggressive brain tumors such as glioblas- toma. Each year, approximately 3,000 people develop this condition in Germany alone — and even if they receive all of the available therapies, they only have an average of 15 to 20 months to live. First, as much of the tumor as is possible is 34 ically — in other words, they do not target the tumor directly, but spread through the entire system via the blood stream. This often causes debilitating side effects in the rest of the patient’s body. “It would be better to deliver the drugs to the brain in a direct, local way, as this would increase their impact and minimize side effects,” emphasizes Prof. Hagemann, a qualified biologist. This goal is what inspired researchers to use the Renacer® membrane for treating glioblastomas. “We want to modify our silica gel fibers with two drugs that are already approved for cancer treatment; these will then be released directly at the original site of the tumor,” explains Dr. Sofia Dembski, who is head of the Biomaterials team at Fraun- hofer ISC. Prof. Hagemann describes how this might work: “We envision a process whereby the surgical cavity is lined with the drug-loaded fleece after the tumor has been excised; this fleece would at least cover the walls of the cavity, or could even fill the cavity entirely. Of course, the advantage of this material is that it is flexible and can adapt to changes in the shape or volume of the surgical cavity. As the silica gel fibers decompose, they will constantly release the cytostatic drugs. If this occurs directly at the tumor’s margin tissue, it could inhibit new tumor growth in that area with maximum efficacy.” The research teams at Fraunhofer ISC and the hospital want to explore whether their vision can be realized in the future, initially using two- and three-dimensional cell cultures. To this end, they will take the tumor tissue removed during sur- gery — with the patients’ consent, of course — and place it in a culture, where it will come into contact with the drug- loaded Renacer® membrane. The German Federal M inistr y of Education and Research (BMBF) is providing 1.6 mil- lion euros in funding for the pilot project. “Within three years, we hope to develop an effective method that will expand the current treatment options for glioblasto- mas,” says Prof. Hagemann. “We hope that this will allow patients to live longer and enjoy a good quality of life.” C S I r e f o h n u a r F : o t o h P “We want to modify our silica gel fibers with two drugs that are already approved for cancer therapy; these will then be released directly at the original site of the tumor.” Dr. Sofia Dembski, Fraunhofer ISC surgically removed from the brain tissue. Then, the area is irradiated, treated with chemotherapeutic agents and, finally, exposed to alternating electric fields. “Nevertheless, we don’t manage to kill all of the tumor cells. As such, new legions constantly develop, eventually killing the patient,” explains Prof. Carsten Hagemann, head of the Experimental Neurosurgery section of the Department of Neurosurgery at the University Hospital of Würzburg. Many highly effective cancer drugs are not suitable for treating glioblastomas, as they cannot cross the blood-brain barrier. Even the active agents that can overcome this barrier must be administered system-

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 may or may not be able to pass through depending on the mesh size, the mem- brane always allows for the exchange of nutrients and other biomolecules. “This could prove useful for regenera- tive medicine,” explains Dr. Christ. “If we can ensure that the meshes are open enough, we can create a structure in the body that mimics collagen and will retain a stable shape for several weeks as it degrades. This will give connective tissue cells time to settle on it. So supporting the healing of wounds inside of the body, just as we do with external flesh wounds, is now a real prospect.” Human fibroblasts cultured in an incu- bator behaved as the chemist expected in practice. Within a few days, they grew into a fleece sample, penetrating it completely after two weeks. However, this is not always the aim. For example, doctors that have operated on an intestine or uterus will want to shield the wound from sur- rounding tissue to keep it from adhering to the peritoneum. In this case, they could use the tightest possible silica gel fleece to form a protective barrier and shield the wound from migrating connective tissue cells — this would later dissolve into orthosilicic acid. The diameter of the fiber and the den- sity of the mesh are not the only elements of the Renacer® membrane that can be adjusted. The novel fleece can also be loaded with therapeutic medications that are released over the course of decompo- sition. As Dr. Christ points out, this inno- vative drug delivery system opens up new options for treating wounds: “For example, we could embed an antibiotic in the mem- brane and this would then be released into the wound in order to prevent bacterial infections.” Another field of application involves aggressive brain tumors such as glioblas- toma. Each year, approximately 3,000 people develop this condition in Germany alone — and even if they receive all of the available therapies, they only have an average of 15 to 20 months to live. First, as much of the tumor as is possible is 34 ically — in other words, they do not target the tumor directly, but spread through the entire system via the blood stream. This often causes debilitating side effects in the rest of the patient’s body. “It would be better to deliver the drugs to the brain in a direct, local way, as this would increase their impact and minimize side effects,” emphasizes Prof. Hagemann, a qualified biologist. This goal is what inspired researchers to use the Renacer® membrane for treating glioblastomas. “We want to modify our silica gel fibers with two drugs that are already approved for cancer treatment; these will then be released directly at the original site of the tumor,” explains Dr. Sofia Dembski, who is head of the Biomaterials team at Fraun- hofer ISC. Prof. Hagemann describes how this might work: “We envision a process whereby the surgical cavity is lined with the drug-loaded fleece after the tumor has been excised; this fleece would at least cover the walls of the cavity, or could even fill the cavity entirely. Of course, the advantage of this material is that it is flexible and can adapt to changes in the shape or volume of the surgical cavity. As the silica gel fibers decompose, they will constantly release the cytostatic drugs. If this occurs directly at the tumor’s margin tissue, it could inhibit new tumor growth in that area with maximum efficacy.” The research teams at Fraunhofer ISC and the hospital want to explore whether their vision can be realized in the future, initially using two- and three-dimensional cell cultures. To this end, they will take the tumor tissue removed during sur- gery — with the patients’ consent, of course — and place it in a culture, where it will come into contact with the drug- loaded Renacer® membrane. The German Federal M inistr y of Education and Research (BMBF) is providing 1.6 mil- lion euros in funding for the pilot project. “Within three years, we hope to develop an effective method that will expand the current treatment options for glioblasto- mas,” says Prof. Hagemann. “We hope that this will allow patients to live longer and enjoy a good quality of life.” C S I r e f o h n u a r F : o t o h P “We want to modify our silica gel fibers with two drugs that are already approved for cancer therapy; these will then be released directly at the original site of the tumor.” Dr. Sofia Dembski, Fraunhofer ISC surgically removed from the brain tissue. Then, the area is irradiated, treated with chemotherapeutic agents and, finally, exposed to alternating electric fields. “Nevertheless, we don’t manage to kill all of the tumor cells. As such, new legions constantly develop, eventually killing the patient,” explains Prof. Carsten Hagemann, head of the Experimental Neurosurgery section of the Department of Neurosurgery at the University Hospital of Würzburg. Many highly effective cancer drugs are not suitable for treating glioblastomas, as they cannot cross the blood-brain barrier. Even the active agents that can overcome this barrier must be administered system-

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 Knowledge relay, episode 8 Professor Mario Trapp, when will self-driving vehicles become an everyday sight on German roads? Series: Knowledge relay The times we live in have raised many questions — questions Fraunhofer researchers are working hard to answer. A specialist answers a question, then poses a question of their own for the next expert to answer — it’s a “knowledge relay.” In this edition, Prof. Mario Trapp, director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Cognitive Systems IKS, answers a question posed by Prof. Wilhelm Bauer, director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO. 36 36 D riverless robotaxis are a must- have feature of any good science fiction story. They are virtually synonymous with the ideas of progress and the future. Any tech company that promises to take this vision from the realm of fiction into a tangible possibility can be sure that the public will take note. And these companies are not slow to take full advantage of the limelight. By providing us with glitzy demonstrations, they give the public the impression that traditional car manufacturers are stuck in the staid shadow of the past. But however much this elaborately staged narrative might suggest to us that this future is within touching distance, in reality, tech companies have what appears to be an insurmountable chasm to cross before they can make autonomous cars into everyday products — namely, vehicle safety and reli- ability. On the other side of the chasm, you can find the classic car manufacturers. Moreover, the world’s first automated vehicle was not unveiled by a tech company, but by a premium German manufacturer. This car drives itself automatically, at least in certain situations; it can take responsibility for the journey while the driver reads or works on emails. However, the human must take control again if the car

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 Higher yields, lower losses When it comes to food, we are used to safety and constant availability. But crises and empty shelves have shown we can’t take that as a given. Fraunhofer researchers are working to achieve greater resilience. By Dr. Janine van Ackeren, photos: Sven Döring 38

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 A s CURT rumbles across the field, it looks like a table that has escaped from the kitchen. This outdoor robot consists of two robust wheels — which allow it to cross even the roughest terrain — and a platform just over a meter in height. The platform bristles with high-tech equipment, including a camera that keeps CURT on track, allowing it to roll along the furrows to the left and right of the young potato plants without destroying the delicate green shoots. Or at least only destroying some specific green shoots: weeds. And it might handle pests someday, too. Always enough to eat: it all comes down to resilience In recent years, the pressure put on food producers has risen enormously: they have to increase harvests, min- imize losses and make deliveries safely even during cri- ses, all while keeping sustainability in mind. For many 40 “When plants are under stress, they release volatile gases.” Dr. Axel Wille, Fraunhofer EMFT In today’s conventional agri- culture, weeds are often removed using an herbicide called glypho- sate. However, as this agent does not distinguish between different types of wild plants, it destroys them all, reducing biodiversity and intensifying the decline in insects. In the past 30 years, insect biomass has decreased by around 70 percent. But now CURT is here. This agricultural robot was developed by Kevin Bregler, group manager at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA as part of the Fraunhofer lighthouse project COGNAC, which involves seven Fraunhofer institutes. The CURT prototype is fully electric, and autonomously drives between rows of plants in potato fields. Fitted with laser scanners, a camera and a small GPS system, it finds its own way around the field and uses its manipulator to pull unwanted weeds out of the ground without damaging the little potato plants. “What’s special about CURT is that it is selective about which weeds it removes. This means it can leave nettles along the edge of the field while pulling up other weeds,” explains Mr. Bregler. The torn-up weeds are left lying in the field to become fertilizer. These developments are just the beginning: In the future, CURT will be put to work on permanent crops such as fruit, and there are already inquiries coming in from the coffee industry regarding use in coffee plantations. members of generations X, Y and Z, the coronavirus pandemic will have been the first time they realized that even in Germany, food supplies cannot be taken for granted. The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine exacerbated this feeling. Climate change and shortages of skilled workers will affect security of supply in the long term. How can food production in Germany be made more resilient? To find answers to this pressing question, Fraunhofer has formed the Agriculture and Food Industry alliance. “In this alliance, 13 Fraunhofer institutes are pooling their expertise to offer a one-stop shop for industry customers,” explains Prof. Mark Bücking, who heads up the alliance’s central office. For years, farmers in Altes Land, the largest contiguous fruit-growing area in northern Europe, have been battling both the effects of climate change and the consequences of human activ- ities. Due to the river Elbe becom- ing deeper, the water table has sunk and the soil is becoming more salinated. In the SAMSON project, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Tech- nology and Advanced Materials IFAM are working together with the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, the hochschule 21 university of applied sciences and the Hamburg University of Tech- nology on automated systems to expand on the expertise of fruit farmers. For example, the trees must not bear too much fruit, as this will lead to a poor harvest the following year. If the apple grower observes 30 percent too many blossoms, he usually cuts out 30 percent — even on trees where the number of blossoms would have been appropriate. This decreases the harvest, so the researchers are taking a different approach with their technology: “We collect data on each tree individually,” says Benjamin Schulze, group manager at Fraunhofer IFAM. “Based on this a digital twin will be derived and exploited.” As the farmer drives through the rows of apple trees and carries out other work, cameras and sensors automatically capture images in the visible and infrared spectral range, measure temperatures and collect accurate GPS data. Software solutions take this data and use intelligent algorithms to generate infor- mation on how best to handle the trees — an interactive user interface then allows the orchardist to see all the trees that consistently produce a smaller harvest, or plan specific cultivation measures for each tree. ) 1 ( e s a c o t o h p , ) 5 ( o t o h p k c o t s i : s t c e b o j l a u d i v i d n I

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 The data, which is interpreted using artificial intelli- gence, can also be used by robots to remove blossoms from each tree as required. “With our system, we want to safe- guard harvests and make them more consistent and more predictable,” says Mr. Schulze. In the future, a project farm will be set up where researchers will drive through the rows of apple trees once a month, using the newly developed sensor box to record data. This will allow them to build a small but highly innovative fruit farm. “From summer 2023, fruit farmers will be able to test our developments there. Ultimately, the aim of the project is knowledge transfer. Specifically, we want the technologies we develop to be brought into application,” says Mr. Schulze. “We also want to ensure that fruit farming remains an attractive profession in Germany in the long term,” he adds. The AGRARSENSE project was recently launched in January 2023: Some 52 partners from 15 EU countries (including the Fraunhofer Institute for Electronic Microsys- tems and Solid State Technologies EMFT) are working to develop 49 new products for 7 areas of application, from agricultural robotics and optimized soil management and fertilization to water management — a topic that has become increasingly important over the years as tem- peratures rise. Fraunhofer EMFT wants to find a way to measure the ever-increasing harvest losses caused by climate change, so that the help required can be managed with precision. “When plants are under stress, whether it’s due to drought, pests or a lack of nutrients, they release volatile gases,” explains Dr. Axel Wille, the technical and scientific coor- dinator for the overall project. “We want to detect these by giving robots a sort of electronic nose.” However, in order for these robots to detect these substances, their sensors must be able to get close enough to the gases. To solve this, Dr. Wille and his team are developing micropumps to suck in the gases. In the long term, this will not only be able to indicate whether a plant is under stress, but exactly where that stress is coming “Resilience has to be feasible” How to make our diet more secure — and more enjoyable. Prof. Andrea Büttner, Executive Director of Fraunhofer IVV, has been appointed as a scientific member of the German Research Foundation’s Permanent Senate Commission on Food Safety. Interview: Josef Oskar Seitz Every ninth person on the planet is undernourished or going hun- gry. We have got used to swallowing this bitter pill, Prof. Büttner. Are there any new approaches being taken to solve this issue? The problem actually goes much further than that. A much larger proportion of people are malnourished — it’s a mas- sive problem, even in rich, industrial- ized countries, where alongside mineral and vitamin deficiencies, overeating is also on the rise. Is that not making the problem so big that it can’t be solved? What we have lost is our focus on what’s most important. This is what we want to concentrate on in the Fraunhofer Agriculture and Food Industry Alliance. We’re experiencing problems when it comes to resilience and sovereignty: in supplying energy, in healthcare — and food. We don’t just need to look at this in purely technological terms, we also need to review our entire situation and consider possible future scenarios. And what solution scenarios do you envisage? Promoting regional production is a huge issue. We also need to develop entirely new crop cultivation methods. Vertical farming and indoor farming are technical advancements that will definitely help us move forward, but degrading soil and access to water are global problems that lie at the heart of every type of bioeconomic value cre- ation. What we urgently need to change is how we handle resources. We are currently considering how residual and secondary material flows can be used, refined, traded and, above all, consumed on a large scale in this country, as well as worldwide. “Residual material flows” sounds so technical. What do they involve exactly? There’s a lot to them. Fruit and vege- tables need to conform to numerous standards and regulations these days. And anything that does not meet these 42

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 Strawberries are a good example of what this involves: Due to a shortage of skilled workers, increasing labor costs and consumer demand for high-quality fruit, there is a growing need for automation right from the planting stage. Specialized robotics could be the answer. “The latest technological developments mean it’s possible for a filling machine to put a specified amount of substrate in the planting containers. A robot then digs a hole in the sub- strate, uses pneumatically controlled fingers to grasp the strawberry plant by the root ball, places it in the hole and packs down the soil — without damaging the plant,” says Kai Potthoff, a scientist at Fraunhofer IGP. This is quite a challenge — for optimal development, the plants must be equally spaced and not placed too deep or high in the substrate. The researchers are currently working to ensure that the robot keeps up with the speed of the filling machine. Kevin Bregler, Fraunhofer IPA In order for the plants to pro- duce as many strawberries as possible, they must then be fertil- ized, watered and protected. “We want to move away from using sensors that monitor all the plants in a greenhouse or field as a whole — instead, we want to mea- sure the respective parameters on a local, individual basis,” says Christian Wald, a scientist at Fraunhofer EMFT. The solution the team hopes to develop is a data platform that measures and evaluates all the relevant factors in a spe- cific location over time, from nutrient levels, water supply and lighting through to air conditions. “What’s special about CURT is that it is selective about which weeds it removes.” damage patterns early on, so that plant protection agents can be applied in a targeted way. Waste not, want not: Reducing waste through digitalization When the strawberries are ripe, they are harvested with a tactile gripper. This device detects the mechanical resistance of the strawberry, and thus knows how tightly the fruit can be held without sustaining damage. “The elastomer gripping technology has already been developed and Hohe Tanne GmbH is licensing it from Fraunhofer to bring it to market,” says Dr. Vierbauch. The researchers want to optimize this approach even further. They are developing a foil sensor that not only measures the pressure on the strawberry, but will also detect ripeness and the presence of chemicals in the future. Food waste is a serious problem, with around 45 percent of fruits and vegetables currently ending up in the trash between harvest and consumption. But the team has a solution to this too: They use near-infrared sensors and optical measuring technologies to classify the strawberries and sort them during harvesting. They can then either go directly for sale or, in the case of the less visually appealing fruit, for further processing. Edible coatings could also reduce food waste. “These are based on natural substances. When they are sprayed onto the strawberries, the barrier properties of the coat- ings mean that the fruit lasts longer,” explains Dr. Vier- bauch. As an avocado has different requirements to a strawberry when it comes to edible coatings, the research- ers adjust the coatings according to the respiration rate of each fruit. The team is also working on improving the shelf lives of foods through other means, including processing imperfect products, such as strawberries with visual defects, in healthy ways — i.e., without adding lots of sugar. “One possibility here is drying them using vacuum expan- sion. To do this, we dry the fruit beforehand and then put them in a vacuum for the final drying phase, which makes them pop open. This better preserves the vitamins, makes the color of the strawberries more intense and gives them a crunch — which you won’t get with other fruit-drying methods,” says Dr. Vierbauch. In addition, the dried fruit Installing large numbers of sensors in polytunnels is only the first step. These sensors also need to be able to efficiently transfer their data to a collection point. This is where the mioty® wireless technology by Fraun- hofer IIS comes in: Using X-ray technology, the research- ers carry out quantitative analyses of root growth in the plants, which then allows them to determine the precise environmental conditions that the strawberries thrive in. In the long term, this data will make it possible to supply fertilizer and water as needed by each specific plant. An important factor in efficient production is detect- ing plant diseases such as phytophthora, mildew and even damage by caterpillars as early as possible. The expertise of researchers at Fraunhofer IGD will be import- ant here: They can evaluate spectral images to detect 44

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 More regional and more profitable Apple juice straight from the apple? Even Dr. Björn Moller of Fraunhofer ISI hasn’t managed that yet. But he wants to at least give fruit farmers the opportunity to increase value creation and lengthen shelf life when selling their products. 46

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 50 partners from science, industry and society, including Fraunhofer IVV and IME and the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB. “One of the things we’re concentrating on is paracress: It pro- duces the natural active ingredient spilanthol, which is used in sectors such as the cosmetics industry,” says Prof. Schillberg. Financial factors must be taken into account here, i.e., how expensive would it be to produce paracress using vertical farming? If we are to take advantage of the higher resilience of vertical farming and ensure a basic food supply in times of crisis, the costs will need to be comparable to conventional farming. Veganz, a company from Berlin that processes pea protein to make meat substitute products, is exploring this possibility. In the past few months, the price of these legumes has shot up. If the company were able to produce peas itself using vertical farming, it could significantly improve its resilience. Not only would this shorten deliv- ery routes, as the peas could be grown in a hall right by the production facilities, but was also give the company independence from global supply chains — and the price fluctuations that come with them. On top of that, the vertical farms would be resilient against summer droughts, heavy rain and winter snow. “By the end, we’ll have a very good idea of how many pea plants can be cultivated per square meter and how much that will cost.” Andreas Reimann, Fraunhofer IME But is this alternative farming method financially viable? Together with Veganz, Fraunhofer IME is looking into whether this is the case, and in what circumstances. For their research, they will use a system called OrbiPlant®, developed by Fraunhofer IME. In this system, pea plants are grown on a conveyor belt that is 1.20 meters wide and 25 meters in length. This conveyor belt goes up and down at regular intervals, and the plants move along it, bit by bit. The roots hang down inside the humps, i.e., underneath the conveyor belt, where they are sprayed with a fine mist of nutrients and get oxygen from the air. This allows The scientist and the pea At the research facility where Andreas Reimann of Fraunhofer IME works, the little pea is taking on an importance that belies its small size. This cultivation method has the potential to reduce the impact that climate factors, global supply chains and price fluctuations have on their products. 48

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 “The first food products have already been manu­ factured — foods with proteins from microalgae. Granola made from wheatgrass. And crackers made from insect proteins.” the plants to grow particularly quickly. A process known as gravitropism also encourages rapid growth. Due to the winding conveyor belt, the plants have to constantly reorient themselves in the gravitational field, and this releases growth hormones. At the start of the undulating belt, there are only a few leaves, but by the end, the plants are bursting with life and covered in pea pods. Apart from the planting and harvesting, every- thing in the research facility is already completely automated. “While lettuces and herbs grow quickly, peas take around two months to cultivate,” says Andreas Reimann, a researcher at Fraunhofer IME’s Aachen location. “What’s more, pea plants can grow to be quite large outdoors — we need to control their growth using fertilizers, light and other fac- tors in such a way that the plant is smaller and more compact but still produces plenty of peas per unit of volume.” Tests are underway to find the best way to do this, and should be completed this year. “By the end, we’ll have a very good idea of how many pea plants can be cultivated per square meter and how much that will cost,” Mr. Reimann predicts. Prof. Stefan Schillberg, Fraunhofer IME ogy division at Fraunhofer IVV. On the basis of selected value chains, researchers are investigating current levels of resilience in food production in Germany. Oil mills, for example, have a low level of resilience, because in central Europe, oil mills almost exclusively produce vegetable oils from rapeseed and sunflower seeds. Efforts to diversify the raw ingredients have come to nothing, which means oil production is partic- ularly vulnerable to disruptions such as crop failures. In ReSearchL, the scientists are investigating which process chain strategies are most effec- tive at ensuring these kinds of disruptions have as little impact as possible. To do this, the team plays out different disruption scenarios for oil mills and cre- ates recommendations for action to ensure resilient pro- duction, in line with of the length of the outage. If the mill is only out of action for up to 24 hours, for example, the workers just need to halt the process of dehulling the oil seeds. The unhulled seeds can then be mixed back into the raw material. Although the press cake will then be of a lower quality, it will still meet acceptable levels. More of a good thing: Quality ensures quantity Ensuring a resilient value chain always comes down to quality. It is not just about getting food production lines up and running again as quickly as possible after a breakdown occurs; rather, it is also a case of ensuring the right level of quality and making sure the food is safe for consumption. If there is even the slightest doubt about the food meeting safety requirements, it cannot be distributed, which then leaves a gap in the supply chain. This is why Fraunhofer IVV, Fraunhofer IME and the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT have teamed up to detect weak points in the food supply chain and develop possible solutions in the ReSearchL innova- tion project (short for Resilient system architecture to safeguard food production). “We need comprehensive resilience management — clear communication structures and clear processes to handle disruptions,” says Dr. Marc Mauermann, Deputy Director of the Processing Technol- On the other hand, longer-term supply problems require a different solution: a modular approach to build- ing oil mills. This way, if there were issues with the supply of rapeseed and sunflower seeds, production could be switched over to another type of seed within a few days — instead of being stopped completely, as is the case today. In this use case, regional supply chains could also significantly increase production resilience by acting as a supplement to global chains. Alternative proteins: A different way to eat better Creating a resilient food supply also involves ensuring that people get the protein required for a healthy diet. However, as a source of animal protein, meat is far from sustainable. The search is on for more environmentally friendly protein sources that could support human nutritional needs within resilient production chains. And the quest might end with plants, algae, insects and fungi — according to the researchers in the Fraunhofer 50

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 A brief history of artificial intelligence 2020 The company OpenAI publishes their language model GPT-3. Amply supported by financial investments and developer resources, and equipped with enormous computing power, the model uses massive amounts of data to achieve a level of performance the likes of which had never been seen before. 2016 Google’s AlphaGo beats Lee Sedol, the world’s leading Go player, in four out of five games — given the complexity of this East Asian board game, it causes quite a stir. 2011 Watson, an artificial intelligence program from IBM, beats two champions of the popular American game show Jeopardy. The secret to its success? Watson develops strategies to help make sense of tasks posed in natural language, which are often interspersed with wordplay. AI art created by Midjourney, a sort of ChatGPT for images. We fed the AI with particular terms: trustworthiness, European values and culture, AI founda- tion models, technological sovereignty, data protection and diversity. 52 1956 At the University of Dartmouth (USA), leading information theorists gather for a work- shop. The goal: to develop intelligent machines. The term “artificial intelligence” is used for the first time. 1997 IBM’s Deep Blue computer defeats the world chess champion Garri Kasparov. This spectacular event shines a spotlight on AI research worldwide. Deep Blue does not owe its victory to cognitive intelligence, but to pure computing power — it calculates all possible moves. 1957 AI researchers Allen Newell and Herbert A. Simon program the General Problem Solver (GPS), modeling it on human problem-solving behavior. The GPS can solve simple puzzles. 1972 AI research leads to what are known as expert systems. The most famous of these is MYCIN, which supports the diagnosis of blood infections. Comparative studies show that MYCIN can perform similarly to medical experts. The broader public is becoming more aware of AI. 1986 In 1986, the British computer scientist and psychologist Geoffrey Hinton is the first person to train a neural network using the backpropagation method. This approach allows necessary adjustments to be calculated in response to errors, and achieves some impressive feats.

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 “A European model would enable us to clearly differentiate ourselves from the American models and gain a competitive advantage with high-quality AI that guarantees security for its users.” Dr. Gerhard Paaß, Fraunhofer IAIS protection, are severely underrepresented in the model and therefore hardly come into consideration. GPT-3’s knowledge, and consequently the answers it provides, are much better in English than in German,” he explains. The experts involved in the LEAM study agree that large AI models will have a considerable impact on indus- try and society. To them, the language models that are currently popular are only the first step. They predict that, in the coming years, even more powerful models trained on a much wider, diverse range of data will revolutionize the market. In order to remain tech- nologically independent and eco- nomically competitive, Europe absolutely must develop its own model. To do so, the LEAM initia- tive is relying on an open-source model that gives industry the opportunity to experiment. But is there any chance that Europe can catch up with the American tech giants’ considerable leads? Developing a foundation model costs billions: The authors of the LEA M study estimate that a 380 million euro supercomputer infrastr uct ure is needed for detailed experiments with the models, though no such infrastruc- ture exists yet in Germany. Con- ducting a training run of a large model also requires about as much energy as 30 single-person house- holds would consume in a year. Numerous highly specialized developers familiar with this type of AI would also be required. Sven Giesselbach, team leader for Natural Language Understanding at Fraunhofer IAIS, believes that it is better not to get into a competition to create the largest model, but rather to approach from a different angle. Above all, he says, they could score points for quality: “At Fraunhofer IAIS, we have developed criteria and techniques for designing trustworthy, safe AI that could also be adapted for a large European model.” To be trustworthy, an AI must meet basic requirements in six areas, known as “dimensions”: fairness, reliability, autonomy and control, transparency, safety and data protection. The AI assessment catalog by Fraunhofer IAIS gives information on how these can be implemented and controlled. This catalog of structured, concrete guidelines for developers is constantly being updated thanks to Dr. Maximilian Poretschkin, head of AI Validation and Certification, and his team. Even the first dimension, fairness, is difficult to implement: A trustworthy AI must not discriminate against anyone on the basis of their race, gender, back- ground or religious affiliation. But training datasets contain (often hidden) social biases — these are then picked up by the AI. “If a particular minority is under- represented in a data set, this can result in discrimina- tion — if the AI is trained with less sample data for a particular minority, it won’t work as well for that minority,” explains Dr. Poret- schkin. This means developers must take great care when select- ing data. Sometimes data must be selectively removed or added to ensure adequate representation for a certain minority. As such, it may be necessary to carefully introduce a bias against reality into a data set in order to improve the overall model. The trustworthiness of AI also depends on its reliability — this can be ensured through systematic testing. But this is also challenging: Unlike traditional software, AI cannot be broken down into indi- vidual modules for review. “You always have to test the overall functionality, which is challenging from a technical point of view,” Dr. Poretschkin points out. This also applies to another essential factor of trustworthy AI: autonomy and control. There must be options for intervention or a permanent monitoring system for the application that can ensure human beings always remain in charge of the process. Transparency also fosters trust. With this in mind, researchers are seeking to reveal the decision-making processes within AI. Despite all the complexity, there are ways of finding an explanation. According to Dr. Poret- schkin, “It is hard to imagine, but a neural network’s process for generating output text is by no means random.” Overlapping methods of validating AI The dimension of security primarily focuses on the risks from malfunctions, manipulations, external attacks and accidents. In order to minimize these risks, the recom- mendations outlined in the Fraunhofer IAIS guide include protective measures to defend against malware, as well as extensive tests that intentionally trigger an outage of the 54

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 A colleague for difficult times The coronavirus pandemic has left its mark in the form of a skilled worker shortage, especially in the catering and hotel industries. Fraunhofer IGCV and Fraunhofer IAO are investigating how robots can help with this and what the hotel of the future might look like. By Yvonne Weiß F elix slowly approaches from the other end of the corridor, accompanied by a quiet whirring and stuttering sound. He has already cleaned three floors of Das Hürner, a 97-room hotel in Ansbach, Bavaria, in less than an hour. “We couldn’t imagine the team without Felix anymore,” says Ljiljana Sladojevic, an employee at Hotel Hürner. “We won’t be giving him away.” Every day for nearly seven months, the robot has been cleaning carpets across the five floors of the hotel. His human colleagues are glad of the help: it means less time pressure, a lighter work load and less stress. The first step toward automation was taken by managing director of the hotel Jens Blank, together with Shuang Lu and Klaus Fink from the Fraunhofer Institute for Casting, Composite and Processing Technology IGCV via the Mittelstand-Digital center in Augsburg. The project was a result of the pandemic and the resulting shortage of skilled workers — some- thing that has also affected Mr. Blank. “At the time, I thought to myself, I have to do something about this now,” remembers the hotelier. Together with Ms. Lu, a research scientist for process control and robotics at Fraunhofer IGCV, Mr. Fink, a research scientist in the department of Flexi- ble Production Automation department, and the company Kenter GmbH, Mr. Blank initiated a needs analysis for the hotel and began testing the first robots. 56 “We are looking for service staff” the chalkboard says. Staff shortages continue in the hotel and catering industries.

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 Dresden shapes up: this model of the city’s famous church, the Frauenkirche, is one of many 3D printing endeavors by Fraunhofer IWS. 58

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 According to Prof. Leyens, the revolu- tionary aspect of additive manufacturing stems from the fact that the material and the component are produced together. By contrast, in conventional production methods, the material has to be produced first and milled thereafter to form the component. As 3D printing is also opening up new possibilities in construction and design — such as delicate lattice structures, for example — design engineers will have to adopt new modes of thinking. As Prof. Leyens puts it, “Additive manufacturing may not eliminate existing barriers, but it does expand them considerably.” The recent pandemic boosted the technology’s visibility, as it facilitated the quick, on-site production of the face masks and ventilators that were so urgently needed in the early days of the corona crisis. The logistics fragility caused by the pandemic and the war in Ukraine could also prove to be a catalyst for 3D printing: A demand-driven, on-site manufacturing of required parts would not only sidestep the problem of supply chains, but also reduce dependencies on Asian suppliers, as well as the need for transportation and storage and the resulting climate damages. Fraunhofer researchers are playing their part in driving technological advancements that will help the industry sector make this new shift toward 3D printing — and quite possibly turn additive manufactur- ing into a game changer. Critical success factors: saving time and reaching goals more quickly One obvious way of reducing production time is to increase production speed. If the manufacturing rate goes up, the cost per item will go down, thus making the technology switch a financially attrac- tive option. The Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU has an answer to this need to up the tempo: a high-speed 3D printer for high-performance plastics. This screw ex t r usion add it ive ma nufac t u r i ng (SEAM) technology is a combination of a 3D printer and a plastic injection unit, with a movable table that slides back and forth under the plastic injection nozzle at breakneck speed. “With this system, we can produce a strand of material about 1 meter long every second,” says Christo- pher Schlegel, Research and Development project manager at Fraunhofer IWU. He reports that the SEAM process reduces production time by up to 70 percent when compared to conventional systems. Meanwhile, the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Auto- mation IPA is investigating another time-saving approach. R&D Additive Manufacturing group leader Patrick Springer and his team are working with the machine manufacturing company Arbug and the sensor production firm Balluf to print sensors with customized designs, in a research project focused on integrating electronic functions into addi- tively manufactured components. The first device developed in this project is a prox- imity sensor that can be installed on assembly lines, for example, where it will detect objects lying on the conveyor belt. Up until now, these sensors have been housed in metal cylinders that contain their electronic innards — a circuit board, a magnetic coil and a connector. “Now, however, we have succeeded in printing a flat plastic case that incorporates all these elements,” reports Mr. Springer. The main challenge faced by the Stuttgart-based team was accurately printing the conductive paths that would form the contacts for the electrical components alongside the mate- The AMDC’s pilot plant is home to devices for all the established additive manufactur- ing variants. S W I r e f o h n u a r F / k c a n s l i W h p o t s i r h C : o t o h P 60

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 materials could be used. However, plastics that are reinforced with flax or hemp fibers have yet to match their fiber-glass and carbon-fiber equivalents in terms of stur- diness. Dr. Arne Schirp, one of the experts in the Technology for Wood and Natural Fiber-Based Materials department at the Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research, Wilhelm-K lauditz-Institut, W K I, is researching biobased plastic filaments — the plastic threads that are fused during 3D printing to form a component — that can be incorporated into more conventional materials. In one of his experiments, for example, Dr. Schirp coated plant-based fibers with biopolymers to form filaments around 3 millimeters thick. A large 3D printer could use these filaments to produce components for the construction industry, such as individually manufactured parti- tion walls for open-plan offices or girders for ceiling construction. “With 3D printers, we could design these structures in such a way that the areas that are under partic- ular stress are stronger and the other areas are weaker,” explains Dr. Schirp. That would save material. What’s more, in the future, these lightweight girders made from renew- able materials could partially replace the world’s most important construction material: cement, a major culprit when it comes to harmful carbon emissions. In project BioFusion 4.0, Linus Aulich, a biotechnologist at the Fraunhofer Insti- tute for Production Systems and Design Technology IPK is working to find addi- tives that will make the biopolymer polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) fit for 3D printing. It’s a challenging mission, but he does have a valuable little helper: the bacterium Ralstonia eutropha, which can produce PHB when grown on fat. “We get our fat from various sources, including slaughterhouse waste and old frying oil,” he reports. PHB is no one-trick pony: not only can it be grown using waste products, but it is also fully biodegradable and can be broken down within a year, depending of factors such as temperature or humidity. In addi- tion, because it is easy to compost, the material could be a good option for ecof- riendly disposable products such as pack- aging, disposable tableware and agricul- tural mulch film. According to Mr. Aulich, the combination of PHB material with 3D printing processes could also be a solution for medical engineering products, such as orthoses, which need to be adjusted for individual patients, but then have to be disposed of reasonably quickly. “What’s more, PHB is non-toxic and can be absorbed by the body without issue, which means that we could also consider using it for additively manufactured drug delivery capsules.” The USA was quick to identify the potential of additive processes for industrial batch production and establish a leading position for itself. China and Japan are also long-established competitors in the field. And as far as Prof. Leyens is concerned, Germany is very much playing in the top leagues when compared to other countries, particularly as regards machine technology and applications. The director of Fraun- hofer IWS has dubbed Germany a “fast follower” within the international scene: “When it comes to machine technology and applications, we are at the very least keep- ing pace with the top players.” He adds that the city of Dresden in particular is driving innovation here, thanks to groups such as AGENT-3D, the highly effective regional research alliance DRESDEN-concept and the German-Polish collaborative initiative ATeM (see next page). Now, however, the industry has an obligation to implement these technological achievements in pro- duction processes and products. “This is where the evolutionary part of the revolu- tion comes in,” says Prof. Leyens. “Research results must be implemented in industry so that we do not lose our momentum.” And so that Germany can make it as a major player, even in the top leagues. “Research results must be imple­ mented in industry, so that we do not lose our momentum.” Prof. Christoph Leyens Printed from titanium: An optical table for a space telescope is one of the many components that has been additively manufactured in Dresden. S W I r e f o h n u a r F / e b r a G c a m A , S W I r e f o h n u a r F / k c a n s l i W h p o t s i r h C : s o t o h P 62

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Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 Green in both senses of the word: Solar panel modules at Fraunhofer ISE produce solar energy — and thanks to their MorphoC- olor® coating, they look good doing it. A three-storey house in Holzkirchen, Bavaria sits within earshot of the A8 autobahn; at first glance, it could be mistaken for an office building. But take a closer look and you’ll notice that the facade has some unusual features: floor-to-ceiling windows, external roller blinds, a sunshade attached from the inside. On the third floor, there is a black photovoltaic mod- ule attached between two windows on the external facade. Why the inconsistency? There is method to the apparent madness of this exterior design. This mini high-rise is no ordinary building — it’s an experimental facility for energy and indoor climate studies (Versuchseinrichtung für energetische und raumklimatische Untersuchungen, VERU). It is run by the Fraunhofer Institute for Build- ing Physics IBP in the Upper Bavarian municipality of Valley, and its ability to transform its facade is one of the key features of its design. Between an underly- ing structure of reinforced concrete, there are indi- vidual segments that can be quickly and easily swapped out for new facade solutions. This allows the function and efficiency of these solutions to be tested for the purposes of research or on behalf of industry. Facades that make a difference, both inside and out of the test house. Mr. Sinnesbichler is a technical physicist who joined Fraunhofer IBP as a graduate student; he has been conducting tests on solar shad- ing and cladding systems at VERU for nearly 20 years alongside an interdisciplinary team. To him, a facade is more than just a creative cover for a building. “A facade is the point of contact between a building and the outside world; as such, it has a significant effect on the property’s energy demand and can create a comfortable climate within the rooms.” In Mr. Sin- nesblicher’s expert opinion, anyone who reduces a “A facade is the point of contact between a building and the outside world; as such, it has a significant effect on the property’s energy demand and can create a comfortable climate within the rooms.” Herbert Sinnesbichler, the group manager for Evalu- ation and Demonstration at Fraunhofer IBP, is master Herbert Sinnesbichler, Fraunhofer IBP 66

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 Is there a draft? While testing the RE modular facade, Herbert Sinnesbichler of Fraunhofer IBP uses a fog machine to visualize airflows. 68 colors could help increase this potential. However, despite providing solar energy, glass facades come with a considerable problem: Along with light, they let in heat, which can be especially problematic in summer. The PV module currently in place on the southern face of Fraunhofer IBP’s VERU facility could help here. Part of a facade module for air condition- ing in buildings, it was developed by Fraunhofer IBP and the Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Economics and Energy System Technology IEE in collaboration with industry partners. The photovoltaic element generates enough renewable energy to ventilate the office space on the other side of the wall; in addition, it has a miniature heat pump that allows for heating and cooling. As such, it represents an all-inclusive solution: All of the heating, cooling and ventilation technology needed for the office space indoors is integrated into the facade module. Apart from these, the office just needs a power connection for the times when the solar energy is not enough to fully power the components. Since all of the important components are already in the module, the researchers believe that renovating buildings, particularly existing stock, to make them more energy-efficient will be a quick and inexpensive process. But does the renewable energy (RE) modular facade work as intended? Michael Eberl, a scientist at Fraun- hofer IBP, has equipped the facade of the VERU test room with a prototype and fitted out the room itself with all kinds of measurement technology that will examine the functionality of the system, record energy flows and measure comfort parameters such as air temperature, humidity and air velocity. Two black metal tubes in the center of the room are used in combination with humidifiers to represent the heat and humidity inputs of the office workers that will one day work on the other side of the wall from a RE modular facade such as this. This functional mock-up is used to test and optimize the module itself and the interactions between the various components in the room. Although he doesn’t want to make any predictions regarding test results, Mr. Eberl is quite satisfied so far. These experimental setups generally run for at least nine months, in order to include as many seasonal changes as best as possible. Mr. Sinnesbichler says the VERU site in Valley is ideal for this because of its extreme weather conditions: Be it sun, wind, rain, frost or snow, the foothills of the Alps see plenty of every type of weather over the course of a year. Now, in early Spring, snow and fog are still enveloping the VERU in a wintry shroud of white and gray; it is bitterly cold in front of the experimental building and in the stairwell. However, the prototype test room itself is warm and toasty — another good sign.

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 A voice from the business world Klemens Haselsteiner, 42, has been CEO of STRABAG SE since the beginning of this year; the company took in more than 16 billion euros in revenue in 2021. 70 We need a revolution in construction. Now! The construction industry accounts for about 38 percent of global CO2 emissions. As such, the entire industry is responsible for ensuring that value chains become more sustainable. That means it’s not only time for us to rethink construction, but to actually “redo” it. Klemens Haselsteiner, CEO of STRABAG SE, shares his thoughts

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 These sensors can be spread over the aircraft like a second skin, collecting important data during the flight. 72

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 Little pumps, big potential: Thanks to Agnes Bußmann, micropumps could soon be improving the lives of many patients and bringing about new medical innovations. First prize: Dr. Agnes Bußmann Pump it up: harnessing the potential of micropumps for medicine At 5 millimeters by 5, they are smaller than a fingernail. But in the medical world, they can punch above their weight: Micropumps could be used to administer cancer or pain medication over long periods, or insulin for diabetes. They could also simplify bioprinting and organ-on-a-chip applications. So why aren’t they in use already? By Mandy Bartel 74 D r. Agnes Bußmann is a mechan- ical engineer. But for some time now, she has also been turning her focus to medical engineering. During her doctoral studies at the Fraunhofer Institute for Electronic Microsystems and Solid State Technol- ogies EMFT in Munich, she was able to combine both interests by researching piezoelectric micropumps. “The medical potential of these micropumps is obvious. They are small, energy-efficient, precise, and can be adapted flexibly; they can be implanted or easily applied to the skin, which would mean better quality of life for patients,” summarizes the young scien- tist. So far, so good, but: “Despite this, the micropump has yet to become established in the medical engineering market.” Dr. Bußmann investigated the reasons for this, and following comprehensive research, she came up with two significant

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 Second prize: Dr. Chiara Lindner Measure better with quantum light The composition of gases, chemicals and synthetic materials can be analyzed using a Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer. For the first time, this established procedure has now been combined with measurement principles based on quantum sensor technology — which opens up entirely new areas of application. T he optics laboratory is where she is in her element: To Dr. Chiara Lindner, this is where the abstract quantum world becomes tangible. The quantum physicist wasn’t too enamored with this field at first: “At university, I often found it too theoret- ical, too awkward,” she recalls. Until she came to work at the Fraunhofer Institute for Physical Measurement Techniques IPM in Freiburg, she never imagined that she would ultimately do her doctorate in this very discipline: Here she conducts research into how quantum effects can be used to significantly improve established measurement techniques. For decades now, the Fourier-transform spectrometer has been an integral part of any analytical laboratory. It uses charac- teristic transmission spectra to detect various molecules. This allows analysts to draw conclusions about material compo- sition for in applications such as environ- mental analysis, pharmaceutics and material testing. The problem is that until now, this has required infrared detectors, which are slow and expensive. In her dissertation, Dr. Lindner found a way to improve these measurements, in terms of quality, cost and speed. A quantum trick makes the invisible visible To bypass infrared detectors and their lim- itations, the scientist relies on a quantum trick. She uses quantum-mechanically entangled pairs of infrared and visible 76 “Within four years, we have come from absolutely basic research all the way to the cusp of practical application.” Dr. Chiara Lindner light particles to measure the spectral information in the sample. One photon acts as a sort of visual aid for the other somehow. While the infrared light particle is the only one that “sees” the sample, its visible partner photon is registered by a highly sensitive silicon detector. Since the entangled quanta are closely con- nected, the fate of the infrared photons influences the behavior of the visible ones. This means that when the sample absorbs infrared light particles, there will be a change in the characteristic form of the signal from the visible photons. It is therefore possible to measure the prop- erties of the sample under infrared light, even without detecting any infrared pho- tons! This could allow traditional infrared detectors to be replaced with silicon detec- tors that are faster, cheaper and quieter. Very early in her doctoral studies, the physicist had her eureka moment when for the first time, she got to see with the naked eye how the entangled photon pairs are generated. If a green laser beam is used to illuminate a special crystal, the entan- gled photons become visible on screen in the form of a faintly glowing red circle. Within a few months, Dr. Lindner managed to demonstrate the initial transmission spectra. She went on to achieve a global first by using “undetected photons” to map the fine spectral structure of rotational lines in a gaseous sample. This new pro- cedure is of particular interest in biolog- ical sampling, where samples are often very light-sensitive and can behave dif- ferently when illuminated. The reason is

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 Third prize: Dr. Robert Klas The large­scale research facility that fits on an optical table Extreme ultraviolet light radiation brings many benefits, but generating it is a very complex matter. However, thanks to Dr. Robert Klas’ work in one area of short-wave research, it is just possible that large, expensive research facilities will no longer be needed for this in the future. Dr. Klas can do with an optical table what it usually takes a huge building to achieve. During his doctoral studies, he developed the most powerful source to date for laser-like extreme ultraviolet light (EUV) on a laboratory scale. 78

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Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 Green electricity from the tank When it comes to expanding the share of renewable energies in our power supply, energy storage systems are key. Redox flow batteries offer large storage capacities at a low cost. However, their market share so far has been negligible. That could soon change. By Michael Krapp T his January, the world’s larg- est redox flow battery began operation in the port city of Dalian in Northeast China. This battery has a capacity of 100 mega- watts and can store 400 megawatt hours of energy from a large wind farm. With an average annual power consumption of 4,000 kilowatt hours, the battery could supply 100 households with electricity for a year. However, the technology is mostly used to stabilize the power grid for peri- ods of hours. Germany and Europe also urgently require new battery systems — not only due to the current energy cri- sis, but in the long term for the energy transition. Redox f low batteries come with a variety of different advantages. For instance, they are recyclable, easily scal- able and long-lasting; they have an effi- ciency rating of over 75 percent and, since the electrolytes are stored in two separate tanks, their rate of self-discharge is extremely low. Thanks to their aqueous electrolyte liquids, they are also non-flam- mable. “Stationary energy storage systems with lithium-ion technology are a fire hazard in the truest sense of the word,” says Mr. Noack, a chemical engineer from the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT in Pfinztal, near Karls- ruhe. Despite their many advantages, the market share of flow batteries has so far been negligible due to the high costs asso- ciated with chemical battery systems. Mr. Noack, a chemical engineer, believes the levelized costs of storage (LCOS) are a key factor influencing com- panies’ decisions to invest in flow batter- ies. LCOS refers to the average cost of electricity discharged, taking into account all expenses incurred for the installation and operation of the energy storage system during its lifetime. When it comes to the LCOS for large stationary energy storage systems, f low batteries now have an advantage over their competitors, lithi- um-ion batteries. With proper mainte- nance, liquid electrolyte-based battery systems have a service life of up to 20 years; they can also be scaled up to the giga- watt-hour range and are very safe to operate. In contrast, lithium-ion battery storage systems are limited to about 3,000 charging cycles and can only offer capac- ities in the megawatt-hour range. More- over, procuring raw materials for the batteries can be problematic. 82 T C I r e f o h n u a r F : o t o h P

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 Fraunhofer worldwide AUSTRIA Convicted by an avatar In large countries such as Australia and Canada, where online appointments help people avoid making long jour- neys, conducting court hearings via video conferencing has long been a norm. Soon, these online hearings will also become part of everyday life in Europe. Researchers at Fraunhofer Austria are working on a new software program that could prove to be a trail- blazer. The core element of their new development is the program’s ability to transmit users’ eye movements and facial expressions to proxy avatars in a virtual courtroom. The data is col- lected using a webcam, meaning that technical VR equipment such as glasses and headsets are not required. As soon as the system detects the direction of the user’s gaze on the screen, it makes the avatar’s head move in the same way, thereby simu- lating eye contact. It also transmits facial expressions and mouth move- ments. Currently, researchers are pro- gramming the synchronization of tracking data. In the recognition soft- ware, each avatar will be depicted in their specific role in the court — these roles are being developed in close col- laboration with international lawyers. Researchers have already successfully tested a prototype of the virtual court- room, which can be adapted to coun- try-specific requirements. Soon, judges will be bringing down the gavel in a virtual courtroom. 84 Europe Austria France Portugal Brazil Locations of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft The monitoring system can reliably recognize a bird species by its song. EUROPE Biodiversity in the field As part of the EU project BioMonitor- 4CAP, partner organizations from ten European countries and Peru are working to preserve biodiversity on agricultural land. Using a new approach to biodiversity monitoring that combines conventional indicator systems with acoustic, optical and molecular methods, the researchers intend to show changes in species diversity over a longer period of time — a technological first — and develop measures for sustainable agricultural management. In this proj- ect, the Fraunhofer Institute for Digi- tal Media Technology IDMT is respon- sible for the acoustic monitoring of birds, bats and crickets. For their field studies, researchers are using intelli- gent high-frequency sensor systems. These can even detect animal sounds in the ultrasonic range, such as the sounds emitted by bats and insects. The sound signals are automatically evaluated with the help of artificial intelligence and used to reliably iden- tify the different animal species. The meta-information forwarded by the sensor nodes allows the researchers to create comprehensive spatial, temporal and statistical models of the data.

Fraunhofer magazine 2 | 23 How industry can learn from ants In the future, production will need to follow nature’s example and adopt a fully interconnected system structure. One bio-inspired software is laying the foundations for this. By Andrea Kaufmann T rees communicate with each other and ants maintain close relationships with particular plants species: Ecological systems are a net- work of interdependencies and interactions. The scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Sys- tems and Design Technology IPK are following nature’s lead. In the BioFusion 4.0 project, they are working on develop- ments that include a platform concept for the manufactur- ing industry. This platform allows tasks to be dynamically distributed between humans and machines and is based on the principle of self-organization and self-optimization. This means that machines for manufacturing would be joined in an intelligent network to ensure independent communica- tion and flexible coordination between them. “What makes resilient systems different is that they take a self-organized approach to adapt to changes and challenges in their environment,” explains Theresa Rie- delsheimer of Fraunhofer IPK, who is the project manager responsible for BioFusion 4.0. “In contrast to conventional manufacturing processes that are optimized using central controls, here we are decentralizing control to focus on the individual steps.” Fraunhofer IPK is achieving this by developing soft- ware that is capable of individually monitoring all of the elements involved in the manufacturing process. This software digitally maps each element’s specific charac- teristics, properties, condition and behavior — from the long-serving logistics robot to the high-tech milling machine. According to IT expert Christopher Mühlich of Fraunhofer IPK, “These autonomous units follow the example of natural biodiversity to send and receive infor- mation, allowing them to control production.” These digital representations, called digital twins, form the foundation of the decentrally organized platform. Products and machines will gain the ability to act and communicate autonomously by becoming “virtual agents” in their own right, which can be customized according to the specific role, capabilities and responsi- bilities of their physical representatives. An agent is a software system that is located in a specific environment and has the ability to autonomously take action in this environment to achieve its individ- ual objectives. Just like organisms in natural ecosystems, which each carry out a certain function and are con- nected to other organisms, these virtual agent systems use networks to communicate, negotiate tasks and make decisions. This means the machines themselves know whether they have free capacity or should pass on a task to another machine. The ultimate goal is for products to actively control their production process, and for equipment to determine its next workflow stages inde- pendently. The agent system is based on the cognitive model of natural beings — namely, to perceive, conclude and decide. Ants follow this information processing chain as they search for food by following pheromones — they perceive the scent, classify the information and, based on this, decide whether to follow the scent trail or go a different way. A networked, self-regulating digital sys- tem functions in exactly the same way — just like in a natural ecosystem, it is influenced by the conditions in the surrounding environment and dynamically adapts to stay balanced. For example, the system itself recognizes whether all the agents are working effectively, to prevent overload and underload. Feedback loops are key here, as they allow the system to learn from errors. Another advantage of the decentralized platform solution is that each employee has their own access to the network of agents; not only that, but their view into the current status of the processes ensures that they are able to make changes as necessary. Similarly to an ecosystem, these mechanisms allow the system to react to unexpected events and continuously improve, ensuring greater resil- ience. The platform is being tested on assembly lines, including ones that produce modules for battery-powered electric vehicles. Tests are already underway with indus- trial partners to demonstrate how the platform will work in practice. k c o t S e b o d A / v o g a y m r A y e r d n A : o t o h P 86

CURT can do what glyphosate can’t Like the weedkiller, the outdoor robot battles weeds in the fields — but it does so selectively, without damag- ing other plants. “This means it can leave nettles along the edge of the field while pulling up other weeds,” explains CURT’s developer, Kevin Bregler of Fraunhofer IPA. Fitted with laser scanners, a camera and a GPS system, the fully electric outdoor robot drives around and pulls unwanted weeds out of the ground.