2024 — Time to lighten up Trends in lightweight construction 3 2 | 4 PFAS: The poison of the century Ways forward for water, industry and the world Dr. Georg Umlauf, Fraunhofer IGB, points the way toward clean water. “Pragmatism trumps the sledgehammer approach” An impassioned plea from Dr. Martin Brudermüller, BASF SE “I feel like Krampus” An interview with German finance minister Christian Lindner

For industry and the future By Prof. Holger Hanselka As Hildegard Müller said at my inauguration ceremony, “Fraunhofer is developing solutions to the central chal- lenges of our time.” Many warm words from that event have stayed with me, but this phrase in particular sticks out. It is not only a recognition of our Fraunhofer-Gesell- schaft. It also gives us all a mission and motivation. A key factor in the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft’s success is our consistent market orientation. Fraunhofer has a clear goal: to transfer knowledge to industry. As a non-profit orga- nization, Fraunhofer supports businesses — particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, which make up more than half of its customer base — with developing new tech- nologies, right up to launching them on the market. Our core business activities in this area are contract research with industry and granting licenses and patents; spin-offs also play an important role. In 2022, Fraunhofer submitted 375 patent applications, registered 443 inventions and had 7,414 active patent fami- lies. These are figures that we and our more than 30,000 employees can rightly be proud of. Behind these figures, there is so much knowledge, so much skill, so much pas- sion. But as well as that, there is what makes Fraunhofer so unique in Germany and across the world: the Fraunhofer model. With its balanced mixed of industrial revenue, revenue from public projects and base funding, the Fraun- hofer model guarantees that our research and development work is market-oriented, and thus that we can make an impact. I assure you that one of my areas of focus during my time as president will be driving the process of strengthening our industry. If we want the chance to build a future worth living in, we need a strong industrial sector in Germany and Europe. This means taking consistent steps forward that will add up to major progress. To give a specific exam- ple, if the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) wants to ban the “forever chemicals” PFASs, that will be a huge goal. However, it has so far been almost impossible to replace the per-and polyfluoroalkyl compounds that are used in countless everyday products, as well as in future-oriented 4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine Editorial Prof. Holger Hanselka technologies such as heat pumps, batteries and medical engineering products. The cover story of this issue of Fraunhofer magazine reports on the many adjustments, both big and small, that Fraunhofer researchers are making to support industry through this difficult but important transition. We will only be able to tackle future challenges if industry, government and research join forces. So, I am delighted that Dr. Martin Brudermüller, CEO of the world’s highest- earning chemical corporation, BASF SE, (and alumnus of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)), has contrib- uted to this Fraunhofer magazine to passionately advocate for a competitive chemical industry and greater openness to new technologies. And I am pleased to see this assurance from German minister of finance, Christian Lindner, in his interview: “I have no problem with using public funds — so long as they’re being effectively invested in the future viability of this country.” Let us all work together: researchers, politicians and industrial leaders. With our research, we will carry industry forward into the future. Sincerely, Prof. Holger Hanselka President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft 3 r e i e m r e b O n a f e t S / r e f o h n u a r F : o t o h P

35 Knowledge relay, episode 10 Prof. Büttner, what is more i mportant when it comes to food supplies: sustainability or security and quality? 38 PFAS — recognize, replace, remove Toxic PFAS need to be banned across Europe. This will present huge problems for industry 48 AI made in Germany: Dare to go further! Fraunhofer researchers are work- ing on a European alternative to ChatGPT and similar AI systems 50 The XXL trash problem Wind turbines are getting bigger and bigger. What happens to their decommissioned rotors? 54 “Poor security is far from a trivial offense” How secure are smart homes? 58 Let’s talk How digital speech analysis helps to detect diseases 80 Guardian of the microbes Fraunhofer IME is home to one of the largest collections of bacteria and fungi in the world — and it has huge potential for fighting diseases. 4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine Name: Polly Access: permitted Status: no prey 68 No more compromise for chocolate lovers Researchers at Fraunhofer IVV are working on a dairy-free, melt-in-the-mouth chocolate. 60 More salt in the sea? Global warming is changing the salinity of our oceans 62 More than meets the eye Testing eye irritation in a test tube instead of on animals 64 A high-tech solution to counter mines A less risky way of removing landmines 68 No more compromise for chocolate lovers A sweet treat for those who don’t drink milk 70 Crystal clear A new optical coating system helps prevent glass from fogging 72 Fraunhofer worldwide 74 The sweet life Glycobiotechnology is opening up new possibilities 76 AI für better medical care AI helps to detect cancer earlier and treat it more efficiently 86 The Polly project A smart cat flap means no entry for outsiders. 79 A date with research The Fraunhofer Match platform makes it easy to find the right project partner 80 Guardian of the microbes Fraunhofer experts are researching natural substances with healing properties 83 From socks to safety How high-tech applications can make life easier for the elderly 84 Photo & Fraunhofer What is hidden in an astronaut’s jumpsuit? 86 The Polly project Researchers at Fraunhofer IDMT are developing a new cat flap with facial recognition 87 Fraunhofer on the road Over 1,500 locations in Germany are contaminated with PFAS; around 20 percent of these have been classified as hotspots under the Forever Pollution Project. This project collected and evaluated 100 data sets from across Europe. An important source for Germany: Fraunhofer IME’s SumPFAS study. 20 i l g b e H e k i e r a M , e n i l n O 1 F / y s k c o t S / n e h C l l i J , k c o t S e b o d A / F n e h c s h c u l , g n u t r a H d n r e B , e c n a i l l a e r u t c i p / k e h t o t o h p , n e b e l l o H n o v n a J : s o t o h p t n e t n o C 5 ; s e g a m i - o g a m i / l e g e p s s e g a T r e D i , g n u t r a H d n r e B , n e b e l l o H n o v n a J : s o t o h p r e v o c k c a b d n a t n o r F

4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine From a state of emergency to the new normal place.” A solid business community, along with measures for building company identity, are necessary for establishing long-term loyalty and a shared ability to innovate. The complete study can be downloaded here: https://s.fhg.de/hybrides-arbeiten Everyday collabora- tion is not just governed by works council agreements, but by regulations set at the individual team level. How has our working world evolved in the wake of the pandemic? This is the topic of a new study by the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineer- ing IAO and the German Association for Human Resource Management (DGFP). The results showed that hybrid working has now become standard practice in German companies. In fact, almost one third of the 400 firms surveyed have scrapped any minimum attendance requirement, and flexibility in office organization and savings on the cost of office space have become par for the course. It is also becoming increasingly common to work remotely from other EU countries for German companies. However, as a consequence of these types of hybrid working, there have been some negative developments, according to Dr. Josephine Hofmann of Fraunhofer IAO. She notes that the world of hybrid work hinders integration, networking and exchange of ideas among employees. To counter- act this, she recommends that companies engage more strongly with their role of providing a “social Underwater laser cutting The short-wavelength green laser works in an efficient and environmentally friendly way. Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Mate- rial and Beam Technology IWS have successfully used green lasers with particularly short-wavelengths to work with steel and other metals underwater. Com- pared to today’s common cutting methods that use saws, automatic saw wires and plasma cutters, the underwater laser cutting process requires compar- atively little energy, and its power transmission is more efficient. New underwater manufacturing technologies are among the prerequisites for the rapid development of offshore wind energy. The researchers use the water as a tool to exert pressure and expel the resulting melt from the kerf. Metal is usually cut with lasers in a dry environment using infrared or other long-wave laser radiation. In this process, auxiliary gases are used coaxially to the beam to remove the molten metal. There are different conditions to contend with in the ocean: Water scat- ters long-wave light in all directions. As a result, a large proportion of the laser output dissipates after a short distance. The auxiliary gas also requires complex piping systems, which this innovative solution from Fraunhofer IWS renders superfluous. 7 S W I r e f o h n u a r F , k c o t S e b o d A / n a e D t o b o r D , s e g a m i s u i t i r u a m h t o b / 1 6 d n e t s e W / t o k s a M , l d o g n I l i e n a D : s o t o h P

Editorial notes Fraunhofer. The magazine for research, technology and innovation ISSN 1868-3428 (print edition) ISSN 1868-3436 (online edition) Published by: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft Hansastrasse 27c, 80686 Munich, Germany Editorial address as above Phone +49 89 1205-1301 magazin@zv.fraunhofer.de https://s.fhg.de/magazine-en Free subscription: Phone +49 89 1205-1301 publikationen@fraunhofer.de Editorial team: Josef Oskar Seitz (responsible for con- tent), Josef Oskar Seitz (editor-in-chief), Dr. Sonja Endres, Beate Strobel Editorial assistants: Dr. Janine van Ackeren, Dr. Katja Engel, Sirka Henning, Andrea Kauf- mann, Manuel Monte falcone, Kathrin Schwarze-Reiter, Stefanie Smuda, Mehmet Toprak, Yvonne Weiß Layout and lithography: Vierthaler & Braun Cover image and cover story photography: Jan von Holleben Photos for lightweight construction article: Bernd Hartung Printed by: Kolibri Druck, Nuremberg © Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft e.V. Munich 2023 Find Fraunhofer on social media: @Fraunhofer www.facebook.com/ fraunhoferde www.instagram.com/ fraunhofergesellschaft www.linkedin.com/company/ fraunhofer-gesellschaft www.youtube.com/ fraunhofer 4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine Large-scale heat pumps can tap into different green heat sources for large-scale use. A giant push for the heating transition By using heat pumps, in the long-term, Germany could supply all the heating it requires up to 200 degrees Celsius, a Fraunhofer study has revealed. Judicious further development of large-scale heat pump technology will be needed to achieve this. T he amount of heating that heat pumps could supply in Germany using environmental and waste heat exceeds the quantity required for buildings and industrial processes up to 200 degrees Celsius. This was the finding of the “Roll-out von Großwärmepumpen in Deutschland” (Roll-out of large-scale heat pumps in Germany) study carried out by the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Energy Infrastructures and Geothermal Systems IEG on behalf of Agora Ener- giewende. In total, the potential quantity of heat that these heat pumps can supply from carbon-free sources — without using heat from ambient air — amounts to around 1,500 terawatt hours. Potential heat sources include shallow and deep geothermal systems, lake and river water, industrial waste heat, coal mines and data centers. On the other side of the equation, Germany’s annual heating requirement for temperatures up to 200 degrees Celsius amounts to just over 1,000 terawatt hours. A lot of hopes are pinned on the large- scale heat pump. “It really is the sleeping giant among sustainable heat technologies,” says Fabian Ahrendts of Fraunhofer IEG. Based on long-term scenarios created by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), the study shows that by 2045, large-scale heat pumps should be providing 70 percent of district heating, replacing the bulk of natural gas. Fraunhofer IEG in Bochum has put an innovative pilot plant into operation to drive forward plans for large-scale heat pumps. During the summer, solar thermal energy heats the water in an already flooded mine to 60 degrees Celsius. When heating is later required in fall and winter, the mine water can serve as a heat source for a high-temperature heat pump, which feeds the heat into the local district heat- ing network. Fraunhofer IEG in Cottbus also has two test stations for large-scale heat pumps. The first measures the performance data of the system in realistic operating condi- tions for up to 1 megawatt of heating output and flow temperatures of up to 90 degrees Celsius; the researchers can use this data to optimize their heat pump prototypes. In the second station, a 500-kilowatt large heat pump is being tested - the model for a multi-megawatt heat pump that will supply Cottbus with district heating in the future. 9 a p d / a k s w o m i l o k S a k n o M i , e n i l n O 1 F / y s k c o t S / z e ñ u N i t n a S , B S O I r e f o h n u a r F : s o t o h P

4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine It’s time to lighten up … A little light matchmaking: Jana Gebauer, a researcher at Fraunhofer IWS, is searching for ways to marry metals and plastics. 11

4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine … so we’re making things lighter! Lightweight construction as a future-oriented technology: A multitude of innovative approaches are set to not only reduce the weight of components and products, but also lower their costs and impact on the climate. By Beate Strobel, photography: Bernd Hartung Lighter materials: By using a pultrusion process, Michael Wilhelm at Fraun- hofer ICT is hoping to make the monomer caprolactam suitable for use in sustainable lightweight construction. 13

4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine Light exercise: Dr. Saskia Biehl of Fraunhofer LBF and her team have done more than just optimize the mass of their cargo e-bike. 15

the SME sector, can harness the huge opportunities for transformation offered by lightweight construction, we need to accelerate the process of transferring scientific knowledge to practical application.” Lightening the load… with smart material choices “The right material for the right price in the right place”: according to Prof. Holger Seidlitz, director of the Poly- meric Materials and Composites PYCO division at Fraun- hofer IAP, this is the formula for success when it comes to lightweight construction. The aim is to find materials and components that not only allow for lighter products, but also guarantee the required functionalities and levels of safety at an economically viable price. In this respect, carbon fibers are the “black gold” of lightweight construction. First of all, they are incredibly light and yet extremely strong — this means they can be used as a substitute for metal, greatly reducing the mass of products. They can also be used in carbon fiber-rein- forced plastics (CFRP), which can be molded into almost any shape while still making any product they are incor- porated into rigid and strong. The drawback is that man- ufacturing these fibers is a highly complex, energy-in- tensive process. At the Carbon Lab Factory Lusatia, a joint initiative by the German states of Saxony and Brandenburg that involves close collaboration by the Fraunhofer Insti- tutes IAP and IWU, the Brandenburg University of Tech- nology Cottbus-Senftenberg and the Chemnitz University of Tech- nology, the plan is to develop and produce “green” carbon fibers in the future. Could these fibers be spun from local, renewable raw materials? And how far can renew- able energy sources go toward improving the environmental footprint of CFRP production? According to Prof. Seidlitz, the circular economy approach could also help transform carbon fibers from the “black gold” to the “green gold” of lightweight construction: “The longer we can keep carbon fibers in the cycle, the better it is for the environment.” As part of the TransHyDE project MUKRAN, Fraunhofer IAP is collaborating with five partners from science and industry to examine ways of optimizing the circular economy for CFRPs. Led by Prof. Seidlitz, the researchers have developed two types of spherical storage tanks for hydrogen. Just their shape alone helps to save mass: Due “The CFRP door frame is not only significantly lighter, but also more Kevin Scheiterlein, Fraunhofer IGCV economical, because we have implemented automated manufacturing processes that make efficient use of materials.” 4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine to the laws of physics, the walls of conventional cylindri- cal tanks need to be twice as thick as the spherical tanks. “Tanks made from pure steel also have many times the mass of those made from CFRPs,” explains Prof. Seidlitz. This high mass also increases fuel costs, as the chassis and brakes of the vehicles that transport these tanks must be reinforced. And this will eventually raise the question as to whether hydrogen is actually an environmentally friendly solution. To avoid using unnecessary quantities of expensive carbon fibers, researchers in the MUKRAN project are searching for ways to make hydrogen storage containers that are light, yet sturdy. To assist with this, the research team at Fraunhofer IAP develops technologies such as sensors that can be applied to the fiber-reinforced com- posite parts using printed electronics — “layer by layer, where possible, so that we can find out more about what happens inside the material when it is under stress,” says Prof. Seidlitz. This information will be crucial for design- ing and constructing the containers efficiently. Later on, when the high-pressure tanks are put into operation, the sensors will also be useful for condition monitoring. The tanks are being tested at locations such as the ZenaLeb (Zentrum für nachhaltige Leichtbautechnologien, “center for sustainable lightweight technologies”), a proj- ect group that involves collaboration between Fraunhofer IAP and the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, and is funded by the German state of Brandenburg. The aim of ZenaLeb is to develop efficient lightweight structures and bring them into mass production. Another innovation has already made the leap from the lab to implementation: As part of a wide range of aviation projects funded by the BMWK, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Casting, Composite and Processing Tech- nology IGCV have collaborated with the aviation supplier Premium Aerotec in Augsburg to develop new technologies for efficiently manu- facturing structural components from CFRPs. The team ultimately succeeded in replacing the titanium frame of the door in an Airbus 350 with one made from CFRPs. “The CFRP door frame is not only significantly lighter, it’s also more economical because we use automated manufacturing processes that make efficient use of mate- rials, such as automated fiber placement,” says Kevin Scheiterlein, group manager for Fiber Placement and Composite Molding at Fraunhofer IGCV. 17

4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine Vibro-acoustic metamaterials: For a lighter, quieter world Contains metamaterials: A VAMM exhibit shows how this innovative idea can be put into practice. In addition to its many advantages, lightweight construction also has one big drawback. While objects with a large mass usually do not vibrate much at all, a low weight means the opposite: there is often very significant vibration and high levels of sound radiation. In order to make a car as quiet as possible, the car doors — which are often just made from thin sheets of metal — will generally be fitted with sheets of sound insulation material. While this is understandable from an acoustic designer’s perspective, it causes problems when it comes to lightweight construction objectives. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Dura- bility and System Reliability LBF are looking to overcome this obstacle as they work toward building lighter struc- tures: Vibro-acoustic metamaterials could help strike a bal- ance between reducing mass and blocking out noise. “Metamaterials are artificially manufactured materials with properties that do not occur in nature,” explains Heiko Atzrodt, a researcher at Fraunhofer LBF. The interactions between this material and the special structure applied to it can be used for tasks such as influencing light waves and guiding them around an item so that it cannot be seen. Was Harry Potter’s Invisibility Cloak made from a metama- terial then? It’s quite possible! In MetaVib, part of Fraunhofer’s internal PREPARE initiative, researchers at Fraunhofer LBF have developed a metamate- rial with vibro-acoustic properties. “We create microstruc- ture elements that can be integrated into the original ma- terial; this allows us to achieve virtual negative mass in certain frequency ranges,” explains project manager Mr. Atzrodt. “Because it is not possible for vibrations to be cre- ated or sound waves to spread where there is no mass.” The resonators that are used in this material must be ar- ranged in a particular way to reduce sound: the spaces be- tween them must be smaller than half of the wavelength of the oscillation that they need to reduce. Only then can they generate stop bands in the sound transmission — meaning the resonators can stop the airborne sound waves from spreading, convert them into structure-borne sound waves and finally absorb them. One of the first projects to use vibro-acoustic metamateri- als (VAMM) was Silent Running. The goal of this project was to develop a technology that can help minimize micro-vi- brations in rocket components. In space travel, it is import- ant to not only minimize weight, but also ensure minimal vi- brations to avoid affecting measurements taken on board using optical instruments. In July 2023, the VAMM technol- ogy was awarded a prize for being among the best ideas to be submitted by a research institution to the INNOSpace Masters competition since it began. INNOSpace Masters is a competition initiated by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) to recognize innovations in space travel. One advantage of vibro-acoustic metamaterials is that they are not limited to a certain material. “Wood, rubber, residu- al materials, recycled materials — anything is possible,” says Mr. Atzrodt. “That means specific materials can be used that reduce not just the weight of a product, but its carbon footprint as well.” In the MetaVib project, in addition to in- vestigating how metamaterials can be used as sound insu- lation in car doors, researchers are developing other forms of VAMM with functions that can be individually custom- ized. Mr. Atzrodt explains: “We now have a standard cata- log that lists all the variations of resonators and materials we can use, which makes it easier to develop a solution for a specific case.” As part of a new project, Fraunhofer LBF is putting an inno- vative technology for glass sound barriers into application in collaboration with ASFINAG, the Austrian public corpo- ration that manages the country’s highways. These barriers will help to lower noise levels by up to 20 decibels. Reduc- ing noise levels by just 6 decibels is enough to halve the amount of sound perceived by the human ear. The VAMM barriers will soon be tested on certain Austrian highways and expressways. 19

Naturally lighter: At Fraunhofer LBF, Dr. Christian Beinert (left) and Dr. Felix Dillenberger are researching the use of biopolymer composites in lightweight construc- tion — they are pictured here with a natural fiber-based organic sheet that can reinforce technical components. 4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine other materials — and incorporating shape-memory alloy wires that can measure strain into the profiles, thus upgrading them by including sensor technology. Ms. Bader believes that “pultrusion is a process that holds great potential for lightweight construction.” In the lighthouse project ALBACOPTER, which is coordinated by the Fraunhofer Institute for Transporta- tion and Infrastructure Systems IVI, six Fraunhofer institutes are bringing their expertise to the table to develop a particularly lightweight, sustainable, aerody- namic drone. As part of this project, the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT has developed pultrusion profiles made from fiber-reinforced thermo- plastic that will be used in the drone’s frame. The research- ers have chosen to use a mono-material sandwich struc- ture for the drone’s cargo box. “This enables the box to be recycled to an excellent degree at the end of its service life, as although the box is made up of several layers, including foam layers, we’re only using a single type of plastic,”explains Michael Wilhelm, group manager for Structural Composites at Fraunhofer ICT. The idea is that this type of aircraft could some day perform tasks such as autonomously delivering goods in cities. Mr. Wilhelm is also working on further advancements to the pultrusion process. His research is mainly focused on the monomer caprolactam, which is used to make polyamide 6. “This monomer is as fluid as water,” says Mr. Wilhelm. “That means reinforcing fibers such as glass or carbon fibers can easily be soaked in it and impregnated to the maximum possible extent.” In addition, the ther- moplastic matrix allows parts to be shaped or thermally joined later. “And when the parts reach the end of their service life,” Mr. Wilhelm adds, “the material can simply be ground down and put to use in a new application through injection molding. One advantage of this is that the properties of the material are almost as good as those of virgin injection-molded material. That allows us to create a very simple closed material loop.” However, this process comes with a challenge: Capro- lactam’s low viscosity means special tools and processing machinery are required. In the CaproPULL project, a consortium consisting of Fraunhofer ICT and several industry partners developed in-situ pultrusion as a method, whereby the monomer can be processed to form stable, durable profiles made from continuous fiber-re- inforced thermoplastics. Mr. Wilhelm believes these types of profiles could be used to provide localized reinforcement for components in the automotive industry, for example. However, the construction sector could also be another potential field of application: “Unlike steel, the fiber-re- inforced plastics don’t corrode,” the expert explains. “This could significantly extend the life span of structures such as bridges.” 21

4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine The Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technol- ogy IWS is focusing on joining metals to fiber-reinforced plastics. Simply gluing the two materials together is the wrong move, as Jana Gebauer, a researcher at Fraunhofer IWS, explains: “Not only do adhesives take a long time to harden, but they also age, which shortens the components’ life spans.” For this reason, researchers at Fraunhofer IWS have been working on alternative solutions for joining metals and FRPs. One of these methods involves applying a protective, functional layer of metal to a plastic com- posite using thermal spraying. According to Ms. Gebauer, the trick is to pre-treat the plastic: “A rough surface is not enough for components that are put under this kind of complex stress. We need to create structures with a laser so that we can make a reliable join between the hot metal and the cold FRP.” First of all, pulsed laser radiation is used to very precisely the fibers in the plastic matrix, but without damaging them. The sprayed particles stick to these fibers. Additional indentations are then made that act like a clamp or a hook-and-loop fastener. “As the thermal spraying pro- cess is suitable for a multitude of materials, this technology can be scaled up to be used for other applications and sectors,” says Ms. Gebauer. In the CHIMERA project by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), this process is currently being used to develop battery housing with electromagnetic shielding. The HPCi® tech- nology for combining metals and plastics using direct thermal joining was also developed by Fraunhofer IWS. This technology has already been put into use as a joining tool in the manufacture of car bodies and aircraft. “We want to join metals together using an additive process so that we can exploit their properties to the maximum extent.” Christopher Singer, Fraunhofer IGCV And what about 3D printing — could this be a game- changer for lightweight construction? After all, additive manufacturing is well suited to producing complex forms with hollow internal structures, which saves material and reduces mass. Along with other industry partners, researchers from the Fraunhofer institutes LBF and IWU are investigating this approach as part of the joint research project ECO2-LInE. The goal of the project is to develop natural fiber-reinforced plastic components that could replace metal structures and that are suited to SEAM, a particularly fast method of additive print- ing. “In this way, we want to manufacture sustainable components to be used in internal and external vehicle structures — for cars, buses and trains alike,” says Dr. Dillenberger of Fraunhofer LBF. “3D printing allows us a great deal more freedom in designing com- ponents than injection molding does, for instance.” However, sometimes there’s no way around using metal. Does that have to mean a lot of mass? Since January 2023, Fraunhofer IGCV has been working with an international team of experts on the EU-funded project MADE-3D (Multi-Material Design using 3D Printing); the team is researching met hod s of ma nu fac t u r i ng multi-material components that are strong but light. “ We want to join metals together using an additive process so that we can exploit their special properties to the highest extent possible,” explains Christopher Singer of Fraunhofer IGCV. The concept of creating alloys, i.e., making materials from at least two elements, is crucial to lightweight construc- tion, as the individual ingredients’ “talents” can still be utilized, but with less weight. This means that expensive metals such as titanium need only be incorporated into products in places where their properties are needed. “In terms of processes, we are mainly looking into laser beam melting and laser material deposition — these are both additive technologies that can be used to manufac- ture unusual structures and that can also help to incor- porate the individual metals into the alloy in a targeted way.” The use of machine learning will help researchers to design the ideal materials for specific areas of application. By using lighter metals and less material and customizing the material’s functions, the weight of individual com- ponents could be reduced by up to 50 percent. Fraunhofer IWS is also responsible for another light- weight construction method: laser roll welding. “This enables us to manufacture lightweight panels quickly and cheaply — and they are especially durable and don’t use any adhesives, which makes them easier to recycle,” explains Andrea Berger, a researcher at Fraunhofer IWS. At the core of the sandwich panels, there is a light, metal structure with hollow chambers and thin metal sheets are fixed to each side. The internal structure is then rolled between two rollers, while a scanned laser beam heats the surface of the metal between the rollers from above and below; this is done at lightning speed and with high precision. The rollers press the sandwich elements together so tightly that they are permanently joined. “Because 23

4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine Impressive strength: Rico Schmerler of Fraunhofer IWU uses a powerful press to manufacture cleverly designed metal sheets for sustainable electric car batteries. 25

T he chemical industry is undergoing the greatest transformation in its history. This industry, one of the most emissions- and energy-in- tensive, is aiming for climate neutrality. This demands not only ground-breaking innova- tions, but also suitable framework conditions and political pragmatism. BASF is backing the Green Deal. That is why we are doing our utmost to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. But what will the future of chemistry look like at BASF? The chemical industry is everywhere. It is the “industry of industries” and supplies its products to almost every sector. Chemistry is the place where we most need to make things greener. Resins make wind farms weatherproof. Solar plants can only function with the help of electronic chemicals, while electric mobility is dependent on battery materials. However, the chemical industry also gener- ates a high level of CO2 emissions. We are chang- ing this. An important driver here is the shift in our electricity and steam supply from gray to green. For example, only a few weeks ago, one of the world’s biggest offshore wind farms com- menced operations off the Dutch coast with the participation of BASF — and without any sub- sidization. Around half of the green electricity generated there flows to our locations in Europe. Our new collaborative site, located in the south- ern Chinese city of Zhanjiang, will be powered by 100 percent green electricity from day one. In addition, to reduce CO2 emissions during production, we are developing and trialling new technologies in pilot projects — our primary focus here is on basic chemicals, the emis- sions-intensive fundamental building blocks that make up thousands of our products. For example, the world’s first pilot plant for electri- cally powered steam cracker furnaces will commence operations in Ludwigshafen in early 2024. With this technology, we can reduce the CO2 emissions generated during ethylene and propylene production by more than 90 percent. We are also testing the possibility of using water electrolysis on an industrial scale to replace the carbon-intensive steam reformation process in hydrogen production. Reducing CO2 emissions during production means we can in turn offer our customers products with a reduced carbon footprint, thus supporting them in achieving their own climate protection goals. We regularly calculate the carbon footprint of all BASF’s 45,000 commer- E S F S A B : o t o h P “There’s no sorcery to it: The green transfor- mation will succeed through innovations in chemistry.” Dr. Martin Brudermüller is CEO of BASF, the largest chemical corporation in the world with over 110,000 employees in 91 countries. was born in Stuttgart in 1961. After studying chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley, USA, followed by a doc- torate and post-doc posi- tion, he embarked on his career with BASF in 1988. His many years of research were followed by various functions and postings in Germany and abroad. has been a member of the executive board since 2006. He took on the role of chair in 2018. holds numerous honorary positions, among them president of CEFIC, the European Chemical Indus- try Council, member of the BDI presidential board and vice-president of the VCI (German Chemical Indus- try Association). 4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine cial products. On the basis of this information, we optimize our processes, increase our efforts to use low-carbon, renewable raw materials and expand our portfolio of low-carbon products. We at BASF are willing to strive toward climate neutrality, and we are on the right road to achieve this. However, we are reliant on the government doing its homework too. They need to ensure that climate protection and compet- itiveness go hand in hand. There are four crucial elements here: First — more pragmatism. Europe already has one of the world’s most comprehensive and effective chemical regulation systems. With the Green Deal, this system is becoming even more extensive: It has already consists of some 14,000 pages. However, instead of using regulations as a sledgehammer, we need to introduce a set of guidelines that can be implemented pragmatically. Second — more speed. Almost all cli- mate-friendly technologies are based on green energy. We therefore need a greatly accelerated plan to extend the use of renewables through- out Europe. The suggested approaches for speeding up planning and approval procedures are promising. Now, these must become a real- ity, and quickly. Third — more openness. Many technologies for achieving a climate-neutral future are as yet unknown to us. We must therefore remain open to new ideas, rather than hindering innovation by labeling some as off-limits. Unfortunately, we in Europe have a mania for discussing potential dangers and prohibiting new technologies — instead of conducting a rational risk assessment and exploiting the opportunities they present. Fourth — more incentives for investment. Restructuring the industry in a climate-neutral way is a costly process. The problem is that investments often lack a business model. Despite this, we at BASF are still getting involved — out of entrepreneurial responsibility and in the spirit of the global innovation race. Nevertheless, living laboratories and non-bureaucratic support are needed to generate growth from innovative ways of thinking. What’s more, pioneering work must be profitable. The USA has given an impres- sive demonstration of how incentive schemes can be used with the Inflation Reduction Act. The goal of industry, government and soci- ety should be a green transformation that links climate protection, innovation and competi- tiveness in a pragmatic and effective way. This is the only way to make an ambitious vision into a success story for everyone. 27

Mr. Lindner, there’s been a certain How do you intend to ensure that Ger- 4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine Christmassy feeling in the political sphere over the last few weeks: Everyone gets to make a wish. You enjoy sporting a snowy beard — do you feel like Santa Claus? When I think of the creative wishes for tax increases, I feel more like Krampus. In your time as finance minister, you have stubbornly defended the debt brake. But where does Germany need to step on the gas? The need for action in Germany is plain for everyone to see. We must make investments in infrastructure, the digital transformation and education our priority. The public funds we have are enough to cover this, provided that we set sensible priorities. What’s more, when it comes to economic competitiveness in partic- ular, we can achieve great things without actu- ally spending money — for example, by cutting back on red tape and accelerating planning and approval processes. It’s been an expensive few years for Germany: We’ve had Mr. Scholz’s “double whammy” energy price brakes, a 180 degree shift toward rebuilding military power due to the war in Ukraine and a hefty rescue package back in the early days of the COVID pandemic. Do you have to skimp on Germany’s future via- bility because in the past, we have been too focused on the present? A combination of past crises and the insuffi- cient level of investment in the future during the pre-COVID era is limiting our scope for action in this period of dramatic change in the interest rate landscape. I want us to look toward the future. Because the very fact that so much has been left undone is what gives us such wide scope for shaping the future. There’s a lot of rumbling about crises at the moment: Is there still scope for shaping the future beyond all that? Crisis management goes hand in hand with efforts to shape the future. If we consider the major effects of the crisis — rising prices for fos- sil-based energy sources, ending our neglect of our armed forces — then we will see that these were tasks that we would have had to tackle in any case. Perhaps some people might wish we had more time to accomplish them. But for responsible politicians, these are not tasks that we can shirk. many can make adequate investments in the digital transformation, climate protection and technology to secure its future? As I explained earlier, we are already investing at a record level through the priorities we have set in our budget. That’s what we can do in terms of public funding. However, we cannot afford to forget that this accounts for only 1 in every 10 euros of investment in Germany — so our primary focus must be on mobilizing pri- vate funding. This is why I am working to create better conditions for private investments — for example, through the Financing for the Future Act (Zukunftsfinanzierungsgesetz). With the Growth Opportunities Act (Wachstumschan- cengesetz) on the other hand, we’re expanding fiscal support for research and development. Let’s take a concrete example: This Growth Opportunities Act, one of the show- case projects of your ministry, is in the pipeline as we speak. What effect do you hope it will have on Germany’s position as an innovation location? To keep things brief, I’ll break this down into three points: The reduction of strain on small and medium-sized enterprises, the creation of more incentives for private investments and the provision of better conditions for industry in Germany. What role will research have to play in Germany’s future? A big one. Because unlike in decades gone by, administration alone is not enough anymore. To safeguard our future viability, we need to tap into new sources of prosperity. We have the nec- essary know-how. What I — and my colleague, Bettina Stark-Watzinger — want to do is ensure that we also have the ideal conditions for this. Let’s talk about AI, to take just one example: Other domestic economies like the USA and China are supporting future technolo- gies through massive investments. Can we afford to fall behind here in Germany? No, of course we can’t afford to do that. How- ever, I believe that creating good conditions for research and industry is a more effective and sustainable measure than subsidizing individ- ual sectors on a situational basis. Is technology neutrality more than just a buzzword for you? 29 s a e p g d a / m k e i - h o t g o a t o m h i / p l / e l g e h e i c p s s t s u e r T g a s T a m r e o D h : T : o s : t o o o t t h o o P F F

4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine 2020: Worn out… … from being in the opposition? Christian Lindner was elected federal chair of the FDP in 2013 — making him the FDP’s youngest party leader at 34 years of age. 2021: A rare proximity It’s become the stuff of legends: Volker Wissing, Annalena Baerbock, Christian Lindner and Robert Habeck took a selfie together to express their solidarity as the traffic-light coalition kicked off. 2022: Private happiness Mr. Lindner married Franca Lehfeldt, then a reporter for RTL, in a church ceremony on the north German island of Sylt. 2023: Financial sucker punch A 60 billion euro hole in the budget: The ruling by the German constitutional court utterly stunned minister for the economy Robert Habeck, Chancellor Olaf Scholz and finance minister Christian Lindner, leaving them scrambling for composure — and billions of euros. 31 “With the Growth Opportunities Act, we’re expanding fiscal support for research and development.” Christian Lindner members of your party are already referring to the “traffic-light” coalition as a “Punch and Judy show” or a “red-green lemon press” with your party getting squashed in the middle? Parties exist to represent the purest form of their political ideals in a clear, emphatic fashion. We in the Free Democratic Party take advantage of our freedom to do just that. It is no surprise to us that the SPD and the Greens are on the left of the spectrum. It was clear from the outset that our task would be to keep the governmental strategy on a middle course. If you consider the actions this government has taken so far from an unbiased perspective, then you will see that we have succeeded in this. Inflation Compensation Act (Inflationsaus- gleichsgesetz) comes to my mind in particular here, as this law recognizes the struggles of our society’s working middle class. When all the wrangling over crises and budgets is finished with, what do you actually like spending money on as the federal finance minister? You’re swallowing a tall tale there. I have no problem with using public funds — so long as they’re being effectively invested in the future viability of this country. And I think the best way to do that is to invest in the digital trans- formation, education and research. You described working in the traf- And as a private citizen, what do you fic-light coalition as follows: “We are a govern- ment where things really get hammered out. That means there’s a lot of noise, but some- thing still comes out of it in the end.” Chancel- lor Scholz liked this turn of phrase so much that he started using it himself straight away. Of all the things that have “come out” of this govern- ment, what are you personally most proud of? We have provided hundreds of billions of euros in financial aid for our citizens and our economy. Very few people would have thought our coalition capable of achieving this. The like spending money on — and if a nice meal comes to mind, will that still be the case when sales tax hits 19 percent in January? My private life has been the subject of specula- tion often enough already, with varying degrees of accuracy. I would like to keep things that way. To answer your actual question: The reduction in sales tax for the food service industry was a temporary measure originally introduced during the pandemic. This measure was extended by a year at my instigation. But now we are returning to normality. ) 6 ( a p d i , t d m h c S / S D V A D I , e t a v i r p , a p d / k e h t o t o h p / l n e H r e d n a X i : s o t o h P

4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine for any correlations: How do changes affect the key figures? For example, how is energy consumption impacted if the machines are maintained more frequently or if the facil- ity switches from alternating current to direct current? As the digital control panel is an open-source solution based on real-time data, it can also be used at real com- panies to gain an overview of the current production status and evaluate it accordingly. As one example, the ultra-efficient factory has high- lighted some major savings potential in relation to com- pressed air processes. “In Germany, there are around 62,000 of these systems in operation; the generation of compressed air is responsible for 7 percent of energy consumption in industry. By identifying and avoiding leaks, up to 30 per- cent of this energy can be saved,” says Kröll. If facilities switch from alternating current to direct current, further energy savings of around 10 percent can be made — and not just in relation to compressed air processes. This is achieved through a reduction in conversion losses. Another benefit of direct current is that up to 98 percent of network incidents are avoided. Materials can also be conserved by implementing an additive manufacturing process rather than a machining process, or in other words by using 3D printers. But the variables — which are easily accessible via sensors — are not the only important factor in ultra-ef- ficient factories; the way in which processes are organized also matters. “We use the key figure of overall equipment efficiency, or OEE for short, to convert this into compa- rable figures that are then integrated into the optimization process,” says Koch. As the human factor has a significant impact on the ultra-efficiency of a facility, the working conditions for staff also play a role. The researchers there- fore measure noise levels, the indoor climate and other factors so that potential improvements can be identified. There are also plans to take workers’ stress levels into consideration in the future. This will be monitored using wearables, sensors worn on the body by volunteers. …to a factory for electric vehicle motors… “Every company is unique, so there can be no standard way to achieve ultra-efficiency. Even when looking at the big picture, we need to examine every company individ- ually, define the available ultra-efficiency potential in each case and develop a customized concept,” emphasizes Kröll. This is exactly what the researchers are doing in the UltraELab (ultra-efficient factory innovation labora- tory) project — and they are ensuring the ultra-efficient factory is a step closer to becoming a reality. Fraunhofer IPA, the University of Stuttgart and the Karlsruhe Insti- tute of Technology (KIT) have designed and planned part of the production facility for electric vehicle motors 33 Maximum efficiency in production: The car industry (photo: installation by manufacturer Kia) could also benefit. “Every company is unique, so there can be no standard way to achieve ultra-efficiency.” Dr. Markus Kröll, Fraunhofer IPA ) s u a r K ( e i f a r g o t o F - k c i l k t h c i L , k c o t s r e t t u h S / t i s c i p s t e l : s o t o h P

4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine Knowledge relay sustainability or security ? 35

4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine Knowledge relay Prof. Büttner, what is more important when it comes to food supplies: sustainability or security and quality? 35

4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine negligent, malicious and criminal behav- ior in our highly complex global food network — particularly when the system is under pressure. It is also high time that we all prepare for genuinely possible and conceivable situations, that we work together to consider possible futures and develop the necessary strategies, measures and technologies. We cannot keep satis- fying ourselves with these two answers, which have become all too simple: 1. We need to achieve economic success today. 2. Who would have an interest in fund- ing that? Advocating for imaginative foresight: Prof. Andrea Büttner, director of Fraunhofer IVV lessly assumed — pipe dreams or flights of fancy. This is why a coalition of the willing has come together in Fraunhofer with the aim of tackling these issues together. I think this is exactly why human beings have been gifted with powers of imagination and not just reason. For me, this is the key factor behind our historically high level of resilience and our survival skills, because it is only through imagina- tive foresight that we can keep achieving the new forms of development and adap- tation that we need. On a personal level, I can say that the past ten years have made me more contemplative than ever before. It is time to reflect on a possible rise in My essential reason for joining Fraun- hofer in 2006 was to work with others to answer the following questions — and in principle, they are still the same today: What needs to happen, what skills do we need to bring together, what processes do we need to launch in order to achieve what is such a distant goal for many people: a secure supply of high-quality and safe food. From my point of view, it is a question of strategy as well as culture and conviction. We need to jointly shape our vision, our mission — with the neces sary foresight. This leads me to the knowledge relay question for the next edition of the Fraun- hofer magazine. large does it need to be and could it be a little bigger? In general, a strong economy is seen as a guarantee of security of supply. The question remains as to the role that the government plays: It sets the parameters for free, secure economic activity to safe- guard the supply. Intrinsically, this includes — and must include — sustain- ability. You don’t need a crystal ball to see that it takes a certain amount of work to secure supplies, whereby the essentials, the basic supply, must remain in focus. Secur- ing basic supply must also take account of unforeseen and unexpected events and, if we exaggerate somewhat, even events that are unforeseeable and unthinkable. The essential thought experiments If we are to anticipate different futures in this way, we need to carefully assess vari- ous situations and scenarios and imagine a range of different circumstances. Only then can we derive potential measures and strategies today, including those that need preliminary and development work and cannot be implemented for another 5, 10 or 20 years. We need to plan for these now. In a true strategy process that ends in an uncertain future, these processes are the essential thought experiments; they are realistic and not — as is often thought- It is time to reflect on a possible rise in negligent and criminal behavior in our highly complex global food network — particularly in times of pressure. In the next issue: How can we work together to achieve a neutral mindset when it comes to the best solutions — without dominance by partisan interests — in the face of current and possible crises? 37 r e i e m n e t e D c r a M i : : s o o t t o o h h P P

4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine PFAS have always been essential to obtaining hydrogen for the energy transition. Now, Dr. Taybet Bilkay-Troni from Fraunhofer IAP is working on PFAS-free electrolyzers to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. 39

4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine process, it becomes clear fairly quickly which substances are critical.” She adds that it comes as little surprise, therefore, that the use of PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS and PFNA has been restricted first. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) also focused on these four com- pounds in its most recent report from 2020 and defined a threshold value for the maximum weekly intake that is considered to be not harmful to health. This is 4.4 nanograms per kilogram of body weight. “This is equivalent to only around 0.00003 milligrams per person per day,” explains Bitsch. The substances are most frequently found in drinking water, fish, fruit, eggs and egg products. When it comes to the plan put forward by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) to apply the restrictions to all PFAS in the near future, Bitsch expresses her under- standing: “That is a huge class of substances with many subcategories. It will take decades for them all to undergo thorough toxicology assessments. We can’t wait that long.” She adds that exceptions are still possible, such as if a substance is needed in certain medical applications, if an assessment of the benefits and risks sug- gests continued use is preferable, or if it has been scientifically proven that a sub- stance is harmless. However, the burden of proof rests with the industrial sector, she says. The urgent need for an EU regulation has also been confirmed by the most recent research findings from the Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, which were pub- lished in January 2023. In the SumPFAS study carried out on behalf of the German Environment Agency (UBA), the research- ers conclude that PFAS are much more widespread than previously thought. Dr. Bernd Göckener, head of department for Trace Analysis and Environmental Monitoring at Fraunhofer IME: “Even in smaller rivers, we found large quan- tities — including of lesser known PFAS. The problem is often no longer local but general. PFAS are simply everywhere.” Together with his team, he examined around 200 samples of suspended solids and sediment from 170 rivers and lakes across Germany and compared them with archived samples from the German Envi- ronmental Specimen Bank, which has been documenting chemical pollution in the environment and in human beings since the 1980s. The good news is that pollution of the watercourses with PFAS has reduced; the EU bans are working. The bad news is that when Göckener and his team used a modified analysis that includes precursors, they found that overall PFAS concentra- tions were up to 346 times higher than when conventional investigation methods were used. Once they are released into the environment, precursors oxidize to form conventional PFAS. Göckener: “From an analytical perspective, we will never fully understand these thousands of substances. We assume that the level of pollution is much higher than we are able to measure.” “From an analytical perspective, we will never fully under- stand these thou- sands of substances. We assume that the level of pollution is much higher than we are able to measure.” Dr. Bernd Göckener, Fraunhofer IME Göckener and his team found partic- ularly high levels of PFAS downstream of large wastewater treatment plants and industrial facilities that produce or process PFAS. The forever chemicals enter rivers primarily through wastewater and even- tually end up in the North Sea or Baltic Sea. “The oceans are the great reservoir for all PFAS around the world. This is where they will continue to accumulate,” Göck- ener believes. # Replacement That’s unless alternatives to PFAS are suc- cessfully developed so that the continuous influx can at least be reduced. Dr. Jakob Barz at the Fraunhofer Institute for Inter- facial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB is working on this very task. He is using plasma technology to functionalize dif- ferent material surfaces in order to make them chemically stable or resistant to dirt, water and ice. Barz: “Strictly speaking, PFAS coatings are not needed in many applications. The only thing we haven’t got right yet is a really effective oil-repellent function.” He adds different chemical substances to the plasma depending on the charac- teristic profile required. “The molecules are broken up. The individual fragments react on the surface of the material, where they form a polymer layer. The type of polymer created always depends on the substances I add to my plasma, and on the process conditions.” One advantage of the plasma coating is that it can be applied in a very thin layer, like a film on the surface. Textures and pores are retained without being blocked, making this method ideal for coating solder stencils for computer circuit boards or membranes for use in wastewater filtration. These are both applications in which PFAS are used today. For water-repellent coatings on outdoor fabrics, the researchers at Fraunhofer IGB use a biobased, sustainable substitute: chitosan. This forms a robust shell around the fibers, thereby improving the wear resistance. It can be obtained from various sources, including crustaceans. The EU sees around 250,000 tons of crustacean shell waste every year, over 6 million tons accumulate annually worldwide — a nat- ural resource in abundance. Insect cuticles and exoskeletons, a common residue from animal foodstuff production, contain 41

4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine Dr. Bernd Göckener from Fraunhofer IME is searching for PFAS in German watercourses. 43

Dr. Achim Weber (left) and Dr. Thomas Hahn want to use chitosan from crab shells to waterproof outdoor fabrics and replace PFAS coatings. 4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine Another advantage is that there is no need to use costly electrodes made from rare- earth metals, such as those required in proton-exchange membrane electrolysis, which is commonly used today. In the future, the membrane could also be used in fuel cells. “But before we get there, a few more development steps are needed,” adds Bilkay- Troni. “We are just at the beginning of our research. Next, we want to work with our partner ZBT GmbH to test the membrane in a real-life environment over a longer period so that we can continue to improve the stability and conductivity.” She believes the membrane could be ready for market in three to five years. “The demand is huge. But companies always prefer to have a finished product. We can’t offer them that. The only way we can develop good solutions that meet their needs is to work together with the industrial sector.” # Removal As long as we are unable to replace PFAS completely, it is all the more important to capture them as effectively as possible and prevent them from spreading in the environment. To this end, Dr. Stefano Bru- zzano from the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Tech- nology UMSICHT worked with Cornelsen Umwelttechnologie GmbH several years ago to develop a cleaning technology that has since undergone continuous modifica- tion. It is particularly efficient where there are high emission levels that are locally limited, such as when special foams are used to extinguish fires, or at landfills in which consumer goods containing PFAS slowly “bleed” and release the chemicals into the groundwater. The PerfluorAd® cleaning system can be used on site in a mobile container to clean the polluted water. For this purpose, the water is pumped into the system ves- sel where PerfluorAd® is added; this is a biodegradable liquid agent to which the PFAS bind, causing them to settle at the bottom. The remaining water is chan- 45

neled through activated carbon filters, in which the few PFAS that were not captured in the first cleaning step are retained. The severely contaminated sediment is later disposed of appropriately in an incinerator at temperat u res wel l i n excess of 1,000 degrees Celsius. Bruzzano: “The strength of our process lies in the fact that it combines different methods.” The acti- vated carbon filters, which are already used in many water treatment plants, were not enough to provide a cleaning process that was both powerful and environmentally sound. At higher contaminations of more than 10 micrograms of PFAS per liter, they quickly became clogged. “It is important to analyze the polluted water in advance so that our process can be adapted to the PFAS and associated substances in the water, as well as the level of contamina- tion,” emphasizes Bruzzano. This deter- mines how much PerfluorAd® needs to be added, and whether any other process additives are needed, such as flocculants to separate the PFAS. Dr. Georg Umlauf from Fraunhofer IGB is going one step further. Instead of simply removing PFAS from the water, he wants to destroy their structures to render them harmless by using plasma technology, just like his colleague Dr. Jakob Barz. As Umlauf explains: “We ignite air plasma between two electrodes and the polluted water flows in between them and down a column. Since the plasma is a very ener- gy-rich medium, we can break apart the PFAS molecule chains so that we can keep shortening the carbon chains. However, this requires the water to be pumped around a circuit multiple times because one-off, brief contact with the plasma is not enough. The end goal is to mineralize the PFAS, which is when they have more or less dissolved. Then there is no need to use an energy-intensive combustion process.” In the laboratory reactor, Umlauf successfully tested the plasma cleaning method with real samples from wastewa- ter contaminated with PFAS. In the future, he would like to adapt the process to 4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine Fish can breathe a sigh of relief: Dr. Georg Umlauf from Fraunhofer IGB is removing PFAS from waste water. handle larger volumes. An improved ana- lytical method should enable more accurate monitoring of the process and help to adjust the number of pump circuits required in individual cases. “However, there are still a few more challenges to overcome until we have a finished system that can clean tens of thousands of cubic meters of water per year. We are looking for partners from the recycling and industrial sectors to take part in the subsequent research.” This would spell the end for forever chemicals. But time is running out. The European Commission wants to reach a decision on the PFAS ban by 2025. There will have to be transitional periods and exceptions. The substances are too important to achieving a rapid energy and mobility transition, as well as to state-of-the-art medical devices and the semiconductor industry. This is why alliance spokesperson Löbbecke underlines the urgency of the Fraunhofer research: “We can limit PFAS emissions. But we cannot completely dispense with PFAS yet.” — Fraunhofer Chemistry Alliance chemie@fraunhofer.de www.chemie.fraunhofer.de For interested parties from business More on Fraunhofer Match on page 79 47

4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine the beginning. I’m advocating for greater determination so that more European initiatives and start-ups can be launched.” The OpenGPT-X team is training its AI model in 24 European languages, with German, Spanish and English making up the largest share with around 20 percent each. For the latest American models, only a small percentage of the training data is available in German, so the responses in English are much better. Language has a huge impact on the AI model, as language represents culture, with all its unique characteristics, norms and values. But this is not the only reason why a large European language model is needed. Many compa- nies have significant reservations about sharing their data with American tech giants in order to keep using their AI ser- vices. Amazon, Microsoft, Google and others also offer models and standard solutions that are suitable for the general public but fall short when it comes to meeting the individual requirements of small and medium-sized enterprises in Europe. Flores-Herr: “Our model is com- pletely open. This means that any company that wants to use it can do so. As it is open, it can be adapted to specific requirements with speed and flexibility. That could make OpenGPT-X extremely successful.” High-performance computing centers are a rarity That’s assuming things move quickly and the conditions for developing large models in Europe are established soon. Until now, it is a competitive AI computing infra- structure that has mostly been lacking. The OpenGPT-X team is using resources such as those at the Jülich Supercomput- ing Centre (JSC) and the Center for Infor- mation Services and High Performance Computing (ZIH) at TU Dresden — a real privilege. High-performance computing centers are a rarity in Germany, with capacity in great demand. This will soon change, according to the authors of the LEAM feasibility study. They have investigated the conditions that must be met in Germany in order to remain competitive when it comes to the devel- opment of large AI models. The study was conducted by the German AI Association with the support of Fraunhofer IAIS, as well as other research institutions, trade associations and companies. It was funded by the German Federal Ministry for Eco- nomic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). A key requirement of the LEAM initiative is to tap into the knowledge of experts to establish an AI supercomputing center in increased, many German companies have so far been cautious. According to a recent survey by the IT industry association Bitkom, three out of five companies have not used the technology yet or cannot imagine using it. Flores-Herr thinks this is a risk: “If you are not already finding out about the potential applications in your own business, you may be steamrolled by developments in 18 months, rather than in 3 or 5 years.” “We can no longer afford to drag our feet in Germany.” Dr. Nicolas Flores-Herr, Fraunhofer IAIS Germany and operate it on a long-term basis. The idea is for AI models to be con- tinuously developed at this center and made available as open source solutions. It is estimated to cost around 350 to 400 million euros — a sound investment, thinks Jörg Bienert, president of the German AI Association. He says: “Only those who master the technology will be able to use their own judgment to determine how it is used.” Although there are many potential applications for AI language models, and costs can be reduced while productivity and efficiency can be significantly Talking to the data According to Flores-Herr, it makes sense to introduce generative AI in fields such as knowledge management. “Wherever there are large, unstructured quantities of data, generative AI is unbeatable because it can almost talk to the data, so it can extract relevant data in a quick and focused way,” he explains. Instead of using a search engine and keywords as a laborious way to determine the reason for a machine fault, for example, employees will simply be able to use natural language to request advice from the AI in the future — in return, they will receive an explanation of how to rectify the fault based on all the available information about that precise machine. Flores-Herr thinks generative AI will become a kind of extra colleague who can learn new things very quickly. But this is not simply a matter of loading a large AI model onto the company server, he warns. The challenge will be to adapt it to the company’s specific requirements and use it to develop some potentially complex applications, as he believes this is the only way to get the most out of what AI offers. The OpenGPT-X consortium aims to launch its first, small-scale AI language model by the end of this year. It contains around seven billion parameters — these are adjustable values in a model that con- trol the behavior of the model and are optimized through training. Much larger models are set to follow next year. Flores- Herr: “It is worthwhile investing in AI ‘Made in Germany.’ Waiting is the opposite of creating. We need to act now.” 49 S I A I r e f o h n u a r F , s e g a m i s u i t i r u a m / s o t o h P k c o t S y m a A / n m z u K y e r d n A l i : s o t o h P

4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine A single rotor blade can measure up to 75 meters in length. can be operated for longer.” This reduces resource con- sumption and waste. Once they are manufactured and erected, wind turbines are virtually climate-neutral. the deformation more accurately,” says Czichon. “This is important when it comes to making precise estimates of the service life.” Keeping wind turbines alive with AI Two projects are investigating how to extend the service life of wind turbines. In the KIWI project, a consortium of researchers from Saarland University, the University of Bremen, Fraunhofer IWES in Bremerhaven and exter- nal partners from industry want to use an AI-supported simulation to find out how the complete turbine (tower, nacelle, drivetrain and rotor) can last for longer. In the Bladaption project, researchers from Fraunhofer IWES are focusing solely on the rotor blades. “Specifically, it’s about measuring rotor blades so that we can determine Computer simulations of fatigue loads require a great deal of time and computing power but remain inaccurate. Fraunhofer IWES has therefore worked with its partners to improve the simulation methods. Artificial intelligence is now helping to make the calculations faster and more precise. A study by the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT predicts that another 72,000 rotor blades will need to be disposed of in the next three years in addition to 15,000 in 2024. “There is a scrapyard near Flensburg where thousands of rotor blades are waiting to be recycled so they can have a second life,” says Peter Meinlschmidt from the Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research, Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institut, WKI. “While e c n a i l l a e r u t c i p / A P E / i k s l w o a h c i M z r o g e z r G : o t o h P 51

4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine Concrete with a heart of flax Delicate flax fibers could be used in the future to reinforce concrete structures while also improving the building material’s carbon footprint. By Dr. Katja Engel W hen a field of flax is bloom- ing in the Normandy sum- mer, a sea of delicate, light blue blossoms and dainty stems sways in the wind. People used it for thousands of years to make clothes until it was displaced in the textile market by cotton — even though flax fibers are considerably more resistant to tearing. Now this ancient crop could be set to make a comeback, though not in shirts or tote bags but as a textile structure inside concrete. With funding from the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU), researchers Jana Winkelmann and Chris- tina Haxter from the Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research, Wilhelm-Klauditz-In- stitut, WKI have worked with Biberach University of Applied Sciences and indus- try partner FABR INO to investigate whether flax fibers are a sustainable alternative that can be used in high-per- formance concrete. “We wanted to show that natural fibers may contain materials that are suitable for reinforcing concrete,” explains project manager Winkelmann. From massive bridges to meter-thick walls and rough-textured buildings, mix- tures of sand and cement need to be rein- forced inside to ensure that concrete structures are strong enough. Until now, steel has mostly been used for this purpose, but it needs extensive protection against corrosion to ensure that the building does not rust inside. A textile made from carbon fiber or fiberglass represents a durable alternative, but its synthetic manufactur- ing process is extremely energy-intensive and is based on fossil raw materials. This exacerbates the carbon footprint of con- crete, which is already depressingly large: Global production of concrete is respon- sible for around eight percent of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions. One of the main reasons why Jana Winkelmann is conducting research into flax as a potential natural fiber for use in textile-reinforced concrete parts is a desire to improve the carbon footprint in the construction industry. A textile made from high-strength flax could make it possible to build structures with a reduced concrete thickness, thereby saving considerable quantities of this climate-damaging build- ing material. “Concrete with a natural fiber textile is a good alternative to steel-reinforced concrete.” Jana Winkelmann, Fraunhofer WKI The researchers first used digital tools to plan how a textile structure that is optimized for this purpose would need to look. When choosing an appropriate fabric, it is important to consider the way in which the yarns are crossed so that the fabric subsequently allows the least movement possible. Once the researchers had defined the structure on the computer, they could weave the fabric from flax yarn on the institute’s own loom. To improve tensile strength, durability and bonding, the flax yarns were also coated — though not with the commonly used petroleum-based epoxy resin, but with a partially biobased impregnation. Flax is both attractive and useful. Opportunities for new architectures Multiple layers of the semifinished textile were then embedded in the concrete. The project partners at Biberach University of Applied Sciences tested how stable the sample unprocessed workpieces were when under load. Winkelmann: “The results were clear: Concrete with a nat- ural fiber textile is a good alternative to steel-reinforced concrete or to concrete with synthetic fiberglass or carbon fiber.” As part of the project, a number of models have been produced for larger concrete parts reinforced with natural fibers, such as a facade panel and an industrial floor with reinforcing flax fabric. Plant fibers don’t just improve the carbon footprint — they also allow more lightweight structures to be built while optimizing the future recycling process and opening up new architectural opportuni- ties for sleek and freely designed structures. Jana Winkelmann now hopes that tex- tile-reinforced concrete parts based on natural fibers will eventually be successful in the market — particularly in view of their considerably improved carbon footprint. The researchers at Fraunhofer WKI have proven that this innovative building mate- rial is fundamentally fit for purpose. In any case, by harnessing the potential of these plants with light-blue blossoms, it might be possible to cultivate a new generation of structural materials. 53 o t o h p k c o t s i / s e g a m k v : i o t o h P

T hese days, thieves don’t have to pick a door lock or break a window. All they need to do is hack a digital thermostat and take control of other devices in a home network via a router. If the heating in your home is turned up remotely, you will soon be ready to pay the ransom so that you can take charge of your own house again. Increasing your household IQ with a smart home has been one of the high-tech trends of recent years. In 2018, just 26 percent of Germans used smart home applications in their own four walls, but by 2022 this had risen to 43 percent (Bitkom Research 2022). From video surveillance to light- ing, robot vacuum cleaners, fitness trackers and smart TVs, the number of internet-enabled devices in the home is growing. Some 74 percent of users want to use the devices to make their everyday lives safer and more convenient. But by the same token, the internet of things (IoT) can become a security risk. “Every IoT device you add to your household increases the potential points of attack,” says Niko- lai Puch, scientist and cyber security researcher at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied and Inte- grated Security AISEC in Garching. Since smart devices generally access the world wide web via a home router, criminals can use any device as a gateway to the internal network. In the case of devices that are connected to a network (particularly the internet), it is almost impossible to avoid being scanned. If these devices have any security vulnerabilities, another party could take control of them using malware. Once a large number of devices have been captured in this way, they can be connected to form a network known as a botnet. “You can imagine scanning to be like a street, and the IP addresses of all the internet-enabled products are the house numbers. These automatic bots will knock on any door in the hope that it is open,” explains Sebastian Peters, another cyber security researcher at Fraunhofer AISEC. If the network of infiltrated devices is large enough, criminals may then be able to paralyze specific websites and servers by flooding them with requests. For this reason, IoT devices should only be con- nected to the internet when this is essential to their function. If this is the case, the maximum restriction should be placed on their communica- tions (think of parental controls) and they should only connect to the internet via the router rather than automatically, as the central firewall pro- vides better protection against external attacks. However, a possible security vulnerability may arise due to the optional UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) router setting, which not only enables any device from any manufacturer to communicate in the home network, but also permits requests from the internet to be sent to a home computer. The German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) recommends disabling this function so that no IoT device can send uncontrolled communica- tions to the outside world. It is also possible that criminals may drive down a real street and check every Wi-Fi network for vulnerabilities: Is it only protected by a weak password or the out-of-date WEP standard? Or is it not protected at all? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, there is a serious risk that crim- inals could take control of devices via malware and scan sensitive data such as online banking logins to use for their own purposes. Or they may cause actual damage by breaking into a house because the infiltrated cameras show that nobody is home. And what about criminals tampering with virtual assistant technology so that they can buy goods online or even open a smart door lock? “A password is like the lock on your front door,” emphasizes Nikolai Puch. He says this is why you need to change the preset password for routers or internet-enabled devices immediately after installing them, but you should never use a phone number, date of birth or other readily available data. Puch adds that it is advisable to use combinations of eight digits or more containing uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and special characters; words from the dictionary should be avoided. Where possible, the password can be backed up with two-factor authentication, giving the virtual front door an additional lock. Puch also recommends segmenting the Wi-Fi network in the smart home, perhaps by creating a separate guest network for visitors, a network for IoT devices and a third network for your lap- top, smartphone and other devices that contain particularly sensitive data. After all, in a real house you would only invite guests into the living room and would never give them immediate access to your desk drawers. M E I r e f o h n u a r F , a p d / h s o t o h P / y h p a r g o t o h P n o i t c u r t s n o C / e d i l s a n n e V i : s o t o h P 4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine “We want to use AI so that more attempted attacks can be detected at an earlier stage.” Dr. Matthias Meyer, Fraunhofer IEM 55

4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine Mechatronic Systems Design IEM, for Applied and Integrated Security AISEC, for Open Communi- cation Systems FOKUS and for Communication, Information Processing and Ergonomics FKIE. The objective is for this tool to combine different testing methods so that it can identify vulnera- bilities right from the software development stage with greater precision than current tests. And it must still be so easy to use that even companies with no proven security experts can make an initial assessment of the security of their product, whether it is their own software or open-source software packages from other developers. But to empower companies to build up their expertise in the long term and drive appropriate developments themselves, Fraunhofer IEM offers security champion training in its role as partner in the Cybersecurity Training Lab at the Fraun- hofer Academy. “We want to pass on the expertise required for secure software development, but we also want to help develop the appropriate soft skills so that the security champions can act as multi- pliers and take charge of security matters in the company — including when dealing with man- agers,” emphasizes Meyer. “In addition, we offer software security training that is specially designed for managers. In view of the upcoming EU regu- lations, a lack of security is not a trivial matter anymore. In fact, companies could be hit hard by being forced to pay hefty fines or even take a prod- uct off the market. That’s why it is now definitely a task for the management level.” Everything is under control: According to a Bitkom survey (2022), 85 percent of users control their IoT devices via a cellphone app. 57 s e g a m i s u i t i r u a m / 1 6 d n e t s e W / o d u t s t n o p G i i : o t o h P

observed include speech flow, voice qual- ity and prosody — the patterns of expres- sion used when speaking. This includes the volume of the voice, the tempo and the speech melody. In the Theresiah project, the research- ers have worked with partners to develop a digital therapy system that uses pro- nunciation and auditory training to help the hearing-impaired. Sufferers often lack audio feedback, meaning they cannot judge their own voice and way of speak- ing. This is where the integrated language analysis technology from Fraunhofer IDMT can help: It detects patterns of pronunciation and gives patients feed- back, enabling efficient and individual training. The OSST project (Oldenburg Speech and Voice Test) runs until the end of 2023 and takes this topic further: Together with research partners, the Fraunhofer research- ers are developing a screening process that analyzes voice and speech disorders with the aim of supporting speech and language training. “What sounds can a patient with hearing loss no longer articulate correctly? “Our primary objective is to support people’s communication skills.” Laura Tuschen, Fraunhofer IDMT Laura Tuschen is supporting patients with a digital training system. 4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine Are sibilant sounds affected? Does the voice sound monotone, or in other words, is intonation impaired? In this project, we want to develop a prototype that gives us answers to these questions,” explains Tuschen. Stroke patients, who often have impaired communication skills, can also have high hopes for the technology: In the HiSSS project (hybrid and interactive speech and language therapy after stroke), researchers are developing a therapy sys- tem designed to give these patients some of their communication skills back. It is intended to protect people from possible social isolation and improve their quality of life. Digital training to supplement conventional therapy Patients use an app to practice forming specific words and sentences, as well as train their ability to recall words and pro- nounce certain sounds. They then receive personalized feedback from the app. “Because of the digital transformation and the shortage of skilled workers, new technologies are needed that can be used in therapeutic processes,” believes Tuschen. She thinks digital training for use at home is an important step in this direction, as it is a flexible way to supplement conven- tional therapy in a clinical setting: “People who have had a stroke have been shown to need intensive speech therapy, but the provision of speech and language training is often inadequate. We want to close these gaps.” As well as improving provision, in the long term this technology for automatic and assistive speech and language analy- sis could even help in the early detection of conditions such as dementia: At an early stage, sufferers often have difficulty find- ing and using the right words. Aspects of communication skills, such as decreasing involvement and interaction in conversa- tions, may also be impaired and could be indicators of the condition. The technology may be able to identify these signs in the future too. 59 o t o h p k c o t s i / i Z a t e v S , r e k c e d ö B a k n A / T M D i I r e f o h n u a r F : s o t o h P

4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine Salt tolerance values for different organ- isms, as well climate predictions in the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. 20 percent of the world’s plank- ton could disappear by 2100 “Plankton produce almost half of the world’s oxygen. They also remove about as much carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as all According to the calculations, organisms such as plankton, coral reefs and algae are particularly affected — these are key organisms that not only ensure the sur- vival of many other creatures, but also are crucial in the fight against climate change. “Plankton produce almost half of the world’s oxygen,” ex- plains Röthig. He adds that they also remove about as much carbon dioxide from the atmo- s phere a s a l l t he world’s forests put together. “Our study reveals that a change in salinity alone will t h r e a t e n a r o u n d 20 percent of t he world’s plankton com- munities by the end of the century — and that’s quite apart from rising temperatures, which are of a similar significance.” He admits that this is not a reliable predic- tion as it is based on data projected into the future. Neverthe- less, Röthig is convinced that there is an urgent need for climate researchers to include salinity as a central parameter in future studies: “We can only protect our- selves if we can make accurate predictions of what will happen.” W e know the consequences if it ever becomes weaker. The North Sea could freeze over for months at a time. Germany’s green meadows could be transformed into barren landscapes. Sea creatures like turtles and eels might not be able to travel north anymore. The Gulf Stream is predicted to slow down as a result of climate change, and this is primarily due to the salinity of the sea. Higher temperatures in the polar regions cause more and more ice to melt; the salt- water is diluted by this additional fresh water. It is no longer cold and salty, so it is not heavy enough to sink. It loses the power it had to drive the currents. “The salinity of the ocean is a crucial factor in climate research,” emphasizes Dr. Till Röthig, deputy head of the Biodiversity Research department at t he Frau n hofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME. the world’s forests put together.” Dr. Till Röthig, Fraunhofer IME According to Rö- thig, salinity has not received enough atten- tion in climate re- search, given these possible impacts. He now wants to change that by working with research partners. As part of a study, Röthig and his team are investigating the possible consequences. In particular, the researchers are concen- trating on the consequences of human interventions in nature. These exacerbate the fluctuations — particularly anthro- pogenic global warming. Röthig and his team aim to use com- puter simulations to answer the following key question: How will different ecosys- tems cope with a change in the level of salt in the ocean by the end of the century? The model is based on two types of data: — Scan here to see the study: 61 On the move: Sea creatures like turtles use the Gulf Stream as a way to travel. o t o h p k c o t s i / 1 6 d a V l : o t o h P

4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine “We hope to develop an animal- friendly alternative to the Draize test that delivers reliable results.” the damage can be reversed — a crucial feature of classi- fication that has not been achieved so far using previous animal-free testing,” says the scientist happily. An addi- tional bonus is that by testing human cells, more reliable results can be achieved since an animal’s eyes are differ- ent to a human’s at a cellular level. This makes the risk assessment in the new test much more robust. The project, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Edu- cation and Research (BMBF), is coming to the end of the initial funding period. Lotz and his team are currently conducting a study involving several laboratories: For the method to become part of the OECD guideline in around two to five years, it must be proven to work in laboratories worldwide. In the follow-up project, the research- ers pass their technology on to the Expert Council at the OECD, which will then decide whether the pro- cess will indeed be adopted as a guideline or whether improvements still need to be made. Lotz is hoping to enjoy success across Europe: “I think it would be amazing if we make the leap and actually apply technology that we once worked on in the laboratory in the form of an OECD guideline.” Dr. Christian Lotz, Fraunhofer ISC The cells in the tissue that Lotz and his colleagues are growing in a test tube — and that replicates the cornea — are surrounded by a membrane. Due to its chemical composition, this functions in the same way as an elec- trical insulator. Whenever the cells form one or more closed layers, a measurable electrical resistance is created. In order to evaluate the irrita- tion potential and classify chemi- cal substances accordingly, the project team adds the critical chemical in the test. An impedance spectrometer then measures the electrical resistance in the model: “If the test substance is hazardous to the cornea, cells die and holes appear in the cell membrane. The resistance drops as a result and the electricity is able to flow freely once more,” says Lotz, explaining the principle. If resistance is low, this means the substance has severely damaged the tissue. But if the value is high, the tissue has not been harmed. This therefore turns the resistance into an indicator of how hazardous the substance can be for the human eye, without destroying the cornea in vitro. “It comes with the great advantage that we can examine the tissue again after a few days. This allows us to demonstrate whether , ) 2 ( s e g a m i s u i t i r u a m / y r a r b i L o t o h P e c n e i c S : s o t o h P C S I r e f o h n u a r F / m a s l e S n i r t a K Keeping an eye on your health: A new testing method could protect the eye against dangerous irritation. 63

4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine W hen it comes to explosions, re- searchers from the Fraunhofer In- stitute for High-Speed Dynamics, Ernst-Mach-Institut, EMI know what they’re doing. For many years, they have been studying what happens within just a few milliseconds: from the ignition that sets off the chemical reaction in the explosive and the spread of the reaction that releases large amounts of en- ergy, right the way up to the sudden expansion of the hot reaction products that lead to shock waves in the air. It all happens so fast that the human eye is unable to take it in. At Fraunhofer EMI, hydrocodes such as the APOLLO blast simulator for gas-dynamic process- es and SOPHIA for the behavior of solids are being developed to simulate explosions. They are used to conduct research into and analyze the high- speed processes taking place inside the explosive and during the spread and impact of the blast waves. In the case of mines, the APOLLO blast simulator enables, for example, the risk of harm from a detonation to be estimated for a specific area and the harm to be quantified. Danger of civilian deaths The war in Ukraine reveals just how great the threat posed by mines can be. Back in the spring, President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke of the fact that around a third of the country’s land is mined. According to press reports, the Russian Armed Forces have mined a stretch of land 1,000 kilo- meters long and 16 kilometers deep in order to halt the Ukrainian counteroffensive. They have deployed at least seven types of anti-personnel mine. Civilians in Ukraine are also affected. Ac- cording to information in the land mine report, 277 civilians were killed in the first nine months of 2022 alone. Fraunhofer’s experts use their knowledge not only to conduct research into and simulate explo- sions, but also to disarm mines. Dr. Martin Lück, group manager for laser technology in the Impact Physics department, and his team focus on laser technology and have further developed the SO- PHIA hydrocode for this purpose. A continu- ous-wave laser is directed at the mine or another explosive object such as an IED (improvised ex- plosive device). Dr. Lück describes what happens next: “The heat penetrates through the shell 65 a p d / A C A B A / m r o f n i r k U / o r t y m D o k n e y i l o m S : o t o h P

with a wide range of different frequencies and strengths. The radio specialists from Wachtberg use the sweep technique here, for example. This involves the emitted jamming signal being guid- ed over a predefined frequency range in zigzag lines. The change in frequency takes place within microseconds. Mine clearance teams constantly find themselves in situations where multiple en- emy systems are present or suspected. That is why the Fraunhofer FKIE researchers are working on algorithms that automatically analyze the local signal situation to enable the jamming power to concentrate on the relevant frequencies. The al- gorithms determine in next to no time whether frequencies need to be changed and how long they need to be retained. “New technologies from the civilian world such as 5G and 6G mobile communications are increasingly also being used for RCIEDs, mines or to control drones,” explains Gläsel. “In this race, we are constantly furthering our research to enable the German Armed Forces to improve During the NEMO 2022 NATO exercise, a bomb disposal engineer demonstrates their work on an RCIED. 4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine the jamming ability of their systems and better protect their soldiers.” International cooperation is a crucial factor in this work. The FKIE team works together with ex- perts from a large number of NATO countries. In addition to regular meetings as part of a team of experts, the Fraunhofer FKIE researchers meet with partners to test out the jamming systems in annu- al laboratory measurements and biennial open ar- ea measurements and to trial new technologies. Yet the risk remains — including for deminers. Physicist Armin Keßler, project group manager for technical safety in the Energy Systems depart- ment at the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT, emphasizes the following, how- ever: “Professional mine clearance is not a thrill- ing adventure, but rather the result of a complex process chain.” Fraunhofer ICT works on planning that process chain. “We classify explosives, ensure they are handled safely and formulate safety con- cepts for every step,” says Keßler. In short, research is attempting to make the risk calculable. l l e s ä G s i n n e D / E I K F r e f o h n u a r F : s o t o h P 67

C hristmas time is a time for chocolate. Whether in the shape of Santa Claus, an angel or a golden bell, around half of all Germans prefer milk chocolate. Yet more and more people are looking to move away from cow’s milk either completely or to some extent — for animal welfare reasons, due to food intolerances or because they are following a vegan diet. According to the results of a Statista survey from 2021, one third of people search for treats that do not contain cow’s milk. To ensure that they can find these with choc- olate, Dr. Isabell Rothkopf at the Fraunhofer Insti- tute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV is conducting research into the perfect vegan sub- stitute. It needs to melt in the mouth, have a del- icate sweetness and full-flavored aroma. “Prod- ucts that are currently available on the market don’t achieve this for me,” explains chocolate expert Rothkopf. Often, the smoothness is miss- ing, something rough remains on the tongue and the plant flavor dominates, she adds. So what’s going wrong? Manufacturers replace cow’s milk with common alternatives such as oat, almond or soy milk. “But that doesn’t work,” finds Roth- kopf, “as cow’s milk in chocolate is more than a filler, it affects the product in many ways.” When the cow’s milk is processed, the aroma changes and the chocolate tastes more like fresh milk or caramel, for example. “I don’t get that with plant- based products because the milk sugar is miss- ing,” says Rothkopf. She also adds that the milk has an effect on the flow properties, how the prod- uct looks and its shelf life. “So, first of all, we are analyzing precisely what it is that cow’s milk does in chocolate. What effects do milk sugar, fat and protein have?” Hazelnut oil instead of milk fat e n i l n O 1 F / y s k c o t S / n e h C l l i J : o t o h P First, Rothkopf and her team started with the milk fat and discovered that it can be replaced to great effect by regional plant-based oils. “When you use hazelnut oil, you also get the nutty character of the chocolate right,” she explains. The milk sugar, lactose, is more problematic. Granulated sugar is too sweet, so the Fraunhofer IVV team is experimenting with grape and fruit sugars as well as with a new sugar, tagatose, and an innovative sweetener, allulose. The milk protein is also not so easy to replace with plant-based proteins. It seems to have a lightly emulsifying effect, meaning that the cocoa butter and sugar bond more effectively. Rothkopf is cur- rently investigating different plant-based alter- natives that she wants to test in her chocolate. To do this, she can draw on an extensive in-house database at the institute. To get as close as possible to the characteristic flavor of milk chocolate, not only does the Fraun- hofer IVV team vary the ingredients, it also con- stantly adapts how they are processed. Rothkopf: “Plant-based products often have fibers, for exam- ple. I have to break these down differently so that I don’t end up with any unpleasant particles on my tongue.” During conching, a special kneading and mixing process that is crucial to the flow prop- erties of chocolate and enhances the aroma, the scientists experiment with different temperatures and adjust the kneading time and power. “It is important that the aroma is distributed evenly in the mass. Unwanted substances such as acetic acids, which are present in large quantities in raw cocoa, should evaporate, but the sought-after aro- mas should be retained.” Appealing appearance, longer shelf life Another shortcoming in conventional vegan choc- olate is its appearance. It often lacks a flawless, shiny surface, with the bar quickly developing a gray finish, known as fat bloom. Rothkopf: “This is something you also see on normal milk chocolate. If it hasn’t been stored properly or is older, the fat travels up and crystallizes. According to the latest studies, the classic milk protein casein is likely to have an effect that delays the occurrence of fat bloom. The product can therefore be kept for longer.” Even if the chocolate has fat bloom, it is still fine to eat but it will have a little less flavor. The plant-based oils that the Fraunhofer IVV team is using in the chocolate are also advantageous in this respect as they inhibit the formation of fat bloom. “It is crucial that the oils are worked well into the mixture relatively early on. The fat is then less mobile.” As appearance plays an important role when enjoying a treat in particular, what is the Christmas message from chocolate expert Rothkopf: “It needs to look appetizing. After all, you want to treat yourself.” 4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine Chocolate keeps for longest when it is stored in a cool and dark place at around 18 degrees Celsius. Then the chances are good that you’ll still be able to enjoy it next Christmas. 69

4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine LiDAR systems used in autonomous cars. It is import- ant that surfaces remain highly transparent, even if fogging occurs, so that functionality is maintained.” To counteract loss of reflection, ghost images and residual images in optical systems, anti-reflective coatings are needed. Reflections occur even on one individual lens without an anti-reflective coating — and these mount up on systems with multiple lenses: Depending on the refractive index of the substrate material, reflection loss of around four percent may occur for each interface. To pre- vent this, nanostructures are generated on optical surfaces using AR-plas® technology. The principle of AR-plas® technology draws on nature: The eyes of nocturnal moths contain anti-reflective structures, known as moth-eye structures. “Moths have black eyes that reveal a microstructure and a nanostruc- ture under the microscope. We are recreating these nanostruc- tures in the lab,” explains Dr. Astrid Bingel, group manager at Fraunhofer IOF. The surface is manipulated in such a way that disruptive reflections are signifi- cantly reduced. “Moths have black eyes that reveal a microstructure and a nanostructure under the microscope.” Anne Gärtner and her team developed a novel coating system using AR-plas2 technology, a devel- opment of the original AR-plas® method. This allows multiple nanostructures to be generated on top of each other. In this specific case, a polymer coating was combined with nanostructures. “We used a special coating that prevents fogging on an optical surface by acting as a water reservoir,” explains Gärtner. This antifog coating acts like a water reservoir and swells as soon as the surface gets wet. As a result, the optical surfaces in the LiDAR system do not fog up. Dr. Astrid Bingel, Fraunhofer IOF “Using AR-plas2 technol- ogy, we then etched a nano- structure into the coating and applied a second nanostructure on top,” says Dr. Astrid Bingel. The special process allows the poly mer to become more hydrophilic: Instead of drop- lets, a uniform film forms on the surface and does not affect the vision. “However, differ- ences in the refractive indices of the polymer film and the s u r rou nd i ng a i r lead to unwanted ref lections and ghost light in the optical sys- tem,” adds Gärtner. Here, the double nanostructure allows reflections to be min- imized over a wide spectral range. Despite this, the function of the antifog coating underneath is not affected. Leica Geosystems AG from Heerbrugg in Switzer- land came to Fraunhofer IOF to work together on an AR coating system for LiDAR systems. The company develops airborne LiDAR measurement systems for mapping and surveying applications. The abbreviation LiDAR stands for “light detection and ranging” and refers to laser systems used to carry out optical distance and speed measurements. AR-plas2 technology: Reduce reflections, prevent fogging The measurement systems are deployed, for exam- ple, on survey aircraft that capture images from altitudes of several thousand meters. In doing so, the aircraft sometimes cross different layers of air, which can result in extreme temperature differences between the LiDAR system and the environment. Subsequently, the optical surfaces fog up, affecting functionality. A solution was therefore sought that would not only reduce reflections for a special wave- length and incidence angle range, but that would also prevent the optical surfaces from fogging. F O I r e f o h n u a r F , l h s a p s n U / n d e H i l r a K : s o t o h P The AR-plas2 technology provides the researchers with maximum flexibility: “We can either stack mul- tiple nanostructures on top of each other or combine one nanostructure with a classic coating system. We therefore have a broad modular concept for develop- ing optical designs,” says Gärtner. The technology can be used on almost all types of material — from poly- mers and glass to fluoride crystals — as well as in many areas. Combined nanostructures are already being used in particular in the automotive industry for autonomous driving systems and in the consumer goods sector for smartphone cameras, for instance. Research is also currently being carried out into a quantum computing application. However, the technology does have one limitation in particular: Nanostructures are sensitive to touch. The coating system is therefore primarily suited to internal surfaces. So glasses wearers will have to continue to reach for their cleaning cloths. 71

4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine SOUTH AFRICA Environmentally friendly power for South Africa way of producing electricity in South Africa and to increase the level of acceptance in the population through publicly accessible demonstrators. An initial industrial application is in operation at a manufacturer of vehi- cle-based rooftop tents in Cape Town. Until now, petroleum-based plastic film has ensured that individual parts do not slip when they are transported on pallets. Scientists from the Fraunhofer Insti- tute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU together with South African and German companies as well as Stellenbosch University have devel- oped a mobile, self-sufficient power supply system based on hydrogen. Electrolyzers that produce green hydrogen are combined with fuel cells to reconvert the hydrogen into elec- tricity in microgrids half the size of a shipping container. The system is con- nected to external solar power sources; to create a fully self-sufficient solution, the roof of the container sim- ply has to be equipped with photovol- taics. The aim of the HyTrA project is to establish hydrogen technology as an environmentally friendly and reliable Flexible microgrids produce hydrogen from solar energy. DENMARK Perfect coffee aroma thanks to AI In future, artificial intelligence (AI) will be providing unadulterated coffee enjoyment: The Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA is working alongside the Danish Technological Institute DTI to further develop an AI model that optimizes coffee blends using pre- defined flavor profiles. Until now, cof- fee experts who have trained their taste buds have been responsible for testing aromas. Based on data on bean types, flavor components, blend ratios and degrees of roasting, AI has been trained to cre- ate the best recipes at the most afford- able price. The aim was to find a more transparent model with a simpler structure to obtain replicable solu- tions. Using AI, coffee producers can adapt the procurement process for green coffee flexibly to seasonal con- ditions and price fluctuations without the quality being affected. The smell is an important assessment criterion for coffee sommeliers. ) 5 ( o t o h p k c o t s i : s o t o h P AUSTRIA Sustainable film packaging A research consortium led by Fraunhofer Austria has developed a biobased stretch film that can be fully composted within just a few weeks without leaving any residue behind. The film meets all requirements for use in logistics. Its material composi- tion, which is based on various lactic acid-based bioplastic granulates known as polylactides (PLA), demon- strates better mechanical properties such as ductility, elasticity and tensile strength than conventional stretch films. The innovative biofilm can also be recycled up to six times without any loss of quality. Stretch film is ubiquitous in the transport logistics sector as a way of securing pallets — in the form of pe- troleum-based disposable packaging, only a fraction of which can be recy- cled. If the plastic enters the environ- ment, it takes up to 400 years to de- compose, often producing environ- mentally harmful microplastics. An- other aim of the project is therefore to use biofilms as efficiently as possi- ble: A newly developed control tech- nology for machines that automati- cally wrap pallets with stretch film has so far facilitated material savings of 30 percent. It is currently being tested for industrial application together with the innovative film in the pilot factory at TU Wien. 73

4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine degree of branching. In a combination of just three single sugars, more than 27,000 different molecular structures are possible. So if you then imagine that several differ- ent sugars can be attached to one protein molecule, and these all help to determine the properties and functions of the protein, it becomes clear just how much fine adjust- ment is possible through glycans. Medical research is opening up more and more new methods for diagnosis and treatment. Sophia Rosencrantz is working within the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Immune-Mediated Dis- eases CIMD on a method for the early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, one of the most common forms of chronic joint inflammation. “It is known that this auto-immune disease is associated with an abnormal glycosylation of certain immunoglobulins,” explains the biotech- nologist. “We now want to develop a tool that allows the sugar structure of the immunoglobulins to be scanned early on — ideally, to treat the disease before its onset and, if possible, even to cure it.” With respect to cancer research too, there are hopes that glycans could be used as biomarkers, as tumor cells often have a different sugar pattern on their surface compared to healthy cells. Sophia Rosencrantz is also working on altering the glycosylation of antibodies in terms of their enzymes so that the anti- bodies demonstrate an improved or enhanced effect. “By modifying its sugar antennas, the antibody is implanted in cells in a targeted manner and brings along its harmful protein cargo to force it to be broken down there,” she explains. This method is set to contribute to the devel- opment of tailored and therefore highly effective drugs in future. Ruben R. Rosencrantz, on the other hand, is working on producing glycopo- lymers, i.e., polymers that are able to capture sugar-binding proteins or even toxins by means of presented glycans. “In contrast to antibiotics, which act on the metabolism of a bacterium, these patho- blockers deliberately offer themselves as binding partners to certain pathogens and prevent them adhering to the actual target tissue. We hope that this form of treatment will demonstrate less resistance than antibiotics.” For a German-Israeli project, Prof. Rosen- crantz has also developed glycopolymers which not only make wearing contact lenses more comfortable for the eyes, but which also allow the targeted release of drugs. The focal point here are mucins, special glycoproteins that are responsible for everything in the body that is gel-like or slick. “The idea was to coat contact lenses with such synthetically produced mucins that are similar to the naturally occurring sugar gels in the eye,” the researcher explains. “Drugs contained in the lens can then be released slowly and have a much longer-lasting effect in the eye than eye drops, for instance.” The extreme variety offered by the world of sugar reveals many research options, yet is also a challenge when devel- oping drugs, functional food or cosmetics: “Sugar synthesis is highly complex and therefore also very expensive,” explains Sophia Rosencrantz. As soon as even indi- vidual atoms in the ring structure protrude upward or downward at the wrong place, the body identifies them as foreign. “Sug- ars are the masters of creating maximum effect with minimum change,” explains Ruben R. Rosencrantz. “For this reason, a chemical synthesis has to be extremely controlled to ultimately achieve the exact sugar structure that is required.” Central databases and artificial intel- ligence are set to organize the extraor- dinarily large world of complex sugars more effectively and make the variety of interactions between glycans, proteins and lipids manageable for research and industry. Even insiders such as the Rosen- crantz couple find it difficult to estimate the potential that is still lying dormant in glycobiotechnology for different indus- tries. One thing that is certain, however, is that the potential is enormous — and is still largely undiscovered. 75 i l e r u t c i p n a p / r e n r o D + z t i b u L P : o t o h P

4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine explains Dr. Johannes Lotz, a scientist at Fraunhofer MEVIS. At the heart of the project, there is a question of great signif- icance: After the prostate has been removed, how long is it likely to take for a recurrence to occur, i.e., for further tissue to be affected by cancer? Instead of resorting to the microscopy images that have been used until now as the basis for this prediction, the research- ers are using the tissue concepts generated from the images. “Artificial intelligence converts each image into a low-dimen- sional representation that only contains the relevant information,” says Lotz. The reduced version, the research team hopes, should continue to reveal certain tissue features that are associated with a long life expectancy. The researchers trained the AI with numerous datasets containing more than simply data and images of prostate carcinomas. The reason for this is that the AI is intended to become a kind of all-rounder, be transferred to different medical centers and clinics and provide the foundation for numerous other projects. In the long term, it is set to investigate the severity of breast cancer, find lymphocytes, segment biopsies and even analyze prostate cancer, as in the PROSurvival project. To ensure this works, the images have to be reduced to such an extent that all relevant questions can still be answered using the reduced data volume. To guarantee this, the researchers feed the system with the raw data and have it made smaller via the AI. So do the acquired tissue concepts enable an assessment to be carried out that is similarly precise to the original micros- copy images? This question is set to be answered as part of subsequent projects. “This pretraining contains a large amount of the variability that one would expect in the real world,” confirms Lotz. The variety of the datasets is also rooted in the fact that they come from different health centers. If artificial intelligence is only trained with data from a single center, it will only work accurately there later on and may have difficulties working with data from a different center. This is pre- sumably due to differences when staining the tissue sections. “There is now a con- sensus that multicentric data is required, i.e., data from different centers and clinics,” explains Lotz. However, this is an approach that proves difficult in practice; after all, the data is of a sensitive nature and — for good reason — the clinics are unwilling to hand it over. Faced with this challenge, the tissue concepts approach offers a solu- tion here too: Every center trains its own deep learning algorithm on site using its entire dataset, which also contains the sensitive in-house data. The interim results are shared with the other centers via a coordinating node. This makes sure that all algorithms have learned the same thing The AI is intended to become a kind of all-rounder and provide the founda- tion for numerous other projects. at the end. “With federated learning like this, you usually have to always share the entire model. As we are using the reduced data, the data volume being shared is much smaller, so the data exchange should be faster,” says Lotz. What’s more, the shared low-dimensional representations contain no sensitive data; this all remains in the clinics. Only the algorithms and the pre- diction models are shared. Alongside this initial, cross-project AI application, the researchers are developing a second deep learning system that focuses specifically on prostate cancer. This aims to make a range of predictions using the reduced data: How is the grading of the tumor? How long is the recurrence-free survival period likely to be? Where in the image are the tumor areas and which tissue patterns are particularly predictive? The researchers hope that, in a few years, these questions will be able to be answered much faster and more accurately with the aid of artificial intelligence — with all the advantages this will bring when it comes to treating affected patients. AI for the cancer registries Artificial intelligence in cancer treatment is also useful with regard to large text vol- umes, such as those that converge in the cancer registries of the various German federal states. In these registries, all data on cancers and oncological treatments is systematically recorded, evaluated and made available — with the aim of detect- ing tumor diseases as early as possible and improving cancer treatment. The cancer registries therefore collect data on courses of treatment using a large database. Which treatments are successful for which types of tumor? Which preventative and early detection programs are worthwhile? Is there room for improvement in certain hospitals? To answer these questions, the clinics submit the data of their tumor patients: from diagnosis and individual treatment stages to aftercare and recur- rence and potentially death. Based on this data, scientists are able to assess the suc- cess of treatments and bring new findings into general medical care. The crux of the matter, however, is that the reports the clinical cancer registries receive mainly consist of unstructured free text, i.e., free formulations from the attend- ing physicians. The documentalists of the cancer registries therefore first have to read each report, check its plausibility and transfer the data into the registry manually. What’s more, the data needs to be in a structured form to allow it be evaluated effectively. Given that there are hundreds of thousands of reports every year, this is a Herculean task. Artificial intelligence is set to make this work easier for the documentalists. The relevant AI is being developed in the TeMeK project (text mining of report texts for standardized classifications) in which the Fraunhofer Institute for Communica- tion, Information Processing and Ergo- nomics FKIE, Averbis GmbH, the Medical Center — University of Freiburg, and 77 s e g a m i s u i t i r u a m / P i I S B / r F t n o P e g a m I / t s i o n e B - e i l e m A : o t o h P

4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine A date with research A new portal to the world of knowledge: Via the Fraunhofer Match platform, companies and organizations can now easily find their perfect project partner. By Beate Strobel M ore than 20,000 researchers at 76 Fraunhofer institutes offering different scientific disci- plines and portfolios: For companies, there is now a new option to easily make contact with the research organization and reach large numbers of Fraunhofer employees via just one channel. The free Fraunhofer Match portal searches for suitable experts at Fraunhofer on behalf of customers. The idea behind Fraun- hofer Match is that compa- nies will enter their prob- lem or research inquiry via the w w w.match.fraun- hofer.de portal. The inquiry will then reach researchers at different institutes who will draft initial solution options. These will be sent back to the company and if the customer is per- suaded by the merits of one of the approaches, they can then embark on a joint project. Fraunhofer Match was planned and developed over a period of two years, led by Dr. Marie-Luise Fuchs in the Digital Technology Transfer department at Fraunhofer. However, the project only became possible through the involvement of many institutes, emphasizes project manager Dr. Carl Heinze — and through intensive collab- oration with pilot customers. Designing the processes so that the matches work quickly and in a straightforward manner was one of the biggest challenges. “The variety of the institutes and the broad research portfolio is a major strength of Fraunhofer,” explains Heinze. “The platform also allows cross-institute collaborations to be formed and synergies to be utilized in the interests of the client.” a p d / t r e n h a K n a i t s a b e S : o t o h P The four-strong development team for Fraunhofer Match had opted for the lean start-up principle in which a highly simplified platform prototype in live mode is modified and honed based on feedback from customers and research- ers so that customer needs can be accommodated in the best way possible. In 2023, 70 customer inquiries have been processed to date and the first projects have even been completed. Many of the inquiries submitted relate to topics such as aut onomou s d r iv i ng , energy and sustainable production. With Fraun- hofer Match, you get to enter the “machine room of the R&D departments of the companies,” emphasizes Carl Heinze; in future, this could enable Fraunhofer to tailor its research fields even more efficiently to their needs. The protection of sensitive company data is ensured: All customer inquiries and the proposals for solutions developed by Fraunhofer are automatically marked as confidential; the terms of use for Fraunhofer Match correspond to the degree of protection of a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). The data does not leave the Fraunhofer cloud, which is regularly tested in terms of cybersecurity by the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied and Integrated Security AISEC. In future, artificial intelligence (AI) is set to increase the efficiency of the platform further by helping it to classify customer inquiries so that the experts at Fraun- hofer can be identified more and more effectively. And one day, a company may find lasting love with a research team every few minutes. — More info about Fraunhofer Match 79

4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine the way of life in the microbiome and serve as a means of communication, as a warning against intruders and as a defense mechanism against other microorganisms. Medicine takes advantage of these substances and already deploys a large number of them in therapies: A good 35 percent of all approved drugs and 80 percent of antibiotic classes can be traced back to natural products. N ot all treasures in this world are found in museum display cases, bank safes or shipwrecks at the bottom of the ocean. One treasure is stored at the Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME in Gießen. Cooled in liquid nitrogen, 120,000 microorganisms are waiting there in tanks to be awoken — and to realize their potential. This could become especially important with respect to climate change in particular. 120,000 microorganisms — and yet the strain collection of the Center for Natural Product Research at Fraunhofer IME fits into a cellar cov- ering 100 square meters. “The strains are secured in more than 650,000 cryo vials — tubes that are as big as your little finger — and although keeping them cooled to minus 196 degrees Celsius is a com- plex process, it ensures they are kept very safe,” reports biologist Prof. Till Schäberle. As the head of the Natural Products department at Fraunhofer IME, he is essen- tially the guardian of the strain collection, which he genuinely considers to be a treasure trove. This has been being amassed for many decades already and at a different location. The founda- tion was laid in the 1940s when researchers gathered cultures of microorganisms and scientifi- cally cataloged them — this was just 12 years after British physi- cian and bacteriologist identified the antibacterial effect of the fungus Penicillium notatum in a compound that had gone moldy during the summer vacation. The discovery of the antibiotic penicillin, which is still important to this day, triggered a gold rush mentality in the field of natural product research: Who will be the one to find the next antibiotic and who will defeat the next major infectious disease? In medicine’s fight against a whole host of diseases, microorganisms and their naturally developed survival strategies are absolutely essen- tial players. It doesn’t matter whether they are in the earth, on the seabed or in plants, animals or humans, microorganisms live together everywhere in what are known as microbiomes. The natural products produced by the tiny organisms structure Waiting to be used: Microorganisms can be stored for decades when cooled in liquid nitrogen. k c o t S e b o d A / F n e h c s h c u l : o t o h P However, the relationship between pathogens and pharmaceutical research resembles a long-standing arms race between hostile states, as their defensive capabilities constantly have to be improved. Confronted with more and more new antibiotics and antifungals, fungi and bacteria are reliably developing resistance to existing drugs. To counteract this, the research community has to continually find different ways to enable at least the most common infectious diseases to continue to be treated effectively. Diseases triggered by viruses, bacteria, parasites or fungi are among the most common causes of death worldwide; the increasing pro- liferation of multidrug-resistant germs is regarded as one of the biggest global health threats. Microbes can make you ill and even kill — yet at the same time, they can also provide new options for fighting others like them. The chances of getting to the bottom of this problem are currently improving: Thanks to new techniques such as genome sequencing, there are fresh approaches for identifying pro- viders of valuable natural prod- ucts or developing new active agents. Fraunhofer expert Prof. Till Schäberle is already talking of a “renaissance for natural products.” 80 % of antibiotic classes can be traced back to natural products In 2014, pharmaceutical company Sanofi, the owner of the strain collection at that time, started a partnership with Fraunhofer IME. In the IME’s newly built Natural Product Center of Excellence, the partners initially carried out joint research using the collection. In 2020, the Sanofi collec- tion — one of the world’s largest industrial bacte- ria and fungi collections — was permanently transferred to the Fraunhofer institute. Till Schäberle and his team have been digitalizing and working through this ever since. Among other 81

From socks to safety More and more people in Germany are approaching retirement age. Research can help ensure that life is livable for the 12.9 million people who will be in retirement in 2036. 4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine By Manuel Montefalcone S ometimes, very personal weak- nesses can become a genuine strength. “The idea for OMNI- CONNECT,” reveals project man- ager Dr. Christian Tschoban, “came to the project coordinator because he constantly kept misplacing his socks.” In the future, these lost socks are set to help senior citi- zens to move around independently for as long and as safely as possible. By 2036, 12.9 million people in Ger- many will have passed retirement age and increasingly require assistance. At the same time, 132,000 additional carers will need to be found by then, according to calcula- tions of the German “Initiative for Sustain- able and Generation-Appropriate Care”. The gap between those needing care and those giving care is becoming even greater because the baby boomers working in the care sector are now also entering retire- ment. Across Germany, more than 250,000 positions will need to be refilled by 2035 due to age reasons. Technology can help to fill the gaps — as demonstrated, for example, by the OMNICONNECT project. The Fraunhofer OMNICONNECT invention helps senior citizens find lost socks — and raises the alarm if they have suffered a fall. Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM in Berlin have developed this assistance system. Four modules that are discreetly housed in an LED ceiling light achieve seamless 360° detection in a room. Arti- ficial intelligence and algorithms learn the movement profiles of the residents and identify up to 30 people and objects over an area of up to 150 square meters. Passive receivers have to be integrated into people’s clothing just once — either by sewing or “Social participation decreases as you get older. We are increasing it again and reducing loneliness.” Simon Scherr, Fraunhofer IESE ironing them on, for example. The advan- tage of these receivers is that “they function entirely without batteries, saving everyone k c o t S e b o d A / t n o p f l i a H : o t o h P the tedious job of replacing them.” The small, flexible tags measuring just five by one centimeters can be attached to all kinds of objects. The radar system is then able to detect hazardous situations as well as provide assistance in helping to find objects such as socks that appear to have been lost. This makes it easier to care for people who are prone to falls, suffering from dementia or in need of other kinds of care. The demonstrator was fully manufactured at Fraunhofer IZM and was reliably able to detect position data to an accuracy of five centimeters in its final tests. The wellbeing of the oldest members of society is also close to the hearts of the researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Experimental Software Engineering IESE in Kaiserslautern. In the “Digital Neighbors” project, the team around project manager Simon Scherr are making an important contribution to combating loneliness. Digital voice assistants featur- ing screens, microphones and speakers were installed in the project participants’ homes. The devices are easy to operate and provide news, reminders, weather fore- casts and bus schedules. Over the course of the two-year project, the researchers constantly adapted the content to the senior citizens’ needs. “Social participa- tion decreases as you get older,” explains Simon Scherr, “we are increasing it again and reducing loneliness.” The idea works thanks to simple interaction using the spoken word. “At the beginning, many of the participants in the project didn’t even have an internet connection. By the end, even the technophobes didn’t want to give up their devices,” says Scherr with a smile. In the end, digital neighbors who shared daily video calls became real neighbors — and, in some cases, real friends. 83

4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine Photo & Fraunhofer On the outside looking in Researchers from the Development Center X-ray Technology EZRT at the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS in Fürth have revealed the high-tech nature of work clothing by making vis- ible what is concealed inside an astronaut’s suit. In cooperation with British artist Nick Veasey and the Hermann Oberth Space Museum in Feucht, they scanned a US Mark IV pressure suit from the 1950s as well as two Soviet Berkut and Sokol-K space suits. Wearing the Berkut, cosmonaut Alexei Leonov was the first person to complete a space walk in 1965, while the Mark IV inspired the space suits that were used on the Mercury program flights between 1958 and 1963. The images from the RoboCT — developed by Fraunhofer for computed tomographic examina- tions of car and aircraft parts — reveal the complex inner workings of the suits with their various cable and tube connections, sensors and wires. When the astronauts are completing missions outside the spacecraft, these technologies protect them against UV radiation, micrometeorite impact and extreme temperatures as well as supply them with oxygen. Nick Veasey has reworked the scans produced by Fraunhofer EZRT and refined them to create works of art that in future will provide visitors to the space museum with an insight into astronaut fashion. This is not the first time that the talented photographer has worked with Fraunhofer EZRT: The scientists previously scanned a Ferrari for him in the world’s largest computed tomograph. In that case too, it was proved that it’s the inside rather than the outside that counts. — Scan here for the podcast: Prof. Tomas Sauer from Fraunhofer EZRT discusses X-rayed cultural assets in the current exhibition “Der Blick ins Innere” (A look inside) at Fraunhofer IIS in Erlangen. y e s a e V k c i N : o t o h P 85

Fraunhofer on the road 4 | 23 Fraunhofer magazine Hanover Berlin Nuremberg Stuttgart Hanover April 22–26, 2024 Hannover Messe The world’s leading industrial trade show. High-tech, innovative solutions to meet global industrial challenges Stuttgart April 23–26, 2024 Control International trade show for quality assurance Berlin March 6–7, 2024 TRANSFORM (formerly HUB Berlin) Platform for the digital transformation of companies Nuremberg April 9–11, 2024 Embedded World International exhibition for embedded systems — from hardware and soft- ware to services and tools Berlin April 9–11, 2024 DMEA Trade show and congress for digital healthcare Fraunhofer magazine The magazine for people shaping the future Would you like to get the Fraunhofer magazine in your mailbox as soon as it comes out — for free? Order it online directly at https://s.fhg.de/of 3 2 | 3 Sovereignty from space 200 satellites to increase security Better plastics From environmental crime to biosynthetics Dr. Benedikt Hauer, Fraunhofer IPM Perilous pest New solutions for the fight against mosquitoes “We need even more research!” An interview with German Minister for the Environment Steffi Lemke 87 Dr. Georg Umlauf, Fraunhofer IGB, points the way toward clean water.Ways forward for water, industry and the world PFAS: The poison of the century4 | 23“I feel like Krampus” An interview with German finance minister Christian Lindner2024 — Time to lighten up Trends in lightweight construction“Pragmatism trumps the sledgehammer approach”An impassioned plea from Dr. Martin Brudermüller, BASF SE2 | 23Kevin Bregler of Fraunhofer IPA developed the CURT robot (left). Food: Supplying the futureOne metaverse, many opportunities — how digital twins are already changing the industry sector“Potential for new value creation is everywhere.”An interview with Friedrich Merz, leader of the Christian Democratic Union of GermanySavor in safety