Press releases

Quantum mechanically entangled light particles break down the boundaries of conventional optics and allow a glimpse into previously invisible wavelength ranges, thus bringing about new possibilities for imaging techniques, microscopy and spectroscopy. Unearthing these possibilities and creating technological solutions was the goal of the Fraunhofer lighthouse project QUILT. Fraunhofer IPM contributed to the success of the project by a world first, the »Quantum FTIR«, which is the quantum optical equivalent to the classical Fourier transform spectrometer.

At the moment, industry is lacking in robust sensors that can withstand extremely high temperatures and pressures. Eight Fraunhofer Institutes have now developed a technology platform for building this type of sensor systems as part of the “eHarsh” lighthouse project. These are even capable of monitoring the insides of turbines and deep boreholes for geothermal systems.

With an innovative concept for heat transfer, researchers at Fraunhofer IPM together with industrial partners have been able to significantly increase the efficiency of magnetocaloric cooling systems. As part of a follow-up project, the team plans to apply this new technology to a refrigerator for medical products and further develop the technology to work towards marketability.

Resistance to antibiotics is on the rise worldwide. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Physical Measurement Techniques IPM alongside the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich have developed a process for rapidly detecting multidrug-resistant pathogens. The unique feature: Even one single molecule of DNA is sufficient for pathogen detection. In future, the platform could be introduced as part of point-of-care diagnostics on hospital wards or in medical practices as an alternative to the established PCR analyses or in combination with other diagnostic methods. The system will be presented at MEDICA 2021.

Bipolar plates are an essential component of fuel cells and are conventionally made of graphite. When it comes to efficiency and cost-effectiveness, metallic bipolar plates are far superior. However, the material forming process often engenders problems which impact quality. In the AKS-Bipolar research project, Fraunhofer IPM together with the University of Stuttgart and the industrial partners ThyssenKrupp and Chemische Werke Kluthe sets out to develop a digital-holographic sensor for comprehensive, in-line quality control of metallic bipolar plates.

Caloric cooling systems have the potential to become the environmentally-friendly alternative to the widely used compressor-based cooling systems. The greatest challenge elastocaloric systems are facing is ensuring the long-term stability of the elastocaloric material while maintaining a high power density. A system presented by Fraunhofer IPM in the journal Communications Physics outperforms previous systems by several orders of magnitude when it comes to long-term stability – at the same time as achieving a high specific cooling power.

How do plants perceive light? A team of researchers at the Uniiversity of Freiburg are getting to the bottom of this question. Their most important tool for doing so is the measuring system Ratiospect 2.0 developed by Fraunhofer IPM – a highly accurate, specially adapted optical absorption spectrometer.

Digital processes facilitate much more rapid and efficient planning and construction of urban infrastructure. Fraunhofer IPM has developed a tool which automatically interprets 3D environmental data using artificial intelligence methods to generate smart planning maps. Baden-Württemberg Minister of Economic Affairs, Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, has crowned the team of researchers “AI Champions Baden-Württemberg” for their innovative development.

In the journal “Light: Advanced Manufacturing”, researchers at Fraunhofer IPM in Freiburg provide a current overview on the range of industrial applications of digital holography with multiple wavelengths. Digital holographic measurement systems differ from other optical sensors by virtue of their high measurement accuracy combined with short measurement times.

Substantial CO₂ savings are still there to be made in industrial production. As part of the GUmProDig research project, Fraunhofer IPM and its partners are developing a quality control and component tracing system for formed light metal parts, which is intended to enhance energy-efficient production. The aim of the system is not only to reduce rejects and recalls, but also to allow comparatively low-energy forming technology to be used in fields where power-hungry machining has been the norm to date.