Press Releases 2017

Fraunhofer IPMS presents its expertise in the development and implementation of wireless and battery-free RFID sensor systems at the 2017 SPS IPC Drives event in Nuremberg.

Developers at the Fraunhofer IPMS are throughly convinced that Li-Fi technology, the use of light to exchange large amounts of data, will soon become stiff competition to the Wi-Fi networks currently used in industrial environments. In addition to allowing different users to simultaneously use an access point, the IPMS-developed optical transmission technology also enables each user to communicate with several access points. Therefore, Li-Fi is no longer limited to stationary applications. Fraunhofer IPMS specialists will present this multipoint-to-multipoint-capable technology to the professional public for the first time at the 2017 SPS IPC Drives in Nuremberg from November 28-30.

In cooperation with the Fraunhofer IPMS Center Nanoelectronic Technologies (CNT) and local microchip manufacturers, Leipzig-based intelligent fluids GmbH (formerly known as Bubbles & Beyond GmbH) has qualified innovative and environmentally-friendly cleaning solutions for industrial volume production.

RFID has long been established as the solution for the identification of wares and goods. The radio-based identification technology is, however, capable of much more. Coupled with sensors, RFID solutions will optimize future work processes in production, material flow and logistics. A team from Fraunhofer IPMS in Dresden will be presenting its sensor-equipped RFID evaluation kit at the 2017 „RFID & Wireless IoT tomorrow“ event to be held in Düsseldorf from 27. to 28. September.

A new project center for multidisciplinary work in the sector of microelectronic and optical systems for biomedical applications is being created in the German state of Thuringia. Three Fraunhofer Institutes, which cover the disciplines of biosciences, microelectronics, microsystems technology, optics and photonics, will be researching new biomedical applications in close collaboration with industry. In order to set up the project center, the state of Thuringia today signed a joint founding agreement with the Fraunhofer Society.

First Focus Will Be on Extending CMOS and More-than-Moore Technologies for Next-generation Electronic Components; New Technologies Will Be Available to Companies Across Europe.

New IEEE 802.1AS AVB/TSN and SENT/SAE J2716 Cores now available; CAN/CAN-FD Controller Core now supports AUTOSAR-compliant time-stamping

Increasingly more companies rely on RFID technology in industrial sensor networks to replace bulky sensor nodes of conventional battery-powered systems with compact, maintenance-free sensors. At the same time, there is the desire to automatically feed acquired logistics and production data into the web in order to be able to remotely organize complex production processes or to allocate resources in real time. With RFID evaluation kits and accompanying services, Fraunhofer IPMS provides customers a Proof of Concept as the perfect introduction to the use of RFID-based sensor nodes. Visitors to the 2017 Sensor and Test Measurement Fair in Nuremberg can learn more at the special "Networked Measurement Technology for Mobile Applications" forum to be held in Hall 5-106 / 115 from May 30th to June 1st.

To reinforce the position of Europe’s semiconductor and electronics industry within global competition, eleven institutes within the Fraunhofer Group for Microelectronics have, together with two institutes within the Leibniz community, come up with a concept for a cross-location research factory for microelectronics and nanoelectronics. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is providing support with the necessary investment. On April 6, 2017, Education Minister Professor Johanna Wanka handed over the grant approvals – 280 million euros for Fraunhofer and 70 million euros for Leibniz.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS is starting the two-year CONSIVA research project focusing on the development of micro-energy harvesters for self-sustaining, integrated chip systems. The use of novel piezoelectric materials in vibration-based harvesters can drastically reduce their size and significantly prolong operation time. This paves the way for the utilization of previously unachievable medical implants and increasingly small, wireless sensor systems.

Fraunhofer IPMS will present a new, RFID-based pick-by-light application scenario for efficient and secure picking at LogiMAT 2017. Located in Dresden, the Fraunhofer IPMS research institute has developed an intelligent storage bin that can be identified and controlled by RFID technology which operates without needing its own power supply. In addition, a weighing sensor integrated into the bottom of the bin automatically records any material removal and provides notification for refilling.

Operating cable-connected or battery-powered measurement systems in hard-to-reach installation locations and challenging environments often poses safety concerns, is too complex or downright impossible. Radio frequency identification (RFID) sensors make the wireless, maintenance-free measurement of temperature and other physical parameters in such situations possible. At this year's Embedded World Exhibition and Conference to be held in Nuremberg, Germany from 14.-16. March, developers from Fraunhofer IPMS Dresden will present a flexible, multi-tag RFID sensors system concept which has also been tested in metal environments.

The Dresden Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS will introduce Li-Fi communications modules meant to expand or replace existing company data networks at the 2017 Optical Fiber Communication (OFC) Conference and Exposition from 21. - 23. March in Los Angeles. The point-to multi-point-capable optical technology combines the speed, stability and security of wired infrastructures with the flexibility and cost advantages provided by wireless radio solutions.

Holger Conrad of the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS has been honored with the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) VIP/VIP+ validation award. Mr. Conrad was distinguished for the development of electrostatically bimorph-deflectable microactutaors within the "Nano e-drive" research project.

A new class of electrostatic micro actuators developed at the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems (IPMS) enables large vertical or lateral deflections with little energy consumption and low electrical drive voltage. This technology can be used to extend existing microsystem solutions as well as develop new application areas with novel designs. At Photonics West 2017, Fraunhofer IPMS will present the new class of electrostatic bending actuators for the first time at a trade fair.