Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

More Than 14 Million Euros for Flexible Battery Research

For batteries to fit into narrow and crooked spaces and to store more energy for e.g. electric mobility, flexibly adaptable cells are required. So far, however, lithium-ion battery cells have been produced in standardized formats and rigid systems.

Biodegradable Displays for Sustainable Electronics

In the next years, increasing use of electronic devices in consumables and new technologies for the internet of things will increase the amount of electronic scrap. To save resources and minimize waste volumes, an eco-friendlier production and more sustainable lifecycle will be needed.

Two Sided Solar Cells to Collect Scattered Light

To increase the performance of solar panels, a team of researchers has created a bifacial, or two-sided, tandem solar cell, built by bringing together the best of the perovskite and silicon technologies.

Customisable Humanoid Robots for the Elderly

Staying independent and in familiar surroundings as long as possible in old age - this is the wish of the most of us. It will be made possible by humanoid assistance robots that help people cope with everyday life and wearable robots that support the movements of the wearer.

The Billion Dollar Supercapacitor

Supercapacitors are only a business of around $0.5 billion. However, Geely Holdings has a new commitment to Maxwell Technologies, a Tesla company, for what may be at least $0.5 billion over the years for peak shaving supercapacitors for its hybrid cars made under Volvo and other brands.

Thin-Film Solar Cells Generate as Much Energy as Traditional Ones

Scientists have become the first to achieve an energy efficiency of 25 percent with a thin-film solar cell. This means that this wafer-thin solar cell generates as much energy as a traditional silicon solar cell.

InnovationLab GmbH

InnovationLab GmbH was established in 2008. At first, it received funding from the government (from Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung). However, since 2013 it claims to be standing on its own feet and to be cash-flow positive.

Fastest High-precision 3D Printer

3D printers working in the millimeter range and larger are increasingly used in industrial production processes. Many applications, however, require precise printing on the micrometer scale at a far higher speed.

Smart Knee Bandage for Relief of Arthrosis Patients

A smart knee bandage supports arthrosis patients in determining the right amount of daily exercise. All relevant data on the strains of the joints are collected and transferred to the patient's mobile phone.

Calcium batteries: New electrolytes, enhanced properties

Calcium-based batteries promise to reach a high energy density at low manufacturing costs. This lab-scale technology has the potential for replacing lithium-ion technology in future energy storage systems.

Tandem Solar Modules: One-two combination packs a more powerful punch

The efficiency ceiling of commercially available solar modules leaves little room for improvement. Tandem solar modules with two light-harvesting active layers have far greater potential. The future could well belong to this promising technology.

Carbon-neutral fuels from air and green power

Several challenges associated with the energy transition can be managed by coupling the sectors of electric power and mobility. Green power could be stored in the long term, fuels of high energy density could be used in a carbon-neutral way.

Artificial intelligence improves power transmission

To integrate the usually volatile renewable sources into energy supply, capacities of the power grid have to be increased. The need for new lines can be reduced by better utilization of existing lines as a function of weather conditions. To this end, researchers work on self-learning sensor networks to model the cooling effect of weather based on real data within the "PrognoNetz" project.

Europe-wide research for future batteries

To successfully implement the energy transition and to store regenerative energy, better batteries are required. The European research initiative BATTERY 2030+ brings together leading scientists and companies from all over Europe to achieve major progress in battery science and technology.

Photovoltaics -- Versatile in shape and color

The goal of PRINTPERO is to develop digitally printed, highly efficient and stable solar modules that can be integrated into roofs, facades, and windows.

NADINE: Power-plant-scale energy storage

Energy storage systems that are able to cope with fluctuating wind and solar power production are indispensable for the success of the energy transition. So far, however, location-independent and low-cost power-plant-scale storage systems have still been lacking.

New benchmarks in energy storage research

Electrochemical energy storage is a key technology of the 21st century. Now, the Center for Electrochemical Energy Storage Ulm & Karlsruhe, one of the most ambitious research platforms in this area worldwide, has started operation.

3D inks that can be erased selectively

3D printing by direct laser writing enables production of micro-meter-sized structures for many applications, from biomedicine to microelectronics to optical metamaterials. Researchers have now developed 3D inks that can be erased selectively.

Robots and workers of the world, unite!

Robots are already changing the way we work - particularly in factories - but worries that they will steal our jobs are only part of the picture, as new technologies are also opening up workplace opportunities for workers and are likely to create new jobs in the future.

Prototype of robot maintenance assistant

A prototype of its collaborative robot which will act as the main platform for testing and developing new technologies related to the maintenance and repair of automation equipmentt.