Fraunhofer

Agrivoltaics Becoming Multi-Billion Dollar Industry

One day solar "power stations" as we know them will be banned.

Clear Route to All Land Vehicles Being Solar

Progress with solar-powered and solar-assisted land vehicles is now so clear and compelling that it is certain that most land vehicles will incorporate this technology as an essential part of their battery electric powertrains.

OrelTech

OrelTech has developed a particle-free conductive ink that can be metallized at 70 C or below using a cold-plasma process. The inks are compatible with a wide range of substrates and printing methods. Especially notable is the ability to print transparent conductive films from thin layers of silver.

RadarGlass - From Vehicle Headlight to Radar Transceiver

As a result of modern Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, the use of radar technology has become indispensable for the automotive sector. A wide range of systems for adaptive speed control, lane-change support, collision avoidance, and pedestrian and cyclist detection has paved the way for autonomous driving.

3D Printed Solid State Batteries

This could be a game changer for the development of solid-state batteries. An automated 3D printing production process could save up to 70% of the traditional Capex used to produce solid-state batteries. Solid-state batteries are also safer as they do not use flammable liquid electrolytes that are also more harmful to the environment.

Robots to Clear the Sea Bed of Plastic

86 million metric tons of plastics end up in the oceans every year, with devastating consequences for marine life, nature and, ultimately, for us humans. The vast floating patches of plastic carpeting the water's surface, some as large as entire countries, are only the tip of the iceberg. Around 90 percent of this garbage ends up on the seabed.

Wood Based Biopaste for 3D Printing

A viscous biopaste that is easy to process, solidifies quickly and is suitable for producing even complex structures using the 3D printing process has been developed. The wood-based biodegradable synthetic could potentially be used in lightweight construction, amongst other things.

New Solar Energy Optics

Finnish technology company ICS has developed a unique technology platform and a film solution providing a 5-10% increase in energy output for conventional solar modules - and even higher gains for more advanced applications.

Mobile Robot Cleaner Takes Production Hygiene to a Higher Level

Production lines and hygiene zones have to be spotlessly clean. And absolute cleanliness is critical wherever food is processed and medical instruments are handled. Now researchers have come up with a mobile cleaning device that sanitizes equipment and production spaces standards in a reproducible way.

TRUMPF

TRUMPF develops additive manufacturing solutions for metal parts. The company has developed systems utilising two different laser technologies: laser metal fusion (LMF) and laser metal deposition (LMD).

Ynvisible Expands Its Printed Electrochromics Offering

Ynvisible Interactive Inc has entered into a non-exclusive licensing agreement with RISE Research Institutes of Sweden. The license agreement covers RISE's intellectual property rights for printed electrochromic displays and related inks.

Thermal Management for EV/HEV 2020

Thermal Management for EC/HEV 2020 was presented online on 02 Jun 2020. The event included talks from three companies in the electric vehicle industry.

Volterion

Volterion is a spin-off of the Fraunhofer Institute of Oberhausen in Germany. The company has developed a novel weldable, innovative, flexible bipolar graphite electrodes that result in compact, and lightweight electrode stacks.

MaterialsZone

MaterialsZone are a platform technology for connected research data. IDTechEx interviewed their Co-founder and CTO Barak Sela.

Solar Energy Solutions for Facades

Photovoltaic elements are usually found on rooftops - after all, that's where solar irradiation is highest. However, as researchers have discovered, PV elements on facades can be a useful way to supplement the power supply. If appropriately designed, they can be attractively integrated and deliver 50 percent more energy than existing types of wall-mounted PV elements. Even concrete walls are suitable.

Therapies Without Drugs

Researchers are investigating the potential of microimplants to stimulate nerve cells and treat chronic conditions like asthma, diabetes, or Parkinson's disease.

WEVO

Wevo develops and produces resin systems, primarily for use in electrical and electronic equipment, and in particular for automotive electronics.

Teaching Tomorrow's Automobiles to Hear

Modern cars already feature a range of sophisticated systems such as remote-controlled parking, automatic lane-departure warning and drowsiness recognition. In the future, self-driving cars will also have auditory capabilities. Researchers have now developed a prototype system capable of recognizing external noises such as sirens.