The microspeakers for wireless in-ear headphones from Arioso Systems GmbH, a spin-off of the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS, are up to ten times smaller than conventional microspeakers and are made entirely from silicon. Currently at the prototype stage, the energy-efficient MEMS speakers may in future play a role in expanding the range of functions offered by miniaturized headphones – such as instant translations and health monitoring features. This is made possible by an innovative sound transducer principle that dispenses with the membrane, the central element of a conventional speaker.

Large power stations with their large synchronous generators provide stability in the power grid, but are being successively powered down in the course of the energy transition. In order to address this issue, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE are working on how grid-forming converters can ensure a future supply of sinusoidal alternating current and stable grid frequency.

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.

Fraunhofer experts provide IT solutions that counteract supply bottlenecks in international goods traffic and maintain robust supply chains.

Future-oriented key technologies in microelectronics and microsystems technology (MST) will be presented at the MST Congress in Ludwigsburg from November 8 to 10, 2021. The Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS will participate at the joint booth of the Research Fab Microelectronics Germany (FMD). In numerous lectures and poster sessions, the institute will present current results and developments from the fields of intelligent MEMS-based sensor and actuator technology for applications in medical technology, chemical analytics and Industry 4.0.

The TSN/A conference has become one of the most important international meetings of experts in the field of industrial Ethernet standards. With the help of Time Sensitive Networking (TSN), standard Ethernet gains a new dimension through time-synchronous and deterministic data transmission. How these technologies will affect industry, automotive and the audio-video-consumer world are the central questions of this year's conference. Marcus Pietzsch from the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS will take a closer look at the latency of time-critical networks in his workshop.

Metal processing with lasers and plasma releases many different pollutants into the ambient air. The Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS, together with partners, has developed a filter system that efficiently removes these substances from the air. The filter can be adapted to the various materials and substances released in each case. In the future, the technology will be used in other applications, such as additive manufacturing.

Sensors have become the ubiquitous companions of our lives. Whether knowingly or not, we use them every day to collect, process, and interpret data and help us make sense of the world around us. The demand for connected devices keeps growing – in particular in the Internet of Things, or IoT for short. The Fraunhofer flagship project ZEPOWEL has shown successfully how all of these sensor systems can become extremely energy efficient or even completely autonomous. The potential result: Up to 20% less carbon emissions in Germany alone.

In September and October, the "all about automation" (aaa) trade fair will once again offer face-to-face events for regional users and suppliers of the automation industry. The high demand for professional communication is reflected in the fact that the lecture area of the trade fair is already fully booked. The presence fair is supplemented by the integral components of the "aaa digital plus". Thereby formats such as blogs, video blogs, webinars and community newsletters transfer the specialized knowledge in a virtual way into the Community.

Conventional processes for manufacturing battery electrodes involve mostly toxic solvents and require a lot of space and energy. This is not the case with DRYtraec^® – a new dry-coating process developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS. The technology is environmentally friendly and cost effective and can be used on a large scale, giving it the potential to revolutionize the manufacturing of battery electrodes.