Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

An increasing number of electronic waste are not being properly disposed of but are often discarded together with plastic waste, for example. If the batteries in these products are damaged, they can cause fires at sorting plants. In the DangerSort project, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS are using a sensor-based sorting system to remove hazardous items and make recycling plants safer.

Many rural regions are already facing a shortage of medical care, which is particularly acute when it comes to high-quality diagnostics. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM plan to use radar technology to help with this issue. Working in collaboration with partners, they are developing a mobile low-power radar sensor system for non-contact patient monitoring. The physicians receive details of the patient’s vital signs, such as heart and respiratory rate, without the patient having to wear a sensor on their body.

To produce protein-rich foods sustainably, novel protein sources offer an alternative to meat, dairy and other animal products. In the FutureProteins flagship project, six Fraunhofer institutes have developed closed circulatory indoor cultivation systems for year-round production of proteins from alternative sources, independent of the climate and seasons. Then, as the next step, the researchers also combined the proteins and raw materials derived from plants, fungi, algae and insects with each other for the first time and processed them into prototypes for foods. The novel products and meat alternatives produced in this way are highly nutritionally valuable.

Researchers from the Translation Center for Regenerative Therapies TLC-RT at the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC, working in collaboration with B-COS GmbH, have developed a biodegradable face mask designed as a two-component system that stimulates collagen production with the aim of rejuvenating the skin with lasting results. The anti-aging effect is triggered by ortho-silicic acid.