From Research to Application: Projects at Fraunhofer EMFT

Improved flexibility and convenience are two key aspects of making local public transport more attractive, for example with a better-connected network and more frequent services. One promising approach to achieving this goal is low-cost shuttle vehicles without drivers. The Fraunhofer EMFT is contributing to the development of a prototype for such an autonomous people mover as part of the SUE (Self-driving Urban E-Shuttle) funding project. It is designed to combine high flexibility with passenger comfort, making it a valid alternative to the car.

Every year, over 3 million immobile people worldwide suffer from severe, mostly preventable pressure ulcers, with around 0.6 million in Germany. Pressure ulcers not only cause personal suffering but are also time-consuming and costly to treat. Current prophylaxis methods require significant commitment from nursing staff and do not provide continuous security. Therefore, there is an urgent need for individual and continuous monitoring for effective pressure ulcer prophylaxis. SoreAlert, a potential spin-off from Fraunhofer EMFT, addresses this need with a smart patch that allows for automated monitoring of at-risk body areas and provides early warnings for pressure ulcers.

In the PCB direct contacting research project (T-1753), Fraunhofer EMFT investigated PCB direct contacting systems for highly reliable mechatronic and drive technology applications. The aim was to evaluate commercially available systems in terms of technical performance, reliability and economic suitability under realistic environmental and stress conditions.

Gear oils make a significant contribution to minimising friction and thus ensure the safe operation of production facilities. In the Smart Gear project, researchers at Fraunhofer EMFT are developing solutions to detect a drop in the performance of gear oils with the help of sensor technology and machine learning methods and to predict when the oil needs to be changed.

The aim of predictive maintenance is to maintain operating resources proactively and with foresight. This should reduce downtime and maintenance costs to a minimum. Researchers at Fraunhofer EMFT are testing new concepts that use machine learning methods to efficiently process even extremely heterogeneous data and make accurate maintenance predictions for production facilities.

Fraunhofer EMFT is conducting research on miniaturized suction probes for soil water analysis. The goal is to enable demand-based fertilization by real-time monitoring of the nitrate content in soil water.

Efficient use of resources while maintaining high yields from the fields has become a central topic for agriculture. Monitoring various plant parameters, such as their water or nutrient content, plays an important role here. Currently, such parameters are deducted from soil samples by complex and lengthy processes in laboratories. The scientists at Fraunhofer EMFT are working on the development of reliable and faster methods to monitor relevant plant parameters.

In the project ‘Insect cells as sensors for environmental toxins’, Fraunhofer EMFT is developing a novel test method in which living insect cells are used as sensitive biosensors. This allows even the smallest toxic effects of pesticides to be detected quickly, without labelling and automatically. The aim is to identify risks at an early stage and support the development of bee-friendly pesticides – an important contribution to the protection of insects and biodiversity.

A reliable food supply is one of the elementary basic needs of our society. What has long been taken for granted is gaining new urgency in the face of current challenges such as climate change, supply chain problems, labor shortages and political and military aggression. Researchers at Fraunhofer EMFT are working on innovative solutions for more productive and at the same time more sustainable agriculture and forestry as part of the EU project AGRARSENSE.

Fraunhofer EMFT is developing CAELIA Health, a startup-project, a AI-powered solution for inhalation therapy in asthma and COPD. The system helps patients use their inhalers correctly in daily life, provides clear feedback, and makes therapy measurable – without adding complexity. Its goal is to improve adherence, enhance treatment outcomes, and enable millions of patients to live with fewer symptoms. With CAELIA Health, patients gain more control, confidence, and quality of life.