From Research to Application: Projects at Fraunhofer EMFT

SENNA Connect develops a developer kit for the SENNA neuromorphic processor, so you can run spiking neural networks on real hardware instead of in simulation.

In the European project SpikeHERO, Fraunhofer EMFT develops input neurons that turn photocurrents into spikes, plus a SENNA redesign targeting spike rates up to 500 MHz.

In the CFP project, Fraunhofer EMFT, Fraunhofer IZM, and Yamagata University are developing novel chip foil packages for flexible electronics. Together, they are working on materials, interconnection technologies, and an end-to-end process chain to reliably integrate electronic functions into soft, curved, or flexible surfaces. The goal is to create chip foil packages less than 150 micrometers thick that can be manufactured efficiently and sustainably in high volumes and used in medicine, industry, mobility, and other fields of application.

The SUE project (Self-driving Urban E-Shuttle) developed an autonomous people mover designed to serve as a highly automated feeder vehicle for regional public transport. The aim was to enable reliable and safe autonomous driving under real infrastructure conditions - at speeds of up to 50 km/h. A key component in achieving this is a robust, redundant localization technology developed at Fraunhofer EMFT.

Cynergy4MIE is an EU-funded research project aimed at developing a platform for sensor technology, electronics and AI in mobility, infrastructure and energy systems. The goal is to accelerate innovation and strengthen Europe's competitiveness.

How can supply chains for the chip industry become more independent and better protected? The coronavirus pandemic in particular has highlighted the problems for Germany and Europe. In the "Semiconductor-X" research project on the digitalization of supply chains in the semiconductor industry, Fraunhofer EMFT is working with over 20 partners to make supply chains more sustainable and resilient and to promote decentralized, sovereign data exchange.

For Bavaria, the agricultural sector has a significant economic importance with a turnover of around 121 billion euros per year. However, conflicts with the economic goals of farmers and the sustainable goals of environmental and animal protection initiatives occur from time to time due to the different interests involved. Especially the emission of ammonia gases leads to social discussions. Researchers at Fraunhofer EMFT are developing a more efficient measurement method for detecting ammonia gases in agriculture. The aim is to contribute to more environmentally friendly and animal-friendly agriculture.

Approximately 80 % of the CO2 footprint of average electronic components is created already during their production. A Fraunhofer EMFT research team is working on optimizing semiconductor manufacturing processes in order to minimize the use of climate-damaging process gases. In this context, the scientists are also testing more climate-friendly alternatives to etching gases used as standard today.

The technology is already state of the art in modern cars: radar sensors that alert the driver when the vehicle is approaching an obstacle. Collision protection of this kind is also crucial in the future of production - smart factories in which intelligent industrial robots are expected to act completely autonomously in an increasing number of work steps - in order to ensure safe cooperation between man and machine. In the RoboMove project, Fraunhofer EMFT is working with robotics manufacturer KUKA and InnoSenT GmbH to develop an intelligent 3D distance measurement and obstacle detection system for robot arms in motion.

The DigiSeal research project is setting new standards in the predictive maintenance of mechanical seals, which are essential for many branches of industry. By using informed AI and the expertise of Fraunhofer EMFT, precise models are being developed that not only predict maintenance requirements, but also provide specific recommendations for action. Together with partners such as EagleBurgmann Germany GmbH & Co. KG, Molkerei Alois Müller GmbH & Co. KG and Munich University of Applied Sciences, digitalization in the industry is being driven forward and a significant contribution is being made to Industry 4.0.