microelectronics news 62 - fraunhofer-verbund mikroelektronik · from the institutes...

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From the institutes Remote-controlled robot inspects suitcase bombs Abandoned items of luggage are frequently found at airports and railroad stations. This is a case for the emergency services, who have to assume that these items might con- tain bombs. They must assess the potential threat quickly, avert any possible danger, and preserve evidence for criminal proceed- ings. In the future, police will be assisted by a remote-controlled sensor system as they go about their duties. »» page 8 Short news 20 years of Fraunhofer Group for Microelectronics »» page 10 The last word … … comes from Thomas Heckel »» page 16 From the institutes Churning out biosensors Thanks to sensors that measure our move- ment and our pulse, we can find out more and more about our own health, enabling us to optimize our quality of life. Fraunhofer ISIT and Fraunhofer FEP have now success- fully developed and tested flexible electro- chemical biosensors on metallized film sub- strates. »» page 6 Short news EU project SafeAdapt enters the testing phase »» page 10 Short news Diamonds for “greener” power electronics »» page 14 Medical monitor with its own eyes and ears In intensive care units, every second counts. In emergencies, doctors and nurses have to make the right deci- sions quickly. Researchers at Fraunhofer HHI have developed a smart monitor that optimizes pro- cesses in the most sensitive part of a hospital: it provides a clear overview of the data from the medical devices connected and prevents false alarms. The screen can be controlled from a distance without contact – by means of gestures and voice commands. »» page 3 Content: Events page 2 Title page 3 Special Business Units page 4 Interview page 5 From the institutes page 6 Short news page 10 Imprint page 15 Interview with Paul Chojecki. © Fraunhofer HHI » page 5 © MEV Verlag © Fraunhofer EMFT / Bernd Müller » page 13 News 62 Microelectronics May 2016

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Page 1: Microelectronics News 62 - Fraunhofer-Verbund Mikroelektronik · From the institutes Remote-controlled robot inspects suitcase bombs Abandoned items of luggage are frequently found

From the institutes

Remote-controlled robot inspects suitcase bombs

Abandoned items of luggage are frequently found at airports and railroad stations. This is a case for the emergency services, who have to assume that these items might con-tain bombs. They must assess the potential threat quickly, avert any possible danger, and preserve evidence for criminal proceed-ings. In the future, police will be assisted by a remote-controlled sensor system as they go about their duties.

»» page 8

Short news

20 years of Fraunhofer Group for Microelectronics

»» page 10

The last word …

… comes from Thomas Heckel

»» page 16

From the institutes

Churning out biosensors

Thanks to sensors that measure our move-ment and our pulse, we can find out more and more about our own health, enabling us to optimize our quality of life. Fraunhofer ISIT and Fraunhofer FEP have now success-fully developed and tested flexible electro-chemical biosensors on metallized film sub-strates.

»» page 6

Short news

EU project SafeAdapt enters the testing phase

»» page 10

Short news

Diamonds for “greener” power electronics

»» page 14

Medical monitor with its own eyes and ears

In intensive care units, every second counts. In emergencies, doctors and nurses have to make the right deci-sions quickly. Researchers at Fraunhofer HHI have developed a smart monitor that optimizes pro-cesses in the most sensitive part of a hospital: it provides a clear overview of the data from the medical devices connected and prevents false alarms. The screen can be controlled from a distance without contact – by means of gestures and voice commands.»» page 3

Content:

Events page 2Title page 3Special Business Units page 4Interview page 5From the institutes page 6Short news page 10Imprint page 15

Interview with Paul Chojecki. © Fraunhofer HHI » page 5

© MEV Verlag

© Fraunhofer EMFT / Bernd Müller » page 13

News62

Microelectronics

May 2016

Page 2: Microelectronics News 62 - Fraunhofer-Verbund Mikroelektronik · From the institutes Remote-controlled robot inspects suitcase bombs Abandoned items of luggage are frequently found

Events

While every care is taken to ensure that this information is correct, no liability can be accepted for omissions or inaccur acies.

Date Event / WWW Location Group institutes involved

05/09 – 05/12 AchemAsia 2016 www.achemasia.de/en

Beijing, Japan IKTS

05/10 – 05/12 INC12 www.incnano.org

Leuven, Belgium

05/10 – 05/12 Sensor+Test 2016www.sensor-test.de

Nuremberg, Germany

Group institutes

05/10 – 05/12 PCIM Europe 2016www.mesago.de/en/PCIM/

Nuremberg, Germany

Group institutes

05/10 – 05/13 analytica 2016 www.analytica.de/index-2.html

Munich, Germany ISIT, IIS

05/23 20th Anniversary Fraunhofer Group for Microelectronicswww.mikroelektronik.fraunhofer.de/en

Berlin, Germany

05/31 – 06/02 18th Automotive Testing Expo Europewww.testing-expo.com/europe/english

Stuttgart, Germany IZFP

05/31 – 06/03 Electronic Components and Technology Conference 2016www.ectc.net

Las Vegas, USA IZM

06/01- 06/02 Photonics Event 2016www.photonics-event.nl/home-en-us

Veldhoven, Netherlands

IMS

06/01 – 06/04 ILA Berlin Air Showwww.ila-berlin.com

Berlin, Germany Group institutes

06/06 – 06/09 ITS European Congress 2016www.glasgow2016.itsineurope.com

Glasgow, United Kingdom

ESK

06/07 – 06/08 Smart SysTech 2016 www.smart-systech.eu

Duisburg, Germany IMS

06/07 – 06/09 Optatec 2016www.optatec-messe.de/en

Frankfurt, Germany IPMS, ISIT

06/08 – 06/09 SEMICON Russia www.semiconrussia.org/en

Moscow, Russia ENAS, IZM

06/13 – 06/17 19th World Conference on Non-Destructive Testingwww.wcndt2016.com

Munich, Germany Group institutes

07/05 – 07/08 EFCF 2016 www.efcf.com

Luzern, Switzerland IKTS

07/12 – 07/14 SEMICON Westwww.semiconwest.org

San Fransisco, USA IPMS, IZM

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A minute ago, all was quiet in the control room of the intensive care unit. But now there’s great commotion: several pieces of equipment in several patients’ rooms are raising the alarm. Monitors are flashing and beeping. Drop in blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmia – computer monitors show what needs to be done, and exactly where. Doctors and nurses rush to the patients’ rooms. Medical equipment provides de-tailed information about the condition of the critically ill patients. The doctors must be able to quickly filter out the most impor-tant information from a wide range of dig-ital displays and screens. The challenge is maintaining an overview of everything in hectic situations.

Gesture control

In the future, doctors and nurses will re-ceive support from the “Proxemic Monitor.” This smart monitor was developed by scien-tists at the Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Insti-tute HHI in Berlin. The monitor quickly shows the most important information on an ICU patient’s vital statistics. It has inter-faces with the medical equipment in the room as well as with the information sys-tems in the hospital, and can be controlled using gestures and voice commands. Its graphics also adjust to the distance from which it is being viewed. “When she stands in the doorway, the doctor sees the data as large as is required. When she moves closer, the screen shows more detailed informa-tion,” explains Paul Chojecki, a scientist from the Vision & Imaging Technologies department of Fraunhofer HHI. A 3D cam-era supplies the necessary data. The user interface is programmed in a web-based manner, also making it suitable for mobile monitors such as tablets.

The monitor intelligently evaluates the data from the medical equipment by including all factors that are necessary to fully eval-uate the criticalness of the situation. This

prevents false alarms, meaning that the very high noise level produced by various equipment calling for attention is avoided. A good thing too, as that level of noise is not good for the health of patients or staff.

Fewer germs being transmitted

An additional advantage of gesture control is that doctors and nurses do not need to touch the devices directly. This helps to re-duce the spread of germs in hospitals. The smart screen can be used either directly at the patient’s bedside or – with a different configuration – in the control room.

Three different cameras and a microphone sweep the room in front of the monitor. The Fraunhofer HHI software installed uses the video data to analyze whether there is anyone in the room, how far they are from the screen, and what movements they are making. The data on the display and func-tionality of the monitor changes depending on the distance. “Our monitor distinguish-es between close, medium, and far distanc-es. The cameras cover a maximum distance of four meters,” explains Chojecki. Starting from the medium distance, the cursor can be controlled using arm movements, and commands or summary reports can be en-tered by speech. Pre-programmed gestures, for example, can be used to start a video call in order to communicate with other physicians or with one’s colleagues in the control room. “We have given the monitor its own eyes and ears. Our software cap-tures distances and motion multimodally, interprets them, and converts them into commands for conventional operating sys-tems,” according to Chojecki.

The scientists presented a demonstrator of the Proxemic Monitor at CeBIT 2016. A practical test is planned for this year in cooperation with Uniklinik Aachen.

Title

Contact: Anne RommelPhone +49 30 [email protected]

Paul ChojeckiPhone +49 30 [email protected]

Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute HHIEinsteinufer 3710587 BerlinGermanywww.hhi.fraunhofer.de

The “Proxemic Monitor” is connec-ted to a PC, which in turn is con-nected to a database that collects the vital statistics of the patients in intensive care. © Fraunhofer HHI

© MEV Verlag

Medical monitor with its own eyes and ears

In intensive care units, every second counts. In emergencies, doctors and nurses have to make the right decisions quickly. Researchers at Fraunhofer HHI have developed a smart monitor that optimizes processes in the most sensitive part of a hospital: it provides a clear overview of the data from the medical devices connected and prevents false alarms. The screen can be controlled from a distance without contact – by means of gestures and voice commands.

About the project:The “Proxemic Monitor” came into being as part of the “Leitwarte” (“Control Room”) joint project, which was funded by the German F ederal Ministry for Economic Affairs and En-ergy. The project will run until Febru-ary 2017. The partners are: Cubeof-fice GmbH • G.punkt medical services • Dr. Hornecker Softwareentwicklung und IT-Dienstleistungen • Yacoub Au-tomation GmbH • Universitätsklinik Aachen • Fraunhofer HHI. The term “proxemic” comes from the Latin word proximus, meaning “next.” Prox-emics is an area of psychology and communication studies. It investigates how spatial distance affects interac-tion between humans and objects.

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Smart & Healthy Living

SPECIAL BUSINESS UNITS – PART I

Early detection – the best protection

The earlier an illness is diagnosed, the better the treatment options and chances of recov-ery. Molecular genetics offers great potential here: for example, some SNPs (single nucleo-tide polymorphisms – changes to individual base pairs in our DNA) are an indicator of certain diseases. Previously, difficult laborato-ry analyses were required for early detection. Scientists at the Fraunhofer Research Institu-tion for Microsystems and Solid State Tech-nologies EMFT and the KTH Royal Institute of Technology are working on cost-effective mini-labs on a foil, which are intended to allow quick, on-site diagnostics in the future.

A smart bed to promote recovery

Effective treatment starts in the hospital bed. Scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Inte-grated Circuits IIS have developed a smart bed as part of the “INSYDE” project. The bed uses integrated sensors to detect where the patient is currently lying and calculate the pressure being placed on individual parts of the body. If certain defined values are ex-ceeded, the parts of the body under pressure are relieved by means of integrated actuat-ing elements and the patient is repositioned. This reduces the risk of pressure sores.

Dosing medicines and active ingredients with μ accuracy

Almost all forms of treatment involve tak-ing medication. Micropumps that can pro-vide an exact dosage of medication could, in the future, open up two completely new types of treatment. Within the framework of the “TUDOS” project, five Fraunhofer In-stitutes worked on a fully regulated micro-dosage system that can handle the tiniest quantities. It can provide fluid dosages of 12 μl – or one quarter of a drop of water – within an accuracy of 4%. This makes it possible to supply a particular organ or area of the body directly with a precise dose of the medication at fixed intervals. This re-duces the risk of side effects and ensures that the strain on the entire organism is kept to a minimum.

Support for nursing staff

Caregivers in hospitals or nursing homes have to do tough physical work. The con-stant strain often leads to back problems. Researchers at Berlin’s Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM and Fraunhofer Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology IPK, together with partners from industry, have developed “CareJack,” a flexible orthosis with inte-grated electronics that takes the strain off the spinal column during heavy work with-out getting in the wearer’s way. It is light, soft, and can be slipped on as easily as a piece of clothing. Thanks to sensors inte-grated into clothing, an incorrect posture while carrying out physical tasks can be de-tected. As part of the “Dynasens” research project, scientists at Fraunhofer IIS have de-veloped a system that displays exercises on the user’s smartphone that can be followed in order to avoid the consequences of over-straining one’s body. To provide both physi-cal and mental relief, software was devel-oped that takes the strain on nursing staff into account during the planning of shifts and rounds, meaning that overstraining of staff can be avoided as early as the sched-uling stage.

A fit return to daily activities

Whether as a supplement to treatment, to accompany rehabilitation exercises, or for sports fans, the “FitnessSHIRT” is a perfect fit for everyone. Where clothing once mostly offered protection from the elements, to-day’s trend is taking us towards smart, func-tional, high-tech textiles. The FitnessSHIRT from Fraunhofer IIS measures the wearer’s vital statistics continually. Once combined with an electric bike and a smartphone, say, it quickly becomes an intelligent piece of training equipment.

Assistance systems for better quality of life

For more than 20 years, the Fraunhofer microelectronics institutes have been dedicated to a lot more than just the recording of vital statistics and the transmission and evaluation of captured data. In this special feature, we would like to introduce you to some actual applications for the realiza-tion of human-technology interaction from the “Smart & Healthy Living” business unit.

Contact: Dr. Joachim Pelka Phone +49 30 688 3759-6100 [email protected] Fraunhofer Group for Microelectronics Anna-Louisa-Karsch-Strasse 2 10178 Berlin Germanywww.mikroelektronik.fraunhofer.de

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About the business unit:In the “Smart & Healthy Living” business unit, scientists within the F raunhofer Group for Microelectronics do research into all the ways that technology can support our lives and work in a modern world. Which new technologies create smart living and working environments for us? Where can microelectronics be used to give us perfect work-life bal-ance? How can electronic applications support people with disabilities as well as the elderly? The redefined Smart & Healthy Living business unit thus com-bines two previously separate R&D areas within the Fraunhofer Group for Micro-electronics – Ambient Assisted Living, Health & Well-being, and Smart Living – and focuses on all electronic assistance as a symbiotic interaction between hu-mans and technology.

The “FitnessSHIRT” from Fraunhofer IIS measures the wearer’s pulse, breathing activity, and intensity of movement. © Fraunhofer IIS / Kurt Fuchs

“CareJack” supports nursing staff’s backs with-out restricting their freedom of movement. © Fraunhofer IPK / IZM

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“What’s important is the real added value for the end user.”

Demographic change is a big challenge for the Smart & Healthy Living business unit. Fraunhofer Microelectronics talked to Paul Chojecki from Fraunhofer HHI about the potential offered by ambient assisted living systems.

Whether it’s hearing aids, mini-labs on film, or micropumps – today’s devices are so small that their control systems are becoming a real challenge. How will we handle these almost invisible help-ers in the future?

Chojecki: I hope that in many cases it will no longer be necessary to actively control these devices. Sensors and smart algorithms can be used to detect the user’s current sit-uation and react accordingly. Where an ac-tive input is required or desired, interaction is made more natural and less intrusive by means of multimodal inputs, e.g. voice commands, gestures, or facial expressions. When the user is in a private environment, she can use voice input and output to find out about current health information stored on her smartwatch; when in public, the touch display can be used.

Assistance systems are also used to re-cord, transmit, and evaluate data. What challenges do researchers expect to en-counter in the future to make these ap-plications suitable for everyday use?

Chojecki: In the future, we will have to handle very large quantities of data from innumerable sources. Naturally enough, this will lead to challenges for storage, trans-mission, coding, evaluation, and data pro-tection. But I think it may be even more important to come up with reasonable con-cepts that will avoid overburdening users with the complexity of the data and instead offer capable support.

The idea of vital statistics being direct-ly transmitted to doctors is still very off-putting to a lot of people. Concerns about patients becoming totally “trans-parent” are raised by the prospect of electronic patient files. How can the level of acceptance among the public be raised?

Chojecki: Here, again, the aim should be to offer patients reasonable and easy-to-use scenarios: what’s important is the real added value for the end user. For this rea-

son, the entire system chain and the com-plete user experience need to be taken into account. If a link in the chain is bro-ken or missing, the entire system may be-come useless.

Could you give us an example of a development that was given a high-profile public launch?

Chojecki: There are various projects, par-ticularly in telemedicine, where transmis-sion of patient data has been very success-ful. The “stroke-mobile” (STEMO) in Berlin and the telemedical emergency assistance system (TemRas) in Aachen are two inter-esting research projects where telemedical scenarios have been implemented among emergency services to the benefit of pa-tients and have become part of regular op-erations. We hope that the Proxemic Mon-itor that we’re currently developing as part of the “Leitwarte” (“Control Room”) proj-ect will catch on in ICUs.

Times have never changed as quickly as now: demographic change, global-ization, digitization moving forward in leaps and bounds, and lots more. How can we make sure that assistance sys-tems grow alongside these develop-ments?

Chojecki: Assistance systems are intend-ed to support humans and to make it pos-sible to enjoy as independent a life as possi-ble, even in old age. As I see it, users’ basic needs and abilities are not changed by technological developments. As researchers, we must recognize these needs and find a way to reconcile them with a changing world and the options offered by technol-ogy. That is why, in our projects, we apply the user-centered design approach in order to include the user and his or her goals in development.

Paul Chojecki was talking to Lisa Schwede.

Contact: Paul Chojecki Phone +49 30 31002-281 [email protected] Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute HHI Einsteinufer 37 10587 Berlin Germanywww.h hi.fraunhofer.de

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About Paul Chojecki:Paul Chojecki is a certified psychologist. He has worked at Fraunhofer HHI since 2006, where he handles contactless hu-man-technology interaction. He drives R&D activities forwards and develops and manages projects for international customers from various sectors such as automotive, medicine, telecommunica-tion, and digital advertising. Chojecki is an expert in human-computer interac-tion, usability engineering, innovation management, and research marketing. Among other tasks, he is currently man-aging the SCU “Leitwarte” sub-project “Proxemic Monitor,” which is working on producing multimodally operated sys-tems with an adaptive information dis-play for intensive care units. Since 2008, Paul Chojecki has also been co-chair of World Usability Day Berlin (www.wud-berlin.de), one of the largest usability and user experience events in the Ger-man-speaking countries.

Paul Chojecki. © Fraunhofer HHI

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The growing market for wearable devices requires a high number of small, light-weight, and high-capacity sensors for differ-ent applications in sport, medicine, or at work. Especially useful are “wearables,” such as functional wristbands that provide practical assistance while barely being felt. These devices can monitor body function and provide valuable information. In addi-tion, the electronics should adhere flexibly to the arm. Fraunhofer researchers have now succeeded in taking a crucial step on the way to the production of such products.

Scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicon Technology ISIT are investigating how silicon-based sensor technologies can be transferred to flexible modules and inte-grated into body-shape sensor systems. The Fraunhofer Institute for Organic Electronics, Electron Beam and Plasma Technology FEP has considerably advanced this develop-ment by providing metallized film sub-strates. The Dresden-based institute has the technology to provide polymer films with a thin metal layer, which is based on a roll-to-roll process. A high degree of uniformity of the layer’s thickness and reliable quality rep-resent particular technological challenges in this manufacturing process.

Using structured, metal-coated films to produce cost-effective biosensors

The Fraunhofer researchers worked to-gether to develop a flexible electrochemi-cal sensor with which good results have al-ready been attained. The sensor measures 8 x 10 mm² and contains an array of elec-trodes for biological immunological tests. What’s really remarkable is that the sensor’s thickness is only approximately one-tenth of a millimeter, as it was produced entirely on a polymer film that had previously been coated at Fraunhofer FEP. The fundamen-tal principle for the production of flexible sensors are thin layers. The researchers at Fraunhofer FEP have a lot of experience in coating polymer films without defects and with a high degree of uniformity in highly productive roll-to-roll processes. Christopher Beale, who developed the sensor as part of his master’s thesis at Fraunhofer ISIT, is

pleased: “Our flexible electrochemical bio-chip shows already promising results in a first test series.”

Polymer films are especially well suited for such applications, as they are lightweight, flexible, and biocompatible. Dr. Matthias Fahland from Fraunhofer FEP predicts: “The results are encouraging even if some hur-dles must still be overcome in order for such biosensors to be produced affordably in roll-to-roll processes. We at Fraunhofer FEP with our processes and facilities are ide-ally positioned for further research in this promising field.”

Both institutes will be working together more closely in order to develop tailor-made flexible electronics for the products of the future in collaboration with customers from industry. Further projects are planned: for example, integration of polymer film-based lactate sensors in wristbands. Thus it would be possible to monitor the wearer’s fatigue during exercise through correlated lactate concentration in sweat.

From the institutes

Contact: Claus Wacker Phone +49 4821 17-4214 [email protected] Institute for Silicon Technology ISITFraunhoferstrasse 1 25524 Itzehoe Germanywww.isit.fraunhofer.de

Churning out biosensors

Thanks to sensors that measure our movement and our pulse, we can find out more and more about our own health, enabling us to optimize our quality of life. Fraunhofer ISIT and Fraunhofer FEP have now success-fully developed and tested flexible electrochemical biosensors on metal-lized film substrates.

Flexible biosensor, developed at Fraunhofer ISIT, for example for glucose and lactate analysis in body fluids such as blood, saliva, and sweat. © Fraunhofer ISIT

Functional wristbands, known as wearables, can be used to help biosensors provide important in-formation about pulse and move-ment measurements, e.g. while the wearer is doing sports. © MEV Verlag

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Floating houses are becoming increasingly popular in Germany – not only as vacation getaways, but also as permanent homes. The Lusatian Lake District is particularly suit-able for such a lifestyle: with its 23 lakes and a surface area of 13,000 hectares, it is the largest artificial lake district in Europe. The region, which is located between east-ern Saxony and southern Brandenburg, was dominated for decades by open-cast lig-nite mining. Many of these lakes are cut off from infrastructure such as water and ener-gy supply. Now, it is planned to boost the region’s attractiveness with the construc-tion of houseboats. This includes the Lusa-tia-based project autartec®, in which the Fraunhofer Institutes for Transportation

and Infrastructure Systems IVI and Ceramic Technologies and Systems IKTS are involved. Together with partners from the region, in-cluding medium-sized enterprises, indus-try, and the technical universities of Dres-den and Brandenburg, they are working on building an energy-independent float-ing house on Geierswald Lake, northwest of Hoyerswerda.

Energy-independent living on the water

The house, which is located on a 13 × 13 m² steel pontoon, extends over two levels: the first floor has a living space of 75 m² and the second floor an additional 34 m². The 15 m² patio overlooks the entire lake. Mod-ern architecture and structural engineering meets high-efficiency system and building equipment. Solar cells are integrated into the building’s shell and rechargeable lithi-um-polymer batteries store the accumulat-ed energy. To save space, the battery sys-tems, which were developed by Fraunhofer IVI, are built into the textile-reinforced con-crete walls or the staircases. A salt-hydrate

From the institutes

Contact: Elke SähnPhone +49 351 [email protected] Fraunhofer Institute for Transportation and Infrastructure Systems IVIZeunerstrasse 3801069 DresdenGermanywww.ivi.fraunhofer.de

Katrin SchwarzPhone +49 351 [email protected] Fraunhofer Institute for CeramicTechnologies and Systems IKTSWinterbergstrasse 2801277 DresdenGermanywww.ikts.fraunhofer.de

Vision of a floating “autartec®”-house. © Fraunhofer IVI

Building plan for a floating house that supplies its own heat and water. © Fraunhofer IVI

The “self-catering” houseboat

Life away from traffic noise and pollution – more and more people are drawn to water. Energy self-sufficient floating houses not only fulfill the criterion for this new lifestyle; they also provide a boost to the economy. Within the “autartec®” project, Fraunhofer IKTS and IVI are working with their partners on designing a houseboat that provides its own supply of water, electricity, and heat.

fireplace provides cozy heat on icy winter days: a water-filled tank containing salt hy-drates is located directly above the fireplace. The salt hydrates melt, absorbing the heat. Once the salt hydrates have become com-pletely liquefied, the heat energy can be stored almost indefinitely. Wirelessly con-trolled crystallization activators release the heat again when it is required. However, a fireplace is not enough to keep the house warm during the winter. This is where zeo-lite storage in the pontoon can help. The zeolite minerals are dried during the sum-mer – a purely physical process in which heat is stored. In winter, moist air is enough to make the storage unit release heat.

The adiabatic cooling system ensures that the temperature remains cool in summer. Unlike conventional air-conditioning sys-tems, this system does not require any elec-trical energy; it makes use of the evapora-tion caused by air and water. One side of the house is covered with vegetation and kept moist; the resulting evaporation cools the building’s shell.

All under one roof

To supply water in the houseboat, research-ers at Fraunhofer IKTS are developing a closed circulation system for drinking and service water. The scientists make use of a combination of ceramic membranes and various electrochemical and photocatalyt-ic processes. While waste water on land is usually treated biologically, this process is not possible in a floating house. Physi-cal and chemical methods provide a solu-tion: ceramics offer very efficient means of combining processes, such as photocataly-sis, electrochemistry, and filtration in a con-fined space. Other materials, such as steel or plastic, would fail if they were subjected to such aggressive processes. The technolo-gy for the circulation system will be housed in the pontoon.

This means that everything is housed under one roof.

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Anyone who forgets their luggage in public places, airports, or train stations will spark off a large-scale police operation. Time and again, suitcases, bags, or backpacks left lying around unsupervised cause a bomb alert. Admittedly, most abandoned luggage items turn out to be harmless. But emer-gency services must first proceed on the assumption of possible danger and check whether they are dealing with an impro-vised explosive device (IED) that might blow up at any time. This involves getting up close to the luggage to inspect it.

A system that makes it possible to assess the danger of the situation quickly – and also records 3D images of the contents and shape of the luggage as well as of the sur-rounding area – would make the special-ists’ work considerably easier, speed up the reconnaissance process, and minimize the risk for emergency personnel. Research-ers at the Fraunhofer Institute for High Fre-quency Physics and Radar Techniques FHR in Wachtberg are developing such a system together with their project partners.

Emergency services do not have to enter the danger zone

The system the researchers have developed comprises a multimodal sensor suite con-sisting of a millimeter wave scanner, a high-resolution digital camera, and a 3D environ-ment monitoring system. The components are contained in a housing and mounted on a robot platform. Bomb disposal engi-neers remotely control the robot from a safe distance. Its swiveling 3D sensors make a three-dimensional survey of the crime scene, and the digital camera provides high-resolution images for later optical evi-dence preservation. Meanwhile, the milli-meter wave sensor scans the source of dan-ger and creates an image of what’s inside. A built-in embedded PC on the robot col-lects the data and sends it to the investiga-tors, where it will be merged on the com-puter by means of sensor data fusion.

Three-dimensional survey of suitcase bomb contents

“Up to now our techniques have not al-lowed us to form a 3D outline of suitcase bombs, and it has been impossible – or only partially possible – to make a spatial map of the contents. With the sensor suite we can visualize in three dimensions what’s inside a luggage item, and so determine the compo-sition of the bomb and how the parts are arranged in the luggage,” explains Stefan A. Lang, team leader at the FHR and the project’s coordinator. Until now, specialists were often forced to destroy suitcase bombs – making it difficult to identify the perpetra-tors. Other advantages of the contact-free detection system: it is light, compact, and platform-independent, which means it can be mounted on any robot. Within the “US-BV-Inspektor” project (USBV being the Ger-man acronym for IED), the Fraunhofer FHR researchers are developing the millimeter wave scanner (also referred to as a radar sensor) for fast reconnaissance. This scanner allows a very high depth resolution. “For the radar we make use of the synthetic aperture radar, or SAR, principle, by which the sensor is moved along a trajectory, a kind of track – from left to right in front of the suitcase, for example – and the Doppler information generated in the process is used to create an image,” explains Lang. Apart from the research work on the sensor, the experts are also looking into ways of deter-mining the optimum trajectory for surveying an object. This depends on the shape of the luggage item or container, its location in the environment, and the position of the robot.

A radar sensor demonstrator will be ready in April 2016. Extensive field tests of the remote-controlled sensor suite begin in the middle of 2017, with the multimodal sen-sor suite set to be launched in 2019. This will then allow explosive experts to make a faster evaluation of the threat level while also providing them with as much informa-tion as possible about the bomb.

From the institutes

Contact: Jens FiegePhone +49 228 [email protected] Fraunhofer Institute for High Frequency Physics and Radar Techniques FHRFraunhoferstrasse 2053343 WachtbergGermanywww.fhr.fraunhofer.de

Remote-controlled robot inspects suitcase bombs

Abandoned items of luggage are frequently found at airports and railroad stations. This is a case for the emergency services, who have to assume that these items might contain bombs. They must assess the potential threat quickly, avert any possible danger, and preserve evidence for crimi-nal proceedings. In the future, police will be assisted by a remote-con-trolled sensor system as they go about their duties.

Inspecting a suspicious vest for ex-plosives. © German Federal Armed Forces / Bienert

Police emergency personnel defuse a suitcase bomb. © North Rhine-Westphalia State Office of Criminal Investigation

About the project:The “USBV-Inspektor” project is in-tended to speed up reconnaissance and reduce the risk to emergency services. 3D visualization allows the crime scene and the shape and con-tents of the luggage to be shown, which improves forensic capabilities. This facilitates reliable digital pres-ervation of the evidence. The project partners: Fraunhofer FHR • Leibniz University, Hanover • North Rhine-Westphalia State Office of Criminal In-vestigation • Hentschel System GmbH • ELP GmbH. The German F ederal Ministry of Education and Research is funding the USBV-Inspektor proj-ect with a grant of two million euros as part of its Research for Civil Se-curity program. The German Federal Office of Criminal Investigation in Wiesbaden and the German Federal Police Force are supporting the proj-ect as additional expert consultants.

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While even LTE still seems futuristic to most cell phone owners, science and industry al-ready have their eye on the next generation of mobile communications: the 5G standard is intended to be up to 100 times faster than LTE – with top transmission rates more than 10 Gbit/s. As the infrastructure to sup-port future trends such as the Internet of Things (IoT), the 5G standard also has to be able to offer a whole host of other qualifi-cations: among the important factors are low latency, meaning ultra-fast reactions; reliable connections that can compete with cable-based systems; and energy-efficient data transmission.

Synchronization unnecessary

In order to be able to satisfy these varied requirements, researchers at the Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute HHI, together with partners from science and industry with-in the EU’s 5GNOW project, developed new wave form technologies for 5G, thus op-timizing signal processing. Previously, for transmission, the signals of each transmit-ter had to be synchronized, which involved translating the information into a charac-teristic wave form referred to as “orthog-onal.” This method allows the signals to be assigned to a sender and transmitted in a targeted manner. However, due to ev-er-increasing numbers of users, it is begin-ning to reach its limits. The project partners therefore decided to take an asynchronous access approach. This means that the data transmitted no longer needs to be reshaped

From the institutes

Contact: Dr. Thomas HausteinPhone +49 30 [email protected] Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute HHIEinsteinufer 3710587 BerlinGermanywww.hhi.fraunhofer.de

5G – the network for the Internet of Things

The new mobile communications standard 5G will provide a boost to the coming “Internet of Things.” The new mobile communications standard is slated to be ready in five years. Within the recently completed “5GNOW” project, researchers from Fraunhofer HHI have laid important foundations for a successful launch. They now continue to work on the mobile com-munications of tomorrow.

and the individual signals no longer need to be cleanly separated from one anoth-er. Instead, the researchers developed a fil-ter function that can be used to straighten out and clearly assign the “signal chaos” at the recipient’s end. This new, non-or-thogonal wave technology is intended to allow extremely short (tactile) reaction times of around one millisecond, among other goals. Such technology allows machines located remotely to be operated via a monitor as though one were pressing the buttons on-site. Other IoT areas would also benefit – from smart living and e-health to situation-dependent traffic guidance sys-tems.

Lessons learned on the “5G Playground”

The Berlin-based telecommunications experts at Fraunhofer HHI are also involved in anoth-er project working on the mobile communi-cations of the future: “mmMAGIC.” This project aims to standardize millimeter wave technologies for 5G. Fifth-generation mo-bile communications are forecasted to op-erate in an extremely high frequency range of between 6 and 100 GHz. Together with the Fraunhofer Institute for Open Commu-nication Systems FOKUS, the researchers have set up a research and test environment in Berlin, the 5G Playground, in order to continue perfecting 5G technology. This technological playground is intended to be open to scientists and developers from around the world.

© iStock

© iStock

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EU project SafeAdapt enters the testing phase

The construction of a test vehicle and a driving simulator are the starter’s pistol for the test phase of the SafeAdapt project. The aim is to develop a new, adaptive elec-tric / electronic (E / E) software architecture for future electric vehicles. The architecture is designed to correct faults during ongoing operation – for better safety, reliability, and cost efficiency.

The demonstrators are intended to be ready for use by mid-2016 to allow the results to be evaluated in real-life conditions. A com-plete E-vehicle will illustrate primarily the fail-operational properties of the new architec-ture. This is because, in the event of a fault, the technology – such as the software-based vehicle steering, for example – must remain operational until the vehicle can be brought to a safe condition and location. For this purpose, a Roding vehicle that had been equipped with the E / E architecture RACE from Siemens was augmented with technol-ogies from the SafeAdapt project partners.

SafeAdapt technologies were also inte-grated in the “driver-in-the-loop” simula-

Short news

Group for Microelectronics has bundled the expertise of its individual members – with the aim of providing German industry with optimum support in developing top prod-ucts. On the occasion of our 20th anniver-sary, we would like to invite you to take stock with us of the eventful years and rapid development of microelectronics and to take a look at the present and future of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft’s oldest Group. In this, our anniversary year, we start the current issue with a review and an overview of the Smart and Healthy Living business unit (page 4 / 5). The highlights from Indus-trial Automation, Mobility and Urbaniza-tion, and Energy Efficient Systems will be covered in the following three issues of Microelectronics News.

Ready for the test phase: the con-struction of the SafeAdapt E-vehi-cle has begun. © Siemens

tor from Tecnalia. This ensures energy-ef-ficient operation. If, after driving a certain distance, there is less battery capacity avail-able, the system can automatically switch off functions that are not safety-critical, such as comfort and convenience functions, in order to still reach the destination. The simulator also evaluates safety mechanisms such as the time taken to adapt the steer-ing-by-wire. In addition to an adaptive ve-hicle architecture, the design and valida-tion methods for this kind of architecture are being researched in order to fulfill the ISO 26262 safety standard.

20 years of microelectro-nics as a driver of inno-vation – smart systems make all the difference

In 2016, the Fraunhofer Group for Micro-electronics celebrates its 20th anniversary. The 18 member institutes now form Europe’s leading R&D service provider for smart systems. Around 3000 researchers work on new solutions and developments to meet ever-changing challenges. Whether it is the energy turnaround, modern medi-cal engineering, or Industry 4.0 – none of the future issues facing German industry can be dealt with without powerful micro-electronics. Since 1996, the Fraunhofer

23. Mai 2016, SpreePalais Berlin

20 JahreFraunhofer-Verbund Mikroelektronik

Contact: Akvile ZaludaitePhone +49 30 688 [email protected] Fraunhofer Group for Microelectronics Anna-Louisa-Karsch-Strasse 210178 BerlinGermanywww.mikroelektronik.fraunhofer.de

About the project:The SafeAdapt research project is being funded by the EU. In addition to F raunhofer ESK, the following project partners are also involved: CEA LIST (France) • Delphi (Germany) • Du-raCar (Netherlands) • Fico Mirrors (Spain) • Tecnalia Research & Innovation (Spain) • Pin-infarina (Italy) • Siemens (Germany) • TTTech Computertechnik (Austria)

Contact: Hans-Thomas HenglPhone +49 89 [email protected] Fraunhofer Institute for Embedded Systems and Communication Technologies ESKHansastrasse 3280686 MunichGermanywww.esk.fraunhofer.de

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the size and resolution of the X-ray camer-as can be optimally adapted to suit the task at hand. The Fraunhofer researchers are al-ready processing requests for a detector surface of up to 80 × 80 cm². X-ray detec-tors in the XEye series have a very long ser-vice life thanks to their patented radiation protection concept. Furthermore, due to the stable image quality, it is not necessary to update the image processing parameters for automated defect recognition.

The razor-sharp radiographic image of a connection housing uncovers previously hidden details thanks to the 60-megapixel resolution. © Fraunhofer IIS

Successful project com-pletion for “HOT 300”

High-temperature electronics are a sus-tained growth market that requires new technologies and systems. In the Fraunhofer joint project HOT 300, new approaches to system integration are being developed. These intend to allow an increase in operat-ing temperatures of integrated circuits and microsystems of up to 300 °C. In addition to Fraunhofer IMS, the four Fraunhofer in-stitutes ENAS, IKTS, IWM, and IZM supplied important technological and methodolog-ical developments. On December 8, 2015, at the Fraunhofer inHaus Center in Duis-burg, the institutes involved in the proj-ect presented the results from packaging

X-ray images with a resolution of 60 megapixels

Fraunhofer IIS has developed an X-ray cam-era that is capable of recording X-ray imag-es with a resolution of 60 million pixels. The level of detail offered by the new camera, “XEye 5030,” makes it possible to open up new areas of application for X-ray testing systems. XEye 5030 runs with a pixel size of 50 μm and has an active recording surface of 50 × 30 cm². 48 optical cameras record overlapping sections of the scintillator, a lu-minescent film that emits visible light when stimulated by the X-rays. The individual im-ages are then seamlessly joined to form an overall picture. As the recording surface is larger than that of other detectors, while also offering a smaller pixel size, it allows the test objects to be handled more flexibly and efficiently. This means that larger ob-jects for which several measurement runs were previously required can now be cap-tured in a single measurement. The elec-tronics that have been devised allow X-ray detectors of almost any size to be man-ufactured. Due to the modular structure,

Contact: Prof. Holger VogtPhone +49 203 [email protected] Fraunhofer Institute for Microelectronic Circuits and Systems IMSFinkenstrasse 6147057 DuisburgGermanywww.ims.fraunhofer.de

Contact: Thoralf DietzPhone +49 9131 [email protected] Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IISAm Wolfsmantel 3391058 ErlangenGermanywww.iis.fraunhofer.de

as well as device and material development and methods for reliability analysis.

CMOS circuit concepts were presented for the following: 300 °C, high-temperature-resistant condensers, temperature-resistant ultrasound sensors, combinations of chip and substrate with silver vitrification and transient liquid phase bonding, combina-tion of ceramics and silicon with interlayer connection, polymer ceramic chip housings, measuring processes for material proper-ties at high temperatures, as well as reliabil-ity models and measuring stations for stress in tough conditions, e.g. for temperature changes from -50 °C to +450 °C. Presenta-tions and the accompanying exhibition pro-vided the attendees with much material for discussion.

In the end it was a complete success: con-tacts were made and issues were gone into in more depth.

Representatives of research and industry came together at the closing meeting of the “HOT 300” joint project. © Fraunhofer IMS

The newest member of the XEye product range, XEye 5030 has a uniquely large detector surface while simultaneously offering a high resolution. © Fraunhofer IIS / K urt Fuchs

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Low latency in wireless sensor actuator net-works

They observe geographic areas, regulate processes in smart buildings, as well as monitor and control machines on the shop floor. Tiny, autonomous sensor actuator sys-tems connected to one another through a network are already being used in many sectors and will become even more impor-tant as digitization progresses. To allow the technology to become more established on the market, however, one or two little weaknesses have yet to be remedied. These include among other things overlong trans-mission times when communicating within the sensor networks. Together with partners in the “fast realtime” project, researchers in the EAS division of Frau nhofer IIS in Dres-den are investigating how to optimize this latency to between 1–10 ms – this corre-sponds de facto to real-time communica-tion. Hereby, the project partners are pursu-ing two different approaches. In the first approach, they investigate the optimization

Short news

Contact: Dr. Andreas Frotzscher Phone +49 351 4640-836 [email protected] Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS Design Automation Division EASZeunerstrasse 3801069 DresdenGermanywww.eas.iis.fraunhofer.de

© MEV Verlagpotential of existing design methods of distributed systems. In the second ap-proach, they intend to fundamentally ques-tion the status quo and establish design guidelines for a new type of system design specifically intended for latency optimiza-tion. Within their work package, the Dres-den-based scientists are concentrating on tangible applications from industrial auto-mation, such as a motion control system. They are investigating special wireless sys-tems whose cycle times are still too long for many areas of application. In order to ob-tain realistic research results from which suitable design specifications can be de-rived, they carry out experiments on a pro-totype while also taking reusable safety components into account. “Fast realtime” is being funded by Germany’s Federal Min-istry of Education and Research as part of its “Zwanzig20 – Partnerschaft für Innova-tion” funding program.

Contact: Dr. Michael SchollesPhone +49 351 [email protected] Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMSMaria-Reiche-Strasse 201109 DresdenGermanywww.ipms.fraunhofer.de

Fraunhofer FEP for OLED-on-CMOS integra-tion and Fraunhofer IZM-ASSID for 2.5D and 3D integration for a unique, holistic process flow. It is important to cover the broadest possible process variety while en-suring a high leve l of reliability and robust-ness of the resulting products. For this pur-pose, automatically created models from Fraunhofer IIS / EAS in particular should help; these can be integrated into simula-tions with typical design environments of IC designers.

ADMONT is financially supported by the Eu-ropean Commission as well as the partici-pating member states. The national funding for Saxon project partners is divided equal-ly between the federal government and the Free State of Saxony.

Design center for “More-than-Moore” technologies

Throughout Europe, there is a shortage of holistic value creation processes for More-than-Moore technologies. This is where the “ADMONT” project comes in: it will merge various competencies and technical equip-ment in this sector in the Dresden area in a single design and manufacturing center. The goal is to establish a distributed pilot line for products and services – from ultra-high voltage technology and advanced sen-sors and MEMS to OLEDs and the 2.5D and 3D integration of ICs. System integrators from all over Europe will be able to use ei-ther individual modules or entire production lines for the development of their applica-tions. Due to the local proximity of the in-dividual modules in the pilot line, users can benefit from short throughput times and fast production processes. The project part-ners from industry and research are there-fore creating an offer for pioneering devel-opments, such as from the areas of medical technology, mobility, or intelligent produc-tion.

The pilot line unites, among other process-es, basic CMOS processes of the project coordinator X-FAB with technologies for sensor and MEMS devices from Fraunhofer IPMS as well as options offered by

Kick-off meeting for “ADMONT.”© Fraunhofer IPMS

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tives and stream them on the net in real time.

Where previously a large production team was needed to capture particularly excit-ing moments and scenes from various per-spectives, the HIGGS system uses up to five miniaturized smart cameras to carry out this task. These wireless hardware compo-nents can be installed flexibly in advance. The “mixing desk” of the system is a tablet PC running the HIGGS application. The app can be used to edit the recordings from the individual cameras into a single video in just a few clicks.

The camera system is of particular interest for semi-professional use. It is especially suitable for smaller music concerts or ama-teur sports events. The system has already proved itself in real life at two events: at the “Your New Favorite Band” event in Erlangen and during the recording of an interview in Berlin.

The smallest of its kind: the new silicon micro-membrane pump from Fraunhofer EMFT is only 5 × 5 × 0.6 mm³ in size. © Fraunhofer EMFT / Bernd Müller

The “HIGGS” multi-camera video system from Fraunhofer IIS allows video productions in real time and comprises up to five mobile cam-eras as well as an app for flexible editing. © Fraunhofer IIS / Bianca Möller

A tiny pump with potential

Scientists at Fraunhofer EMFT had reason to be very pleased about special recognition they received at Compamed in November 2015: visitors to the medical technology trade fair crowned the Munich-based re-search institution the most innovative exhibi-tor, based on a shortlist compiled by the specialist magazine DeviceMed. At the cere-mony at the DeviceMed stand, the research-ers were presented with the DeviceMed Ad-hoc-Award. The real protagonist of the award is really very tiny indeed: the new sili-con micro-membrane pump, presented for the first time by Fraunhofer EMFT at Compa-med 2015, measures only 5 × 5 × 0.6 mm³. This makes it by far the smallest micropump in the world – yet it still boasts a capacity of 300 μl/min and a formidable counterpres-sure of 30 kPa with air.

With the ability to pump the smallest quan-tities of liquids or gases precisely, the mi-cropump is predestined for applications in medical technology. Its potential uses in-clude patch pumps for diabetes or pain treatment, diagnostics (lab-on-chip), and even glaucoma treatment. A wide range of potential applications outside medicine ex-

Mobile multi-camera system for high-quality videos

Dropping into the halfpipe and soaring high above its walls. Then, teetering briefly on the steel edge. A close-up shot showing the concentrated face of the skateboarder. Then at the end, the camera pans across the excited crowd. It sounds like the script of a complicated film production, but actu-ally it’s a live transmission. The mobile video production system “HIGGS,” developed by researchers at Fraunhofer IIS, makes it pos-sible: the system can be used to easily edit high-quality videos from various perspec-

Contact: Dr. Martin Richter Phone +49 89 [email protected] Fraunhofer Research Institution for Microsystems and Solid State Technologies EMFTHansastrasse 27 d80686 MunichGermanywww.emft.fraunhofer.de

Contact: Stephan GickPhone +49 9131 [email protected] Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IISAm Wolfsmantel 3391058 ErlangenGermanywww.iis.fraunhofer.de

ists as well, such as dosing of lubrication or fragrances, or in portable electronic devic-es. Currently, the production costs are hin-dering the successful introduction of such innovative products in high volumes. There-fore, further miniaturization of the pump is planned in order to reduce the manufac-turing costs to a level suitable for industri-al production.

The award-winning mini-pump is an impor-tant milestone, but the Munich-based sci-entists see no reason to rest on their laurels – they are already working on shrinking the pump chips even further.

Award ceremony at Compamed: The DeviceMed Ad-hoc-Award goes to Fraunhofer EMFT. © Vogel Business Media

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The mechatronic integration of the power electronics allows the Fraunhofer IISB development to ex-ceed the inverter performance den-sity demanded by the Little Box Challenge by a factor of four. © Fraunhofer IISB

© Sonormed

Diamonds for “greener” power electronics

Diamonds as semiconductors may soon count among the most sought-after devices in power electronics. Compared with con-ventional semiconductor elements – such as silicon – components made of diamond would significantly increase the energy effi-ciency of photovoltaic plants, high-voltage grids, wind parks, or electric cars. The ex-tremely high charge carrier mobilities and high breakdown field strength means that they can be used in electronic components at very high temperatures without cooling.

Although technology relevant diamond wafers are still missing and will not be avail-able soon, universities and other research institutes are already working on diamond devices which can be manufactured on small diamond plates – typically 4 × 4 mm² in size. The aim is to establish diamond de-vice technology and to produce prototypes for power electronics. Possible fields of application will be semiconductor switches for smart grids which can handle very high voltages and high power.

Fraunhofer IAF is working together with 13 partners on the EU project Green Elec-tronics with Diamond Power Devices (“Green Diamond”) where the research at IAF is focused on optimized growth of single- crystal diamond layers as well as innovative 3D structuring and doping technologies.

Short news

Individual hearing support for the “Tinnitracks app”

A software solution for individual hearing support developed at Fraunhofer IDMT is now available as an additional function in the Tinnitracks app provided by medical technology supplier Sonormed. Tinnitracks uses pieces of music to offer tinnitus pa-tients a treatment path to combat the annoying noise.

The specific tinnitus frequency of the patient is filtered out of individually selected pieces of music. To ensure that this treatment ap-proach can be successful with patients who also suffer from a hearing impairment, Tinni-tracks will be offering the option of adapting the tracks to users’ hearing profiles. This op-tion is made possible by the integration of algorithms developed by scientists from the Fraunhofer IDMT project group for Hearing, Speech, and Audio Technology. Adjusting the audio signal to individual hearing require-ments can significantly improve the sound quality and intelligibility of speech for people with both normal and impaired hearing.

Fraunhofer IISB – finalist in the Google “Little Box Challenge”

The Vehicle Electronics department at Fraunhofer IISB has reached the final of the “Little Box Challenge” organized by Google. The aim of the international competition is the development of a 2 kW solar inverter with efficiency of over 95 % in order to drive forward the use of regenerative ener-gies. The IISB solution is one of the world’s smallest inverters and can boast an out-standing performance density of 200 W/in³. With a highly compact design based on 900 V SiC semiconductor switches that also allow high switching frequencies of 140 kHz with low loss, the efficiency of the “Little Box” is over 96 %. As one of 18 finalists from over 100 entrants, our box did not pass the severe testing and the price goes to CE+T, which had a power density of 142.9 W/in³ and passed the test faultless.

Contact: Dr. Bernd EckardtPhone +49 9131 [email protected] Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Systems and Device Technology IISBSchottkystrasse 1091058 ErlangenGermanywww.iisb.fraunhofer.de

Contact: Meike HummerichPhone +49 441 [email protected] Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology IDMTMarie-Curie-Strasse 226129 OldenburgGermanywww.idmt.fraunhofer.de

Contact: Verena ZürbigPhone +49 761 [email protected] Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics IAFTullastrasse 7279108 FreiburgGermanywww.iaf.fraunhofer.de

© MEV Verlag

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Microelectronics News

Editorial notes

Microelectronics News, Issue 62May 2016© Fraunhofer Group for Microelectronics, Berlin 2016

Fraunhofer Group for MicroelectronicsSpreePalais am DomAnna-Louisa-Karsch-Strasse 210178 BerlinGermanywww.mikroelektronik.fraunhofer.de

The Fraunhofer Group for Microelectronics, founded in 1996, combines the expertise of 18 Fraunhofer institutes, with a total of more than 3,000 employees. Its main focus is the prepa-ration and coordination of interdisciplinary re-search pro jects, conducting studies and to as-sist in the process of identifying strategies.

Editorial team: Christian Lüdemann [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected][email protected] [email protected]

Translation: Andrew [email protected]

© pixelio.de / hldg

The business office of Fraunhofer Microelectronics is located direct-ly at the River Spree in the heart of Berlin. © Fraunhofer Microelectronics / Kracheel

We want to make it easy for you to regularly receive our magazine. Just get in touch with us by either faxing this form or using the online version at www.mikroelektronik.fraunhofer.de/presse-und-medien/abo

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The last word …

… comes from Thomas Heckel

Mr. Heckel, what are you working on at the moment?

At the Leistungszentrum Elektroniksysteme LZE, my team and I, as the project manag-er, are carrying out research on contactless transmission systems for energy and data for use in Industry 4.0. These mechatron-ic systems concentrate on such matters as how to achieve interference-free transmis-sion to rotating shafts in industrial robots without cables. Despite the short duration of the project, we have already had our first successes. This gives us the motivation to keep going. My colleague Christopher Joffe and I have spent the last two years building up an effective team. As part of my doc-torate, I am carrying out research on fast-switching power semiconductors made of Si, SiC, and GaN, which, in addition to the system I just mentioned, will be used in smaller and more efficient power electronic systems in the future.

Which of the projects being worked on by your colleagues in other Fraunhofer institutes interests you in particular?

Our colleague Heinrich Milosiu and his team at the Fraunhofer Institute for Inte-grated Circuits IIS are carrying out research on extreme power-saving sensor and lo-cating systems within the LZE. Thanks to this technology, we can already see the po-tential future applications of the relatively young technology of semiconductor switch-ing technology, e.g. for locating and navi-gating through buildings such as airports or railroad stations.

If you had one wish, whom would you like to meet one day?

Akio Morita, the founder of Sony, if he were still alive. Or maybe Wolfgang Grupp, the owner of Germany’s “last” industrial textile production company, TRIGEMA. Both of them had long-term success despite pur-suing visions that seemed to contradict the market, and they did so without forgetting what was most important – their colleagues and staff.

What do you wish you had more time for?

From a career point of view, I wish I had more time for my doctorate and the related applied and long-term research.

Let’s look into the future. What would you like to have achieved in five or ten years’ time?

In addition to getting my paragliding li-cense, I dream about restoring a vintage car in my own workshop. In my career, I look forward to pursuing an exciting and chal-lenging job in research and development where I can continue to design new tech-nologies up close and with motivated col-leagues. I would also be happy to take on more responsibility.

What song belongs to the “soundtrack” of your life?

As a drummer in an orchestra and a brass band, the first song that springs to mind is “Fire in the Blood” by Paul Lovatt-Cooper. Especially the recording with the Black Dyke Band is phenomenal!

Last, but not least: can you tell us what motto you live by?

“Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

About Thomas Heckel:Thomas Heckel studied mechatronics at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Er-langen-Nürnberg and after complet-ing his thesis, graduated in 2011. Since then, he has worked as a research as-sociate at the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Systems and Device Tech-nology IISB and at the Chair of Elec-tronic Components (LEB). Since 2015, he has managed the pilot project “Con-tactless energy and data transmission in systems with fast-moving compo-nents” within the Leistungszentrum Elektronik systeme LZE. His research interests include both the char acter-ization and modeling of novel power semiconductors and energy transmis-sion systems with high switching fre-quencies.

Contact: Thomas HeckelPhone +49 9131 [email protected] Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Systems and Device Technology IISBSchottkystrasse 1091058 ErlangenGermanywww.iisb.fraunhofer.de

© Fraunhofer IISB

Technology demonstrator for con-tactless energy and data transmis-sion in systems with fast-moving components. © Fraunhofer IISB