2 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 THE CORONA-WARN-APP: HELPS US FIGHT THE CORONAVIRUS. Download the Corona-Warn-App now and fi ght the coronavirus together. and fi ght the coronavirus together.

4 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 Contents 10 A fresh start in a changed world As life began to reemerge following lockdown, Fraun- hofer magazine took advantage of this transitional moment to question Fraun- hofer researchers such as Dr. Florian Roth (pictured at Lake Constance) on the following key issue: what will make our economy, our society and our systems more resilient? 03 06 10 26 32 34 Editorial In brief, Editorial notes Lead article: Crisis & Opportunity — toward a more resilient society Resilience is never accidental. In a crisis, a five-phase strategy helps improve decision-making “Resilience is the key to securing the benefits of globalization” Interview with Prof. Stephen E. Flynn “We should see this crisis as a wake-up call!” In interview: Dr. Florian Roth, who investigates catastrophe risks and how to prevent them For climate’s sake! Some 26 million Germans say they don’t have time. Now that they do, what are they doing with it? 38 40 42 46 48 51 “It’s about money and life!” Tough decisions for difficult times: Prof. Anita Schöbel explains how mathematics can help Voice of industry Oliver Zipse, chairman of the board of management of BMW AG, on Europe’s strengths in a time of crisis “We can’t just press the reset button” Interview with Bavaria’s minister president Markus Söder, who has had high ratings as a crisis manager Keeping pace with the coronavirus Faster diagnosis with digital pathology New life despite drought Wastewater offers a source of hope for farmers caught high and dry Love the smell, hate the smoke! Everyone loves a BBQ, but what about the emissions? Cover © Philipp Horak, Reto Klar / FUNKE Foto Services, Thomas Meyer / Ostkreuz

6 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 Effectively limiting damage Storms, fires, reefs – the consequences for increasingly massive container ships in distress can be devastating. Fraunhofer researchers are making sure that rescue workers can get in quickly and provide targeted aid in the event of an accident at sea. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Communication, Information Processing and Ergonomics FKIE are currently expanding and improving National Single Window (NSW), the central official reporting system for German shipping traffic. It provides only general, reportable data on fuels and dangerous goods, but information on other cargo is not available. In a hazardous situation, for instance, there is no information about what is located in the vicinity of the dangerous goods. And yet, for ships with loading capacities of up to 24,000 20-foot containers, this information is crucial to enable the German Central Command for Maritime Emer- gencies to take swift and appropriate action and to keep the financial and ecological damage as minimal as possible. The NSW-Plus research project aims to enable all participating stakeholders to enter relevant information into the reporting system and to retrieve such information from there. The Fraunhofer researchers have developed a concept that enables useful preparation of the pooled data while also protecting against cyber threats. A demonstrator has already been created. Its interactive user interface allows rescue workers to view the ship and its cargo from different perspectives (from above, fore/aft, etc.) and to navigate the cargo areas above and below deck, all while gathering important information that can be filtered and sorted as the situation requires. The enrichment of the NSW with more robust data proved its value in a large-scale maritime emergency exercise in Cuxhaven. The overall concept for the support of the maritime supply chain is expected to serve as a blueprint for other European countries. Thanks to Fraunhofer FKIE’s innovative develop- ment, the German Central Command for Maritime Emergencies can quickly get a good overview. © ddp images Smart coatings for stents Stents are designed to widen narrowed blood vessels, and Fraunhofer researchers are using optimized coatings to make them more biocompatible. Stents are fine, stainless steel mesh tubes that are expanded after insertion to keep the blood vessel open and thus prevent heart attacks and strokes. However, an immune response in around 25 percent of all patients causes undesirable effects – inflammation, rejection of the stent as a foreign body or the accumulation of tissue. As a result, the blood vessel closes again. The titanium oxynitride layers are normally produced using plasma. To do this, a titanium target is bombarded with argon ions in a vacuum chamber, causing atoms to be released from the target. Beshchasna and her team also feed a gas mixture of oxygen and nitrogen into the vacuum chamber. The ideal mixing ratio, the researchers determined, is three (oxygen) to five (nitrogen). To improve the stents’ biocompatibility, manufacturers are increasingly coating them, often with titanium oxyni- tride. The chemical composition of the coating, its surface roughness, wettability – everything plays a role in making stents biocompatible. “We were able to specifically adapt these parameters by refining the technology underlying the deposition process,” says Dr. Natalia Beshchasna, head of the joint research project at the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems IKTS in Dresden. To test whether the coating withstands the flow of blood, the researchers developed a system in which the surface of the stent was exposed to a flow of synthetic blood plasma at different temperatures, pressures and flow speeds. They sub- jected the coating to this procedure for two months – with success. The project partners, which, besides Fraunhofer IKTS, include Polish stent manufacturer Bolten, Russian company VIP Technologies and the University POLITEHNICA of Bucha- rest, are now planning to market this innovative product.

8 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 Existing methods for checking temperatures do not allow the required distance to be maintained. © istockphoto Taking measure- ments without risk A novel method helps detect fever and dyspnea from a safe distance. The “Access Checker” developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA detects fever, elevated pulse rate and rapid breathing without putting the individual taking the measurements at risk. It is very easy to maintain the required distance of 1.5 to 2 meters. The method uses a thermal camera to measure body temperature, and microwaves to determine heart and respiratory rates, which is facilitated by a micro-Doppler radar module. A team working with IPA physician Dr. Urs Schneider has been focusing on occupational safety, medical technol- ogy, image processing and object recognition for years. Their colleagues at the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO did their part to ensure that this technological innovation can be smoothly integrated into existing processes. The Fraunhofer researchers quickly built a prototype and tested it at the main entrance of the Robert Bosch Hospital in Stuttgart. Interest in the mobile Access Checker is high, and a patent application has been submitted. Aquatic robot to save drowning individuals Lifeguards are rare in Germany. The world’s first robotic lifeguard is aimed at closing this gap. A team of researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute of Optronics, System Technol- ogies and Image Exploitation IOSB in Ilmenau, Germany, in cooperation with Bäder Halle GmbH, is developing a swim- ming rescue robot that they hope will one day assist lifeguards. These researchers already designed DEDAVE, an autonomous underwater vehicle that has won numer- ous awards, and they have a great deal of expertise in underwater robotics. Their plans foresee the robotic lifeguards resting in docking stations on the floors of indoor swimming pools, where they receive data from surveillance cameras on the ceiling. The cameras monitor swim- mers and analyze the data in real time. “There are typical body positions that indicate when someone is in danger,” says computer scientist Helge Renkewitz, who heads up the project at Fraunhofer IOSB and works closely with the water rescue service in Halle. When the cameras detect an emergency, a nearby lifeguard is notified. Simultaneously, the rescue robot makes its way to the person in danger and brings them back to the water’s surface. Initial trials in the Fraunhofer lab pool took place in July. The robot is scheduled for testing with dummies in a swimming pool in Halle in the fall. If these tests are successful, the researchers plan to further develop the rescue robot for use in open waters. The bionic design is reminiscent of a stingray and is intended to lend the rescue robot greater speed and agility in water. © Wasserrettungsdienst Halle/Saale e.V. Editorial team: Janis Eitner (responsible for content), Josef Oskar Seitz (editor-in-chief), Dr. Sonja Endres, Roman Möhlmann Editorial assistants: Dr. Janine van Ackeren, Marina Babl, Mandy Bartel, Christine Broll, Sirka Henning, Daniela Leitner, Eric Schütz (2issue), Sabine Spinnarke, Mehmet Toprak, Britta Widmann. Layout & lithography: Vierthaler & Braun Cover image: Philipp Horak on behalf of Fraunhofer Printed by: H. HEENEMANN GmbH, Berlin Translation: Burton, Van Iersel & Whitney © Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft e.V. Munich 2020 Editorial notes Fraunhofer magazine – all about research, technology and innovation ISSN 1868-3428 (print edition) ISSN 1868-3436 (online edition) Published by: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft Hansastrasse 27c, 80686 Munich, Germany Editorial address as above Phone +49 89 1205-1301 magazin@zv.fraunhofer.de http://s.fhg.de/magazines Free subscription: Phone +49 89 1205-1301 publikationen@fraunhofer.de

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18 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 Crisis & Opportunity ›››Toward a more resilient society After months of lockdown and anxiety, there’s growing optimism that the world’s current vulnerability might develop into a new source of strength. In our connected world, it no longer suffices merely to overcome a crisis. We must also learn to grow from the experience. By Mandy Bartel / Photographs: Philipp Horak

20 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 “Resilient organizations invest in redundancy, spread their resources widely, are able to organize themselves, factor in the possibility of unforeseen events, and have flexible processes.” Dr. Florian Roth Resilience is the measure of whether societies and orga- nizations are able to overcome critical situations and whether they possess the technological, social and economic means to do this. “What resilient systems and organizations all have in common is that they invest in redundancy, spread their resources widely, and are able to organize themselves; they factor in the possibility of unforeseen events, focus on their own capabilities and strengths, and have flexible processes,” explains Florian Roth, innovation and resilience researcher at the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI in Karlsruhe (see Interview, p. 32). For Roth, it is not enough merely to rebound when adversity strikes or, as the original sense of the word suggests (from the Latin resilire), to “jump back.” If we want to make our system more resilient, we must also exploit this momentum and venture a leap forward or, as Roth calls it, a “bounce forward.” For many years now, resilience has been a topic of research in the fields of psychology and the social sciences, engineering and the material sciences, and in economics and ecology. Given the complexity of this subject, the analytical approach of engineering science may well offer certain advantages. “Resilience doesn’t come about by accident; you can plan for it strategically,” Stolz explains. “Resilience engineering is all about developing the measures and methods required to make optimal decisions before, during and after a crisis. A major emergency event is divided into five phases, all with fluid boundaries: prepare, prevent, protect, respond and recover.” ›Prepare How can companies and countries prepare for a crisis? First of all, resilience has to be based on acceptance and the right culture. This applies not only to companies but also countries, because resilience cannot be acquired without additional expenditure and resources. This is the key conflict facing every organization that wishes to make › Prepare › Recover › Prevent Resilience cycle › Respond › Protect itself crisis-proof: the balance between efficiency and resilience. In normal times, companies and societies alike tend to reduce, for reasons of cost, unnecessary capacity and resources – for example, ICU beds or stocks of personal protective equipment. But what might seem a luxury in normal times may well save lives in a state of emergency. Prevention is always cheaper than being caught unawares – that’s the lesson of the chronically underfunded and broken health systems in Italy, the UK or the USA, and of crashed supply chains almost everywhere we look. “The best way of achieving this balancing act,” Stolz explains, “is to have a metric that shows you how much resilience you can attain by investing a certain amount. Resilience must be measurable.” Resilience engineering provides such a tool: “By plotting a company’s performance over time, you can calculate the drop in performance that will arise under certain conditions or when certain measures are implemented during a crisis. A comparison of the results then shows which of the options is more resilient.” To find out what works best, alongside a classic analysis of strengths and weaknesses, companies also need to ask themselves the following questions: To what degree do we need to remain functional during an emergency and what is the minimum commitment required for this? This might mean equipping all employees with a laptop for teleworking, for example, or stockpiling important products. Companies should also be thinking: Which suppliers do we rely on, and do we have alternatives? What resources can

22 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 “Close coop- eration with suppliers, right up to sharing resources such as personnel and know-how, is the most effective way of making supply chains more resilient.” Prof. Julia Arlinghaus But that’s a fallacy: a certain degree of abstraction is much more important.” For example, companies should prepare for the possibility that 50 percent of the workforce are unable to work on-site. Here, it is immaterial whether this is owing to a pandemic, a major weather event or a system crash. “When you run through a lot of scenarios, you often encounter the same issues,” Stolz explains. He also recommends that everyone think through various scenarios, so that we know what precautionary measures to take in preparation for an emergency: “People should be asking themselves how well prepared they are for an outage in the power or water supply over a couple of days. Or whether they can support themsel- ves over a two-week quarantine period.” How can we strengthen our industry and supply chains? The pandemic has shown just how much we rely on the supply of key goods. This not only applies to medicinal drugs and face masks but also impacts almost every sector of industry. In 2019, 27 percent of electrical imports to Germany were manufactured in China. Almost all the raw materials for antibiotics are produced in China. According to a survey conducted by the Mechanical Engineering Industry Association (VDMA) in May, almost 50 percent of companies were experiencing serious problems with supply chains. Alongside factory closures imposed by the authorities, there were also workforce shortages owing to illness, quarantine and border closures. And, within a couple of days of lockdown, kilometer-long lines of border traffic were causing major disruptions for just-in-time manufacturing. Supply chain resilience is the research field of Prof. Julia Arlinghaus, director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation and Automation IFF in Magdeburg. Back in 2017, the manufacturing expert carried out a survey of 200 com - panies. Almost 57 percent said that within the past five years they had experienced massive disruptions to their supply chains that were serious enough to threaten their commercial existence. In other words, companies would have been receptive to a warning of this kind. Modern supply chains are highly complex. While this can lead to problems, there are also good reasons for this complexity: it enables companies to focus on their own operations, avoid expensive inventory in favor of cheap transport costs, and outsource certain tasks to suppliers. Innovation and resilience researcher Arlinghaus does not believe that the current crisis heralds the oft proclai- med end to just-in-time manufacturing. Instead, it will only increase the requirement to improve efficiency. “We’re not going to see a reshoring in the manufacturing sector unless the state requires and incentivizes it, and unless customers are prepared to pay more in return for higher availability, since this always involves a loss in efficiency,” she explains. “I strongly believe that over the medium to long term, factors like climate change will have a much greater impact on industry supply chains than the current pandemic. As soon as we start to factor in environmental costs, this will increase transport costs, and supply chains will change drastically.” In the short term, however, companies will invest more in making the flow of materials more transparent and in the tools to do this job – namely, digitalization. As things stand, companies often know little more about their suppliers than their current billing address. Greater transparency will not only tell them exactly where their goods are procured but also help improve their ability to evaluate risk. The study also revealed another way in which supply chains can be made more resilient: greater cooperation. The more a company collaborates with its suppliers to share resources such as know-how, personnel or machinery, the less vulnerable it is to disruption. “This is based on the idea of the self-healing network,” Arlinghaus explains. “In tight situations, it can even make sense to cooperate with commercial rivals in order to protect an entire supply chain.” The advantages of such cooperation are clear. Yet the study shows that very few companies actually make proper use of it. “It’s often down to a simple lack of trust or to an uncertainty about who is responsible for coordination should the situation worsen,” says Arlinghaus. The fragile balance between cost and resilience is also a field of study at the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathema- tics ITWM in Kaiserslautern. Here, researchers are focusing on the question of how to minimize any possible shortfalls in supply at only a minimal increase in cost. Using algo- rithms, researchers can identify the best balance between cost reduction and risk limitation in the supply chain. This calculation includes factors such as the risk of a breakdown in the supply of specific raw materials, a shift to alternative materials and a stockpiling of key products. Time and again, it turns out that even a minor investment can substantially reduce the level of risk. Challenging enough for a company, this becomes a mammoth task when implemented on a national level: determining where delivery problems may arise as a result of whole regions or even countries being cordoned off. Indivi- dual companies monitor the flow of goods and warehouse stock levels, but there is no centralized, unified source of data that would enable national governments to assess the overall situation and identify impending shortfalls in supply. Fraunho- fer Austria is now working to change this. On behalf of the Austrian government, researchers are currently assisting the state department responsible for coordinating national crisis management and disaster management. The project initially involved the standardization of key logistics data from coope- ration partners and processing it for analysis. Researchers are now collating this data in a uniform data pool and creating a dashboard to visualize trading relations. In parallel, research partners are working on mathematical models designed to

24 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 A major factor in the coronavirus equation is the number of unknown cases. This helps not only to explain differing mortality rates but also to predict future developments and specific measures. In order to determine the number of unknown cases in different regions of Germany, researchers at Fraunhofer ITWM modified a statistical model originally developed for use in vehicle development. Their calculations suggested there were 298,000 unidentified infections in Germany at the end of April, of which 40 percent were asymptomatic. Mathematicians from Fraunhofer ITWM also developed a special simulation model to help the authorities with decision- making. This model uses time-variable parameters that are estimated on the basis of the recorded number of cases and then matched with further statistical data. This enables an assessment of the impact of specific measures on the rate of infection. In April, working with the Max Planck Society, the Helmholtz Association and the Leibniz Association, Fraunhofer researchers then used various mathematical models in order to determine the most promising strategy for the pandemic: a rigorous containment of new infections until effective contact- tracing becomes possible, followed by an adaptive approach in which new cases are traced back to their origin and measures to limit contact can be introduced. “In order to be able to impart it, communicate its importance and put it into practice, resilience must be made measurable.” Dr. Alexander Stolz Carrara & Corona The Tower of Pisa is 55 meters high and made of 14,200 metric tons of white Carrara marble. Seldom has the UNESCO World Heritage Site been so devoid of visitors as in 2020 – despite the fact that workers in protective cloth- ing have done all they can to keep the deserted Piazza dei Miracoli free of the virus. © Getty Images ›Protect How can critical infrastructure be protected? The virus has shown just how vulnerable our society is. What’s more, we are susceptible in many other areas as well. In the case of critical infrastructure, such as the power grid, the supply of drinking water, telecommunications or transport, even the smallest glitch can trigger a chain reaction and create major disruption. Given the virtual impossibility of protecting these systems against the full spectrum of conceivable threats, Stolz counsels a different approach: “To achieve resilience along with the requisite flexibility and improvisation, we need to admit a certain degree of uncertainty into the equation.” In place of “security by design,” we need “resilience by design,” which helps us prepare for unforeseen situations. Systems that can repair themselves are more resilient. The Fraunhofer Institute for Mechatronic Systems Design IEM in Paderborn is investigating whether biological principles of self-healing can be transferred to the connected systems found in industry. Following nature’s example, researchers are seeking to make these systems more resilient and thereby increase their autonomy. In effect, this means endowing them with an artificial immune system. “Our research focuses on the mechanisms of the adaptive immune system,” explains project manager Michael Hillebrand. “In concrete terms, we use the danger theory and analogues of so-called dendritic cells in order to monitor autonomous robots or automation systems. These cells are able to detect danger within a system on the basis of certain signal patterns. In an open, autonomous system, however, it is impossible to program explicitly and in advance for all possible signals and reactions. We therefore use an algorithm that can recognize dangerous patterns. The algorithm classifies these signals as known/harmless, unknown, or known/dangerous. The signals are linked to a monitor that displays the system’s state of health. In this way, the system is able learn – online and quasi autonomously – which signal patterns correlate to a loss in performance and then react accordingly. This ‘immune response’ is provided by T cell analogues, which simultaneously learn which recovery operation was suc- cessful.” In this way, other systems could also be taught to become self-healing.

26 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 “We draw up a cyber resilience strategy to help organizations remain opera- tional in the event of a cyberattack.” Kai Pervölz, Fraunhofer IAIS The pandemic has had little impact on critical infrastruc- ture. Yet with so many people now working from home, occasional fluctuations in bandwidth have offered a preview of what a complete crash of the information and commu- nications infrastructure would mean. Numerous Fraunhofer Institutes are involved in projects devoted to enhancing the security of IT systems and telecommunications networks. In the EU project RESISTO, for example, Fraunhofer EMI is investigating the threat posed by cyber, physical and combined cyber-physical attacks on current 4G/LTE networks and future 5G communication networks. Network resilience is a key issue in relation to the Internet of Things, autono- mous vehicles and digital transformation. Using a simulated communication network, the research team are applying a standardized process to identify and evaluate critical issues and potential countermeasures. In addition, they are providing network operators with a decision-making tool in the form of a user interface with integrated applications. A resilience check for IT structures is provided by the Fraunhofer Institute for Intelligent Analysis and Information Systems IAIS in St. Augustin: “This covers more than just the security of IT systems,” explains Kai Pervölz, head of the preventative security business unit. “We draw up a cyber resilience strategy to help organizations prepare for a cyberattack and remain operational.” His researchers conduct a comprehensive analysis not only of IT architec- ture and any security measures already in place but also of organizational structures, processes and of the impact that an attack would have on the value chain. On this basis, they then draw up a catalog of technical and organizational measures. These range from emergency plans to security concepts for critical information assets and business processes to communication campaigns designed to instill greater security awareness throughout the entire organiza- tion. This is because the human element is a key factor in resilient systems. “Resilience is the key to securing the benefits of globalization.” Interview with Prof. Stephen E. Flynn, founding director of the Global Resilience Institute, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts Interview: Mandy Bartel “There is much we can learn from less- developed countries.” What makes a society or a country resilient? Flynn: Societal resilience requires a balanced commitment to advancing: (1) individual, family, neighborhood and community resilience; (2) the resilience of infrastructure and systems that people rely on for their daily lives; and (3) a sustainable and equitable economy. Countries are resilient if in the face of a major crisis, they have strong social capital, infrastructure and systems that can sustain or rapidly recover function, and they possess adequate resources to cover losses and provide a social safety net. Importantly, strengths in one can help compensate for deficits in other. For instance, developing countries that possess significant levels of individual and community resilience can find creative, low-cost ways to work around the loss of infrastructure function or limited resources. Indeed, there is much that developed countries can learn from less-devel- oped countries when it comes to bolstering greater levels of self-reliance. Which competencies do we need to develop in order to be prepared for future crises? Going forward, we need to leverage the tools of network science to model and predict how disease will spread. We need to invest in public health education for the general population. We need to bolster the means for international collaboration to accelerate the development of tests and vaccines and for managing the rapid production and shar- ing of critical supplies where they are most needed. Viruses pay no attention to political jurisdictions. Our approach for managing them needs to acknowledge this reality.

28 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 Lockdown & Lockout The fans of Bundesliga soccer club Borussia Mönchengladbach are more than just cardboard cutouts. To lift the atmosphere during lockdown, they sent in photos so their team could play to a full house. Yet even in a pandemic, one thing never changes: in May, Bayern Munich was crowned champion of this lockout season, the 30th time the club has won the title © Getty Images “Our lab demonstrates how to connect a wide variety of systems, ranging from control centers at fire departments and control stations for critical infrastructure to information systems for the general public,” explains Niklas Reinhardt, research associate in the collaborative safety and security business unit at Fraunhofer FOKUS. “The key question for our research is how to connect these decentralized solutions and, most importantly, how to involve the public in the informa- tion process.” Not only technical but also organizational and legal issues play an important role here. The Safety Lab has led to the development of technologies such as KATWARN, an international warning system used by millions of people, and KATRETTER, a system to coordinate the use of volunteers to assist the emergency services during crisis situations. The global spread of the coronavirus has shown the importance of having unified and coordinated processes for crisis management. The EU is working – with the help of Fraunhofer – to establish uniform European standards in the field of disaster resilience. The Fraunhofer Institute for Technological Trend Analysis INT is part of the STRATEGY project, which gets underway in September. Its purpose is to strengthen technical and organizational interoperability for cross-border crisis management. This will involve tests and evaluation under realistic conditions of current, emerging and future standards. Flexibility is a key part of the response phase and a key characteristic of resilient societies. As the pandemic unfolded, companies rushed to digitalize their processes so that employees could continue to work from home. At the same time, distilleries switched to producing sanitizers, and clothing manufacturers to making face masks. Automakers modified their additive-manufacturing systems in order to produce ventilators. In the field of resilience engineering, these are known as generic capabilities: the adaptation of available tools and skills for use beyond their actual application in order to be able to react rapidly to a given situation. The more resources and generic capabilities an organization has at its disposal, the greater its agility in implementing a resilience strategy. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT in Aachen are experts in the adaptation of often highly specialized processes. On behalf of the company Moss, for example, they helped set up a production line for the manufacture of urgently required surgical face masks. Moreover, much of this work was done from home and in parallel steps. The company, which normally produces large- scale printed fabrics for marketing purposes, is now manufac- turing 40,000 of these certified surgical masks on a daily basis. Further production lines are now being set up, the aim being to increase output to several million masks per week. Digital engineering is the key to achieving greater flexibility in these uncertain times. “We are going to have to get used to the idea of ramping up production and then throttling it back down again whenever regional lockdowns disrupt supply chains or whenever employees or raw materials are in short supply,” Arlinghaus says. In the case of some plants, however, it is not so simple to shut them down. One option here is remote maintenance in order to continue operation. “We create a digital twin of the plant,” the manufacturing expert explains. “Then, in an emergency, you automatically have all the relevant information at your fingertips, without first having to conduct an inventory.” This in turn means that you can simulate – remotely and in real time – how best to modify the production operation. “The central question for our research is how to connect these decentralized solutions.” Niklas Reinhardt, Fraunhofer FOKUS

30 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 A further challenge for companies is to repair disrupted supply chains and get them running smoothly once again. During lockdown, production stoppages around the world led to shortages in materials. At the same time, the continued delivery of some goods during factory shutdowns caused a backlog of items awaiting further processing. The task now is to resynchronize the supply chain. In a project entitled “Fast ramp-up,” the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML in Dortmund is using simulation to help companies with planning and management. “Our Order-to- Delivery-NETwork Simulator – or ODT NET, for short – is a tool suite for simulating and evaluating supply-chain and ramp-up scenarios, so that companies can get production restarted as soon as possible,” explains project manager Marco Motta. Last but by no means least, it is also important to learn from the measures so far adopted and then to adapt this learning before a new preparation phase ushers in the next cycle. This means collating and filing in structured form all the data and observations that have been used to evaluate and manage the crisis. This is no easy task, since such infor- mation has accumulated across all phases of the cycle and is therefore extremely heterogeneous and seldom gathered on a unified or centralized basis. Here, AI methods such as machine learning can be of assistance. Around the world, a number of studies to assess the response to the pandemic are now underway. In CoronaNet, for example, 150 researchers across 18 time zones have investigated and categorized thousands of measures adopted by over 200 countries in an attempt to contain the virus. With the help of machine-learning methods, they analyzed over 200,000 news articles and extracted 16 different types of measure. They also compiled an index to compare when and to what degree different countries introduced specific measures. At the end of April, Germany had a mid-table ranking compared to other countries. A number of Fraunhofer Institutes have also started research projects in an attempt to learn more from the events of recent months. At Fraunhofer EMI, for example, Stolz is using correlation models to determine the impact of various measures on, for example, the operation of critical infrastructure in selected regions. These models are based on a wide range of data sources: available statistics, information from companies and operators, and also press releases. This diverse data is then processed and structured in such a way that it can be correlated. A project recently launched at Fraunhofer ISI aims to understand and shape the dynamics of system transformation on both a conceptual and analytical level. Here, researchers are developing concepts to help policymakers and companies develop strategies that influence system change. It is still too soon for a final evaluation. Yet the experience of what may be the greatest natural experiment of our time will undoubtedly help us emerge all the stronger from this difficult period – as will a new-won confidence in the analytical tools at our disposal, the discovery of new potential for collaboration and greater flexibility, and a heightened awareness of our own capabilities. At the same time, this will also give us added momentum to tackle essential processes of transformation – provided we remain committed to rethinking our ways. “In the field of resilience research, we’re used to things happening in cycles,” says Florian Roth. “The danger is that once measures start to work and the crisis passes, people just carry on as before. But this crisis, I’m sure, is going to remain anchored in our collective consciousness for a long time. And people will realize that it’s better to take proper precautions beforehand rather than having to pick up the pieces afterwards.” “We can simulate and evaluate supply-chain and ramp-up scenarios, so that compa- nies can get production restarted as soon as possible.” Marco Motta, Fraunhofer IML Supervirus & Superheroes With schools and kindergartens closed, families have been struggling with working remotely and homeschooling. A boost in superpowers is exactly what would come in handy now. Here, a young boy studies a work of street art by Kai Wohlgemuth, alias “The Uzey.” The coronavirus has helped raise the artist’s profile, with newspapers around the world publishing his work. © Getty Images

32 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 “We should see this crisis as a wake-up call!” Dr. Florian Roth is a researcher at the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI in Karlsruhe. At present, he is investigating the resilience of societies and systems. We discussed with him the opportunities and risks presented by the current crisis. Interview by Mandy Bartel Mr. Roth, how resilient is someone who studies resilience? therefore no longer maintaining the required distance to other people. That’s what we call risk compensation. Roth: Well, I certainly keep a close eye on my own level of resilience. I look at my strategies for coping, I check my inner resources. I think about the things that give me strength. I ask myself if I really do want everything to go back to how it was before. Or whether I’m ready for something new. And I try to stay as adaptable and flexible as possible – with regard to new technology and tools, for example. You wrote your doctorate on risk-based policymaking in complex situations. What can this work tell us about the current situation? I looked explicitly at the interaction between parliamentary politics, the media and public opinion – that’s pretty much the interplay that we’ve been experiencing over the past few months. Risk-based decisions are always made under enormous time pressure. Bad decisions generally have serious consequences for society and for the decision makers themselves. There’s also the effect of so-called sunk costs: if you’re committed to a path of action in which you’ve already invested a lot, then it’s difficult to change course, even if that makes more sense. Interdisciplinary experts should always be involved in the decision-making process. They can assess the situation from a variety of perspectives. Take the compulsory wearing of face masks: a virologist can tell us how the virus spreads when people talk to one another, but a social scientist will also help us understand the psychological, political and social impacts of such a regu- lation – and explain why it is, for example, that mandatory mask-wearing can result in some people feeling safer and What’s the secret of successful communication in a crisis situation? It has to be transparent and based on partnership. What’s counterproductive is the use of so-called nudging, whereby you try and manipulate people to behave in a particular way. As we’ve seen, it’s also vital to know what you want to achieve, and not just what you want to avoid or prevent. In other words, a positive argument in favor of something helps increase its acceptance. What kind of system is more suitable in a time of crisis: a centralized or a decentralized one? In our society, knowledge is spread very widely. That’s an advantage. We can learn from the field of ecology here: research into coral reefs has shown that complex ecosystems that are rich in species turn out to be more resilient. That isn’t completely applicable to our situation, but it tells us that systems that avoid centralizing knowledge and resources are better able to deal with crises. They can utilize the ability of individual elements within the system to detect signals or changes that remain below the perception threshold of the system as a whole. A system is therefore able to react more quickly and prevent an information overload. It’s therefore vital to institute proper decision-making powers right across the entire system. This means giving not only central bodies but also smaller units the power to make decisions. Empow- erment is very important here. “This means giving not only central bodies but also smaller units the power to make decisions. Empowerment is very important here.”

34 For climate’s sake! We’ve forgotten the art of doing nothing. Yet researchers say that only a slowdown will bring greater sustainability. By Dr. Sonja Endres

36 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 “I think I’ve become more aware of what can rob you of your time.” Lorenz Erdmann With the result that lots of people today feel like they’re a character in MoMo, the world-famous children’s novel by Michael Ende: the faster they work, the less time they have – a rat race that becomes faster and faster, and from which there is apparently no escape. “Life just keeps on getting fuller and fuller,” Erdmann agrees. Together with partners from TU Berlin and Leuphana University Lüneburg, he is seeking to empirically test Rosa’s thesis and investigate what impact it has on society, the economy and sustainable consumption. Most people want to sleep, relax, do some exercise Erdmann and his colleagues are developing a simulation model that is fed with data from studies on time use by Germany’s Federal Statistical Office, and with information on CO2 emissions, diet, mobility, digital media, e-commerce etc. Another key source of data is a representative survey conducted for the project Time rebound, time wealth and sustainable consumption (ReZeitKon). Erdmann und his team wanted to find out, for example, how people spend their time, how much they suffer from a lack of time, what and how they consume, and what they would do if they had The art of achieving time wealth ReZeitKon is an interdisciplinary project involving econ- omists, political scientists, environmental psychologists, sustainability researchers, humanities scholars and social scientists. Its aim is to come up with recommendations to defeat the men in gray from the time-saving bank, as depicted in the novel Momo, and to help people achieve greater time wealth. According to researchers, this is the case when the following five criteria are met: 1 You experience your pace of life as appropriate. 2 You are able to plan your time. 3 You can decide yourself how to use your time. 4 You have enough free time for spontaneous use. 5 Your own time and external time are synchronized. an extra hour per day at their disposal. The most common answers to these open-ended questions paint a picture of a drained society: sleep, relax, read, exercise, meet friends. The survey was carried out in February, before the coronavi- rus pandemic put Germany into lockdown. The virus created whole new opportunities for the project. “The coronavirus caused a system failure, and we had to change our daily routine,” says Erdmann. “Suddenly, lots of people had lots more time.” The team therefore decided to carry out a sec- ond survey. They wanted to find out what people were doing with this newly won time. Initial results show that sleeping and relaxing are no longer top priorities. Instead, home repairs and gardening are the most common responses. Do we have a problem with suddenly having nothing to do? “It’s not that simple,” Erdmann says. “We all have our daily routine, and it’s not so easy to suddenly change it. There are events in life that open up a time window. That’s when routines get shaken up and reconstituted. The coronavirus could well be such a window.” But not for everyone. Erdmann emphasizes that it is important to look more closely at the survey results and differentiate according to demographic, situation and lifestyle. “Obviously, the coronavirus pandemic has a different impact on people with lots of time and money on their hands – those of independent means – than it does on those with little money and little time – i.e., people who are precariously employed, with two children and two jobs, and still barely able to make ends meet. These people are under substantial pressure in terms of both time and money. If they’re out of work as a result of the coronavirus, they may not be short of time, but they’ve now got bigger money worries. Those with little time but lots of money – high-earning graduates who attach great importance to their profession – have quite possibly noticed a slowdown, but only if they haven’t had children to look after at home.” Our attitude towards time may be in the process of chang- ing. “But as the crisis tapers off, I suspect there will be a powerful tendency to fall back into old ways,” says Erdmann. Nature’s burnout Yet that would risk the next catastrophe – the climate catastrophe. Erdmann and colleagues are convinced that the time-rebound effect has major consequences for sustain- ability. Adrienne Goehler from the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) in Potsdam agrees: “Sustainabil- ity requires a slowdown.” A study by Griffith University in Australia shows that people who slow down find it much easier to close the value-action gap on climate change – i.e., the discrepancy between knowing what to do for greater

38 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 “It’s about money and life!” When major decisions have to be made on the basis of complicated data, that’s when mathematics comes into its own. Prof. Anita Schöbel, director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM, is delighted about the growing popularity of her subject. We talked to her about the power of math and its limitations. Interview by Mandy Bartel “The problem is, once you’ve prevented the worst, people don’t appreciate the effort behind it.” How can mathematics help us make informed deci- sions in times of crisis? From a mathematical perspective, would you say that the right measures have been applied? Schöbel: Math is a helpful tool, particularly when you’re dealing with a lot of unknowns. First of all, we analyze which data and information is uncertain and how big an influence this uncertainty has on our methods. Then we use models based on either robust or stochastic optimization in order to calculate the best and the worst case. This helps us specify complex problems to a much finer degree. It gives you a much clearer picture of the consequences and a more solid basis for planning. In a pandemic, the number of unknown cases has a substantial influence on the further spread of the disease. We were able to calculate that even with a very high number of unknown cases, it would take between two and three years to achieve herd immunity on the basis of a controlled spread of infection. It would therefore be a very bad option to wait until then. Instead, rapid and rigorous containment is the best option. How reliable are such predictions? A model is only ever as good as the assumptions used to calculate it. Besides, something unforeseen always happens: a new medical discovery, or basic immunity turns out to be higher than originally assumed, or a vaccine or new drug is developed. You can only ever say that the predictions are reliable under the current assumptions. In applied mathemat- ics, we try to estimate missing parameters in such a way that they conform to events so far. There’s a real art to modeling. It’s about creating mathematical models of a real problem. Unfortunately, it’s not taught nearly enough at university. There, you only learn how to calculate with a given model and you assume that the model is correct. The measures were sensible and appropriate. They came at the right time and, happily, weren’t as strict as in other countries. The problem is, once you’ve prevented the worst, people don’t appreciate the effort behind it. They just think it was all a big fuss about nothing. It’s difficult for people to imagine what exponential growth actually means. It can happen alarmingly quickly, so that all of a sudden there are not enough intensive-care beds. To what extent is it possible to calculate the influence of political decisions within complex systems – for example, their impact on the economy? That’s what we’re discussing right now at the institute and with economists as well. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy to juxtapose epidemiological and economic modeling, as there are a lot of factors that are extremely difficult to gauge. For example, how do restrictions of differing type and degree effect the continued performance of the economy? What effect do relaxations have on different sectors of the economy – and on the reproduction factor, which then has to be coupled with economic factors? There are many aspects to this problem. These currently make it difficult to produce a robust calculation. Can you calculate the moment at which a measure has a greater negative impact than that which it is intended to prevent? There are mathematical disciplines for this. In the field of multiple criteria optimization, for example, we simultaneously observe a range of objective functions and find the best com-

40 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 Voice of industry Leadership, data, innovation — our path to greater resilience Europe’s greatest strength lies with its citizens – in their inquiring minds and pioneering spirit, in their creativity and their freedom of thought. If we are given the scope to develop and flourish – and there is greater investment in education and research – Europe can emerge stronger from this crisis. A guest commentary by Oliver Zipse, chairman of the board of management of BMW AG “There’s been an upsurge in digitalization, accelerated by the crisis, which is having a positive impact in many areas of society.” The coronavirus has stopped the clocks. Over a period of many weeks, public life has literally ground to a halt. We now have a crisis of global proportions that has both a public health dimension and an economic one. It is still unclear just how the pandemic will play out. But one thing is certain: the global economy will slide into a deep recession this year. The IMF forecasts a contraction of three percent. A lot of com- panies are in dire straits; some have already had to file for insolvency. In addition, there are stark regional differences, as evidenced by the figures for automobile sales: in the UK, for example, there were virtually no new vehicle registrations for the whole of April and well into May; in the Chinese market, however, sales for the BMW Group over the same period were higher than the previous year. In this situation, we need to ask ourselves about what might guide us in our attempt to steer companies and national economies back onto the path of growth and normality. In a time of deep cuts and great uncertainty, decisions can have far-reaching consequences. It is therefore all the more important to ensure that the right decisions are made. Growing uncertainty can also lead to conflict about what is – or might be – the right way forward. It is up to those who lead to guide us across this unfamiliar terrain, to resolve conflicts and, especially now, to make sound decisions in preparation for the future. Comprehensive data can help improve decision-making Today, more than ever, we have access to the kind of extensive data that can help us improve our decision-making is better than ever. We need to take current market-fore- casting models and supplement them with general data on, for example, the current status of pandemic research, best practice in crisis management, and measures adopted by individual regions. Live data on people’s mobility and purchasing behavior as well as analytics on consumption, mobile working, travel and the use of public transit can all provide indications on the return of economic and social life. There has been an upsurge in digitalization, accelerated by the crisis, which is having a positive impact in many areas of society. It will make us more flexible and adaptable and therefore more resilient following this crisis.

42 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 “The corona- virus is a stress test for our health care system, the economy and for society. So far, I think, we’ve all done pretty well.” Markus Söder Always a step ahead in the current crisis: Dr. Markus Söder (53), minister president of Bavaria, in the state chancellery, Munich. © Niels Starnick / Bild am Sonntag

44 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 “We must learn to stop looking at problems in isolation and think of them as inter- connected. That’s the big challenge. We therefore need an approach that’s based on technology and digitali- zation, but we also need to make progress in the areas of climate protection and energy.” Markus Söder 1974 Young Markus in a Christmas photo. There was always candy for good grades, recalls Bavaria’s minister president, who graduated from high school with 1.3. © Instagram I’ve every sympathy for demonstrations. Freedom of speech and freedom of assembly are pillars of our democracy. But there’s been a clear attempt by some extreme groups to hijack and instrumentalize people’s understandable desire for greater freedom. It’s just scaremongering. Why, for example, would anyone talk about mandatory vaccination when there’s not even a vaccine available yet? We all need to be very careful not to be manipulated. If you’re at a demon- stration, you should keep your distance both physically and intellectually. Back to reality: Which strengths have helped us con- front the crisis relatively unscathed here in Germany? We’ve confronted this pandemic together – without falling into panic but with the utmost seriousness. The Bavarian authorities have worked in harmony with federal government and other federal states, and also with our neighbors abroad, such as Austria. The Bavarian government has worked hand in hand with the municipal authorities, the emergency services and local medical personnel. Everyone has done their job. We were able to ramp up capacity in our health care system in no time at all, while also taking rigorous measures to reduce the infection rate. This would have been impos- sible without the patience and support of the population throughout Germany. People across the country have played a big part in their support for the measures introduced to fight the coronavirus. I’d like to thank them all for this. We’ve been thankfully spared scenes like we’ve witnessed in Italy or Spain, or in the USA or the UK. More and more people are saying: “Things will never be the same again!” What are we going to lose? We should be asking: What can we gain? Daily life is not going to get back to normal until we have a vaccine. We’re going to have to learn to live with the pandemic. We need to ask ourselves how we can be better prepared for such a challenge next time around. And we need to draw lessons from this crisis and become more resilient. How can we gain from this crisis? And where might new opportunities arise for us to press ahead with the process of change? We need a technological leap forward, here in Germany. In recent years, the gap to China and the US has grown – especially in areas such as digitalization, robotics and artificial intelligence. We need to redress that with a massive high-tech program on the national level. Are sustainability and value creation contradictory objectives? Both will have to become even more closely entwined. We can’t just press the reset button for the economy. Instead, we should be using this crisis as an opportunity to propel the economy in new directions. Those who say we can forget about climate protection, all we need is classic growth at any price will soon see that it’s not so easy to do this in an economy that’s been changed by globalization. We must learn to stop looking at problems in isolation and think of them as interconnected. That’s the big challenge. We therefore need an approach that’s based on technology and digitalization, but we also need to make progress in the areas of climate protection and energy. Innovation is seen as the engine of the German economy. How can we ensure that research and development continue in times of crisis? First of all, given our export problems right now, it’s vital to stimulate domestic demand in Germany – for example, with an innovation premium for the purchase of low-emission cars. This will create further research incentives for the automobile industry. We also want to increase the maximum threshold for tax incentives for research and create other tax allowances. We need to think about ways of providing easily accessible, unbureaucratic support for new companies in their early years. And we need to accelerate our Hightech Agenda here in Bavaria and establish it on the federal level. 1997 Söder’s political career gathers pace – if initially on two wheels. Until 2008, he was chairman of the CSU regional association for Nurem- berg-West. © Instagram 1986 Söder completed basic military service at Transport Battalion 270 in Nuremberg. He recalls his superiors attesting to a “lack of inner leadership.” © Instagram

46 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 Keeping pace with the coronavirus The time between the collection of a human tissue sample and the start of treatment must be kept as short as possible. Several projects at Fraunhofer MEVIS and IIS are giving pathologists a head start in their challenging fight against this disease. Text: Sabine Spinnarke The tissue from patients who died of the coronavirus is laid out on five glass slides arranged neatly on the tray resting in Dr. Carol Geppert’s hands. A senior physician of pathology at Erlangen University Hospital, he examines the bright red areas in the fine structure of the lung tissue: edemas. “Everything here should actually be clear,” says Dr. Geppert. When his colleagues performed autopsies on the first victims of the coronavirus, they found internal bleeding in the lungs and brain. “What we saw is important for physicians treating patients infected by coronavirus. Now they can try to minimize the risk of dysfunctional coagulation,” explains the pathologist. At RWTH Aachen, Prof. Ruth Knüchel-Clarke gathers the data from all post-mortem pathologies in a central register. Connectivity and digitalization are crucial to enabling a rapid and global response to novel viruses or even well-known diseases – but they are by no means a given in German pathological institutes. Dr. Geppert, his colleague Prof. Christoph Brochhausen-Delius, Vice Chair of the University of Regensburg’s Institute for Pathology, and additional col- leagues are working closely with the Fraunhofer Institutes for Integrated Circuits IIS and Digital Medicine MEVIS. Together, they are looking for solutions to digitalize pathology. “Our projects are aimed to optimize the workflow in the lab, to make AI diagnostic solutions more precise and robust, and to increase the transparency, and thus the acceptance, of AI in pathology,” says Volker Bruns. As computer scientist, Bruns manages the medical imaging group at Fraunhofer IIS, where the medical experts are an ideal sounding board for him. Prof. Brochhausen also considers the interdisciplinary partnership to be an asset: “We thought some of the hopes for AI were mere pipe dreams, but then Volker Bruns and his team, with their specialized knowledge, were able to suggest potential solutions to us.” Before pathologists are able to make a diagnosis, the collected tissue sample is first sent to the lab. This is where the PathoScan project comes in. Initiated by PreciPoint, a dig- ital microscope manufacturer, the project’s scientific partners are Fraunhofer IIS, the Technical University of Munich and the Institute for Pathology in Regensburg. “Tissue praparation requires a high degree of specialized knowledge and manual dexterity,” says Prof. Brochhausen. The immense variations in the composition of human tissue is the reason why tissue is – unlike blood – very difficult to process in automatic systems. The hand-cut sections are no more than five micrometers thick – a hair is around 60 micrometers thick. PathoScan maps the entire workflow from sample receipt to diagnostic findings: in the future, all information about the patient, the clinical picture and the requested tests will be digitally documented and evaluated and additional steps automatically and immediately set in motion. “If an examination requires a special stain, for instance, it can be prepared immediately,” explains Prof. Brochhausen. This saves a bit of time, as these specimens used to have to wait before being sent to pathology for analysis. The system makes it possible, for example, to run a heart biopsy through the lab faster than a meniscus, which doesn’t require treatment as urgently. PreciPoint and HTI Automation are developing systems for transporting and handling samples. Their micro- scopes and handling units ensure that, at the end of the chain, all samples are digitalized and automatically examined for quality defects. Unlike conventional devices, their systems can change the scanning order according to urgency and reject defective specimens right up until the end. This is an important point for daily routines. Volker Bruns’ team is training a neural network to discern specimen quality. “The AI gradually learns to decide inde- pendently whether the specimen is completely unsuitable, merely unsightly or okay,” says Bruns. Since the labs at TU Munich and Regensburg University are widely disparate, PathoScan will one day permit universal use. “Our projects are aimed at increasing the transparency, and thus the acceptance, of AI in pathology.” Volker Bruns, Fraunhofer IIS

48 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 New life despite drought Water is a scarce commodity, as recent hot summers have made very clear. Specially treated wastewater can serve as a new source – for instance for growing vegetables. By Christine Broll The greenhouse is located on the grounds of the wastewater treatment plant in Wolfsburg-Hattdorf, right next to the clarification tank. Inside, the succulent green heads of lettuce grow in neatly ordered rows of long plastic tubes. Their roots extend, not into soil, but into a special nutrient solution – specially treated wastewater. The Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB teamed up with 11 partners in a recently completed research project, HypoWave, to investigate the reuse of purified wastewater in agriculture. When the project was launched in late 2016, no one had any idea how dry the summers of 2018 and 2019 would be – the research became increasingly relevant from one year to the next. The location of the HypoWave greenhouse – on the grounds of a Wolfsburg wastewater treatment plant – was chosen, in part, for historical reasons. “Unlike in the rest of Germany, the Braunschweig/Wolfsburg area has a long tradition of irrigating fields with treated wastewater,” explains Dr. Marius Mohr, head of the water technologies and resource recovery innovation field at Fraunhofer IGB and one of the initiators of HypoWave. But the treated wastewater is not used directly in the greenhouse, as it could contain pharmaceutical residues, heavy metals, industrial chemicals or pathogenic bacteria and viruses. The HypoWave partners tested various technologies for treating the wastewater in Wolfsburg-Hattorf.

50 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 Ozonation and using an activated carbon biofilter proved to be particularly effective. Ozonation eliminates pollutants and pathogens through oxidation with ozone. While ozonation is already used in wastewater treatment plants today, treatment using activated carbon biofilters is new. The advantage of these filters is that they can both adsorb and biologically degrade pollutants. “We did not detect elevated concentrations of pharmaceuti- cal residues or pathogenic germs in the lettuce we irrigated with water from the activated carbon biofilter,” says Marius Mohr, whose team is working to further improve the stages of wastewater treatment. How well the lettuce plants thrive in the greenhouse was the investigation focus of Dr. Jörn Germer’s working group at the University of Hohenheim. The fact that the plants are not grown in soil was nothing new – cultivation in nutrient solution, known as hydroponics, is already used on an industrial scale in fruit and vegetable production. The team of agricultural ecologists focused mainly on nutrient supply. “Wastewater contains relatively high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus, but comparatively little potassium and micronutrients such as zinc and iron,” says Germer, so these nutrients had to be supplied. In the first year of the study, water still flowed through the pipes permanently, but in the following year, the research team experimented with a recirculation system. Nitrate sensors continuously monitored the nitrogen content. If it dropped below ten milligrams per liter, the water was reconditioned. “Not only did this enable us to boost our production level,” says Germer enthusiastically, “we were also able to remove nitrogen and phosphorus from the wastewa- ter far more extensively than conventional treatment plants.” Studies test acceptance To get their new technology into applications as quickly as possible, the researchers investigated the levels of interest and acceptance in various regions by bringing together wastewater associations, farmers and sellers. They analyzed how the concept was implemented in a rural area – the district of Gifhorn, north of Braunschweig – and in another case study they looked at the Rhein-Main metropolitan region. In Raeren, a municipality in Belgium, the concept was applied to the cultivation of cut flowers, and in Portugal’s Alentejo region, wastewater was used in hydroponics and, subsequently, to irrigate olives, almonds and wine. Greenhouses could replace wastewater treatment plants Interest in Weißenberge, in the district of Gifhorn, was particularly great. Here, one farmer was so convinced of the project that he is prepared to invest in a greenhouse. The Gifhorn wastewater association plans to invest in it too, as they expect the project to yield cost savings. The wastewater from Weißenberge, a town with a population of around 500, is currently fed into a treatment pond where it stays for about 90 days before being discharged into a stream. The long-term plan is to connect the municipality to a wastewater treatment plant, which requires major investments. “If we succeed in significantly reducing the nutrients in the effluent from the treatment pond in the hydroponic greenhouse, Weißenberge wouldn’t need to be connected to a wastewater treatment plant,” explains Mohr. He plans to team up with some local partners there in a follow-up project, HypoWave Plus, to explore how that could be done. “Since the farmers in the Gifhorn district were questioning how they were going to irrigate their fields the last two summers, interest in implementing a project of this kind has risen considerably,” says Mohr. The water treatment facility is set to be built and tested next spring, enabling him to run his greenhouse with plenty of water in 2022. He plans to grow cucumbers, tomatoes and bell peppers, and he already knows how he’s going to sell them: the local Edeka supermarket is one of the partners in the research proposal and will add his vegetables to its product range. Marius Mohr is looking to the future. He aims to use the lighthouse project in Weißenberge to make this technology known and get more people interested in it. “We did not detect elevated concentrations of pharmaceu- tical residues or pathogenic germs.” Dr. Marius Mohr, Fraunhofer IGB From seedling to lettuce: the recirculation system is equipped with nitrate sensors to monitor nitrogen levels, and the water is reconditioned as needed. © ISOE Wikom

52 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 “Our research shows that restaurants are using technically unsophisti- cated grill technology.” Dr. Mohammad Aleysa, Fraunhofer IBP Restaurants are increasingly offering their customers food items prepared on the grill – or at least many com- munities are seeing growing numbers of charcoal grills. The problem is that grilling food over charcoal pollutes the surrounding air with particulate matter and many other incompletely combusted exhaust components. Local residents are often annoyed and frustrated by the smoke and unpleasant odors – and concerned about the possible health implications of the polluted air. The staff in these restaurants, too, are directly exposed to any grill smoke that inadequate extraction systems fail to remove. Many restaurants do not use exhaust air treatment systems, and not all systems operate efficiently. Dr. Mohammad Aleysa is taking on this issue for Fraunhofer IBP. Years of experience in developing and researching combustion technologies and exhaust gas treatment systems have turned him and his team into experts. The results of their tests on the efficiency of commercial air treatment systems will be published in mid-2021. “We’re evaluating how effective standard, commercially available exhaust air treatment systems really are for use in restaurant operations and whether they ensure good air quality in the local vicinity, especially in residential areas,” says Aleysa. To perform their experiments, the researcher set up a commercial grill with a one-meter-high, five-stage exhaust air treatment system in the Fraunhofer IBP lab. “This kind of system, which comes in a range of technical specifications, is used by many commercial eating establishments.” “Unsafe levels” To complete their experiments, the researchers cooked large quantities of fatty meat on the grill. Aleysa’s measurements revealed not only nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide but also particulate matter and benzene as well as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), many of which are known to be harmful to human health. PAHs are produced primarily by the incomplete combustion of fats and oil-based marinades. “The higher the fat content of the skewered meat, the higher

54 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 ULi is making the oceans safer To systematically track down mines, bombs or torpedoes on the ocean floor, the key is to reliably identify their characteristic shape. This is no problem for the innovative tech- nology developed by researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Physical Measurement Techniques IPM in collaboration with partners from the Netherlands and Denmark. environment to be scanned with the laser scanner. ULi then delivers 3D video data in real time, even in turbid water. Now the researchers want to convert this technology to an automated process that includes analyzing and providing digital measurement and mapping data of the detected weapons in a data cloud – and thus makes retrieval safer and significantly less expensive. Conventional measurement methods reach their limits in turbid water, so the partners in the LUXOR research project are pursuing an alternative approach based on LiDAR technology and automated object recognition using artificial intelligence. The Fraunhofer researchers expanded their underwater LiDAR system ULi to include a video mode that also permits large areas of the ULi has a lot to do: there are vast numbers of world-war munitions lying on the floor of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea – 1.6 million metric tons in German waters alone. Not only does their increasing corrosion release chemical substances, there is also danger of explosion. This causes major problems when building wind farms or relocating subma- rine cables and pipelines. A clean solution: copper-free brake pads Copper dust from high-perfor- mance brakes enters the water through the sewer system and is considered to be highly toxic. Fraunhofer researchers have joined forces with Danish partners to develop an environmentally friendly alternative. Sintered brake pads for rail vehicles, wind turbines, heavy construction vehicles, and high-end motorcycles and mountain Netherlands Fraunhofer worldwide Early detection of malaria saves lives Microscopic blood analysis is the main pillar of malaria diagnostics, but it is time consum- ing and costly. Healthcare in the affected regions is often inade- quate, and trained personnel rare. This is precisely the kind of situation for which the “µSmartScope”, developed at the Fraunhofer Center for Assistive Information and Communication Solutions AICOS in Portugal, now offers a solution. A multidisciplinary team led by Luís Rosado developed a mobile, fully automatic, 3D-printed microscope that is powered and controlled by a smartphone. The blood smear and the smartphone are placed in an adapter, and magnified images are captured using the built-in camera. Artificial intelligence can be used to process and analyze these images and make a preliminary diagnosis, and off-site experts can also be brought on board to offer a remote diagnosis or a second opinion. In the World malaria report 2019, the WHO put the number of new cases at 228 million and deaths at 405,000, most of which were children under five years of age. Only about one in five new cases is detected early. A timely diagnosis can not only prevent severe illness, it can also reduce the risk of transmission. The “µSmartScope” prototype was also successfully tested with other diseases such as cervical cancer and leukemia. It has the potential to become a fast, precise and economical aid for medically underserved regions. Portugal

56 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 One advantage of using VR technologies in the classroom is that it bolsters the future engineers’ visual thinking. © Fraunhofer IAO, Ludmilla Parsyak Learning in new dimensions Thanks to technological advances, falling costs and coronavirus- induced urgency, opportunities for digital technology in education are better than ever before. For engineering students at the University of Stuttgart, virtual reality will become a standard component of the curriculum from summer semester 2021. By Marina Babl

58 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 Modern-day pirates Germany’s mechanical and plant engineering sector is seeing unprecedented levels of product piracy, with damages totaling 7.6 billion euros annually – up 300 million euros from just two years ago. Yet only a few companies take action against this brazen theft of ideas. By Dr. Sonja Endres Similar, but not identical: more than half of all pirated goods put equipment at risk, and a third of them also pose a threat to the operators of that equipment. © picture alliance / Jürgen Lösel

60 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA, May 30 at 15:22 local time: For the first time in nine years, astronauts are launching from the US, and for the first time, a private company, Elon Musk’s SpaceX, is transporting astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). © Brian Linn / SPACE X

62 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 The US-based Space Surveillance Network (SSN) continuously monitors 30,000 objects and continually updates their orbits. If the orbiting objects always remain in view, countermeasures can be initiated in good time in the event of impending danger. Satellites can fly avoidance maneuvers to prevent a collision, but this consumes a lot of fuel. If the satellite needs to avoid collision often, this will shorten its service life, as well as entailing high costs. In other words, the orbital trajectories have to be determined “We can now determine distance one hundred times more precisely.” Dr. Jens Klare, Fraunhofer FHR Damage to the Hubble space telescope, which was launched into orbit in 1990. © ESA Observing space – with TIRA and GESTRA Tracking down and imaging satellites and space debris in orbit requires two different radar systems: one that monitors a large section of space and discovers everything that passes through it, and a second one that precisely tracks and images individual, interesting space objects found by the first. The latter can be handled by TIRA, which is located at Fraunhofer FHR and is the only space observation system of its kind in Europe. In contrast, observing a large section of space requires a special radar with high range and beam agility, which, however, was previously lacking in Germany. That’s why the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy commissioned Fraunhofer FHR to build such a phased-array radar. What is unique about GESTRA is that it is mobile. In other words, it can be set up anywhere. On June 30, a heavy-goods vehicle transported it from the Fraunhofer FHR premises in Wachtberg, near Bonn, to Koblenz, where it was connected to the German Space Situational Awareness Center of the German Armed Forces in Uedem, in Germany’s Lower Rhine region. This is now the home of the system’s remote control center. as precisely as possible to keep the number of unnecessary avoidance maneuvers low. Only precise data will help provide a reliable response to the key question: would the satellite collide with the projectile on its current orbit, or will it pass a hair’s breadth away? The space observation system TIRA, which stands for “Tracking and Imaging Radar” and was developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for High Frequency Physics and Radar Techniques FHR, provides the answers. The system is unique within Europe – it can even still discover objects of just two centimeters in size from a thousand kilometers away. “TIRA combines a tracking radar and an imaging radar with a high-agility, 34-meter parabolic antenna,” says Dr. Jens Klare, spokesperson for the security business unit at Fraunhofer FHR. To put it another way, this enormous radar can not only track satellites and space debris, it can also capture images of them. Now the research team has even enhanced its precision further still: in the EU EUSST project, it developed a new method that enables even more precise measure- ments of the orbits of these types of objects. “We can now determine distance around one hundred times more precisely than before,” says Klare. The researchers use highly complex mathematical methods to merge the data from these two TIRA radars. Previously, only the tracking radar was used to determine the orbits of space objects. A measurement campaign with the German Space Situational Awareness Center has already shown that this approach works – it used TIRA to monitor special reference satellites. Comparison mea- surements using a laser beam provided the satellite’s precise position, and therefore comparison data: the laser beam was reflected off of reflectors mounted on the reference satellite, and its transit time permitted a precise position determina- tion. However, these laser measurements are not suitable for general measurements, as they only work when the sky is free of clouds. Furthermore, space objects have to be equipped with appropriate reflectors to enable these highly precise laser measurements. This shows the key advantage of radar. The researchers aim to further refine the mathematical methods through late 2021. Then this new mode should also be available for routine measurements. Selectively removing space debris Tumbling rocket stages are a particularly problematic class of space debris, as many still have fuel remnants in their tanks. This often results in explosions that trigger a cascade effect: instead of one large piece, now numerous smaller frag- ments are floating through low Earth space, increasing the probability that one of these objects will hit a satellite and damage or even destroy it. For this reason, space agencies are now launching initial attempts to remove space debris.

64 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 Disinfecting cell phones: beware of cheap devices Smartphones are ideal breeding grounds for fungi, bacteria and viruses. UVC light kills them, but many irradiation devices don’t deliver what they promise. By Dr. Sonja Endres Hand hygiene also includes cell phones,” admonished the Techniker Krankenkasse, one of the leading public health insurers in Germany, in the face of rising numbers of coronavirus infections. But acting on this advice is difficult: Disinfectants destroy the displays’ sensitive, oil-repellent protective film. According to a 2019 survey by Telefónica Germany AG, during leisure time, only 22 percent of all respondents put their smartphones down for longer than 60 minutes. Among 18- to 29-year-olds, this figure was just 7 percent. There are commercially available disinfection devices that use UVC light to kill germs, but they usually give their owners a false sense of security. “Their output is often far too low to disinfect smartphones in a reasonable timeframe,” warns Thomas Westerhoff, who is researching the disinfecting effect of UVC light at the Fraunhofer Institute of Optronics, System Technologies and Image Exploitation IOSB in Ilmenau. They frequently have other shortcomings, too, including being lined with non-UV-reflective materials, thus absorbing a lot of the radiation. Or using too small, inefficient mercury-vapor lamps with a long heat-up phase instead of LEDs. “Some devices don’t even emit UVC light, but merely violet or UVA light that has almost zero effect,” says Westerhoff. And all of these devices, without exception, have one major flaw: they don’t measure the actual radiation dose emitted. “This, however, alongside wavelength, is the key parameter for disinfection efficiency. Measuring the radiation dose is the only way to ensure that the radiation source is operating at full power and that it is also reaching the cell phone,” says Westerhoff. An innovative UVC device developed by Westerhoff and his team in collaboration with physicians at Jena University Hospital offers an alternative. It looks like a microwave, but it really packs a punch: irradiated smartphones are not only largely germ-free in seconds, but actually hospital-standard sterile. Tablets fit in this device, too. The required radiation dose varies by pathogen. In the case of the widespread Escherichia coli bacteria, for instance, which can cause diarrheal diseases, just 2 to 6 millijoules per square centimeter are sufficient to kill 99.99 percent of them – only then do experts consider it disinfec- tion. For the SARS-CoV-1 coronavirus, this dose will inactivate 90 percent of the pathogens, while disinfection requires around 48 millijoules. At present, no reliable data is available for the current SARS-CoV-2 virus. Until this changes, and because there can be variations within a pathogen type, it is better to irradiate too much than too little. The optimum wavelength of the UVC light is 265 nanometers. “Here, the radiation energy is equal to the bond energy of the nucleic acid thymine. The thymine’s chemical bond is broken, causing adjacent molecules to “stick together” and rendering the DNA no longer readable, so the cell cannot reproduce,” explains Westerhoff. Fraunhofer IOSB’s disinfection device is equipped with two UVC LED irradiation modules (top and bottom) with the appropriate wavelength. They achieve a radiation dose of 80 millijoules per square centimeter in just seconds. The smartphone lies between them on a UVC-transparent quartz glass plate that permits the light to shine straight through unobstructed. The interior walls of the device are highly reflective, and the radiation field is homogeneous. “This ensures that every square millimeter of the smartphone gets the same dose,” says Westerhoff. The disinfection operation is monitored by sensors that measure the intensity of the radiation, and it only stops when the minimum radiation dose has been achieved. Since the UVC device was developed for use in clinics, where smartphones and tablets are used for a variety of tasks and are passed from hand to hand, it is additionally equipped with an NFC reader that identifies the smartphone and, via a sensor, measures and logs the dose applied. Each disinfection operation is thus documented and can be individually attributed, ensuring safety. A prototype of the new device is already available. Fraunhofer IOSB is still looking for a business partner for its commercial exploitation. Furthermore, the researchers have developed a UVC disinfection solution for ambulances that lets users kill germs on surfaces and in the air at the touch of a button. The first ambulances equipped with this solution are set to enter the market in the fall.

66 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 Living safely in digital cities Cities are becoming more digital, which means they are also more susceptible to cyberattacks and system failures. Researchers at the National Research Center for Applied Cybersecurity ATHENE are developing strategies to increase security. By Mehmet Toprak L ast December, malware crippled the Frankfurt am Main city administration. Residents were no longer able to register their residence or to cancel or change their existing regis- tration, nor could they apply for an identity card or request information on businesses – everything was frozen. The city administrations of Bad Homburg, Potsdam, Alsfeld and Brandenburg followed in quick succession. And the list goes on. “When it comes to IT security, many cities and municipal- ities have a lot of catching up to do, and the threat will only increase going forward,” warns Dr. Michael Kreutzer from the Fraunhofer Institute for Secure Information Technology SIT in Darmstadt. He and his team work at the National Research Center for Applied Cybersecurity ATHENE on security solutions that ben- efit business, society and government. ATHENE was founded “When it comes to IT security, many cities and municipalities have a lot of catching up to do.” Dr. Michael Kreutzer, Fraunhofer SIT Delivery drones, intelligent traffic management, applying for an identity card via smartphone – according to a 2019 survey by Bitkom, Germany’s digital association, two- thirds of all Germans want to see their cities speed up their efforts to go digital. © istockphoto

68 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 Smart chips set to replace bitter pills Continuously measuring nerve activity to counteract deviations from a healthy balance? Science fiction is becoming reality. © Adobe Stock Bioelectronic medicine is considered an innovative way to treat chronic diseases such as arthritis, palsies and asthma. Hopes for this new therapy are high. By Christine Broll “Not even medical devices are safe from hackers these days.” Prof. Klaus-Peter Hoffmann, Fraunhofer IBMT It sounds like science fiction: tiny implants placed at important control points in the body continuously measure nerve activity. They are wirelessly connected and constantly compare actual values with target values. Whenever they detect a discrepancy, they immediately send an electrical pulse to tissue and nerve fibers to restore a healthy balance. Initial spectacular successes in bioelectronic medicine show that this vision can become reality. In the US, patients with rheumatoid arthritis have already been treated by stimulating the vagus nerve. These smart implants are called electroceutics, and Fraun- hofer scientists are pioneers in this field. They are developing not only powerful microimplants but also biodegradable electronics and nanoelectrodes that can make contact with individual cells. The INTAKT innovation cluster, backed by more than 13 million euros in funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, is taking a huge step toward realizing this vision. Prof. Klaus-Peter Hoffmann, head of main department of Biomedical Engineering at the Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering IBMT, is coor- dinating the consortium’s 17 partners. “We are developing a network of interactive implants that can activate complex functions in the body,” explains Hoffmann, “facilitating a completely new human-technology interaction.” To find out how that might look in practice, the group is investigating three different scenarios. They are studying the use of implants in the ear to suppress tinnitus. The second scenario involves patients who can no longer move their hands due to stroke or paraplegia. Implants in their arms are aimed at stimulating the muscles in such a way that their hands can once again execute gripping motions, while an eye-tracking system helps the wearer control these move- ments. In the third scenario, the research team is testing how implants can renormalize gastrointestinal motility. There are many different indications for this, from chronic constipation to care for colorectal cancer patients. The implants will be the size of a two-euro coin and include a tiny battery that is charged by inductive energy transfer from outside the body. Some problems are man-made. “Not

70 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 70 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 e r u t a r e p m e t t s e h g i H e r u t a r e p m e t e g a r e v A e r u t a r e p m e t t s e w o L Hot tunes — measuring the energy of music Music is energy. The Fraunhofer Insti- tute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM in Dresden has made it visible – as heat. After play- ing, the Berliner Philharmoniker’s instruments were captured with a Vario- CAM® HD head thermal imaging camera with three lenses (15, 30 and 60 mm focal length). The temperature in the concert rose as much as 10 degrees Celsius depending on the material. Brass instru- ments naturally absorbed thermal energy faster, but they also reradiated it faster. In their thermo-technical labo- ratory, the IFAM researchers normally focus more on the thermophysical properties of various fiber-rein- forced composites. At least that topic also involves a lot of music. Temperature scale Thermal imaging shows the intensity of a solid’s thermal radiation in color. The scale shifts from the lowest temperature (black) to the highest temperature (white) depending on the radiation intensity. Up to 32 °C Baton Hot hand to cool head: the conductor also emits measurable energy. Photos: Heribert Schindler in collaboration with Fraunhofer IFAM Dresden © Infographic: 2issue; source: Fraunhofer IFAM Dresden

72 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 Taking a look at 5G 5G, the latest generation of mobile communications, is supposed to be up to 100 times faster than its predecessor and permit real-time transmission. Companies are using Fraunhofer testbeds to determine which applications 5G will actually soon render possible — and which ones are still a long way off. By Mehmet Toprak “Those who use 5G have to decide which features are important for their individual application.” Matthias Schneider, manager of the 5G4KMU transfer center With 5G, robots no longer have to rely on the local WLAN network. Their work is not location dependent and they can be used a lot more flexibly. © AUDI AG

74 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 8 subprojects 1 5G multisensor: Multi- sensor systems are expected to optimize production processes. The sensors measure such values as the temperature, acceleration, forces or position of components. 2 5G AE sensor: Acoustic emission sensors that are attached directly to parts are aimed at detecting in advance when tools used in milling operations are at risk of breaking due to wear or excessive load. 3 5G blockchain: This project is testing whether a completely wireless network is also suitable for a blockchain application for data transac- tions. 4 5G logistics: A logistics solution demonstrates how mobile systems can use 5G support to navigate on the factory premises. 5 5G robotics: A control system for mobile robots that self-organize when collaborat- ing, using sensor systems to navigate wirelessly. 6 5G cockpit: Setting up a central control platform that monitors processes and sensors at different locations. The data is exchanged via a cloud platform. 7 5G edge cloud: A cloud platform in which production data analysis is connected with the mobile network. 8 5G 3D sensor: Developing a 3D sensor system that scans the geometry of workpieces and can be wirelessly integrated into robots or machine tools. A more complex structure would also enable, not just individual machines, but the entire manufacturing process to be controlled using 5G-based technologies, ideally across the entire factory premises. It is even conceivable that production could be controlled across different sites. When 5G networks are connected with appropriate routers and antennas, data can travel even further. The testbed at the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO in Stuttgart is geared toward smart products and services. “We’re working on concepts that combine 5G with data collection and AI-based data analysis,” says Dimitri Evcenko from the digital business services team. 5G is of interest for certain data services, such as predictive maintenance in industrial manufacturing. “Based on the collected data, AI then predicts, for instance, when the next maintenance appointment will be needed or when a wear part will fail,” explains Evcenko. Nevertheless, some companies are still hesitant. That may be because the standardization body 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) is still working on the specifications for 5G and keeps bringing out new releases – the latest one is number 15. So is this standard not even finished yet? “The current release already permits high speeds. It also forms the basis for low-latency, real-time connection and for multi-device connectivity. The existing infrastructure can then be expanded to include new functions in the form of new hardware or firmware updates,” says Evcenko. “Those who invest in 5G hardware now need not fear that they will have to replace all these devices again in two years.” Enough space for sophisticated applications The new 5G standard also offers the possibility to set up a proprietary mobile communications network. The frequency range from 3.7 to 3.8 GHz is reserved for industry. Companies can request a license from the What’s behind that cover, where are repairs needed? 5G networks and edge computing make it easy to transmit high-resolution images to data glasses. © Bosch German Federal Network Agency and then set up their own mobile network on their factory premises. The 5G-Industry Campus Europe in Aachen is also taking an in-depth look at the new opportunities 5G technology offers, and was granted a license to oper- ate a 5G network. Niels König from the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT coordinates all the partners and individual projects in this research consortium. One of those partners is RWTH Aachen University, with its Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL), IT Center and Institute for Industrial Management FIR. The network and radio equipment is provided by Ericsson, the Swedish mobile communications network supplier. The research campus has around 7000 square meters of shop floor space – plenty of room to explore even sophisticated application scenarios. A total of eight subprojects are planned (see box). The first projects are already using the functioning 5G network. “We installed the indoor network and deployed the radio cells. The one-square-kilometer outdoor network will follow in summer,” says König. The goal is to research and refine the 5G technology for a wide range of use scenarios. The software plays a key role in controlling and com- bining all technologies. In the age of 5G and Industrie 4.0, control cabinets with hardwired controls will soon be a thing of the past. Machines and production lines can be reconfigured and reprogrammed quickly, and edge cloud and software control make 5G applications even more flexible. “The charm is that any application can be scaled, adapted and reconfigured quickly and easily,” says Niels König.

76 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 Germany could require as much as 800 terawatt- hours of energy from hydrogen by 2050. Study by Fraunhofer ISE At the Bremerhaven test site, the green hydrogen generated by electrolysis is stored under high pressure in steel tanks. These container vessels can be transported on semitrailers to consumers in the region. Alternatively, the hydrogen can be stored at a lower pressure in an interme- diary buffer tank for later conversion back into electricity via a fuel cell. This power is then fed back into the grid, where it helps cushion the fluctuations in generating capacity that are inevitable with wind and photovoltaic plants. This power is generated exclusively from renewable energy, with zero production of greenhouse gases. “Offshore wind farms in combination with a local production of hydrogen would be an ideal building block in the creation of a sustainable energy economy,” explains Prof. Jan Wenske, deputy director and technical director at Fraunhofer IWES. Hydrogen on an industrial scale Right now, the focus is on electrolyizers. This technology will have to be scaled up so as to produce hydrogen on an industrial scale. A 2019 study by Fraunhofer ISE estimates that Germany could require as many as 800 terawatt-hours of energy from hydrogen by 2050. At the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems IKTS, researchers are currently working on improving the efficiency and long-term stability of electrolyzers. As Dr. Matthias Jahn, head of the Environmental and Process Engineering business division, explains: “The question of whether or not the production of green hydrogen can be cost-effective depends very much on the general conditions governing the price of power in Germany, including grid charges and the levy for the German Renewable Energy Sources Act. In addition, the production costs for electrolyzers will also have to come down further – something that can be achieved by automat- ing the production process.” At the same time, the institute is developing processes that combine the high-temperature electrolysis of water – to generate hydrogen – with the so-called Fischer-Tropsch synthesis so as to produce a variety of feedstocks for the chemical industry on a climate-neutral basis. Such materials include synthetic waxes, which can be used as lubricants in industry. Alternatively, hydrogen from electrolysis can be combined with CO2 in a P2X process to produce, for example, synthetic diesel or kerosene fuels. The CO2 required for this purpose can be extracted from industrial waste gases or the atmosphere, thereby creating a carbon cycle. “We’re concentrating right now on the ceramic stacks required for high-temperature electrolysis,” Jahn explains. If high-temperature electrolysis is to speed up the transition to a sustainable energy economy, further research will first be needed. At present, the focus is on enhancing the overall plant technology and boosting the electrical efficiency of the electrolyzer. “We still face a number of major challenges: upscaling the electrolyzer, system integra- tion and system coupling,” Jahn admits. Other problems, by contrast, are less critical. As Prof. Wenske from Fraunhofer IWES explains: “Companies that would like to install an electrolyzer are finding it difficult to get hold of one right now. Delivery can take up to 15 months.” But long waiting times are also an indication of the level of demand. Green hydrogen is therefore more than just an environmentally friendly energy carrier. It is also a source of hope for an imminent transition. Flow chart: electrolyzer Water treatment: To prevent damage to the stacks, the supply of drinking water to the elec- trolyzer must be purified of minerals. Control: The volume of water is adjusted in line with the amount of electricity available (green hydrogen). Cooler: The heat generated by the electrolyzers during the production of hydrogen (generally 80°C at approx 25% of electrical power) is emitted into the immediate environment. This might also be used to heat residential districts. Hydrogen treatment: Any remaining water vapor is removed from the hydrogen. For use in fuel cells, in particular, the hydrogen must be extremely pure in order to avoid damage. Cells/stacks: The core of the electrolyzer. In the stacks, water is split into hydrogen and oxygen by means of a direct current. Each stack consists of a number of circular electrolyzer cells connected to one another.

78 - Fraunhofer magazine 2.20 Rapid assistance for buried casualties For people buried by an avalanche or earthquake, quick rescue can make all the difference. With new mobile radar devices from Fraunhofer, it is now possible to search sizable areas swiftly and effectively. By Dr. Janine van Ackeren In an earthquake, collapsing buildings pose the greatest danger to human life. If the rescue operation takes too long, people buried alive risk dehydration, suffocation or death from internal injuries. © dpa The earth shakes as much as several hundred times a day. Most of this seismic activity is of a minor nature, but sometimes a tremor strikes with such devastating force that whole buildings collapse and tsunamis are unleashed, laying waste to large tracts of land. Faced with a disaster of this kind, emergency crews often struggle to locate the injured and rescue them fast enough to save lives. Radar can be of help here, but current systems are only operable as station- ary devices with a range of between 20 and 30 meters, depending on the radar specifications. For disasters involving widespread destruction, that’s not enough. A new type of technology from the Fraunhofer Institute for High Frequency Physics and Radar Techniques FHR substan- tially increases the range of such systems. “We’ve developed a mobile radar device that can detect the pulse and breathing of a person buried alive and thereby pinpoint their location,” explains Reinhold Herschel, a team leader at Fraunhofer FHR. “In the longer term, our goal is to mount this radar device on a drone and fly it over the disaster area. That would mean you could search an area of several hectares swiftly and effectively.” The system works as follows: the radar device emits a wave that is partially reflected by debris, while part of it passes through the rubble and is reflected back by bodies and anything else buried beneath. The distance to an object is calculated by measuring how long the signal takes to return to the detector in the radar system. If the object is moving – even if it is just a buried person’s skin rising and falling by a few hundred micrometers with each heartbeat – this changes the phase of the signal. The same applies to any movements caused by breathing. Whereas people typically inhale and exhale no more than 10 to 12 times a minute, the human heart beats an average of 60 times a minute. Algorithms serve to distinguish any such changes in signal. It is also pos- sible to determine exactly where a buried person is located. This is enabled by a special type of radar known as MIMO (multiple input, multiple output). MIMO radars are equipped with multiple transmitters and receivers. They therefore create a series of viewpoints that serve to identify the exact location where rescue workers should dig for survivors. Detection at a distance and in motion What sets this technology apart is its ability to detect vital signs while the device itself or the target is in motion. On the one hand, the device could be mounted – as already described – on a drone and flown over the disaster area. On the other, this principle can be reversed: when the device is set up at a fixed point, it can be used to detect vital signs of people moving around within range of the radar. This would be useful in a situation where numerous injured people requiring first aid are gathered in a large facility such as a sports hall – following an earthquake, for instance. In this case, the radar device would be used to capture vital signs and identify specific casualties according to who is in most urgent need of attention. Here, the algorithm is used to detect changes such as whether a person’s heart is fibrillating or someone is breathing very rapidly. The radar system is able to process the different signals and display them separately. As a comparison with a portable heart rate monitor has shown, the degree of precision is very high, with the device measuring pulse rates to an accuracy of 99 percent. Although more research is required before this system can be used to locate people buried alive, the research team has now successfully trialed the detection of vital signs emitted by people moving within a radius of 15 meters to the stationary radar system. “Even areas of several hectares can be searched swiftly and effectively.” Dr. Reinhold Herschel, team leader 3D Sensor Systems at Fraunhofer FHR

FRAUNHOFER SOLUTION DAYS 2020 #WeKnowSolutions Fraunhofer Solution Days 2020: A digital event this fall, featuring the latest inspirations and visions. Get ready for the latest technology highlights, workshops and live discussions with our experts. Because knowledge creates new perspectives. To learn more, visit: www.fraunhofer.de/solutiondays