The future needs research

People need a future –the future needs research

Change, innovation, dynamic growth and reform are key issues of modern life at the beginning of the 21st century. Many people feel overwhelmed by the breathless pace at which society is chang-ing, and the uncertainties increase daily. Against this background, confidence has to be restored in our ability to cope with life tomorrow:People need a future.

People need health, security, energy, communica-tion, the environment and mobility. These are the main challenges that occupy everyone’s attention today. And it is on these six thematic fields that we focus our research capacities.

While we cannot predict the future, we know that it doesn’t just arrive out of the blue but is influenced and shaped by what we do in the present. The investments we make in research today will enable us to master the challenges that face us tomorrow.The future needs research.

Fraunhofer has assumed the special role of safe-guarding Germany’s future by means of innova-tion. We seek and find solutions – innovative products, technologies and processes which make our lives healthier, safer and more worthwhile. Our six thematic fields and the many projects in which we are engaged demonstrate the extent to which our attention is focused on people’s real interests, wishes and needs as we develop ideas and embark on new research projects.

The success of an innovation is determined by the values and wishes of society. Only in an innova-tion-friendly society can inventions and discoveries find the fertile ground they need to flourish. This is why we need a dialog that engages as many people as possible, to nurture a new culture of innovation:Research needs people.Because it is everyone’s future that is at stake.

Sincerely,

Hans-Jörg BullingerPresident of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

Contents

Page 4 / 5People needhealth

Page 6 / 7 People needsecurity

Page 8 / 9People needcommunication

Page 10 / 11People needmobility

Page 17 / 18 Contacts

Page 16Fraunhofer – Research for people

Page 12 / 13People needenergy

Page 14 / 15People needthe environment

Page 19 Information service

Page 20 Editorial notes

People need health

Health is an important matter for everyone. The desire to lead a healthy life occupies us in our private lives and at work, and we hope to obtain the best possible care in the event of illness. That is why we must ensure that access to medical care remains affordable to all in the long term, even in our increasingly aging society.

The goal of current research in the health sector is to produce innovations which make prevention, diagnosis and therapy more reliable, faster and cheaper. To achieve this goal, seven bioscience-oriented Fraunhofer research institutes have joined together in the Fraunhofer Group for Life Sciences. Many other Fraunhofer Institutes are also con-ducting important development work in the field of medical technology.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis determines everything that subse-quently happens by way of medical treatment. Fraunhofer research scientists are therefore seek-ing to provide physicians with optimal support in this task. They are developing new diagnosis techniques, including an automated system for measuring blood counts.

Through the combination of life sciences with microsystems to create ”lifetronics”, our scientists are developing new solutions including systems for the continuous mobile monitoring of physio-logical functions such as heart activity, temperature and respiration.

Surgical techniques

Thanks to numerous innovations, surgical inter-ventions are less invasive than they used to be. The laser is particularly appreciated as a surgical instrument because of its precision and targeted effect. Special endoscopes and imaging systems enable surgeons to safely operate in highly sensitive zones such as the brain. Each new tech-nology which supports the operating surgeon simplifies and accelerates the intervention and thus benefits the patient.

Therapy

Many diseases demand a long and difficult course of treatment. Fraunhofer research therefore aims to offer the best possible support to patients and physicians, for example in the form of high-precision, non-invasive instruments and processes for the local destruction of tumors.

Prosthetics

Prosthetics, including prosthetic dentistry, is a wide area of medicine which many people encounter. It focuses on esthetic factors and max-imum durability, to be achieved at the lowest possible cost. To meet these requirements, research scientists apply the latest techniques in production technology. Neuroprosthetics – in which nerve fibers are connected to electronic circuits – will appreciably expand the range of treatment options.

Pharmaceuticals

Pharmaceutical research is expensive. It can take up to ten years investigating around 10,000 substances before a drug is approved. Modern technologies and advanced techniques such as translational medicine are helping to speed up this process and make it more efficient.

Prevention is better than cure

Prevention is the best and least expensive approach to healthcare. The way people treat their bodies is the crucial factor. Fraunhofer scientists use the latest IT and media technology to educate and motivate. People should enjoy looking after their health!

Fraunhofer – The future needs research 5

Day after day we see shocking pictures of acci-dents, bomb attacks and floods on the news. They show the vulnerable sides of our society and arouse fear. All of us long for security and have a need for stable, decent living conditions. Energy and water, safe roads and airports, an efficient communications infrastructure, medical care and lots more must always be available. Security experts from various disciplines are pursuing the common goal of protecting people as much as possible.

Risk assessment

The experts simulate many possible scenarios in order to identify potential risks and to draw up detailed strategic action plans. They are develop-ing systems, for example, which collect environ-mental data and sound the alarm if any hazard-ous substances are detected. In a few years’ time, highly sensitive sniffer devices could replace the present physical checks at airports. Without notic-ing, passengers would walk past sensors checking them for radioactive, chemical, biological and explosive substances as well as for metal objects.

Emergency management

When disaster strikes, the police and rescue ser-vices have to arrive quickly and take decisions on the spot. In order to do so they require reliable information. Coordinating operations by two-way radio and searching for information in card files and data sheets cost valuable time. Innovative emergency management systems enable rescue teams to call up all the information they require on PCs and PDAs. If conditions are too dangerous for people, robots equipped with cameras and measuring instruments roll into the danger zone and transmit data to the control center.

Data protection

Our quasi-dependence on information technology not only applies to emergency situations but also to everyday life. Computers and telephone lines are essential to every company, bank, hospital and energy supplier. Our dependence on this infra-structure increases the importance of security and reliability, because the many and varied channels of communication on which it depends are vulner-able to attack.

Scientists bear a great responsibility, as they develop security concepts which protect confiden-tial data. We have become accustomed to using passwords, PIN numbers and ID cards to prevent uninvited guests from logging onto our computer or bank account. Increasing use is being made of biometric systems as a means of authenticating access to data and sensitive areas of buildings. Invisible to us, these data are protected by com-plex software architectures and encryption systems.

Resistant buildings

In addition to access controls and video surveil-lance, building materials and construction methods play an important role when it comes to protect-ing human life. Power plants, industrial installa-tions and high-rise buildings made of particularly sturdy materials can withstand the impact of an explosion or earthquake.

We can therefore all be thankful that experts and scientists do not wait for the worst to happen but respond to potential risks and dangers in advance by taking preventative measures.

People need security

Fraunhofer – The future needs research 7

People need communication

Many people now take it for granted that they can be reached anywhere at any time, that they have constant access to e-mail and data at work and at home, that they can listen to music on an MP3 player, skip through their digital photo collections and always find the right route thanks to GPS and satnav.

The rapid progress in information and communi-cation technology has made all this possible at the touch of a button. This technology will con-tinue to shape and facilitate our everyday lives. Tiny sensors and wireless communications are the key to this future, imparting new functions to passive objects such as carpets, clothing and windows. As a result they become active objects which automatically adapt to the user. And they deliver valuable information to communication networks, which for example help drivers to avoid traffic jams or doctors to check the health of patients.

How many of the ever-present, invisible helpers are actually used is a matter of personal choice: for instance in the intelligent house which auton-omously ensures safety, security and optimal energy use, or in consumer electronics systems wirelessly networked throughout the house. People will also be able to deploy their own soft-ware agents to handle appointments and find information on the Internet.

At home

Brave new media world: Cable clutter and inter-face problems will soon be a thing of the past. We are working on the living room of the future, where all the different appliances will be wire-lessly connected and will be simplicity itself to operate. New video and sound transmission tech-nologies will ensure optimal quality, irrespective of whether films are viewed on huge flat-screen TVs or on a PC. 3-D displays and interactive projections will offer excellent entertainment.

While away

A new standard compresses video data to about half the present size – opening the way for mobile TV. This makes it possible to watch live events, film trailers and news in good quality even on a cell phone. The technology can also be used to warn mobile users of bad weather and floods wherever they might be, giving them enough time to take precautions.

At the office

Direct access to the corporate network – from any location. Our software ensures secure data transfer and prevents unauthorized access to hard drives. Our scientists develop technologies which make it easier to find the information needed in databases, text archives and on the Internet. With the help of data and text mining tools, it is possible to dig for information more quickly and effectively.

People communicate constantly with friends, relatives and colleagues. At all times, they want to be able to retrieve any information that will help them find their way around today’s increas-ingly complex world more quickly and easily. People need communication.

Fraunhofer – The future needs research 9

We want to go hiking in the mountains, sailing on a lake or swimming in the sea. We really ought to visit our relatives, do the shopping, or take the old stereo unit to the recycling center. We have to go to school, to the office or on a business trip. Throughout our lives we are on the move – on water, on land and in the air.

Mobility is a deeply rooted human need. We all cherish our freedom of movement. The pleasure that mobility brings is universal – regardless of culture, language, race, age and gender.

Mobility is increasing

Mobility widens people’s horizons: Small children gleefully dart about the house on their Bobbycars; later they learn to ride a bike and their radius of action expands, and as soon as they grow up they want to drive fast cars or powerful motor bikes and discover the world.

If the forecasts are correct, the number of auto-mobiles in Germany will rise to 50 million by the year 2015. At the same time, goods traffic will increase by 60 percent, because in the age of globalization more and more products – from refrigerators and cameras to tropical fruit and jeans – travel thousands of miles before they reach the consumer.

Combating congestion

In order for people and goods to reach their destinations quickly in the future, Fraunhofer researchers are developing technologies that will enable drivers to avoid traffic jams and accidents, encourage wider use of public transportation, and optimize the flow of merchandise.

Simulation systems allow the effects of planned construction sites, new roads and routes to be visualized before they are built. The new software enables traffic planners to optimize their develop-ment projects long before the excavators and bulldozers set to work.

If traffic jams nevertheless occur, intelligent navi-gation systems which constantly receive and process the latest traffic information will help drivers to avoid them. The new systems can ana-lyze several alternative routes using different modes of transportation. They then indicate the quickest route, taking into account the time of day and traffic situation.

All-round safety

Mobility is not possible without some risk, but technical developments can achieve enormous improvements in safety. Fraunhofer researchers are testing the reliability of materials used in automobile construction. And they are conduct-ing work on innovative safety concepts – for example on a new, intelligent side impact pro-tection system for automobiles.

Help in the event

In the event of a major disaster, mobility makes the difference between life and death. The emer-gency services and rescue vehicles must reach the scene quickly, and the injured must be trans-ported to hospital. Modern software makes it easier to manage emergencies. At the click of a mouse the head of operations can retrieve the latest traffic reports, and information on river levels and the infrastructure in the close vicinity and the further surrounding area. The program also assists in the cross-border coordination of rescue services.

People need mobility

Fraunhofer – The future needs research 11

Solar and wind power

Using energy sparingly is one step towards achieving a sustainable energy supply. Over the long term, however, renewable energy sources such as the sun, wind and biomass must be used as direct sources. Wind power is currently the most important form of renewable energy used in power generation. But at which sites does enough wind blow? How should the turbines be designed? What stresses will they have to with-stand? What requirements will offshore facilities have to meet? Our engineers and scientists pro-vide answers to these questions.

The sun is a gigantic and virtually inexhaustible power source. In just one hour it delivers as much energy as is consumed on Earth in one year. Photovoltaic systems and solar thermal power plants make it possible to utilize the sun’s energy. Our scientists and engineers have conducted extensive research on the fundamental principles. Now they are developing new, even more power-ful and economical systems, such as highly effi-cient solar cells, and are also studying the use of metallurgical silicon.

Intelligent energy management

Wind and solar facilities have one disadvantage: They produce ”uncontrolled” energy. To ensure an uninterrupted supply of energy, even when there is no wind or sunshine, new systems are required which store energy as it is generated and deliver it when it is needed. Intelligent energy management is also needed. New information and communication technologies offer many and varied opportunities to this end.

People need energy

Pleasantly warm houses, electricity for cooking, working on the computer, watching TV, surfing the Internet and refrigerating food – energy makes it all possible. Up to now, oil, coal and gas have kept our homes cozy, made our lives com-fortable and secure, provided mobility and kept the wheels of industry turning. But these natural resources are slowly starting to run out. In about 15 years’ time, half of the world’s extractable oil reserves will have been consumed. To ensure that power and heat are available at affordable prices in future, we must use energy more efficiently and make a greater effort to develop renewable sources. Only then will it be possible to reduce the level of carbon dioxide emissions which threaten the world’s climate.

Efficient use of energy

Buildings hold massive energy-saving potential. About one third of the energy consumed in Ger-many is used for the heating and air-conditioning of homes and offices. With intelligent building technology, energy consumption can be reduced by up to 40 percent. Houses built before 1983 are particularly profligate energy-wasters – they need more than 20 liters of heating oil per square meter and year. Houses built today need just one third of that. The low-energy and ”three-liter” houses developed by Fraunhofer scientists and engineers consume even less energy.

Fuel cells work extremely efficiently. They convert chemical energy directly into power and heat – with hardly any emissions and an electrical yield in the region of 50 percent. If the fuel cells are installed inside a house, the heat they generate can also be used, which increases the total effi-ciency to 80 percent.

Fraunhofer – The future needs research 13

People need the environment

Process optimization saves money and protects the environment

The best way to reduce industrial pollution is to design processes that prevent the emission of pollutants from the outset. This is where the skills of Fraunhofer’s process engineering experts can be applied to great effect. In numerous projects, they have succeeded in optimizing processes to reduce the consumption of resources and lower emissions, thereby protecting the environment while at the same time cutting costs.

Saving energy helps to preserve resources

The same principles apply to energy. Any reduc-tion in consumption on the production side not only saves money but also reduces the burden on the environment. This is because burning fossil fuels releases CO2, the greenhouse gas regarded as the main cause of climate change. However, the energy consumed by a product during its service life must also be taken into account. Fraunhofer researchers are therefore seeking to reduce the power consumption of electrical appliances in standby mode and to reduce auto-mobile fuel consumption through the use of lightweight construction techniques.

There are many ways of protecting our natural environment. However, all applied research carried out to meet this objective shares the same basic maxim: To protect the environment is to protect human life.

In times gone-by, being an ecologist meant fight-ing for the rights of wild animals and plants to survive on a planet dominated by human activity. Today we are aware that we ourselves are a part of nature, that anything that harms the environ-ment will ultimately harm us too, and that the very existence of human life depends on preserv-ing a balanced global ecosystem.

The applied research community recognized these facts a long time ago. Nearly every different sci-entific discipline is involved. And whenever a new problem begins to emerge, Fraunhofer research scientists and engineers immediately set to work on finding solutions.

Targeted action based on reliable measurements

Metrology has an essential role to play in pro-tecting the environment. It enables us to identify potential and actual problem areas, assess the need for action, and determine what has to be done. By developing solutions such as an analysis laboratory miniaturized to the size of a microchip and portable spectrometers, Fraunhofer scientists and engineers can provide rapidly deployable instruments for use anywhere in any situation.

Ecological product design

Certain toxic materials in electronic equipment have prompted the introduction of laws requiring manufacturers to take their products back for disposal at the end of their service life. Foresighted manufacturers integrate recyclability into the design of their products. Modular design and the use of less toxic substitute materials, for example, reduce the problems arising and the cost involved.

Peace and quiet for people and the environment

Noise pollution is a feature of modern life which affects people personally and directly, damaging their health and impacting their lives. Fraunhofer researchers are working on promising solutions, including active vibration damping by means of adaptronics, which attacks a great deal of this noise at its mechanical source.

Fraunhofer – The future needs research 15

Fraunhofer – Research for people

Europe and the world

Fraunhofer is currently Europe’s largest organiza-tion for applied research, with more than 13,000 staff sharing a total budget of 1.3 billion euros.

Anyone looking to keep pace with their inter-national rivals must tackle competition head-on, forge contacts and pick up on technology trends. Fraunhofer has therefore been operating research centers and representative offices in the world’s economic powerhouses for many years – in Europe, the United States and Asia. More than 80 research institutions in Germany form the basis for our international operations.

Excellent staff

Everyone working for Fraunhofer knows that our research always aims to provide people with tangible benefits – a realization that highly moti-vates staff. Fraunhofer also provides a superb fertile environment for professional development. After all, the link between research and direct application adds up to practical experience – a quality particularly appreciated by customers and employers alike. So it is no surprise that Fraunhofer has always been an extremely popular choice among employers with a scientific focus.

For our industrial customers, that means dealing with competent and highly motivated cooperation partners. And for the end users of the products and services that result from this development work, it is a guarantee that we consistently gear our research to people’s real wishes and needs.

Our motivation: Research that benefits people

Fraunhofer provides research services to custom-ers in industry and the public sector. Our business is based on innovation, and our aim is to leverage science and research to develop innovative prod-ucts and applications that benefit people.

If we are to succeed, Fraunhofer research must always remain in touch with people as the only means of identifying current and future needs, and duly orienting our research according to the market.

Our ”future needs research” campaign aims to promote the dialog between the people that buy and use industrial products and the researchers whose work helps to develop those products.

Innovation for industry

Innovation is one of the key factors in commer- cial success. Knowing current customer needs, keeping up with the state of the art and quickly responding to market changes is essential to survival in the competitive global marketplace. Successful companies are well aware of that and value an innovation culture that delivers results.

Fraunhofer is a long-term partner who can help companies succeed. We develop, implement and optimize processes, products and systems until they are ready for use and for the market. We help our customers roll out new organizational structures and technologies in their companies. We provide contract research and innovations in virtually all application-relevant fields of expertise.

The vast majority of the Fraunhofer Institutes’ collaborative research projects are with existing customers – testimony to their satisfaction with our work.

16 Fraunhofer – The future needs research

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e. V.Hansastrasse 27 c80686 MünchenPhone +49 89 1205-0Fax +49 89 1205-7531infoKfraunhofer.dewww.fraunhofer.de

Executive BoardProf. Dr.-Ing. habil. Prof. e. h. mult.Dr. h. c. mult. Hans-Jörg Bullinger(Corporate Management, President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft)Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Ulrich Buller(Senior Vice President Research Planning)Dr. rer. pol. Alfred Gossner(Senior Vice President Finance and Controlling, IT)

Contacts for businessesDr. Raoul KlingnerPhone +49 89 1205-1212Fax +49 89 1205-77-1212Hark Kemlein-SchillerPhone +49 89 1205-1213Fax +49 89 1205-77-1213Andrea VidalPhone +49 89 1205-1221Fax +49 89 1205-77-1221projektanfragenKfraunhofer.de

Press and Public RelationsFranz MillerPhone +49 89 1205-1301Fax +49 89 1205-7513presseKzv.fraunhofer.de

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Fraunhofer Information and Communication Technology GroupDipl.-Inform. Boris GrothPhone +49 30 7261566-0Fax +49 30 7261566-19boris.grothKiuk.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer Information and Communication Technology GroupFriedrichstrasse 60 10117 Berlin

Fraunhofer Group for Life SciencesDr. Claus-Dieter KroggelPhone +49 511 5350-103Fax +49 511 5350-155claus.kroggelKitem.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine ITEMNikolai-Fuchs-Strasse 130625 Hannover

Fraunhofer Group for Materials and ComponentsDr. phil. nat. Ursula EulPhone +49 6151 705-262Fax +49 6151 705-214ursula.eulKlbf.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBFBartningstrasse 4764289 Darmstadt

Fraunhofer Group for MicroelectronicsDr.-Ing. Joachim PelkaPhone +49 30 46403-177Fax +49 30 46403-248joachim.pelkaKvue.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer Group for MicroelectronicsGustav-Meyer-Allee 25, Geb. 12 13355 Berlin

Fraunhofer Group for ProductionDipl.-Ing. Axel DemmerPhone +49 241 8904-130Fax +49 241 8904-6106axel.demmerKipt.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPTSteinbachstrasse 1752074 Aachen

Fraunhofer Group for Surface Technology and PhotonicsDr. techn. Dipl.-Ing. Udo KlotzbachPhone +49 351 2583-252Fax +49 351 2583-300udo.klotzbachKiws.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWSWinterbergstrasse 2801277 Dresden

Fraunhofer Group for Defense and SecurityTobias GeyerPhone +49 761 2714-486Fax +49 761 2714-400tobias.geyerKemi.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer Institute for High-Speed Dynamics, Ernst-Mach-Institut, EMIEckerstrasse 479104 Freiburg

Contacts

Fraunhofer – The future needs research 17

Alliances

Fraunhofer Adaptronics AllianceDr.-Ing. Tobias MelzPhone +49 6151 705-236Fax +49 6151 705-214infoKadaptronik.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer Adaptronics AlliancePostfach 10 05 6164205 Darmstadt

Fraunhofer Ambient Assisted Living AllianceDr. Reiner WichertPhone +49 6151 155-574reiner.wichertKigd.fraunhofer.dewww.aal.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer Institute forComputer Graphics Research IGDFraunhoferstrasse 564283 Darmstadt

Fraunhofer Cleaning Technology AllianceDipl.-Ing. Mark KriegPhone +49 30 39006-159Fax +49 30 3911037mark.kriegKipk.fraunhofer.dewww.allianz-reinigungstechnik.deFraunhofer Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology IPKPascalstrasse 8–9 10587 Berlin

Fraunhofer Digital Cinema AllianceDipl.-Ing. Hans BloßPhone +49 9131 776-520Fax +49 9131 776-588hans.blossKiis.fraunhofer.dewww.dcinema.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IISAm Wolfsmantel 3391058 Erlangen

Fraunhofer eGovernment CenterDr. Michael TschichholzPhone +49 30 3463-7215Fax +49 30 3463-8215michael.tschichholzKfokus.fraunhofer.dewww.egov-zentrum.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer eGovernment CenterKaiserin-Augusta-Allee 31 10589 Berlin

Fraunhofer Energy AllianceDr. Thomas SchleglPhone +49 761 4588-5473Fax +49 761 4588-9229thomas.schleglKise.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISEHeidenhofstrasse 279110 Freiburg

Fraunhofer Grid Computing AllianceDr. Franz-Josef PfreundtPhone +49 631 31600-4459Fax +49 631 31600-1099franz-josef.pfreundtKitwm.fraunhofer.dewww.grid.fraunhofer.dewww.fhrg.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWMFraunhofer-Platz 167663 Kaiserslautern

Fraunhofer High-Performance Ceramics AllianceDr. Reinhard LenkPhone +49 351 2553-539Fax +49 351 2554-195reinhard.lenkKikts.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems IKTSWinterbergstrasse 2801277 Dresden

Fraunhofer Nanotechnology AllianceDr. Karl-Heinz HaasPhone +49 931 4100-500Fax +49 931 4100-559karl-heinz.haasKisc.fraunhofer.dewww.nano.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISCNeunerplatz 297082 Würzburg

Fraunhofer Numerical Simulation of Products, Processes AllianceAndreas BurbliesPhone +49 421 2246-183Fax +49 421 2246-77-183andreas.burbliesKifam.fraunhofer.dewww.nusim.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer Institute for Manu-facturing Engineering and Applied Materials Research IFAMWiener Strasse 1228359 Bremen

Fraunhofer Optical-Functional Surfaces AllianceDr. Benedikt BläsiPhone +49 761 4588-5995Fax +49 761 4588-9995benedikt.blaesiKise.fraunhofer.dewww.funktionale-oberflaechen.deFraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISEHeidenhofstrasse 279110 Freiburg

Fraunhofer Photocatalysis AllianceDr. Michael VergöhlPhone +49 531 2155-640Fax +49 531 2155-900michael.vergoehlKist.fraunhofer.dewww.photokatalyse.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films ISTBienroder Weg 54 E38108 Braunschweig

Fraunhofer Polymer Surfaces AllianceDr. Sabine Amberg-SchwabPhone +49 931 4100-620Fax +49 931 4100-698sabine.ambergschwabKisc.fraunhofer.dewww.polo.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISCNeunerplatz 297082 Würzburg

Fraunhofer Rapid Prototyping AllianceDr. Rudolf MeyerPhone +49 391 4090-510Fax +49 391 4090-512RapidPrototypingKfraunhofer.dewww.RapidPrototyping.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer Rapid Prototyping AllianceSandtorstrasse 2239106 Magdeburg

Fraunhofer Traffic and Transportation AllianceChristiane KolloschePhone +49 231 9743-371Fax +49 231 9743-372infoKverkehr.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer Traffic and Transportation AllianceJoseph-von-Fraunhofer-Strasse 2–444227 Dortmund

Fraunhofer “Vision” Alliance(Image Processing)Dr.-Ing. Norbert BauerPhone +49 9131 776-500Fax +49 9131 776-599visionKfraunhofer.dewww.vision.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer “Vision” AllianceAm Wolfsmantel 3391058 Erlangen

Fraunhofer Water Systems Network (SysWasser)Prof. Dr. Walter TröschPhone +49 711 970-4220Fax +49 711 970-4200walter.troeschKigb.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGBNobelstrasse 1270569 Stuttgart

18 Fraunhofer – The future needs research

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Editorial notes

Editorial teamDr. Martin ThumChrista Schraivogel (picture editor)

Contributing authorsMarion HornBeate KochBirgit NiesingDr. Martin ThumMonika Weiner

ProductionMarie-Luise Keller-Winterstein

Photo acknowledgmentsTitle: plainpicture / EricksonPage 1: Bernhard HuberPage 4: dpaPage 6, 12, 14: MasterfilePage 8: Getty ImagesPage 10: A1PIX

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