Fraunhofer Group for Microelectronics
Fraunhofer Group for Microelectronics

Mobility and Urbanization

In urban areas, quality of life is closely tied up with mobility – widespread introduction of low-emission cars and avoiding unnecessary journeys through suitable means of communication would both be of enormous benefit to residents.

That’s why the “Mobility and Urbanization” business area focuses its efforts on car-related developments. For electromobility applications, for example, the institutes in the Group develop systems to add electric vehicles to a network, including such information as consumption figures and the necessary communication systems. Drive systems, storage, and the smart power electronics behind them are closely linked to the “Energy Efficient Systems” business area. An additional focus is the use of microelectronics for communication and distribution infrastructures.

Application Examples

 

© Fraunhofer IMS

SPAD-Raman-Spectroscopy-Sensor

LiDAR for Autonomous Driving

  • LiDAR-systems send pulsed laser beams that are reflected at the surface of the object. 
  • The “Flash-LiDAR“ does not need movable elements.
  • With only one laser flash, distance values for the total two-dimensional scene are determined, in contrast to the classic LiDAR that sequentially captures individual object points.
 

© Audi Media Service

Symphoria® for an excellent audio experience within the car

Symphoria of Fraunhofer IIS is a universal solution for rendering outstanding stereo and 3D surround sound in automotive environments. The intelligent post processing technology virtually opens up the sound image of the car sound system, creating a new sense of dimensionality and spaciousness by increasing width, depth and even height of the sound image.
 

© Fraunhofer ENAS

“CleanSky” – environmentally friendly air traffic

CleanSky is the most ambitious aeronautical research program ever launched in Europe. Its mission is to develop breakthrough technologies to significantly increase the environmental performance of airplanes and air transport, resulting in less noisy and more fuel efficient aircraft, hence making a key contribution to achieve the “Single European Sky” environmental objectives. Fraunhofer ENAS is contributing with the development of a new “intelligent” wing, which could save fuel and create less noise.

 

© Osram

Intelligent headlight: Improved sight for night travelling

Instead of single LEDs each equipped with respective driver chips, adaptive front-end lighting now comprises 256 pixels.

The headlight includes the option
of permanent high-beam, variable
light distribution and reduces blinding of on-coming traffic.

Partner: Infineon, Osram, Hella, Daimler, Fraunhofer IZM

 

© Audi AG

Wireless mobile phone charging in automobiles

  • Technology for wireless charging device to be integrated into Audi A8 and Audi TT consoles.
  • Thermal characterization, EMC and embedding were carried out at Fraunhofer IZM.
  • 5 months from idea to prototype.
 

© Fraunhofer IISB

Full 200kW SiC-DC/DC converter

Entering new territory for power density and efficiency thanks to the use of silicon carbide power semiconductors: the bidirectional DC/DC converter from Fraunhofer IISB for the drive train of electric vehicles. The DC/DC converter is designed with silicon carbide switches and is intended for battery voltages of up to 750 V and battery charge and discharge currents of up to 300 A.  

 

© Fraunhofer IAF

Detectors for Short-Wave Infrared

  • »Detect what remains hidden to the human eye«
  • »Gated viewing«: high-resolution active 3D imaging with laser illumination e.g. for autonomous driving

 

 

© Fraunhofer ISIT

LIDAR system for gesture recognition

ISIT has developed a 3D camera based on a 2D MEMS scanner, which uses the principle of phase difference of a laser beam to the detected “echo” as distance measurement. The phase detection algorithm allows 60 million 3D measurements per second. The camera has a resolution of 450 x 450 pixels and provides six images per second.