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FMD has launched the Chiplet Application Hub, a central platform for chiplet technology development and application. The hub aims to bridge the gap between research and industry, accelerate the development of German-made chiplets, and reinforce Germany's technological resilience. It complements FMD's role in the Chips for Europe Initiative and builds on the APECS pilot line infrastructure.

The hub is designed to foster collaboration with industry partners, develop new chiplet solutions, and drive innovation in chiplet technologies. It is expected to enhance energy efficiency, performance, and the reusability of high-cost design components, particularly in the automotive and high-performance computing sectors.

➀ The decline of insect biomass in Germany is a serious environmental indicator;

➁ Collette Wasielewski and Tom Cox founded SPAIA to address this issue;

➂ SPAIA is developing an open-source system for global insect data collection and access.

➀ SPAIA is founded to address the decline in insect populations and their critical role in biodiversity and ecosystem health.

➁ The team is working on a scalable global insect data network, combining low-cost hardware and AI software.

➂ SPAIA's technology aims to provide real-time insights into insect activity and biomass intelligence for sustainable environmental management.

➀ The Fraunhofer Heinrich-Hertz-Institut (HHI) has launched the OPTIMUX project, focusing on optimal multiplexing strategies for fiber optic data transmission using spatial multiplexing.

➁ The project is supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and spans from November 2024 to October 2027.

➂ Research efforts are concentrated on Electrical Analog Multiplexing (AMUX) and Optical Spatial Division Multiplexing (SDM), aiming to increase transmission efficiency and capacity.

➀ The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) has developed the open-source platform 'OpenEarable';

➁ This platform integrates a variety of sensors in wireless headphones for comprehensive health measurements and security applications;

➂ OpenEarable 2.0 allows developers to create customized software with over 30 physiological parameters measurable directly in the ear.

➀ The first KickStart team at Hochschule Koblenz has achieved a significant milestone by successfully filing a patent for an innovative payment solution called BEZLAD.

➁ Developed by Daniel Funk, Micha Bär, Marcel Klee, in collaboration with Prof. Dr. Udo Gnasa and patent attorney Hans-Peter Müller, BEZLAD enables easy management and billing of private charging processes for electric vehicles.

➂ The university supported the project in various ways, including covering the costs of the patent application and providing access to expertise from the startup office and the StartUpLab.

The Center Nanoelectronic Technologies (CNT) at the Fraunhofer IPMS has recently acquired new cryostats for researching qubits and qualifying superconductor systems. These low-temperature measurement devices, particularly useful for analyzing quantum systems, have been fully operational since March. The facilities were supported by the Saxony State Ministry of Science, Culture, and Tourism.

Quantum computing is expected to play a central role in research in the future, especially in medicine, material development, and traffic planning. Qubits, storage components for developing complex quantum mechanical systems, are versatile but fragile and prone to errors. Superconducting chips or circuits stabilize the fragile qubit states but require cooling down to the millikelvin range.

To ultimately realize a complex system like a quantum computer, all other technical components, such as circuits, memory chips, or thermal isolation components, must also function under these temperatures. The cryostats at CNT enable testing of various structures, materials, and circuits under these extremely cold conditions.

➀ Researchers at the Chemnitz University of Technology are studying the efficiency of organic solar cells;

➁ The slow current flow in organic solar cells is due to the disordered structure of the light-absorbing layers;

➂ Transport resistance, caused by slow charge carriers, reduces the fill factor and power output of the solar cells.

Fraunhofer HHI and NICT launch the Optical Testbed Dataspace (OTDS) to accelerate the development and testing of AI and ML models for optical networks. The platform fosters global collaboration by securely sharing testbed data, addressing challenges in dataset availability and enhancing network optimization and automation.

OTDS uses the Eclipse Dataspace Components Connector (EDCC) and aligns with the International Data Spaces Association (IDSA) principles, ensuring data sovereignty and export control compliance.

The technology has been successfully demonstrated through a prototype for international data exchange between Berlin and Sendai, and is set to be showcased at the OFC conference.

➀ The Fraunhofer Heinrich-Hertz-Institut (HHI) and the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) present the Optical Testbed Dataspace (OTDS) to accelerate the development and testing of AI and ML for optical communication networks.

➁ OTDS provides a secure space for international data exchange, offering new perspectives for optimizing and automating communication networks globally.

➂ The platform is based on the Eclipse Dataspace Components Connector (EDCC) and aligns with the principles of the International Data Spaces Association (IDSA), enabling secure and controlled data exchange in line with international standards.

➀ The book, 'Statistical Machine Learning for Engineering with Applications,' is published by Prof. Dr. Anita Schöbel and Prof. Dr. Jürgen Franke.

➁ It aims to provide an accessible introduction to Machine Learning concepts and methods.

➂ The book includes detailed case studies from various industrial projects, focusing on practical applications and interpretation of Machine Learning methods.

➀ The book 'Statistical Machine Learning for Engineering with Applications' is published by Prof. Dr. Anita Schöbel and Prof. Dr. Jürgen Franke, providing an accessible introduction to the concepts and methods of machine learning.

➁ The book aims to familiarize readers with basic topics like classification trees, Bayesian learning, neural networks, and deep learning, emphasizing practical applications and interpretation over mathematical details.

➂ It includes several detailed case studies based on real industrial projects, covering a wide range of technical applications from vehicle manufacturing to process and material technology, and process optimization through image analysis.

➀ Saarland University researchers are developing lightweight elastomer films for smart textiles, touch displays, and speakers with haptic feedback.

➁ These films can be precisely controlled to vibrate, flex, press, or pull using electrical voltage.

➂ The research focuses on creating more efficient, stable, sensitive, and responsive smart film actuators.

➀ A student at the University of Applied Sciences in Hagen, Melanie Welp, has developed a contactless timing system for Paralympic swimming to prevent injury from head impacts.

➁ The prototype uses an ultrasonic sensor to measure the time at six meters and 50 centimeters before the edge of the pool.

➂ The system has been tested and shown to be possible without causing injury to swimmers.

➀ A research team at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) has developed an e-skin that detects and tracks magnetic fields with high precision.

➁ The technology is designed to be light, transparent, and permeable, mimicking the human skin's interactions with the brain.

➂ The e-skin uses a magnetosensitive layer as a global sensor to localize magnetic signals and is capable of reconstructing signals similar to how the human brain processes touch.

➀ A research team led by the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) has developed an electronic skin capable of sensing and tracking magnetic fields with a single global sensor. This technology could enable new applications in virtual reality and underwater smartphone interaction.

➁ The e-skin is lightweight, transparent, and breathable, imitating the interaction between real skin and the brain. It uses a magnetosensitive functional layer as a global sensor surface, improving energy efficiency and mimicking real skin's functionality.

➂ The technology uses tomography, a method also used in medical MRI or CT scans, to reconstruct the position of signals, making it suitable for applications in robotics and human-machine interaction.

➀ Students from HSBI's Mechatronics/Automation program at the Gütersloh campus have developed a cocktail machine capable of mixing Caipirinha, complete with a lemon press and crushed ice production.

➁ The intuitive machine meets industrial standards for food hygiene and safety.

➂ The project showcases the practical applications of mechatronics and automation technology in the real world.

➀ The European Commission announced the 'Industrial Action Plan for the European Automotive Sector' to address challenges such as international competition and software-defined vehicles (SDV).

➁ The FEDERATE project will coordinate the 'Software-Defined Vehicle of the Future Initiative' to support the plan's implementation.

➂ The Chips Joint Undertaking will fund three calls for proposals focusing on RISC-V automotive hardware, heterogeneous integration, and AI-based software engineering methods.

➀ The Fraunhofer CINES excellence cluster provides recommendations for achieving a climate-neutral industry in Germany by 2045;

➁ Emphasis on the role of electricity and hydrogen as central energy carriers and the importance of energy infrastructure development;

➂ Discusses the challenges and opportunities for cost-effective and competitive energy systems, including the development of hydrogen infrastructure and electricity pricing.

➀ The Fraunhofer IOSB-AST introduces a new training program, 'Hack the Grid: Mission OT-Sicherheit für Energie- und Wasserversorgung', aimed at improving cybersecurity in the energy sector.

➁ The program uses a gamification approach, allowing participants to switch roles between attackers (RED-Team) and defenders (BLUE-Team) to identify vulnerabilities and develop defense strategies.

➂ The training involves working on a mobile IT/OT hardware demonstrator that integrates common automation technology and network components, providing a practical learning experience.

➀ The IAMHH e.V. association is hosting its first AM conference in Hamburg in May 2025, aiming to provide insights into the technology and its industrial applications.

➁ The conference program includes talks by renowned speakers from research and industry, focusing on AM in polymers, materials, processes, and applications.

➂ The AM Pitch Night will provide a platform for startups and innovators to present their projects and seek investments.

➀ The Future Factory aims to establish 1,000 new startups by 2030;

➁ The initiative provides founders with direct access to funding, industry, and coaching;

➂ Participation in the BMWK’s “Startup Factories” competition offers additional funding and strengthens national competitiveness.

➀ The University of Stuttgart will showcase its groundbreaking research and innovative projects at Hannover Messe 2025;

➁ The Center for Integrated Quantum Science and Technology (IQST) is focusing on photonic chips for quantum computers and networks;

➂ The Cluster of Excellence IntCDC is researching sustainable, resource-conserving construction methods.

➀ Stuttgart University showcases interdisciplinary research and transfer projects at Hannover Messe 2025;

➁ The university's quantum technology research group focuses on photonic chips for quantum computers and networks;

➂ The IntCDC excellence cluster explores sustainable, resource-efficient, and climate-positive construction methods.

Prof. Dr. Michael Reke and Prof. Dr. Alexander Ferrein were awarded the FH Aachen Research Prize for developing a cross-vehicle software architecture for autonomous vehicles.

The university emphasized the importance of curiosity-driven research and its role in mobility, sustainability, and digitalization. The prize, sponsored by the Sparkasse Aachen Citizens Foundation, recognizes outstanding research and innovation, with additional support from the FH Aachen Sustainability Fund.

Both researchers expressed their gratitude for the prize, which they plan to use to further their vision. The university celebrates the research prize as an annual event, highlighting the importance of research freedom and academic collaboration.

➀ Professor Hendrik Wöhrle of the University Duisburg-Essen and Fraunhofer Institute for Microelectronic Circuits and Systems is working to make AI in medicine more efficient, compact, fast, and safe.

➁ His research group combines the expertise of both institutions to develop new hardware and software architectures for embedded systems using AI.

➂ The goal is to create systems that are particularly efficient for AI, machine learning, and robotics, aiming for greater performance, compactness, speed, and energy efficiency, suitable for use in implants or portable devices.

➀ Students from the 11th grade and above participated in the Winter School at Technische Hochschule Würzburg-Schweinfurt (THWS) to explore the fields of mathematics and robotics.

➁ The event included building and programming robots, learning about collaborative robots, and exploring fractals.

➂ The program aimed to show students the diverse aspects of robotics, including mechanics, electronics, and programming.

➀ The article discusses the challenges and advancements in solid-state battery development, focusing on the FUNCY-SSB project.

➁ It highlights the importance of solid-state electrolytes in improving battery performance and sustainability.

➂ The project aims to develop sustainable SSEs with enhanced electrochemical performance and explores the use of functional coatings for improved lithium transport and stability.

➀ The Technische Hochschule Aschaffenburg offers Bachelor's degree programs in Electrical and Information Engineering and Business Engineering for working professionals looking to advance their careers.

➁ The programs, offered in collaboration with the Hochschule Darmstadt and supported by the zfh – Zentrum für Fernstudien im Hochschulverbund, combine self-study phases with on-campus sessions for high flexibility.

➂ The labs of TH Aschaffenburg are integrated into the on-campus events and can be used for research and thesis work.

Jülich researchers have introduced novel memristive components in Nature Communications, offering significant advantages over previous versions. These memristors are more robust, operate within a wider voltage range, and can be used in both analog and digital modes. They could address the issue of 'catastrophic forgetting' in artificial neural networks, where learned information is abruptly lost.

The researchers have implemented the new memristive element in a model of artificial neural networks, achieving high accuracy in pattern recognition. They plan to seek further materials for memristors that may perform even better than the current version.