Our projects: research for key topics of the future

The Smartpump is a miniature lab “to go.” It fits inside a mobile phone or a jacket seam and can be attached to the skin with an adhesive patch or even implanted inside the human body. Combined with the right kinds of sensors, it can measure factors such as particulates, toxic gases, humidity, and insulin levels. It can also be used as a micropump to deliver tiny doses of gas or liquid. The Smartpump unlocks possibilities for new solutions wherever small mobile analysis and dosage options add value — for example, as part of an early warning system or for medical applications.

Water-conserving crop cultivation and climate-friendly energy supply combined — the NexusHub project achieves this. This smart, practical combination of multiple robust technologies unlocks development prospects for less-developed regions in the Global South.

The internet is the communication network of our world. A stable internet connection is a prerequisite for the successful operation of companies, hospitals and public administrations. However, 4 billion people around the world still do not have access to the internet. They are offline and, therefore, excluded from digital participation.

For the first time ever, CycloPlasma technology has made it possible to sustainably remove carcinogenic wood preservatives from buildings without leaving any residue behind. This method has opened up new prospects for preservation of historical buildings in particular.

Concrete is the most commonly used material worldwide. However, cement production generates carbon dioxide (approximately 700 kg of CO2 per metric ton of cement), and builder’s sand suitable for use as a raw material is in increasingly short supply. In some areas of the world, mafia-like structures are already forming, illegally extracting sand from coastlines and riverbeds. Each year, some 40 billion metric tons of sand and gravel are used to produce concrete. That’s enough sand to build a wall with a width and height of 27 meters, stretching around the entire Equator.