Interview

“An open form factor makes a lot of new applications possible”The VμE spoke to Prof. Karlheinz Bock, man-ager of the “Flexible Systems” business unit at Fraunhofer EMFT, about his current re-search projects, opportunities, and challenges.

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Short news

Emmy for the “MPEG-2 Trans-port Stream standard”

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The last word …

… comes from Martin Schüller from Fraunhofer ENAS

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From the institutes

Sensors monitor cerebral pressure

If the pressure in a patient’s brain is too high, physicians implant a system in the head that regulates the pressure. A sensor is now able to measure and individually adjust brain pressure.

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Short news

New epitaxy system promises improved lasers to protect aircraft

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Short news

App analyzes the sound of coughing

»» page 14

Title

From “FreshScanner” to “WoundScanner”The hand scanner developed under the name “FreshSCAN” for use in quantitative determination of micro-bacterial contamination of meat and other foodstuffs is about to enter a new generation: the newest development at Fraunhofer IZM will be the mobile WoundScanner “IndigoSCAN.” »» page 4

Content:

Events page 2From the institutes page 3Title page 4Interview page 5From the institutes page 6Short news page 13Imprint page 15

“There is still a lot of unused po-tential.” Interview with Dr. Volker Grosser. Photo: Fraunhofer IZM » page 5

The first generation of the FreshScanner. Photo: Fraunhofer IZM

3D-integrated tire pressure moni-toring system. Photo: Infineon Technologies AG » page 13

April 2014 54

Fraunhofer VμE Microelectronics News

Events

While every care is taken to ensure that this information is correct, no liability can be accepted for omissions or inaccur acies.

Date Event / WWW Location Group insti-tutes involved

04/23 – 04/25 Semicon Singapore www.semiconsingapore.org

Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

04/23 – 04/25 nanomicrobiz 2014 www.micromachine.jp/en/

Yokohama, Japan

ENAS

05/06 – 05/08 SMT/ HYBRID/ PACKAGING www.mesago.de/en/SMT/home

Nuremberg, Germany

ISIT, IZM

05/06 – 05/09 Control 2014 www.control-messe.de/en/

Stuttgart, Germany

FHR, IIS, IZFP-D

05/07 – 05/09 13th Electronic Circuits World Convention www.mesago.de/en/ECWC/The_Conference

Nuremberg, Germany

IZM

05/13 – 05/15 INC10 www.inc10.org

Gaithersburg, USA

05/14 – 05/15 Semicon Russia www.semiconrussia.org/en

Moscow, Russia

Group institutes

05/20 – 05/22 Optatec 2014 www.optatec-messe.de/en

Frankfurt, Germany

IKTS, IPMS, ISIT

05/20 – 05/22 PCIM Europe 2014 www.mesago.de/en/PCIM/home

Nuremberg, Germany

IISB, ISIT, IZM

05/20 – 05/25 ILA 2014 www.ila-berlin.de

Berlin, Germany

Group institutes

05/20 – 05/21 7th Fraunhofer IMS Workshop CMOS – Imaging: From Photon to Camerawww.ims.fraunhofer.de

Duisburg, Germany

IMS

05/26 – 05/28 LOPE-C 2014 www.lopec.com/en/home

Munich, Germany

ENAS, ISIT

05/27 – 05/30 Electronic Components and Technology Conference 2014 www.ectc.net

Lake Buena Vista, USA

IZM

06/03 – 06/05 Sensor+Test 2014 www.sensor-test.de

Nuremberg, Germany

Group institutes

06/04 – 06/06 Intersolar Europe 2014 www.intersolar.de/en

Munich, Germany

ISIT

06/16 – 06/19 ITS European Congress 2014 www.itsineurope.com/its10

Helsinki, Finland

ESK

06/24 – 06/26 SensorsExpo 2014 www.sensorsmag.com/sensors-expo

Rosemont, USA

ENAS, IPMS

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It doesn‘t matter if the doctor suspects car-diac arrhythmia, myocarditis or a heart at-tack, whenever the heart‘s health is at stake the reading, recording and analysis of the electrocardiogram is the most impor-tant examination method to obtain indica-tions of coronary diseases. During an ECG the doctor only sees the temporal course of the electrical stimulation of the heart. In order to be able to draw conclusions about the function of the organ and thus find in-dications of possible coronary diseases he has to interpret the resulting pattern of the changes in tension of the heart. Important criteria here are the peaks and troughs of the stress amplitudes, their steepness and duration as well as the temporal gaps be-tween these. Since complaints or certain events – for example sports – can affect the result of the examination, doctors pre-fer to read resting or exercise ECGs under controlled conditions. However, in the case of sporadic symptoms, for example cardi-ac arrhythmia, or phenomena that occur under special conditions in daily life, or pa-tients who want to return home as quick-ly as possible after a longer stay in hospital, but who still want to feel safe, the electro-cardiogram has to be recorded continuously over 24 hours or longer.

The ECG of the future

A 3-channel ECG recorder called “Smart-Vital” that is small, light, and easy to use has been developed for precisely these fields of application. But above all, the devices offer a real-time analysis of the ECG signals based on various methods such as the rhythm analysis, QRS classification, an analy-sis of the auricular activity, changes in the ST-segments (ischemiae) and QT measure-ment. If the evaluation software identifies an abnormality in the ECG, the recorder sends an ECG section to the doctor via a gateway, who can then decide on any fur-ther steps. This does away with a visit to the doctor that would otherwise be necessary. The quality of the readings is also increased by recording and analyzing the patient‘s

movements and thus their physical activity during the measurement. SmartVital com-bines movement information with the ECG data so that any changes to the ECG can be assigned to the relevant physical stress situation and disturbances due to motion artifacts can be clearly identified. The mo-tion sensor detects whether the patient is standing up, lying down, walking, or run-ning. For example, a pathological tachycar-dia is not presumed if the patient climbs some stairs and the heart rate increas-es, because this is normal in this stress sit-uation. Another advantage: the ECG is re-corded under everyday stress without the patient having to keep records about their daily routine.

From the institutes

Contact: Dr. Michael SchollesPhone +49 351 8823-201 michael.scholles@ipms.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMSMaria-Reiche-Strasse 201109 DresdenGermanywww.ipms.fraunhofer.de

Today‘s ECG device looks more like a piece of sports equipment…Photo: Fraunhofer IPMS

Versatile ECG

Nearly everyone nowadays has an electrocardiography, or ECG for short, at some point in time. Patients typically consult their doctor or remain in hospital under observation for a longer period of time after an operation. But this is not always necessary: Researchers at Fraunhofer IPMS have de-veloped a comfortable ECG recorder that reads and analyzes long-term ECGs at home in everyday conditions and then transmits the results to the doctor in real-time by radio.

…than a machine you might find in a hospital, like the ECG devices of the past. Photo: MEV Verlag

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Aus den Instituten

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Title

FreshSCAN: for detecting the freshness of meat

We take it for granted that we can buy fresh food at any time. These “fresh” prod-ucts have often traveled long distances and spent an equally long time in intermediate storage. This makes reliable monitoring of food quality even more important. The mo-bile FreshScanner developed by Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM in 2010 makes it possible to check food as quickly as possible using spectral analysis. The scanner uses laser light to measure the number of bacteria on a piece of meat. Depending on the condition of the meat, the laser light is dissipated and reflected differently. The light reflected back is analyzed using Raman or fluorescence spectroscopy. This allows FreshSCAN to check quickly and easily whether the meat is still fit for consumption.

The next generation: “RF-CombiSCAN ,” “freshdect,” and “optimoSCAN”

The research results obtained in the Fresh-SCAN project form the basis for the next generation of mobile test devices: the RF-CombiSCAN, freshdect, and optimoSCAN. These new handheld measuring devices combine several optical measuring process-es in a single device. The differing levels of irradiation allow the RF-CombiSCAN to de-tect both the number and the type of bac-teria; the use of the RF-CombiSCAN and the freshdect considerably shortens and simplifies the costly and labor-intensive lab-oratory counting method.

The optimoSCAN, the third generation of scanner, is a laboratory research device. It is a spectral-optic platform on which the ex-change of laser light sources and micro-spectrometers are utilized to obtain very different optical fingerprints. The fingerprint obtained by the use of the optimoSCAN gives the scientists information about pos-sible contamination: not just bacteria build-up can be detected and analyzed, but also other organic materials.

Revolution in medical engineering: IndigoSCAN

Following the successful implementation of a material analysis of animal meat, the development of the IndigoSCAN is now focusing on the human organism. The aim of the IndigoSCAN project is to develop a WoundScanner that documents wound care as well as the healing process. The WoundScanner uses a microcamera to cre-ate three-dimensional photo documenta-tion of a wound. The device can also carry out a miniaturized Raman analysis that can immediately detect any bacterial contami-nation of the wound.

The IndigoSCAN is an energy-independent, handheld measuring device designed for household use. One important aim of the continuing development work is wireless In-ternet-based transmission of photos to a wound data management system, which can be used to easily transfer the photo of the wound and the data about bacte-rial contamination to a physician. Market launch of the WoundScanner is planned for December 2015.

The first generation of the Fresh-Scanner. Photo: Fraunhofer IZM

The RF-CombiSCAN. Photo: Fraunhofer IZM

From the “FreshScanner” to the “WoundScanner”

The hand scanner developed under the name “FreshSCAN” for use in quantitative determination of microbacterial contamination of meat and other foodstuffs is about to enter a new generation: the newest develop-ment at Fraunhofer IZM will be the mobile WoundScanner “IndigoSCAN.”

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Scanning food sounds like science fiction. What was the trigger for this development?

Grosser: Today, consumer electronics, with tablets, cell phones, etc., has reached such a high standard that it makes sense to look for new areas of application where cloud connections can be of use. That is my im-pulse and my inspiration for the FreshSCAN project. In food technology and medical en-gineering in particular, but also in the area of security and safety technology, there is still a lot of unused potential. At Fraunhofer IZM, we have the expertise and the tech-nical means to react to developments. The FreshSCAN project, for example, is entirely based on the principle that the scanner can create a fingerprint for every material and can then search the cloud for suitable infor-mation; this enables it to assign the finger-print to the right substance. The informa-tion is available; we just have to use it and have it processed by a device like the Fresh-Scanner.

What potential is offered by this new generation of scanners?

Grosser: I can see that the infrastructure and technology are available to make devic-es like FreshSCAN and IndigoSCAN usable. The scandal in Germany with the sale of out-of-date meat and increasing consum-er distrust make equipping the food indus-try with a new invention – such as a hand-held food analysis device – a very attractive idea. User-friendly handling without a large amount of training is our current aim with the FreshScanner. This means that anyone can use the device.

Microelectronics and medicine – two fields of research that go hand in hand. What advantages do you see in them?

Grosser: First, I’d just like to say that micro-electronics and medicine have been closely linked for years. Our current level of devel-opment in medicine would be unthink-

Interview

Dr. Volker Grosser. Photo: Fraunhofer IZM

“There is still a lot of unused potential”

Whether you’re a creator, a vendor, or a consumer: FreshSCAN can be used at any time to test for freshness. It allows the entire length of the food supply chain to be monitored. In the future, it is intended to apply the results of the research in the field of medical engineering. Fraunhofer Microelectronics spoke to Dr. Volker Grosser, project manager from the “System Design & Integration” department, about the potential offered by the hand scanners.

able without microelectronic devices. A lot of projects are currently running in our de-partment that deal with just this interface – making microelectronic innovations usable for medicine. The health coach that we de-veloped is a good example of a microelec-tronic device that monitors a user’s state of health with regard to preventive measures, diagnosis, and therapy. The use of indepen-dent sensor systems opens up new possibil-ities in medicine to determine a more reali-ty-based diagnosis for the patient.

Another point is that developments like FreshSCAN and IndigoSCAN strengthen the position of the consumer or the patient. Both devices make processes transparent and information more available.

A mobile scanner for home use that can also communicate directly with a physi-cian. How far has the research advanced so far?

Grosser: Development of the IndigoSCAN has now been ongoing in a joint project since August 2013, and we hope to be able to bring it to market in December 2015. We could imagine, in the future, that every house will have a WoundScanner that, if need be, can transmit information wireless-ly to a hospital.

Can the technology obtained through development of the FreshScan be used in other fields of research?

Grosser: Absolutely. Around the world, re-searchers are working on devices that can analyze poisons or explosives as well as bacteria or other agents.

Dr. Grosser, thank you very much for talking to us.

About Dr. Grosser:Dr. Volker Grosser, born in 1953, stud-ied assembly and joint technology from 1974 to 1979 at the Chemnitz University of Technology. He was then a doctoral candidate at the TU Chem-nitz from 1979 until completing his thesis on high-temperature soldering in 1982. From 1982 until 1993, he worked at the Academy of Sciences, Department of Mechanics in Chemnitz and managed the “laser measuring technology” research group. He has worked at the F raunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegr ation IZM since 1993. His research group is working on the area of “Technolo-gy-oriented product design and char-acterization.” Since January 1, 2014, he has also managed the “Industrial Electronics” business unit.

Contact: Dr. Volker Grosser Phone +49 30 46403-250 volker.grosser@izm.fraunhofer.de Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM Gustav-Meyer-Allee 2513355 BerlinGermanywww.izm.fraunhofer.de

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But how exactly do you go about “warp-ing” screens? Manuel Schiewe, a researcher at the Fraunhofer Institute for Open Com-munication Systems FOKUS who has dedi-cated a lot of time to the topic, is on hand to provide some answers. To get an even picture on a curved screen, each of the pro-jectors must be precisely calibrated with one another. Each of them projects a part of the image, parts which together form the whole. “It’s a bit like a jigsaw. Every piece has to slot in exactly with the others to get the right picture,” explains Schiewe. Projectors must be set up so that the imag-es they project are of an equal brightness and suitable for a curved surface. This re-quires the images, which were originally in-tended for a flat screen, to be recalibrat-ed again.

Initially, the only way this could be done was to calibrate manually, as even a slight movement of the projector position re-quired manual adjustments. Schiewe and his team at Fraunhofer FOKUS developed a “projector auto-alignment” method, a pro-cess that adapts picture content automat-ically to the surface it is being projected onto. To do this, cameras capture test im-ages generated by the projectors. The soft-ware then uses image processing algo-rithms to calculate the current calibration of the images on the projection screen. It then has all the information it needs to make au-tomatic corrections to the calibration and brightness of the images. Today, planetar-iums, theme parks and simulators use this software to guarantee an even picture on large contoured screens or other surfaces.

Integrating the software into graphics card drivers

Until now, this technology has been avail-able only in combination with the Fraunhofer FOKUS media player, which is designed for specific media formats such as films, images, text or graphics. To be able to project any type of content (any pro-grams, simulator 3D engines, etc.) calls for

special software and hardware tools (cap-ture cards, warping boxes), connected be-tween the graphics card and the projector. This increases the cost and the complexity, however. It also results in a delay in video display. “That is why we took the decision to integrate the automatic calibration soft-ware straight into the NVIDIA graphics cards driver. This way, the whole Windows

desktop – and any Windows programs – automatically adjust to curved projection screens (“Desktop warping”). Companies can easily make the most of being able to project onto any surface using their on-board graphics card. Their staff have more ways to communicate with one another, and can do so in a targeted manner. It’s easier, too, to exchange and present con-tent more effectively – even over long dis-tances,” explains Schiewe.

One example is remote maintenance of oil platforms. Ever since the “Deep Water Ho-rizon” accident, engineers have increas-ingly been monitoring these platforms off-shore, with all the most important data and developments from out at sea flowing into land-based control rooms. Modern media technologies such as “Desktop warping” display information about the platform in a way that immerses the controllers and, in a virtual sense, puts them at the center of the action.

From the institutes

Contact: Ronny Meier Phone +49 30 3463-7423 ronny.meier@fokus.fraunhofer.de

Manuel Schiewe Phone +49 30 3463-7329manuel.schiewe@fokus.fraunhofer.de

Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communi-cation Systems FOKUSKaiserin-Augusta-Allee 3110589 BerlinGermanywww.fokus.fraunhofer.de

Close enough to touch the stars

It’s almost as if you were weightless. You can reach out and touch the Big Dipper and all around you is the glowing band of the Milky Way. In short, the perfect illusion – numerous projectors broadcasting a recreated ver-sion of the actual night sky onto the huge dome of the planetarium. Now, scientists from Fraunhofer FOKUS in Berlin have joined forces with graphics card manufacturer NVIDIA to allow any content of a Windows desktop to be projected onto a curved screen like in a planetarium.

One of the first fields of applica-tion for this new technology is re-mote maintenance of oil platforms. Photo: MEV Verlag

Going for a virtual stroll across New York’s Times Square. Modern domes make this possible – and now directly via the driver of the PC graphics card. Photo: Fraunhofer FOKUS / Matthias Heyde

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Urinary incontinence, a shuffling gait, and deteriorating reasoning skills are all symp-toms potentially pointing to an increased cerebral pressure, or hydrocephalus, com-monly known as “water on the brain.” A shunt system – a kind of silicon tube that physicians implant into the patient’s brain – provides relief. The heart of this shunt system is a valve: If the pressure increases above a threshold value, the valve opens; if it declines again, the valve closes. In rare cases over-drainage may occur. If the cere-bral pressure drops too much, the cerebral

ventricles are virtually squeezed out. Until now, physicians could only detect and verify such over-drainage through elaborate and costly computer and magnetic resonance tomography.

Simple diagnosis with a hand-held meter

With a new kind of sensor, things are dif-ferent: If it is implanted into the patient’s brain with the shunt system, the physicians are able to read out brain pressure using a hand-held meter – within seconds, any-time, and without complex investigation. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Microelectronic Circuits and Systems IMS, working jointly with Christoph Miethke

From the institutes

Contact: Michael Görtz Phone +49 203 3783-122 michael.goertz@ims.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer Institute for Microelectronic Circuits and Systems IMS Finkenstrasse 6147057 DuisburgGermanywww.ims.fraunhofer.de

Physicians can use the implanted monitoring sensor to measure ce-rebral pressure. All they need to do is hold a hand-held meter against the patient’s head. Photo: Fraunhofer IMS / Patrick J. Lynch

Pressure sensor on a fingertip. Photo: Fraunhofer IMS

Sensors monitor cerebral pressure

If the pressure in a patient’s brain is too high, physicians implant a system in the head that regulates the pressure. A sensor is now able to measure and individually adjust brain pressure. The sensor system is approved to be used as a long-term implant and market launch has already started.

GmbH and Aesculap AG, engineered these sensors. If the patient complains of discom-fort, the physician merely needs to place the hand-held meter outside on the pa-tient’s head. The device sends magnetic radio waves and supplies the sensor in the shunt with power – the implant is “awak-ened” to measure temperature and pres-sure in the cerebral fluid and to transmit these data back to the hand-held device. If the pressure is outside the desired range, the physician can set the valve from the outside as needed.

Communication through protective casing

To ensure that the body’s own immune sys-tems would not attack the implant and “eat away” at it over time, the project part-ner Miethke wrapped it entirely in a thin metal cover. “We can still supply it with power from the outside through the metal casing, measure cerebral pressure through the housing, and transmit the record-ed data outside through the metal to the meter,” Görtz explains. To do so, the ade-quate metal had to be found. The coating must not be thicker than the walls of a soft drink can – in other words – much thinner than one millimeter. The researchers also developed the hand-held reading device to-gether with the electronics through which it communicates with the sensor. The sen-sor is ready for serial production and has been approved by Miethke. The company has already initiated the market launch of the system. The sensor forms the basis for further development towards “theranos-tic” implants – a neologism derived from the words “therapy” and “diagnostic.” In a few years, the sensor would not only be able to record cerebral pressure and devel-op a diagnosis on the basis of this data, but also properly adjust the pressure indepen-dently and immediately – thus taking the responsibility for the therapy process.

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Aus den Instituten

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Interview

Prof. Bock, what is flexible electronics?

Prof. Bock: At its core, it’s about opening up the form factor – we want to get away from rigid, rectangular chipboard electron-ics. To this end, we manufacture very thin devices such as sensors or integrated cir-cuits and displays and integrate them into complete systems on foil. A foil of this kind can be applied to a wide range of different surfaces; it can be minute or have a wide area. The exciting thing is that the electron-ics i s no longer visible as an element in it-self. For example, there’s no computer on the desk anymore; the desk itself becomes functional. This makes flexible electronics also a driver to realize the vision of an “in-telligent environment.”

You’ve already mentioned one possi-ble field of application – give us anoth-er few examples of where flexible elec-tronics could be used.

Prof. Bock: The spectrum of possible uses is complex: it covers wide-area applications, such as sensors on the wing of an aircraft or a car door, to implantable medical de-vices whose organic shape allows them to adapt to the inside of the patient’s body better than metal or ceramic implants. Fur-thermore, flexible electronics can also be used to create a functional environment as part of “ambient assisted living”: an envi-ronment that adapts automatically and dis-creetly to the needs of the user – from chil-dren to seniors and people with a disability. One example includes functional furnish-ings such as a sink that adapts its height automatically. That would be of particular use in rooms that are used by various peo-ple, such as in hospitals or hotels.

What projects are you working on at the moment?

Prof. Bock: We are currently working on a “lab-on-chip” system for quick DNA anal-ysis: we have been able to transfer a stan-

dard process – melting point analysis – onto a foil system. That allows us to demon-strate single polymorphism – which is how sequence deviations in DNA are referred to. DNA analyses of this kind can be used not only to detect a range of hereditary dis-eases, but also infections caused by certain bacteria or viruses. You can also use them to detect toxins in the blood. Fast analy-ses in the doctor’s office could make medi-cal treatment considerably better. An acute bone infection, for example, may have a wide range of causes, each of which re-quires a different treatment. An incorrect diagnosis may lead to permanent damage to the patient’s health, but fast treatment is also vital. If you first have to send the sam-ple to the lab, that is quite complex and you will lose valuable time. But disposable diagnostic systems such as this are also of great potential benefit in Third World coun-tries. Thanks to our roll-to-roll technology, we have the ability to manufacture point-of-care tests of this kind on a large scale at low cost. Of course, we are currently far from a complete “sample-to-answer” sys-tem – processes such as DNA copying and sample preparation currently still take place

Prof. Karlheinz Bock. Photo: Fraunhofer EMFT / Bernd Müller

Lab-on-foil system for DNA analysis. Photo: Fraunhofer EMFT / Bernd Müller

“An open form factor makes a lot of new applications possible”

Omnipresent, but almost invisible: that is how the future role of micro-electronics in our everyday lives can be summed up. Flexible electronics is considered an “enabling technology” that will make this vision a reality. The VμE spoke to Prof. Karlheinz Bock, manager of the “Flexible Sys-tems” business unit at Fraunhofer EMFT, about his current research proj-ects, opportunities, and challenges.

About Prof. Bock:Prof. Karlheinz Bock directs the “Poly-tronics and Multifunctional Systems” division at the F raunhofer Research Institution for Modular Solid State Technologies EMFT in Munich and is working on the integration of thin and flexible systems and the man-ufacturing technologies thereof , as well as in the area of chemical and biological sensors and bio-analyti-cal systems. Since 2008, he has also served as Professor for Polytronic Mi-crosystems at the Technical Univer-sity of Berlin.

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on standard machines in the lab. Our plan, however, is to be able to integrate the en-tire analysis on a chip over the next few years.

In addition to the lab-on-chip issue, we are also looking at integrating flexible sen-sor systems into low-cost substrates such as paper or very cheap foil systems – that could be of use for packaging solutions for high-quality products. We are also working on hetero-integration of complex systems on flexible substrates: As part of the EU’s “Interflex” project, we developed a pow-erful multilayer foil system that we can use to simultaneously record various air param-eters in interiors, including humidity, tem-perature, and CO2 concentration. The sys-tem is entirely energy-independent thanks to solar cells, flexible batteries, and a 2 GHz wireless connection.

What are currently the largest challeng-es when it comes to putting flexible electronics into applications?

Prof. Bock: Luckily, industry’s interest in using flexible electronics in products on a large scale has increased greatly over the last few years. The largest hurdle remains the interaction between process technol-ogy and machines, because film technolo-gy requires that certain machines be struc-tured differently from how they were with classic chipboard technology. Of course, we are trying to keep these barriers as low as possible and we have indeed been able to adopt many concepts from chipboard tech-nology – all the same, there is a great need

Contact:Prof. Karlheinz Bock Phone +49 89 54759-506karlheinz.bock@emft.fraunhofer.de Fraunhofer Research Institution for Modular Solid State Technologies EMFTHansastrasse 27 d80686 MünchenGermanywww.emft.fraunhofer.de

Multilayer foil system for simulta-neous measurement of different air parameters. Photo: Fraunhofer EMFT / Bernd Müller

for new machine technology in some areas. The second point is efficiency, which for in-dustrial applications is naturally a central requirement: you need to be able to esti-mate the performance, precision, and out-put that can be achieved. Issues just like these are being tackled by our promotion-al project “Innoflex:” here we are working with various industrial partners to promote the transfer of processes into industry. We would like to be able to produce the first pilot series in the near future.

Do you have a “pet project”?

Prof. Bock: I’m an engineer through and through, and I find it very important that our research be more than just a means of adding to our knowledge. I would like to see how our research becomes reali-ty, so I would be very pleased if I were able to move the area of diagnostic technology forwards in the near future. I think this re-search is of great value to society and that flexible electronics, in particular, will play an extremely important role in the area of diagnosis and analysis in the future. The global population is growing, and more and more people have to share a tighter and tighter space. This also increases stress and risk – whether due to epidemics, con-taminated drinking water systems, or toxic contaminants in our food. Flexible electron-ics offers us a wide range of applications to develop solutions to these problems.

Prof. Bock, thank you very much for talking to us.

The roll-to-roll technology allows efficient manufacture of large batch quantities. Photo: Fraunhofer EMFT / Bernd Müller

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People with impaired hearing struggle with things we take for granted, wheth-er it is listening to birds warbling in the gar-den or chatting with friends and acquain-tances. They experience particular problems with hearing at higher frequencies and when following conversations. In Germany, around one in five of those over the age of 14 have to be treated for hearing difficul-ties – often only a hearing aid can help.

Embedded and stacked

In the EU “WiserBAN” project, researchers at the Technical University of Berlin and the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Mi-crointegration IZM are developing an ex-tremely miniaturized microsystem. It is in-tended to make hearing aids so small they can be concealed out of sight within the ear. The technology is also suitable for im-plants, pacemakers and insulin pumps. With dimensions of just 4 x 4 x 1 mm³, the new microsystem is fifty times smaller than the current models for body area networks. To achieve this, the project partners first de-veloped especially small components such as innovative miniature antennas. The job of the researchers is to find a space-sav-ing concept to accommodate all the com-ponents involved in a single module. This is a real challenge, as all the components are of varying sizes and thicknesses. Heteroge-neous embedding technologies, however, allowed the researchers to arrange all the components in the smallest possible space – just as in a package. As viewed from out-side, the finished module looks like a sin-gle piece; it is no longer possible to see the individual components. But that is not all, since the Berlin packaging experts have also developed a modular 3D stacking concept that saves extra space. This works by build-ing the components into several smaller modules and then stacking these on top of each other.

Direct line to the doctor

The system runs on a fraction of the energy needed by conventional devices. This reduc-es cumbersome battery changes to a min-imum. Extending the scope of their work, the project partners are also developing re-

configurable antennas and special wireless protocols. These serve to communicate im-portant information such as pulse, blood pressure or glucose levels straight to the su-pervising physician’s tablet or smartphone. The resulting WiserBAN wireless system makes obsolete the relay station – an extra device that patients have previously been obliged to wear to extend the communi-cation range. Another advantage is that the wireless protocols developed within the project are less susceptible to interference with other devices than Bluetooth, which other systems ordinarily relied on. Project partners are also looking to optimize ener-gy management. Hearing aids worn behind the ear are powered by a 180 mAh battery, which must be either replaced or recharged approximately every two weeks. Now the aim is to minimize the system’s energy con-sumption to around 1 mW, and so to ex-tend battery life to up to 20 weeks.

From the institutes

Contact: Georg WeigeltPhone +49 30 46403-279georg.weigelt@izm.fraunhofer.de Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZMGustav-Meyer-Allee 2513355 BerlinGermanywww.izm.fraunhofer.de

Invisible hearing aids

Microsystems are at the heart of portable “body area networks” such as hearing aids and implants. Now Fraunhofer researchers are developing an extremely miniaturized and energy-saving wireless microsystem to make these medical aids smaller, more comfortable and more efficient.

2D-SiP module with assembled het-erogeneous components before embedding. Photo: Fraunhofer IZM

2D-SiP module after embedding (4,2 x 4,3 x 0,77 mm³). Photo: Fraunhofer IZM

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Especially in older buildings, the money we pay for heat could be as well tossed out the window. Hidden flaws, incorrect insula-tion or unsealed spots around the window are to blame. These weak points cannot be discovered from outside – unless you are looking at the building through the lens of an infrared camera. This type of camera can distinguish between the temperature differ-ences of the building. The only catch: you need detectors that are highly sensitive in the far-infrared range to detect very small temperature differences. However, these detectors need to be permanently cooled down to -190 °C. The cameras are very large and heavy and consume a lot of ener-gy as a result of this additional cooling.

Complex adjustment

Scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Mi-croelectronic Circuits and Systems IMS are the single producers in Germany develop-ing infrared sensors with microbolometers for the far-infrared range that also oper-ate at room temperature. A new proto-type camera from the Duisburg-based insti-tute will likely simplify product development based on these uncooled detectors in the future: “It is usually very time-consuming and expensive to create an image from a new detector. First of all, the sensor must be adapted to the given camera model. We want to reduce this effort by offering a suitable camera as a testing platform for our detectors that immediately generates images on a PC,” explains Dr. Dirk Weiler from the Fraunhofer IMS.

“Honest” images are what’s called for

The “EVAL-IRFA camera” doesn’t just pro-cess the infrared photo material faster: While commercially available infrared cam-eras have integrated image processing that typically sharpens temperature edges or smooths out surfaces, the prototype cam-era depicts a true image of every pixel. Al-though it makes sense to enhance the im-ages during regular operations later on, doing so during the development phase is

From the institutes

Contact: Dr. Dirk WeilerPhone +49 203 3783-219 dirk.weiler@ims.fraunhofer.de Fraunhofer Institute for Microelectronic Circuits and Systems IMSFinkenstrasse 6147057 DuisburgGermanywww.ims.fraunhofer.de

The new prototype camera can help to build smaller, lighter, and more energy-efficient infrared devices. Photo: Fraunhofer IMS

Getting the picture faster thanks to IR cameras

Whether as a driver assistance system in a car or used in thermography for buildings: uncooled infrared sensors, like those being developed by Fraunhofer researchers, offer a wide range of possible applications. A new prototype camera for these detectors is intended to support product de-velopment in the future.

counter-productive. The performance and operation of a detector can only be evalu-ated using the raw data. Furthermore, the detectors usually need to be adapted to the application in question. “Since our cus-tomers come from very different applica-tion areas, they frequently have very specif-ic requirements for the sensor – with regard to the optical or temperature resolutions, for example,” explains Weiler. “If we tweak one or the other adjustment during the de-velopment phase here, the customer can immediately check the result in the actual image using our camera.”

The goal is to introduce uncooled IR detec-tors into applications faster. The demand is there: the technology opens up new possi-bilities innovations especially for mobile ap-plications, since it leads to smaller, lighter, and more energy-efficient camera systems. In addition to the application in the field of building thermography, these IR cameras could also be valuable as assistance systems in road vehicles, in building surveillance, or in monitoring production machinery.

View of the road through the IR prototype camera. Photo: Fraunhofer IMS

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Companies often carry out maintenance of their machinery at fixed time intervals. It generally doesn’t matter much wheth-er the maintenance work is really neces-sary. As a result, machinery often experi-ences unnecessary downtime. On the other hand, faults or damage that may occur be-tween intervals is frequently not detected in time. At the first sign of a fault, it is often too late to avoid expensive repairs and un-planned downtime. There are technical so-lutions to warn operators of possible faults in advance, but they are expensive and are therefore used only sporadically and on cost-intensive systems. Now, a new ap-proach may have the answer.

Permanent monitoring thanks to smart electronics

Together with the Design Automation Di-vision EAS of the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS, companies in the electric motor sector and other research in-stitutions have developed a permanent “health check” for machinery. In doing so, the research partners concentrated on the heart of the technology – the drives. In modern drives today, the electric phase cur-rents are measured on a regular basis to control the rotational speed and output. Without additional sensors, newly devel-oped algorithms now allow wide-ranging signal analysis and give the drive electronics a certain intelligence. This allows self-diag-nostics of individual components as well as the entire system. The engine state is moni-tored constantly to detect early overloading and wear and tear. Subsequent machine processes are also taken into consideration and evaluated. The new solution can be used either in the form of software in ex-isting systems or as an additional module. The developers can also connect the “smart electronics” wirelessly to a diagnostics cen-ter, which also allows the remaining service life of the system to be forecasted.

Practical operation is imminent

The new machine monitoring system was developed and tested using simulations and comprehensive measuring experiments, tak-ing the example of a conveyor belt drive with a drum motor. To this end, the de-velopers drew up a complete cybernetic model for basic investigations, among other things. A complex behavioral model for motors and mechanics also analyzes some of the principal fault types. The next step is to see if the process proves itself in practical operations on a company’s premises.

From the institutes

Contact: Sandra KundelPhone +49 351 4640-809sandra.kundel@eas.iis.fraunhofer.de Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IISDesign Automation Division EASZeunerstrasse 3801069 DresdenGermanywww.eas.iis.fraunhofer.de

Health check for machines and plants

Indicator lamps on a car dashboard warn the driver about technical diffi-culties in order to avoid a breakdown. The state of industrial machinery and systems, on the other hand, is not as easy to monitor permanently. In order to identify problems and weaknesses early, expensive additional investments are frequently required. Dresden-based researchers at Fraunhofer IIS / EAS collaborated on finding a solution that would allow cost-effective smart monitoring and self-learning diagnostics of produc-tion plants.

Production standstills cost time and money. Photo: MEV Verlag

The project partner Hanning Elek-tro-Werke plans to integrate the developed functionality for intelli-gent monitoring in one of its com-pact drives. Fig.: Hanning Elek tro-Werke GmbH & Co. KG

Project partners:In addition to Fraunhofer IIS / EAS, the development partners were: • Hanning Elektro-Werke GmbH & Co. KG (lead management) • Interroll Trommelmo-toren GmbH • Ostwestfalen-Lippe Uni-versity of Applied Sciences • Univer -sity of Pa derborn • RWTH Aachen • InTraCoM GmbH. The development was funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology.

13

Short news

Defence (BMVg), the urgently needed sys-tems can be procured this year. The system for metal-organic gas-phase epitaxy and an atomic layer deposition system allow both the special structuring and a selective epi-taxy for controlled precise manufacturing of the semiconductor lasers. The new manu-facturing process allows the semiconductor structures to be optimized and the usable power of the quantum cascade lasers more than doubled. This increases the range of the lasers, so that the target-finding head of a missile can be disrupted at a greater distance.

“The release of funds by the BMVg in No-vember 2013 to procure the systems was an important milestone in the development of the new class of semiconductors to pro-tect helicopters or planes, particularly in conflict areas,” concludes Prof. Oliver Am-bacher, director of Fraunhofer IAF.

Epitaxy system for the manufacture of quantum cascade lasers with increased optical performance. Photo: Fraunhofer IAF

New epitaxy system promises improved lasers to protect aircraft

When helicopters or airplanes are threat-ened by approaching missiles, there is only a very narrow time frame in which to react to the attack. Modern missile defense sys-tems use infrared lasers for this detection. That is because missiles often use a heat-seeking infrared target-finding head that automatically heads straight for the engines of the aircraft. If a laser beam is point-ed at its target-finding head, the missile thinks it is near the engine, and is deflect-ed from the aircraft itself. The key compo-nents needed for this – quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) for the medium- and long-wave infrared range – are manufactured at Fraunhofer IAF.

In the future, a new, more powerful epitaxy system will render the semiconductor lasers even more compact and efficient. Thanks to an additional € 3.75 million in special funds from Germany’s Federal Ministry of

Contact: Julia Roeder Phone +49 761 5159-450julia.roeder@iaf.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics IAFTullastrasse 7279108 FreiburgGermany www.iaf.fraunhofer.de

Contact: Andy HeinigPhone +49 351 4640-783andy.heinig@eas.iis.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IISDesign Automation Division EASZeunerstrasse 3801069 DresdenGermanywww.eas.iis.fraunhofer.de

The scientists at Fraunhofer IIS / EAS have thus developed a new method for early de-termination of the required number of cir-cuits and the appropriate technology for in-dividual circuits. The project was funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

New 3D design process for industrial practice

Three-dimensional chip arrangement is con-sidered the future of complex electronic systems. Conventional 2D design methods, however, are reaching their limitations, as they are not capable of fully implementing the many demands placed on new compo-nents and overall systems with consistency. That’s why the Design Automation Division EAS of the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrat-ed Circuits IIS, together with other research institutions and industrial partners, has de-veloped a standardized design process for the development of 3D systems. This new approach takes the requirements of the electronics market and industrial applica-tions particularly into account.

Whether there are questions regarding the correct number of circuits needed, the best possible way to arrange them, the place-ment of integrated functionalities, or con-necting different components – the newly developed methods can be used to make sound decisions in various phases of system and chip design. The different ways of pro-duction realization for the parts can also be evaluated here. The new approach also in-cludes final testing of circuits or rating heat propagation within the 3D system.

3D-integrated tire pressure monitoring system. Photo: Infineon Technologies AG

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App analyzes the sound of coughing

Coughing is not always just coughing. The sound you make when you cough may give doctors their first clue as to how to treat it. On behalf of Boehringer Ingelheim, scien-tists at the Oldenburg-based Project Group Hearing, Speech and Audio Technology of Fraunhofer IDMT have developed an app that analyzes coughing noises and can as-sess whether the patient has a dry itchy cough or a productive cough. Three years ago, the Oldenburg researchers had already set up a “cough hotline,” which has since received more than 100,000 calls. Due to the very positive response to the service hot-line, Boehringer Ingelheim has now decided to offer the cough analysis as an app called “Silometer Husten-Tester.”

Short news

Contact: Meike Hummerich Phone +49 441 2172-436 meike.hummerich@idmt.fraunhofer.de Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology IDMTMarie-Curie-Strasse 226129 OldenburgGermanywww.idmt.fraunhofer.de

Photo: Boehringer Ingelheim / Silomat

Even if the cough test on the phone cannot replace diagnosis by a physician or the ad-vice of a pharmacist, Boehringer Ingelheim would like the silometer to increase pub-lic awareness of different types of cough. There is plenty of room for improvement in people’s knowledge, according to a recent forsa survey carried out by the company: al-most 60 % of the 1,000 respondents did not know the difference between a dry and a productive cough. But while a cough sup-pressant provides fast relief from a dry itchy cough, a productive cough is better treated with an expectorant. The free app is avail-able for iPhone and Android.

to achieve with no corresponding loss of picture quality. This means that Ultra High Definition TV or 4K video transmission is now feasible with HEVC at roughly double the bitrate that is currently spent for HDTV by using AVC High Profile.

Thomas Schierl, Head of the “Multimedia Communications” group at Fraunhofer HHI, accepted the award and underscored the honor with the words: “We’re very delight-ed to receive this internationally famous television award because it also shows just how important standardization formats are for the film and television industry.”

Emmy for the “MPEG-2 Transport Stream standard”

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Emmy is a very prestigious award for excellence in television in America, and this year an Emmy Award in the Technolo-gy & Engineering category has been given to the Moving Picture Experts Group – MPEG – for the development of the MPEG-2 Transport Stream standard. As part of MPEG, Fraunhofer HHI played a leading role in the evolution of the MPEG-2 Trans-port Stream standard, particularly in inte-gration of new video coding formats like MVC and HEVC.

MPEG-2 first came into use as a video and transport standard for digital TV in the 1990s. Even though the MPEG-2 video standard in HDTV and Internet has now been largely superseded by AVC, the MPEG-2 Transport Stream standard is still an enduring success. Most of the world’s digital receivers – from televisions and Blu-ray players to smartphones and tablets – now come equipped with the MPEG-2 Transport Stream format for video recep-tion. The numerous contributions made by the Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommu-nications, Heinrich Hertz Institute HHI, to the standardization of the format have en-abled the standard to keep pace with the fast growing market for digital end devic-es. Integration of the latest High Efficiency Video Coding standard HEVC, for example, has meant a reduction of the data rate by half of what the previous best video cod-ing standard – AVC High Profile – was able

Contact: Dr. Gudrun QuandelPhone +49 30 31002-400gudrun.quandel@hhi.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer Institute for Telecommunica-tions, Heinrich Hertz Institute HHIEinsteinufer 3710587 BerlinGermanywww.hhi.fraunhofer.de

Thomas Schierl from Fraunhofer HHI accepts the Technology & En-gineering Emmy for development of the “MPEG-2 Transport Stream standard.” Photo: Fraunhofer HHI

The Technology & Engineering EmmyEstablished in 1948 by the Nation-al Academy of Television Arts & Sci-ences, the Technology Emmy Award honors outstanding developments and innovations in the field of broad-casting. The Award recognizes com-panies, organizations and individ-uals who have made technological breakthroughs or have had a signif-icant influence in shaping the future of television technology.

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Microelectronics News

Editorial notes

Microelectronics News, Issue 54April 2014© Fraunhofer Group for Micro electronics VμE, Berlin 2014

Fraunhofer Group for Micro electronics VμESpreePalais am DomAnna-Louisa-Karsch-Strasse 210178 BerlinGermanywww.mikroelektronik.fraunhofer.de

The Fraunhofer Group for Microelectronics (German abbreviation: VμE), founded in 1996, combines the expertise of 16 Fraunhofer in-stitutes, with a total of more than 3,000 em-ployees. Its main focus is the preparation and coordination of interdisciplinary research pro-jects, conducting studies and to assist in the process of identifying strategies.

Editorial team: Christian Lüdemann christian.luedemann@mikroelektronik.fraunhofer.deMaren Bergermaren.berger@mikroelektronik.fraunhofer.deAnna-Maria Gelkeanna-maria.gelke@mikroelektronik.fraunhofer.de Tina Möbiustina_moebius@yahoo.deLisa Schwedelisa.schwede@mikroelektronik.fraunhofer.deJörg Stephanjoerg.stephan@mikroelektronik.fraunhofer.deSusann Thomasusann.thoma@mikroelektronik.fraunhofer.deAkvile Zaludaiteakvile.zaludaite@mikroelektronik.fraunhofer.de

Translation: Andrew Davisonandrew@uebersetzung-davison.de

Photo: pixelio.de / hldg

The business office of Fraunhofer VμE is located directly at the River Spree in the heart of Berlin. Photo: Fraunhofer VμE / Kracheel

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16

The last word…

…comes from Martin Schüller

Mr. Schüller, what are you working on at the moment?

Together with my team, I am currently de-veloping actuators for active flow control. We develop systems that are, for example, located in the flaps of aircraft and blow air through small openings. This increases the aircraft’s lift and saves fuel. Our work is within the “Clean Sky” and “AFLoNext” projects, where we are working with a number of international partners. I am also working in both a scientific and coordinat-ing role in the federal excellence cluster “MERGE.”

Which of the projects being worked on by your colleagues in other Fraunhofer institutes interests you in particular?

I find the research on the energy of tomor-row extremely interesting. On the one hand, energy must be provided in a more sustainable way in the future, but on the other hand, electromobility creates new de-mand. That is what makes the work of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Sys-tems ISE – such as the development of a solar cell with an efficiency of 44.7 % – so exciting.

Imagine that you receive a visit from some nice colleagues and would like to show them something of your town, apart from the usual tourist sights. Do you have any insider tips?

It’s certainly worth taking a walk around Kassberg (the largest contiguous Art Nou-veau quarter in Europe). You will find a lot of beautifully renovated houses, as well as some fancy bars and restaurants. Under-neath are the Kassberggewölbe, a network of excavated cellars, that are also well worth a visit. If you have some time, you should also have a look at the Luther Church.

What invention would you not like to do without in daily life?

I travel a lot for work and also like to take city trips in my free time. For that reason: mobile navigation on my cellphone. It’s a lifesaver, both on a business trip and on vacation.

What do you wish you had more time for?

At work? For basic research. I do a great deal of project management and coordina-tion and sometimes I wish I were in the lab

more often to try a few things and test out new ideas. In my personal life, I wish I had more time for my family.

Let’s look into the future. What would you like to have achieved in 5 or 10 years’ time?

In the medium term, I’d like to have ex-panded my team and be able to offer the team members a stable working environ-ment. So we would have good projects and a solid scientific basis. We may also have found a business model that allows us to market our developments in our own little start-up. In my personal life, I’d definitely like to have another child. In the long term, I’d like to be able to buy or use a commer-cial product that contains a component that we developed. Just like when I saw my own CD in a record shop. It was a very spe-cial feeling to be able to buy the result of the work I had in collaboration with others.

What song belongs to the “soundtrack” of your life?

Oh, I love music. I play music myself to bal-ance out my job. Because music in gener-al plays a huge role in my life, there are a lot of songs that I associate with important things in my life. In fact, I think that every-one has his “top 10 songs.” In any event, Katatonia – “My twin”, Seether – “Pass slowly,” and Deftones – “Change” are defi-nitely on the soundtrack.

Last, but not least: Can you tell us what motto you live by?

If it’s not fun, it’s not worth doing.

About Martin SchüllerMartin Schüller studied microtechnol-ogy / mechatronics at the Chemnitz University of Technology and gradu-ated with the degree of Diplom-Ing-enieur in 2007. From 2007 to 2008, he worked at the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegr ation IZM (MDE department, Chemnitz) as a development engineer . Since the founding of the Fraunhofer Institute for Electronic Nanosystems ENAS in 2008, Martin Schüller has worked in the Multi-Device Integration depart-ment and is concerned with the devel-opment of actuators for flow control. That is also the topic of his doctor -al dissertation, which he is current-ly working on. Martin Schüller is 32 and has one daughter.

Contact: Martin SchüllerPhone +49 371 45001-242 martin.schueller@enas.fraunhofer.deFraunhofer Institute for Electronic Nanosystems ENASTechnologie-Campus 309126 ChemnitzGermanywww.enas.fraunhofer.de

“My greatest inspiration: my daughter.” Photo: private collection

Opernplatz in Chemnitz. Photo: private collection