Maritime & Hydrographic Research Topics

Lifeline Water

Science Year 2016*17

Our seas, oceans and waters are a valuable asset that needs to be explored and to protected. Fraunhofer IBMT deals in many fields with these lifelines, be it with algae as the basis for stem cell cultivation, the detection of minute nano amounts in environmental samples or in technological fields such as scalable sonar sensor systems, pressure-balanced modules and autonomous water vehicles.

 

3D Sonar Systems for Mapping and Object Search

Fraunhofer IBMT's high frequency 3D sonar matrix systems allow fast high-resolution volumetric sonar measurements, e. g., to visualize and display the operator of an ROV a virtual reality of the surrounding and its field of work.

 

Maritime Technologies

The spectrum of Fraunhofer IBMT´s maritime technologies includes (pressure-balanced) ultrasound sensors and power supply as well as electronic components up to complete and open sonar research platforms.

 

Project NanoUmwelt - Detecting Minute Nano Amounts in Environmental Samples

It is still unclear what the impact is on humans, animals and plants of synthetic nanomaterials released into the environment or used in products. It’s very difficult to detect these nanomaterials in the environment since the concentrations are so low and the particles so small. Now the partners in the NanoUmwelt project have developed a method that is capable of identifying even minute amounts of nanomaterials in environmental samples.

 

Growing Stem Cells Faster on Seaweed

Alginate forms a kind of supporting skeleton in the cell walls of certain kinds of algae. Fraunhofer scientists use the gel-like mass from Chilean seaweed as the substrate for stem cells. They can flexibly adjust the pore size and elasticity of the alginate, and it transports active ingredients and has better optical characteristics than plastic materials.

 

Measurement Platforms

In order to study inland waters and the deep sea as special ecosystems, starting with hydrographic surveys through to analytics (chemical, biological), the Fraunhofer IBMT develops individual carrier platforms for the respective measurement systems. In addition, the IBMT owns a research ship ("Joseph von Fraunhofer").

 

Research Ship for Expeditions

The Fraunhofer IBMT has its own research ship ("Joseph von Fraunhofer") for testing the sonar systems, analytic modules and water vehicles developed at the institute. There is also a research laboratory on board.