Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM
Internet-of-Things & Big Data
In this era of the internet of things (IoT), enormous amount of data is continuously being generated by machines, electronic devices and all the digital processes around us. These huge, diverse and complex volumes of data (big data) need to be efficiently captured, assessed, transmitted, stored, and processed to extract valuable information for providing innovative services that enable connected and autonomous vehicles, predictive maintenance, smart farming, smart factories, smart energy, smart health and smart cities. In order to cope with the explosively increasing amount of data, compellingly new hardware platforms and data analytic methods are required.
At Fraunhofer IZM, we focus on novel hardware platforms based on advanced system integration and assembly technologies. In cooperation with our partners from academia and industry, we develop innovative hardware components, modules and smart systems for emerging high-performance computing, communication, radar, industry automation, health and consumer applications. This includes:
RFID and smart sensor modules for data capture
- HF and UHF RFID modules
- Low-power wireless smart sensor nodes, operating from 433 MHz to 2.4 GHz
- Radar sensor modules (e.g., at 24 GHz, 77 / 79 GHz and 94 GHz)
- Gateway systems to connect sensor level with IT-platforms
RF and high-speed modules for data communication, processing and storage
- RF / mm-wave modules for wireless data communication (e.g., 60 GHz)
- High-speed photonic modules (e.g., optical transmitters, receivers, transceivers / transponders) for multi Gb/s and emerging Tb / s applications
- Electro-optical boards for line cards, backplanes, servers, routers, switches and testers
These modules form the core components of hardware infrastructure required for IoT, 5G, Industrie 4.0, big data analytics as well as cloud and fog computing in data centers.
We offer the following services:
Modelling, Design & Test
- Measurement-based characterization and testing of packaging materials up to 220 GHz
- Electromagnetic modeling, simulation, and design for system-integration of RF / mm-wave, high-speed and sensor modules, considering signal integrity, power integrity and intra-system EMC aspects
- Modeling, simulation, design, fabrication and measurement of antennas and antenna systems | more info
- System-level hardware design, low-power protocol optimization, fabrication and testing of high performance autonomous wireless sensor nodes and gateways
- Thermal and thermo-mechanical design and reliability analysis of RF / mm-wave, high-speed and sensor modules | more info
- Advanced assembly, packaging and system-integration of miniaturized RF/mm-wave, high-speed and sensor modules using highly sophisticated wafer- and board-level technologies | more info
- Assembly of polymer- and glass-integrated waveguide substrates, chip-to-waveguide coupling, fiber-to-chip coupling, and panel level integration
Reliability Assessment
- System level thermal management and reliability assessment
- Energy and materials resource efficiency evaluation and optimization for big data solutions
- Qualification and test procedures for system functionality and manufacturing processes
Prototyping in state of the art facilities
Concepts for hardware security using advanced packaging and system integration technologies