The sky's the limit
Yuneec is at HANNOVER MESSE 2017 with customized drone solutions for industry. The H520 and H920 Plus multicopters developed for the commercial sector boast a wide range of technical features, easy handling and high safety standards.

"The applications for the two new copters are many and varied," explains Thomas Schommler, product manager Commercial Drones at Yuneec Europe. "Whether in agriculture, the energy sector, the construction industry, public security or photo and film production, we offer a solution with appropriate camera option to meet a variety of different industry needs." Yuneec has developed the Tornado H920 Plus specifically for professional photographers and filmmakers. With a total of eight different automatic flight modes, the drone helps creative professionals produce the photos and videos they need. Equipped with an innovative 360-degree 3-axis gimbal for smooth filming and the CGO-4 camera, which is the result of close collaboration between Yuneec and Panasonic, the Tornado H920 Plus can take 16-megapixel photos and 4K videos in distortion-free image quality.

The H520 has been developed in particular for demanding commercial and industrial use and is available with three different camera options, which can be configured on a modular basis to meet individual needs. The newly developed 7-element CGO-CI glass lens, which can be angled upwards up to 20 degrees, is a unique film and inspection camera in the multicopter sector. The impressive CGO-ET dual camera, for its part, is particularly suitable for building and industrial plant inspections but can also be used in other sectors such as agriculture, forestry, firefighting and police, search and rescue operations. Equipped with a full HD low-light and thermal imaging camera, images can be viewed separately as a picture-in-picture or as an overlay. If further specializations in industry-specific areas and applications are needed, these can be achieved using Yuneec’s Software Developer Kit (SDK) –this will enable third-party suppliers to develop value-adding applications and services for the H520 platform from the second quarter of 2017 onwards. As well as the H520 and H920 Plus commercial multicopters, Yuneec is also at HANNOVER MESSE 2017 to exhibit the high-end Typhoon H copter and Breeze 4K consumer drone.
Yuneec Europe GmbH (24568 Kaltenkirchen, Germany), Hall 17, Stand F02
Contact: Thomas Schommler
Tel.: +49 4191 932623
E-Mail: thomas.schommler@yuneec.com

Do a good deed - and then talk about it!
Delta Electronics is at HANNOVER MESSE 2017 to present its enhanced portfolio of innovative solutions for intelligent manufacturing and greater energy efficiency in a wide range of applications.

Delta Electronics, founded in Taiwan in 1971, is a leading global supplier of power and thermal management solutions. The Group also plays a major role in various other production sectors such as industrial automation, displays and network technology. Its corporate mission, "To provide innovative, clean and energy-efficient solutions for a better tomorrow", emphasizes its commitment to tackling key environmental issues such as global climate change. The global group is at HANNOVER MESSE 2017 to showcase a whole host of innovative solutions.

As well as the Integrated IIot (IdD), Automation and Robot Workstation, which has just been launched and is being put through its paces in a live demonstration, Delta is also exhibiting the Building Management & Control System (BMCS) and Delta Energy Online platform for creating intelligent and green buildings. The BMCS supports intelligent and comprehensive monitoring of buildings and their associated subsystems (HVAC, lighting, solar PV systems etc.), as it is universally compatible with the protocols that are standard in modern buildings. Integrating these systems - and other energy-saving solutions from Delta - is making it possible, for example, to cut the energy needs of Delta's headquarters for the EMEA region (Europe, the Middle East and Africa), which have just been renovated, by up to 30 percent.
Delta Electronics (Netherlands) B.V. (2132 MZ Hoofddorp, Netherlands), Hall 11, Stand A57
Contact: Colleen Ho
Tel.: +31 20 6550977
E-Mail: colleen.ho@delta-europe.com

Environmental protection 4.0
Arcanum Energy Management GmbH is making its debut at HANNOVER MESSE 2017 with its energy and resource efficiency products and concepts, including its innovative "climate pioneers".

"Get new technology first" is the slogan of HANNOVER MESSE and is one that resonates perfectly with Arcanum Energy, a consulting and service company based in Unna in Germany's Westphalia region, as it makes its first ever presentation at the trade fair. With its "Green Business Solutions" business segment and as a pioneer in energy efficiency, process optimization, CO2 offsetting and carbon footprinting, Arcanum Energy offers industrial companies, local authorities and energy suppliers new opportunities to cut costs and increase sustainability. Among other things in its product portfolio, it specializes in providing companies with support using innovative climate protection solutions and is presenting its KlimaPioniere (“climate pioneers”) in Hannover in a 360-degree VR video.

KlimaPioniere is a motivational and awareness-raising concept for companies and local authorities that trains employees or trainees in energy and resource efficiency in order to unlock potential savings. Arcanum Energy takes charge of all the project work, from initiation and training units to delivering support in the project phase and organizing a bidding process. "Our KlimaPioniere concept provides motivation in climate protection and energy efficiency on an interdisciplinary and sustainable basis. It also results in cost savings at companies, as every climate pioneer has so far succeeded in identifying potential savings in their business," says Vera Schürmann, Managing Partner at Arcanum Energy Management GmbH.
Arcanum Energy Management GmbH (59423 Unna, Germany), Hall 27, Stand E40, co-exhibitor with the North Rhine-Westphalia Ministry of the Environment
Contact: Florian Klasen
Tel.: +49 2303 96720-79
E-Mail: klasen@arcanum-energy.de

Competence machine generates creative dialog
Fluid technology specialist Bürkert is at HANNOVER MESSE to once again show how well it masters the various basic principles of physics and is using a futuristic competence machine to do so.

Bürkert, a family-owned company from Ingelfingen in Germany's Baden-Württemberg region, has been one of the world's leading fluid technology specialists for over 70 years. As a partner to industry, it is committed to creative solutions and supplies its customers with made-to-measure systems. Its portfolio encompasses everything from research & development and an extensive product range for all areas of fluid technology to consulting, engineering, startup and maintenance. As longstanding exhibitors at HANNOVER MESSE, the fluid experts from Bürkert are naturally keen once again in 2017 to demonstrate their mastery in this area and are using a futuristic competence machine to do so.

With this special machine, Bürkert is looking to bring to life the complex process of developing high-quality components for the instrumentation and control of gases and fluids while also providing a vehicle for creative dialog. The abstractly presented engineering in the competence machine combines various basic principles of physics and illustrates the expertise and creativity of Bürkert’s experts in finding the right solutions for unusual applications. The competence machine visualizes fluid technology scenarios and makes reference to the company’s application-related sectors - Water, Gas, Hygienic and Micro. Within these four sectors, a variety of applications are brought together and solutions are then developed based on the various basic principles.
Bürkert Werke GmbH & Co. KG – Fluid Control Systems (74653 Ingelfingen, Germany), Hall 9, Stand G16
Contact: Katharina Morsch
Tel.: +49 7940 10-91176
E-Mail: katharina.morsch@burkert.com

Make America great again!
Series 3 halstrup-walcher positioning systems, which ensure fast and precise alignment of positioning axes in machinery, have now been certified for the U.S. and Canadian markets as meeting UL, CSA and ANSI test standards.

halstrup-walcher positioning systems are available as intelligent drives with an integrated motor, gearbox and absolute encoder. The systems come with torques of up to 25 Nm and are particularly robust, as they satisfy IP protection classes up to IP 68. They are perfectly placed to take the world by storm, thanks to the extremely wide range of on-board bus communication interfaces (CANopen, PROFIBUS DP, DeviceNet, Modbus RTU, Sercos, EtherCAT, PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, POWERLINK, IO-Link), which support easy integration into the machine control system. However, they first need a U.S. visa – in other words, the appropriate certification. This has now been obtained, as halstrup-walcher GmbH is announcing at HANNOVER MESSE 2017.

The electrical drives have been certified for the U.S. and Canadian markets as complying with the UL, CSA and ANSI test standards. Certification has been granted by TÜV Süd Product Service GmbH, an accredited NRTL (Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory) testing organization, in accordance with the guidelines of the U.S. and Canadian authorities. OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and SCC (Standards Council of Canada) are responsible for health and safety standards in the workplace and have defined precise fire and worker safety regulations. Testing and certification requirements are especially important for electrical products and machines, which must carry a test seal. However, the complex approval process for machine modules or entire production lines in the U.S. is easier if relevant individual system components have already been tested for compliance with UL/CSA/ANSI standards and have NRTL certification. European EN or IEC testing is not sufficient on its own and is not recognized. On the other hand, NRTL certification is recognized by both OSHA (U.S.) and SCC (Canada). Beginning in May 2017, series 3 positioning systems will all be labeled with the NRTL test seal, which means that the small drives will also be able to provide professional format adjustments in machines in the U.S. and Canada.
halstrup-walcher GmbH (79199 Kirchzarten, Germany), Hall 11, Stand D28
Contact: Regina Euring
Tel.: +49 7661 3963-16
E-Mail: euring@halstrup-walcher.de

Souvenirs of the future right now
Under the banner "Hello Industry 4.0_we connect you", at HANNOVER MESSE 2017, KUKA AG is exhibiting the largest networked trade fair application in its history and manufacturing personal souvenirs for visitors to its stand.

KUKA AG from Augsburg is promising great things for HANNOVER MESSE 2017, which visitors to its stand in Hall 17 will remember for a long time to come. Why’s that? Because KUKA is manufacturing a personal souvenir for anyone who requests one in its custom-built, improved smart factory. This neat idea is meant to send the clear message that digitally networked production processes are already thoroughly capable of manufacturing uniquely customized products. Cloud-based communications place the key to this intelligent interplay between software and robots quite literally in your own hands - in the form of your smartphone, for example, which you can use to monitor progress and directly influence the production process yourself.

Of course, KUKA is not only manufacturing customized trinkets in Hannover. The company is also keen to demonstrate how working together with innovative partners can create an end-to-end ecosystem for flexible Industry 4.0 solutions. In future, customers will be able to easily monitor, network and control their entire production process this way. And even that is not all! KUKA-backed startup Connyun is appearing for the first time and demonstrating how it uses cloud technology to network robots and machines, while fledgling company Roboception, partly owned by KUKA, is highlighting 3D perception for robot systems.
KUKA AG (86165 Augsburg, Germany), Hall 17, Stand G04
Contact: Katrin Stuber-Koeppe
Tel.: +49 821 797 3722
E-Mail: press@kuka.com

Two + two = a winning team of four!
There's a double treat in store at the WISKA stand at HANNOVER MESSE 2017 thanks to two innovations made possible by the company's long-standing experience in twin-shot injection molding.

Besides a long list of major and complex developments, HANNOVER MESSE, the giant of industrial trade fairs, showcases plenty of seemingly small but undeniably neat innovations. In fact, it's often the subtle ideas that simplify day-to-day work far more effectively than the all-singing, all-dancing showpieces at neighboring stands. WISKA Hoppmann GmbH, the one-stop-shop for lighting and installation material, has always offered this kind of smart, small component in its portfolio. The company is showcasing two of its latest innovations at HANNOVER MESSE 2017, both of which benefit from the Kaltenkirchen-based company’s long-standing experience in twin-shot injection molding.

The first is the MARATHON cable gland with its impressive new design and category B elevated strain relief according to EN 62444. Then there’s the new MultiCLIXX grommet, which neatly combines the advantages of the company’s existing CLIXX versions. This means customers can now quickly insert up to four cables via the soft plastic membrane, while the intelligent grommet construction automatically provides strain relief. Besides showcasing these top product innovations, WISKA is also keen to get to know its customers and partners even better and to bolster its business relations while in Hannover. After all, Ronald Hoppmann, WISKA's general manager, believes "A good working relationship is based on knowing your partner extremely well and earning each other’s trust."
WISKA Hoppmann GmbH (24568 Kaltenkirchen, Germany), Hall 13, Stand C76
Contact: Anja Lange
Tel.: +49 4191 508-503
E-Mail: pr@wiska.de

Fancy a glass?
Regulars at HANNOVER MESSE know that the Karlsruhe Institute for Technology (KIT) always has plenty of highlights on show. This year, it is causing a stir with a revolution in glass manufacturing that makes modeling glass components a "piece of cake".

KIT is known for repeatedly bringing innovative technologies to HANNOVER MESSE that offer solutions in fields such as the energy revolution, e-mobility and material sciences. "The corresponding innovative technologies can only be developed in close cooperation between science and industry," says the Institute's President, Professor Holger Hanselka. He emphasizes the importance of HANNOVER MESSE in this respect: "For this reason, we have further increased our traditionally strong commitment at Hannover Messe. Apart from exhibiting in 'Research & Technology' and at other themed stands, for the first time we also have a stand at the 'Energy' lead trade fair." What's more, Federal Minister of Research Johanna Wanka is scheduled to visit KIT's stand there on the first day.

At its main stand in Hall 2 in the "Research and Technology" lead trade fair, the Institute is showcasing a real revolution in glass manufacturing with its Liquid Glass project. One of the most important and fascinating materials known to man, glass surrounds us wherever we look in our everyday lives. Its outstanding optical, chemical, and thermal properties also make glass an attractive material for manufacturing tiny components. For example, it is used for minute optical lenses or complex microsystems such as laboratories on chips for analyzing minuscule liquid volumes. High temperatures and hazardous chemicals were previously required to produce these kinds of microstructures, but the scientists at KIT have now developed a simple alternative they call Liquid Glass. The base material used for the process is a nanocomposite, a mixture of pulverized glass and plastic that can be processed like a synthetic material. KIT's innovative Liquid Glass is viscous at room temperature and can be shaped into any form before being pre-cured under light and baked out in a furnace. You could well say this makes structuring glass components a "piece of cake"!
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) (76131 Karlsruhe, Germany), Hall 2, Stand B16 (main stand)
Contact: Monika Landgraf
Tel.: +49 721 608-47414
E-Mail: presse@kit.edu

Drawbridges are history - printed bridges now lead the way
Autodesk is offering a glimpse of future production methods at HANNOVER MESSE 2017 with its focus on robotics and industrial 3D printing.

Autodesk, one of the world's leading software suppliers for 3D design, construction, planning and entertainment, is dedicating its stand at HANNOVER MESSE 2017 to the future world of production. To present the wide range of possibilities that are now on the cards, the Munich-based company has selected four pilot applications focusing on the key topics of robotics and industrial 3D printing. The examples of 3D metal printing, self-monitoring robot systems and automobiles designed with the aid of AI reveal just some of the ways these technologies are already being put to very good use in real life.

The most spectacular of the four exhibits has to be the MX3D project - a steel bridge that's being printed in 3D. While this kind of process used to be pretty much limited to producing small components, the MX3D project demonstrates the potential this technology holds for XXL objects as well. Autodesk's Project Dreamcatcher has been instrumental in developing the bridge that Dutch company MX3D is currently constructing across one of Amsterdam’s countless canals. The generative design software uses algorithms to test and learn from each iteration to identify which shapes work and which don’t. This gives rise to extremely complex constructions in which even minuscule amounts of material are added in just the right place. This method creates optimized structures that are far more robust than conventional constructions – and which until now were hindered by the lack of capable hardware. But the advent of 6-axis robots that can use 3D processes to weld metal at any location has now enabled the creation of even large complex components. Visitors to the Autodesk stand at HANNOVER MESSE can get a glimpse of the potential this technology offers in the shape of one of the components of the steel bridge in question.

Autodesk GmbH (81379, Munich, Germany), Hall 6, Stand K46
Contact: André Pechmann
Tel.: +49 89 54769 0
E-Mail: andre.pechmann@autodesk.com

Beta blockers for servo pumps
Under the banner "Progressive Hydraulic Solutions", Voith is in Hannover to showcase its innovative hydraulic systems and products for controlling and regulating machines and systems. They cut energy consumption by up to 70 percent at the same time as boosting productivity!

If you ask entrepreneurs and managers what their three wishes would be from their fictional fairy godmother, they would write "cutting costs", for one… and then "boosting productivity" twice! But why dream when Voith Turbo H + L Hydraulic GmbH & Co. KG - the specialist in hydrodynamic drive, coupling and brake systems for use on roads and rails, in industry and for ship propulsion - can grant these "three wishes" in real life? Machine and systems operators can head straight to Voith’s stand at HANNOVER MESSE 2017 to experience live how they can save up to 70 percent of their energy consumption at the same time as boosting productivity. The company from Swabia in southwestern Germany has chosen the slogan "Progressive Hydraulic Solutions" to showcase its innovative hydraulic systems and products for controlling and regulating machines and systems. Voith's spotlight on saving energy focuses on CLDP and HPD linear motors and its very special servo pumps.

Hydraulic applications with high control requirements are subject to massively varying loads during operation. To ensure maximum operational efficiency even under these conditions, Voith servo pumps deliver exactly the performance required by varying the volume flows and motor speeds. Particularly when dealing with partial loads, this lends Voith's solutions the clear upper hand over conventional systems, which use a constantly high volume stream that is only occasionally put to full use at the peaks of operational cycles. By optimizing its pumps' operation, Voith cuts energy consumption by up to 70 percent, thus reducing the total cost of ownership (TCO) for the entire hydraulic system by as much as 35 percent. Dramatic savings like these mean that switching over to Voith will generally pay for itself within one to two years.
Voith Turbo H + L Hydraulic GmbH & Co. KG (71277 Rutesheim, Germany), Hall 23, Stand B39
Contact: Sebastian Busch
Tel.: +49 7321 37866
E-Mail: sebastian.busch@voith.com

Watson is turning the oil industry Down Under on its head
The IBM Woodside Showcase at HANNOVER MESSE 2017 is demonstrating how Woodside, Australia's largest independent oil and gas company, is benefiting from the cognitive advisory service “Lesson Learned”, which is based on IBM Watson.

Watson, the computer system that carries the name of IBM's first president, could be described as a pioneer of artificial intelligence. At any rate, it has recently done more than any other system to help numerous companies successfully navigate the route that leads from digital to cognitive business. IBM is currently positioning itself as a cognitive solutions and cloud platform provider across a whole range of fields such as business analytics, cloud computing, mobile enterprise, social business and security. However, it has chosen to dedicate its impressive showcase in Hannover to the cognitive advisory service Lesson Learned.

Based on Watson, the cloud service Lesson Learned pulls together engineering expertise gathered over more than 30 years and puts it at the disposal of workers at Australia's largest independent oil and gas company. Engineering teams can ask even highly complex questions in natural language and, in a matter of seconds, Lesson Learned will scale its accumulated expertise to deliver the required information. As a result, Lesson Learned aims to optimize processes, boost the efficiency of working practices and help speed up decision-making. Lesson Learned draws on input from thousands of retired engineers, which equates to a treasure trove of experience running to some 600,000 pages. Active engineers thus have access to 30 years of expertise and, thanks to Lesson Learned, should also be better placed to protect their plants from disasters, even remotely. What’s more, using all this knowledge as predictive data gives companies an opportunity to extend their advantage over competitors.
IBM Deutschland GmbH (71139 Ehningen, Germany), Hall 7, Stand C18
Contact: Dagmar Domke
Tel.: +49 7034 2740-477
E-Mail: dagmar.domke@de.ibm.com

Robustness and resilience for underwater measurements
Thanks to its robust capacitive ceramic sensor, the LMK 808 plastic submersible probe from BD SENSORS, which is being unveiled at HANNOVER MESSE 2017, is ideal for level and gauge measurement in water and wastewater applications.

Over time, the submersible probes used to measure levels in water and wastewater often get covered with stubborn deposits such as algae and mussels, which can disrupt the measurement process. Attempts to remove these deposits mechanically can also very easily destroy a sensitive stainless steel sensor membrane. This is where the LMK 808 plastic submersible probe from BD|SENSORS, with its robust capacitive sensor made of highly pure ceramic, really comes into its own - and it is being exhibited for the first time at HANNOVER MESSE 2017.

Since it is not sensitive to deposits, the LMK 808 is ideal for level and gauge measurement in water and wastewater applications. The secret to its success is the heart of the probe - an extremely robust, virtually maintenance-free capacitive ceramic sensor. This, combined with a plastic casing, makes the submersible probe resistant to aggressive and abrasive substances and therefore virtually indestructible. Any contamination can be easily removed without damaging the membrane. Moreover, BD|SENSORS has relocated the overvoltage protection mechanism from the cable to the detachable probe head and developed effective protection against cables being bitten through - thus ensuring that even the supply cable is effectively protected against damage. The LMK 808 combines measurement precision with long-term stability and minimal maintenance outlay.
BD SENSORS GmbH (95199 Thierstein, Germany), Hall 11, Stand C51
Contact: Kristina Klimbt
Tel.: +49 9235 9811 2040
E-Mail: marketing@bdsensors.de

Smart belts know how long they're going to last
At HANNOVER MESSE 2017, Continental is unveiling predictive maintenance and condition monitoring solutions for industrial plants and machinery.

Like any other company looking towards a successful future, Hannover-based international technology giant Continental is also driving the digital transformation of the industrial sector. What’s more, by pursuing ever greater networking, it is laying strategic foundations that will enable it to expand its future business models. "By 2020, approximately 50 billion devices around the world will be networked with each other. Intelligent factories, machines that interact with each other and networked plants will be essential components throughout the entire manufacturing value chain," says Hans-Jürgen Duensing, Member of the Executive Board of Continental AG Responsible for the ContiTech division. To make sure it is always aware of the condition of important components in plants and industrial vehicles, Continental is increasingly counting on technologies, systems and apps that support predictive maintenance systems for machinery and processes. It is against this backdrop that the company is, for the first time, bringing predictive maintenance and condition monitoring solutions for industrial plants and machinery to HANNOVER MESSE 2017.

Among these futuristic solutions is the concept for a new V-belt. Like virtually everything else tagged with the buzz words "predictive maintenance", these belts are also fitted with special sensors that will help measure and monitor important conditions in real time. To do this, the smart V-belt transmits its data and information - whether relating to temperature, elongation, surface wear, etc. - directly to a PC or a control unit. This technology could quickly yield benefits, particularly in the case of specialist machinery and difficult-to-access drives.
ContiTech AG (30165 Hannover, Germany), Hall 6, Stand F18
Contact: Jens Fechner
Tel.: +49 511 938 14019
E-Mail: jens.fechner@contitech.de

Digital live cell therapy
WAGO Kontakttechnik GmbH & Co. KG, one of the world's leading suppliers of electrical connection and automation technology, is at HANNOVER MESSE to show how its tried-and-tested PFC100 and PFC200 controllers can be easily prepared for the IoT.

Capturing data, digitizing it and piecing it together to boost its value - those are the central premises of Industry 4.0. But tapping into the undisputed advantages that this approach offers often means having to invest significant sums up front - in new systems and, frequently, new hardware. Fortunately, one of the world's leading suppliers of electrical connection and automation technology - WAGO Kontakttechnik GmbH & Co.KG - can offer an easier and, most importantly, more cost-effective solution. At HANNOVER MESSE 2017, the Minden-based German company is explaining how its tried-and-tested PFC100 and PFC200 controllers can get businesses in shape for a successful future with Industry 4.0.

All that's needed is a simple firmware extension and the programming of an IEC application with the corresponding library. The PFC100 und PFC200 controllers from WAGO then become an IoT device that can send field-level data into the cloud, where it can then be aggregated and used for analyses. Thanks to this simple upgrade, even pre-existing plants can be made IoT-ready in one go, enabling companies to achieve genuine added value, whether by improving efficiency in in-house production, managing energy consumption in buildings or developing additional end-customer services. The PFC family will thus also form the basis for a sustainable corporate world in the future.
WAGO Kontakttechnik GmbH & Co.KG (32423 Minden, Germany), Hall 11, Stand C72
Contact: Astrid Köhrich-Lehmann
Tel.: +49 571 887482
E-Mail: info@wago.com

Hold tight! Robots are following in the footsteps of geckos!
An interdisciplinary research team at Kiel University (CAU) has taken the gecko as a model and developed an intelligent, elastic adhesive material that is ideal for applications in robotics, industry and medical technology.

When geckos and other animals walk across the ceiling, they are using adhesive mechanisms that ensure strong, durable adhesion without using any type of glue or leaving any residues. Researchers at CAU have now investigated how to artificially replicate these mechanisms and are presenting their results at HANNOVER MESSE 2017, including at a presentation on the first day of the fair entitled "Stuck in the north: smart surfaces for walking on the ceiling". The topic should be very at home at HANNOVER MESSE, since the adhesive material, which has been inspired by nature, can be remotely operated using UV light and thus opens up new opportunities for industrial applications. "In the long term, we would like to use the new material to develop micro robots that can be controlled by light and can climb walls," explains Professor Stanislav Gorb from the Zoological Institute at CAU.

While in nature it is mechanical stimuli such as muscle movements that ensure the animal's legs either adhere to a surface or are released from it, the research team in Kiel has opted to use light to control their artificial adhesive mechanism. "The advantage to light is that it can be applied with great precision," explains Emre Kizilkan from the Functional Morphology and Biomechanics Group. "It is reversible, meaning it can be switched on and off and all in the shortest space of time." The surface of the intelligent, adhesive composite, which can be controlled using light, consists of a microstructure of adhesive elements shaped like mushroom heads, just like the elements found on the feet of certain species of beetle. Flat and three-dimensional elements such as small specimen slides or balls made of glass adhere to these surfaces and can also therefore be lifted. When the composite is exposed to UV light, the surface starts to curve and more and more adhesive elements separate from the object until it can finally be set down again. "We're using the light as a kind of remote control system," says Professor Gorb. "What's more, our nature-inspired adhesive material doesn’t leave any residues on the objects." The research group's discovery is therefore particularly relevant for the building of sensitive sensors and tiny computer chips. Visitors to HANNOVER MESSE 2017 are warmly invited to talk to the interdisciplinary research team about possible applications at Kiel University's trade fair stand.
Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel (24118 Kiel, Germany), Hall 2, Stand C07
Contact: Dr. Boris Pawlowski
Tel.: +49 431 880 3004
E-Mail: bpawlowski@uv.uni-kiel.de

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