The Institute Colloquium at Hof University of Applied Sciences was established five years ago with the aim of improving networking between the research institutes at Hof University of Applied Sciences and promoting scientific exchange. This year’s new edition was all about sustainability, innovation and the transfer of knowledge into practice.
The event, which this time was organized by the Institute for Sustainable Water Systems (inwa) and expertly moderated by Dr. Julia Frank and Prof. Günter Müller-Czygan, once again offered an exciting insight into six pioneering and ongoing research projects. The topics ranged from bio-based materials to digital fitting and urban food production. The presentations had qualified in advance through a poster competition, for which a total of 63 entries were submitted. One winning team from each institute was selected, which then had the opportunity to present their research to visitors within 15 minutes at the institute colloquium.
Oliver Stark was able to celebrate a remarkable “anniversary”: he qualified for the final presentation for the third time and was therefore honored with a small trophy for his “hat trick”.
The following projects were presented:
Kübra Aslan / ibp:
Bioplastics revolutionize insulation: Easy to Cool Eco
The Easy to Cool Eco project focuses on a pioneering bioplastic film developed from corn starch, PVOH and spirulina. The aim is to make the Paperfloc insulation system, which is used in frozen food packaging, more environmentally friendly by allowing the film to dissolve completely in water during the recycling process. “The film meets all requirements on a laboratory scale, and the next step is industrial scaling,” explained the project team. However, open questions remain, for example regarding the costs and environmental compatibility of the decomposed materials.
Roxana Miksch / ifm (presented by Dr. Enrico Putzke):
Smart textiles protect orchards: Sunset
The Sunset project is developing textile protection systems for fruit and berry plantations that automatically adapt to the sun’s rays. “Increasing solar radiation increases the risk of sunburn on fruit, and this is where we come in,” says the project manager. The team is experimenting with UV-shielding materials and reversible darkening technology, which are to be equipped with sensors in the future. The first practical trials are planned for 2025.
Oliver Stark / iwe:
Sustainable energy for agriculture: agrivoltaics
Agri-photovoltaics focuses on the dual use of land in order to efficiently integrate renewable energy into agriculture. The concept involves installing solar modules vertically and covering a farm’s energy requirements with a combination of photovoltaics and battery storage. “With bifacial solar modules and a well thought-out arrangement, we maximize the energy yield,” explained the team. The simulation results are promising and the first installation is planned for the end of 2024.
Dr. David Zakoth, Prof. Dr. Oliver Mauroner / iwo:
Open innovation through the Maker Movement
The fourth project demonstrates the innovative power of the maker movement. In collaboration with companies, the university is investigating the potential of makerspaces to promote innovation. “Makers are open to exchange, and companies can benefit greatly from this creativity,” said the project team. However, in addition to the benefits, such as the promotion of technology transfer, challenges such as the protection of intellectual property must also be considered.
Bastian Scharnagl / iisys:
Virtual try-on revolutionizes the fashion trade: Try on @ Home
The Try on Home project is dedicated to the development of a virtual fitting room with the help of artificial intelligence. A prototype that simulates clothing with a high level of detail could drastically reduce returns in online retail. “This already works brilliantly for glasses, but clothing presents us with greater challenges,” explained the team. The aim is to further refine text-to-image technologies in order to display the fit more realistically.
Nirupama Nair / inwa: (presented by Lena Bächer):
Blue-green infrastructure for urban agriculture: Nalea
The final project, Nalea, explores how floating islands on rainwater retention basins can be used for food production. Despite positive results in laboratory tests, such as nutrient uptake by lettuce plants, water quality is a problem in urban areas. “The next step is to combine this with aquaponics in order to integrate fish and plant cultivation,” explained the researchers. There is already social acceptance of this new type of infrastructure.
The fifth institute colloquium once again demonstrated how interdisciplinary collaboration and a spirit of innovation at Hof University of Applied Sciences can produce concrete solutions to pressing problems of the present and future.
