Patents secure rights of use and exploitation for a period of 20 years and allow for planning security. Joanneum Research's innovative strength is evident not only in the number of property rights it holds, but above all in their diversity and breadth of application.
Innovations from Styria
One of the most successful innovations is Open Flow Microperfusion (OFM). This is a technology that enables active substances to be measured directly in living tissue. It is used in particular in personalized medicine and clinical trials. Three patent families secure key components of this technology. OFM is used, for example, in the evaluation of drugs. The added value for patients: therapies can be better tailored.
Joanneum Research is at the forefront with its patent-pending invention for quantum computing as part of the OptoQuant project: Together with the University of Innsbruck and Infineon, the researchers have captured individual ions in electromagnetic traps and manipulated them with laser light to control their quantum states. Optical waveguides were integrated directly into the ion traps—for example, by femtosecond laser processing of quartz glass—so that the laser beams can be coupled more precisely and stably. This novel combination of microoptics and quantum technology is expected to significantly increase the number of entangled qubits, thus representing an important step toward scalable quantum processors.
Sustainable inventions
The development of environmentally friendly materials is another focus of research. The patent for the SUPRESIL invention describes a process for extending the pot life of silicones, which is a significant advantage for applications in construction, electronics, and medical technology.
Even more focused on sustainability is the patent for bio-based embossing varnishes, which do not use fossil raw materials and are used in the packaging and printing industries, for example. Both developments show how technological innovation and resource conservation can go hand in hand.
Inventions in the field of communication technologies
Together with Graz University of Technology, a team from the Space Research Division has developed a method for bandwidth-efficient optical data transmission. Such technologies are particularly important for communication via satellite or in remote areas. One promising area of application is satellite-to-satellite communication, where every energy requirement must be optimized.
In times of automated systems and smart applications, the combination of light and sensor technology is playing an increasingly important role. Researchers at Joanneum Research have developed a sophisticated solution for this: an invention from the Pinkafeld site describes a process for using LEDs not only as a light source, but also as a photosensitive element for detecting and classifying vehicles based on the smallest changes in the reflected light in the visible spectrum.
JOANNEUM RESEARCH's patents protect its inventions in Europe, North America, and Asia. The most important target region is Europe—in particular German-speaking countries, France, Great Britain, Scandinavia, and the Benelux countries. In addition, patent protection is sought in the USA, Japan, South Korea, and increasingly also in India, where necessary. In future, European protection will be strengthened by the new unitary patent, which enables simplified and more cost-effective protection of inventions.
"Whether in medical technology, materials science, sensor technology, or communications technology, Joanneum Research's inventions show how non-university research can bridge the gap between science and industry. In close cooperation with business partners, innovations with measurable social and economic benefits are created. The high patent density, the international nature of the property rights, and the thematic breadth of the inventions underscore Joanneum Research's role as an important driving force in the Austrian innovation system," affirms Heinz Mayer, Managing Director of Joanneum Research.
Finally, the most successful invention is AKUT®, the acoustic tunnel monitoring system, which is used as an early warning system in numerous tunnels, not only in Austria. This system uses artificial intelligence and intelligent microphones to detect critical events in less than 1 second.
JOANNEUM RESEARCH is an innovation and technology provider in the field of applied research. As a research company of the provinces and regions, we use our research expertise to shape the development of our modern society and economy in a sustainable and people-centered way. As a multidisciplinary team in flexible, innovation-friendly structures, we live up to the highest social and scientific standards.