The German Microwave Conference (short: GeMiC 2018) will be held from 12 to 14 March 2018 at the Konzerthaus Freiburg. More than 300 delegates from all over the world will address the topics of mobile radio and radar technology as aspects of microwave technology, which have a significant impact on the digital transformation of our society. The motto of this year’s conference »Riding the Green Waves« runs through its program consisting of scientific sessions, workshops and a large industry exhibition.

Today, digital communication networks are already the most important lifelines of our society. Soon, the mobile internet will be able to provide even more, offering unimagined possibilities with the new mobile networks of the 5th generation (5G): »Smartphone-to-smartphone live broadcasts via 5G will replace the current video. We can already observe this at this year's Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang in South Korea. For the first time, a part of the competitions are broadcast in Virtual Reality«, explains conference chair Dr. Rüdiger Quay. VR headsets open up new realities and give way to yet unforeseeable potential - be it for home use for gaming or entertainment or for professional applications such as controlling or interacting with machines. At the same time, society must learn to understand and master the resource consumption of these applications, and have a critical look at their security aspects. »Today, we control more and more household appliances with our smartphone. However, we have to make sure that no stranger can operate critical systems such as our stove or our car from the outside«, points out Quay, who is also Head of the Business Unit »Power Electronics« at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics IAF.

In addition to communication technology, radar is another focus topic at the GeMiC. The use of cutting-edge radar technology can help prevent traffic accidents in dense traffic and in autonomous driving. It is already mandatory in all trucks to prevent rear-end collisions. The development continues at a fast pace: soon our cars are going to park autonomously and even pick their own parking space. »Cutting-edge integrated circuits, compact radar systems and compatible transmission concepts are the invisible and sometimes tiny keys that help our society to become safer, more mobile and more comfortable. This is an important focus of our research«, says Quay.

Germany and Europe are already leaders in this field with the industry in Baden-Württemberg being particularly strong in the area of systems engineering. In Freiburg, the five Fraunhofer Institutes and the University are carrying out research together on communication and radar technologies of the future.

About the German Microwave Conference

The GeMiC is taking place for the eleventh time and has become the most important microwave conference in the German-speaking world over the past decade. Its goal is to build and promote cooperation between research and industry as well as to support young scientists at national and international level. »The GeMiC offers a unique opportunity in Germany to exchange scientific and technical knowledge in the field of microwave technology«, stresses Quay. Fraunhofer IAF is organizing the GeMiC 2018 in cooperation with the Association for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies (VDE). The University of Freiburg with the Institute for Microsystems Technology  (IMTEK) and the Department of Sustainable Systems Engineering (INATECH) is a co-host.  

Like in previous years, the GeMiC 2018 is a combination of scientific conference and industry exhibition. The scientific program consists of numerous lectures and workshops. The best entries will be awarded. At the fair, the participating exhibitors will present their latest instruments, simulation tools and components from the field of microwave technology, high-frequency electronics and antennas.

For further information about the event, the exhibitors and the conference program please visit www.gemic2018.de.