Archive for the ‘Innovations’ Category

The Trabant is a vehicle with a quirky place in the German culture. I remember them very well from my youth. They were everywhere in the East in those days, although it is rare to see them on the roads now.

People loved them and hated them. On one hand, the cars didn’t always work very well, and they came in ridiculous colors. On the other hand, the waiting lists were always long, and owners of “Trabis” often nicknamed them and treated them like beloved if eccentric family members.

However, after the Wall came down, the East German cars were outmatched by Western competitors that were faster, more reliable, and easier to get. The last Trabant was manufactured in 1991.

Since then, Trabi lovers have had to make do with museums and car rallies.

There are surprisingly large number of them. The most famous Trabant museum is the August Horch Museum, located in the Detroit of East Germany, Zwickau. It was totally updated in 2004 to feature more information on the history and culture of the Trabant, along with other German classic cars.

A rising tide of visitors and enthusiasts holding rallies led to a quick survey at the 2007 Frankfurt motor show. Out of 11,500 people surveyed, 93% were in favor of reviving the Trabant. Many even volunteered that they would buy one, prompting companies to look at bringing the suddenly beloved Trabi back from the dead.

Out of all this chatter have come rumors, whispers, and suddenly… official plans. The Trabant NT should be arriving in showrooms in 2012. A prototype will be shown at various auto shows around Germany this fall — including the Internationale Automobilausstelling (IAA) or Frankfurt Motor Show (TODAY!).

The cars will be made by the East German manufacturer Indikar, also based out of Zwickau. They are hoping to seriously improve on the old Trabants, without compromising the features that made them popular. The new version won’t spew diesel and sputter — Indikar is planning to make them all-electric cars with solar panel roofs (great!).

We’ll see if its enough to make a bright new Trabant loving culture spring up from the ashes of the old one! :-)

—Marcus

Germany is full of unique technical innovations and medical specialists dedicated to improving life. You already see this with German health care, which is some of the best in the world. Now, there is a new innovation for animals.

In this case, a small German start up company has decided to make life better for animals going blind.

Their solution?

Implantable contact lenses!

It’s an interesting solution to a formerly unsolvable problem. After all, animals can’t wear glasses, and it would be difficult for owners or zoo keepers to realistically put contacts in and out of their eyes each day. Yet because animals have a short life span, losing their vision for even part of their life can be a real disability and reduce their quality of life dramatically. Blind animals in zoos really struggle, and blind pets are heartbreaking for families.

Into this sad situation stepped S & V Technologies, which is based out of the industrial town of Hennigsdorf. It’s one of five companies founded by Bavarian chemist Christine Kreiner, although it is her first in East Germany. This one has already made 2.5 million euros since opening in 2008!

The contact lenses made by the company are acrylic intra-ocular lenses. They are customized to the size and shape of each animal that will wear them. The lenses are then implanted by specially trained veterinarians while the animals are under anesthesia, and recovery times are short.

For the company, the biggest challenge hasn’t been the animals but actually the veterinarians! There is a real shortage of veterinarians who can implant the lenses, and demand is high. Even though the surgery can cost thousands of euros, many families and zoos feel it is worth the cost.

Since the lenses first became available, customers from around the globe have been after them. The lenses have gone into every kind of animal from a performing sea lion at Sea World to kangaroos to treasured family pets.

The company, which now employs 32 people, plans to keep expanding and offer more classes to veterinarians so that more animals can be helped.

Let’s all admit together how much of a pain it is to find the time to do laundry. With so many other things in life to enjoy, spending precious moments with detergent is something to be avoided. Fortunately, someone has come up with an interesting solution to the laundry problem!

Cleenbox, a small German company, has started to offer a laundry service by mail. It’s a very simple process based on a partnership with the (also German) DHL shipping company. You can use them and have more time to focus on other areas of your life.

To use Cleenbox, you need a physical address in Germany. You then subscribe to the service via their website, and request your first laundry box. The laundry boxes come in various sizes, according to your needs and your family size.

Once the box arrives, you gather up all of your dirty laundry and dump it in the box. Just remember not to put your dry clean only items in the box; and, boy, check your pockets! ;-)

The average box holds about 50 items. You save yourself even more time because Cleenbox doesn’t require you to separate your colors or fabrics, since they will sort the wash themselves.

When you pack up the box and send it off, you just go on with your life while someone else washes, dries, folds, irons, and repacks your clothing box. It’s like having your own personal laundry fairy.

The box arrives back on your doorstep in 2 – 5 days, with your clothes specially sealed inside to prevent crushing or loss of freshness.

At this point, I’m sure you are suspicious that the service is terribly expensive. Yet here again, Cleenbox has a bit of a surprise. The entry price is 25 Euros for a 5 kg box, which includes the shipping to and from your house.

Their website has more information about types of detergents used, standard pick up and delivery times, and the rates for truly massive amounts of washing. It is in German, but there are web translation tools (such as the Google Translator) that can help you navigate and get signed up. After all, why waste time with the wash when you could be out enjoying and exploring everything Germany has to offer?

—Marcus