May 2023

A bio-inspired microphone that could revolutionize speech recognition in smart home applications has recently been developed by Ilmenau University of Technology together with research partners. The microphone mimics the human ear and thus improves speech recognition in noisy environments. This technology could enable complete acoustic systems consisting of a microphone and speech recognition to...

The Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Information Technology FIT is looking for 30 test households for the "SAM Smart" research project. The research project aims to improve the data protection and security of smart home devices. To this end, practical, user-friendly solutions are to be developed that give users an overview of their stored data and how it is used.

Betting outlets in Berlin that operate without a permit and do not comply with the minimum distance to gaming arcades (500 meters) or schools (200 meters) must be temporarily closed. This was recently decided by the Higher Administrative Court of Berlin-Brandenburg (OVG) (OVG 1 S 5/23). The ruling confirms several decisions by the Berlin Administrative Court...

Whether pendant lights, floor lamps or table lamps - according to the portal "schoner-wohnen.de", various garden lights can be used on the balcony, on the patio and in the garden. There are apparently no limits to the shape of the lighting either. Lamps come in the shape of a parasol, the letter 0 or as a lantern and ensure that your garden is...

Buyers of existing apartments can save an average of at least 25 percent of the purchase price in 9 out of 14 major cities surveyed. Prerequisite: They do not buy an existing apartment in the city itself, but in the surrounding area and accept a commute of up to one hour to the city. This is the result of an Immowelt analysis. In Hamburg, this can even save up to...

The consumer advice center warns against a scam via e-mail regarding an alleged subsidy program of the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW). The KfW does indeed offer funding programs, but not an "inflation protection funding program". Criminals have written a corresponding e-mail with the KfW logo. Their aim is to obtain personal data. In the e-mail...

How can water be saved in private households? Energy expert Stefan Materne from the consumer advice center gives advice. For example, consumers can save up to 70 percent water by turning off the tap while soaping their hands or brushing their teeth. Those who replace bathing with showering and use an energy-saving shower head can also save water. However, be...

A tenant cannot reclaim rent that has been paid in excess if it is paid by a benefit provider such as a job center. This was recently decided by the Berlin Regional Court (case reference: 64 S 190/21). The case in question involved a tenant who had sued his landlord for repayment. The district court dismissed the claim because the tenant was receiving social benefits and was therefore not entitled to...

The energy quality of buildings will have a greater influence on the purchase price of real estate in the future than in the past. This is the opinion of 90 percent of 240 experts from various sectors of the real estate market who took part in an online survey conducted by the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR). The purchase prices depend on the type of construction, thermal insulation and...

With a transaction volume of 225 million euros, the hotel investment market in Germany recorded its weakest opening quarter since 2014 in the first quarter of 2023, according to a report by real estate consultants Colliers. Hotel transactions accounted for four percent of the total commercial investment volume in the first quarter of 2023. This corresponds to the level of the last three...