Press Release Archive

From prehistoric horses to dismantling nuclear power plants: Fraunhofer IGD has developed the first autonomous 3D scanning robot that delivers precise, color accurate scans in repeatable, high quality. The 3D robot makes it possible to digitize cultural heritage assets, such as the fossils of a prehistoric horse found at the Messel Fossil Site, and transform them into a 3D model. There are numerous other applications for the robot. These include developing precise systems for dismantling nuclear power plants and digitizing components in the automotive industry when no CAD models are available. The technology enables 3D models to be prepared without the need for postprocessing. It is already used in cultural heritage, industry, forensics, and medicine.

How can we make our mobility more sustainable? Policy measures to date have focused on promoting technological innovation and providing incentives for the purchase of electric vehicles. Citizens’ preferences were often not heard. Though their behavior, however, citizens can make a significant contribution to ensuring that the transition to sustainable transportation is successful. This was the impetus for a research project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, entitled Participative Energy Transformation: Innovative Digital Tools for the Social Dimension of Energy Transition (PaEGIE). As part of a consortium led by the Technical University of Darmstadt and in close cooperation with the city of Darmstadt, researchers at Fraunhofer IGD developed a visualization tool that involves citizens in the early stages of the planning process and encourages them to participate in sustainable mobility solutions. This helps to ensure that the measures taken are better accepted by the population.

The healthcare sector is facing major challenges: overworked staff, rising costs and an aging society. Fraunhofer IGD is developing digital assistance systems to reduce the workload of caregivers and improve the quality of care. The aim is to recreate a patient-centric culture through digital transformation in healthcare.

The cultural sector is facing a variety of challenges: financial bottlenecks, declining visitor numbers and the costly preservation of valuable cultural assets.

Systems based on artificial intelligence (AI) require training data – this is an essential prerequisite for their success. But users in the manufacturing industry face challenges for quickly obtaining sufficient quantities of it. Fraunhofer IGD is therefore working with synthetically generated training data. This approach is letting its researchers meet the prerequisites for machine learning and automated inspection of components faster, more simply, and more cost-effectively.

In the automotive sector, in plant construction and in tool manufacture, it is essential to have effective quality assurance measures in place – errors that occur during production are too costly to tolerate.

Better patient care, more efficient processes and effective networking of stakeholders: The increasing digitalization of the healthcare sector is making all of this possible. To support these advances, Fraunhofer experts are developing systems based on artificial intelligence (AI) that can be used effectively and in compliance with data protection regulations. Nine Fraunhofer units will be presenting their research results at the DMEA 2024 trade show, held in Berlin from April 9 to 11, 2024. The researchers will be available for discussions and insights into the future of healthcare IT at Booth D-108 in Hall 2.2.

Vital data, imaging results and information about lifestyle: Comprehensive patient data is already available to healthcare professionals, but not always in a readily usable form. Fraunhofer IGD has set itself the target of making this data optimally available for the support of medical decision-making and also for the involvement of patients in their own treatment. At the DMEA in Berlin (9th - 11th April 2024), the Fraunhofer research team will be showcasing two new solutions, firstly a visual-interactive tool for cohort analysis in research, and secondly a Parkinson’s monitor which helps doctors and patients to better understand the course of the disease.

The veinXam system developed by Fraunhofer IGD uses a small sensor to detect impairment of the deep leg veins at an early stage, thereby enabling physicians to intervene and prevent subsequent serious consequences. This telemedical solution monitors vein function, wherever the patient may be, by means of sensors which continuously measure the blood flow in the deep veins of the leg. The system can also be integrated into a compression stocking, which many people have to wear permanently anyway. If veinXam detects pathological changes, it sends a notification to an app or, in the case of an individual receiving inpatient care, to the nursing staff. In this way, thromboses can be detected earlier and treated more promptly. Fraunhofer IGD will be showcasing veinXam at the DMEA in Berlin during the week of 9th - 11th April. Interested parties can see the system in action at the Fraunhofer booth.

At DMEA, Fraunhofer IGD will be showcasing a wireless and contact-free system that serves as a personal health assistant in the workplace. As an offshoot of the CareCam project, STRAP sets new standards for healthy work practices in the office. Developed in close collaboration with industry partner Deep Care GmbH, STRAP uses high-precision sensor technology and AI-based analysis to continuously record users’ vital data and provide individualized recommendations for improving their well-being. Members of the research team will be offering insights into the current status of their project at the DMEA (9th - 11th April 2024) in Berlin.