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In a survey conducted from May 5–22 of this year, the Fraunhofer IAO and the German Association for Human Resource Management (DGFP) investigated the influence of virtual forms of working – particularly working from home – on company working practices. The results of this survey were then published in the study “Working in the corona pandemic – on the way to a new normal” on July 9, 2020.

In the busy streets of Stuttgart, drivers often park in loading zones reserved for delivery vehicles. That leads delivery drivers to double park or leave their vehicles on sidewalks or cycle lanes, blocking traffic and creating potentially hazardous situations. To improve this situation, the city of Stuttgart has launched the “Digital loading zone management” project in collaboration with IAT at the University of Stuttgart and the company Parkunload®. Their goal is to design an app featuring real-time data.

Fraunhofer IAO and Volocopter GmbH have joined forces in the FlyingCab acceptance study to analyze user opinion regarding flying taxis, which, among other things, will make transportation more individual and flexible. But just how enthusiastic are future users about the new mobility solution and the idea of navigating cities by air?

What did the lockdown situation teach us that can be applied to how we work in the future? The Fraunhofer IAO “Work-from-home experience” web-based survey, conducted as part of the OFFICE 21® joint research project, shows the results of the work-from-home situation and forecasts future changes in the world of work.

To further advance the outstanding and trustworthy use of artificial intelligence (AI) across Europe, the “High-Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence” clarified its findings from the past year in detail, developed them further and made them usable. As a member of the expert group, institute director Prof. Wilhelm Bauer brings Fraunhofer IAO’s experience in the human-centered application of AI to the group.

Art and cultural institutions in particular are facing major challenges during the Coronavirus pandemic. Museums remain closed for long periods or can receive only a few visitors. Digital and new formats are needed in order to maintain operations. What should museum visits be like in the future? As part of the collaborative Future Museum project, Fraunhofer IAO set up an online survey to ask members of the public about the future of museums.

Most non-profit organizations (NPOs), such as associations, foundations and trade unions, have limited resources and scope for innovation that would allow them to exploit the potential of the digital transformation. In the “Digital laboratory for non-profit organizations 4.0” project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Fraunhofer IAO is collaborating with additional partners to support NPOs in trying out and implementing digital applications and cooperative forms of organization.

Cities are some of the biggest emitters of CO2 – and that makes them a powerful lever in the fight against global warming. The team behind the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft’s Morgenstadt initiative recently published a position paper that aims to help German municipalities fast-track the implementation of sustainable urban development and digitalization. The goal of this new publication is to pool existing solutions, make them accessible and financially viable for municipalities and cities everywhere, and create new capacities.

In a multimedia project – “2049: Zeitreise Mobilität” – conducted together with the German regional broadcaster Hessischer Rundfunk, Fraunhofer IAO has used virtual reality to send test persons on a journey through time to German and U.S. cities in the year 2049. The concluding study shows which future transport concepts meet with acceptance and are regarded as realistic. When it comes to tomorrow’s transport, however, different generations do not always agree on which attributes are most desirable.

The use of innovative technology and smart services can substantially enhance the museum experience, providing visitors with a new approach to art, history and knowledge. That’s the latest lesson from the Future Museum project, a joint initiative by the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO and the company MUSEUM BOOSTER GmbH. But what does a digital museum experience actually involve?