Latest news

Fraunhofer IAO and the non-profit association Women in AI & Robotics are joining forces by launching their new collaboration and founding the “Heilbronn Chapter” to support women in the AI and robotics fields in the Heilbronn-Franconia region.

How can we succeed in transforming the energy landscape? Key technologies such as wind energy always consume large amounts of materials. Using wind energy as an example, the white paper by Horváth in cooperation with Fraunhofer IAO provides high-level recommendations on how the energy sector can manage the transformation towards a sustainable circular economy.

To help cities achieve the EU’s climate neutrality goals by 2030, an international consortium is trialling a full-scale transformation strategy within the scope of the UP2030 project. The needs, obstacles and motivating forces on the path toward neutrality will be identified in eight pilot cities across Europe, and the results prepared for transfer to other cities.

In opening the Quantum & AI Experience Center, we have reached yet another milestone on the path to establishing a local and regional campus ecosystem. As a “nucleus” and shared cooperation space for the regional quantum computing and technologies community, it will make AI and quantum computing come alive through the use of demonstrators, training, specialist conferences and events. Companies will also be able to harness the potential of this technology thanks to the center.

Prof. Dr. Katharina Hölzle, Director of the Fraunhofer IAO and the Institute of Human Factors and Technology Management IAT at the University of Stuttgart, has been appointed Technology Officer of the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism. As an expert, Prof. Hölzle wants to contribute to making the economy in Baden-Württemberg future-proof, resilient and sustainable.

Why will people attend in-person events in future and what added value will they gain from them? As part of a study, the Future Meeting Space innovation network provides answers to these questions and more, as well as offering practical recommendations for action. Equipped with its findings, the network is moving on to its next phase of research and tackling the question of the changing role of business events at a time when multiple challenges are emerging simultaneously.

What fields of application and potential can quantum computing and artificial intelligence unlock for Baden-Württemberg? On behalf of Ozean Group GmbH, Fraunhofer IAO is working alongside its partners to open an innovation center for quantum and AI technologies in Ehningen. The opening ceremony for the already awarded Q.AX will take place on April 18, 2023.

With the new Museum Innovation Network, Fraunhofer IAO wants to work together with museums and cultural institutions to develop strategies and propose solutions to promote pioneering innovations in the sector. Members of the network hailing from the worlds of culture, research and business hold interdisciplinary project meetings to discuss the relevant issues, before trying out new concepts and technologies in the field.

What will human-robot interaction in public spaces look like in the future? Fraunhofer IAO is exploring this question in the ZEN-MRI project in cooperation with partners from science and industry and the city of Ulm. The project addresses the ethical, legal, psychological and technical aspects. The tests are taking place in the center of Ulm.

What role will hotels play in the future? How can they respond to current challenges? Now, as it begins research phase VII, the FutureHotel innovation network is opening up to the international hotel industry and developing specific use cases for areas such as sustainability, digital business models, smart hotels and new work.