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In industry, predictive maintenance strategies are becoming more important as a means of countering unexpected production breakdowns and wasting of resources. In the EU-funded project Z-BRE4K, Fraunhofer IAO has collaborated with international industrial users to research, develop and test solutions for the hybridization of data-driven and physics-based models of production systems.

In a survey of around 1000 participants, conducted for the Future Museum innovation network, Fraunhofer IAO has been investigating wishes and expectations regarding the use of digital technology in museums and science centers now and in the future. These results were presented at a hybrid meeting of the Future Museum network, held at the Swiss National Museum in Zurich. In one key finding, the survey reveals a hesitancy with regard to digital technology on the part of some respondents.

It takes international cooperation to tackle a global challenge like climate change. Yet local solutions, adapted to the specific conditions in individual cities, are also required. In response to this need, the Morgenstadt Initiative is using so-called city labs to draw up a sustainability profile and action-based road map for pilot cities such as Kochi, Saltillo and Piura.

In a nationwide survey, Fraunhofer IAO is examining the impact of remote working on the working conditions of German employees since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic one year ago. The results of this survey, which considers both individual and structural aspects, provides the foundation for a study that will offer conclusions on a variety of factors and trends impacting future working practices.

The Automotive Initiative 2025 (AI25) is a joint project launched by the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO together with AUDI AG and the Technical University of Munich. Its purpose is to establish a world-leading network of excellence for the digital transformation of automotive manufacturing. This network is to be located in the Heilbronn region in Germany, with the required IT solutions provided by technology partners AWS, SAP, Capgemini and XL2.

The Fraunhofer AI Innovation Center has published a series of ten studies which illustrate the potential benefits of AI (Artificial Intelligence) applications in a range of areas linked to industrial manufacturing and services. As part of the Cyber Valley research consortium, the inter-disciplinary research teams at Fraunhofer IPA and Fraunhofer IAO help businesses to advance AI-based applications and their commercialization.

As part of the corporate communications mix, business events are set to play an increasingly important role. At a recent online event, Future Meeting Space – an innovation network set up by Fraunhofer IAO and GCB German Convention Bureau – has now presented the results of 18 months of intensive research in this field. The study, which is free of charge, looks at the changed circumstances for the event industry and stakeholders’ shifting expectations.

It is almost two years since the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO established its Research and Innovation Center for Cognitive Service Systems (KODIS) at the Bildungscampus in Heilbronn. This coming October, KODIS will host the international RESER conference for the very first time. The focus of the event will be the digital transformation of the service industry, which is being driven by the increasing role of data and AI.

Fraunhofer IAO, the University Hospital Dresden and seracom GmbH joined forces to investigate the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic using AI algorithms in a project called WIBCE. The results of the associated Germany-wide online survey indicate that younger people experience more psychological distress than older people, despite the fact that their objective health risk is relatively low.

How can nocturnal activity generate greater wealth for society and help boost the local economy? Fraunhofer IAO has taken a closer look at cities with a thriving nightlife, both in Germany and abroad, and identified key strategies for building a successful and resilient nighttime economy. The position paper “The outlook on nighttime economy” shows best practices and highlights the relevance of this activity for cities of the future.