The Fraunhofer IOSB in Karlsruhe looks back on 50 years of history, most of which was spent as Fraunhofer IITB. Karlsruhe researchers have focused on developing ideas for new technologies in image processing and production engineering and implemented them with methods.
New services and products provided to enterprises to increase their competitiveness have emerged from growing requirements for structuring information and knowledge.
The institute tapped the Chinese market early on and is now profiting from relationships established in the long-term. Safety research is another field, which the Karlsruhe institute has pursued for many years. Natural disasters and organized crime are a threat to our safety. The extensive mechanization of our modern society offers many points for attack. In particular, critical infrastructures such as the energy supply, transportation, water supply, information and communication, administration and industrial facilities require special protection. Protection against physical violence, but also against attacks targeting information and communication channels is required.
The SmartControlRoom in Karlsruhe therefore offers an ultra-modern demo situation center where the latest technologies for information acquisition, data analysis and deployment planning are tested and undergo trials for disaster management. The center was expanded by a fleet consisting of various mobile sensor platforms, which are capable of combing through and investigating disaster response areas and are deployed by terrestrial vehicle or with aircraft without having to expose human response teams to a situation concealing unknown risks.
The building is equipped with NEST, an “intelligent” video surveillance system, which shows how camera systems will be able to network autonomously in the future and can be utilized to protect properties, plant grounds and buildings with low data storage rates.
Quality assurance systems, e.g. for the production of bulk materials such as dried foodstuffs, plastic granules or minerals, are available in an internal image exploitation center. Further test benches and research labs for handling a wide range of requirements in the fields of image and video exploitation, production control engineering, process analysis and professional information systems complement the large central facilities.