Press releases and news

In the Semiconductor-X project, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), an industry consortium led by Intel, Infineon, Siemens, SAP, and Bosch is developing a joint data room infrastructure for semiconductor manufacturing by September. The Fraunhofer Institute for Applied and Integrated Security AISEC and the Fraunhofer Institute for Optronics, System Technologies and Image Exploitation IOSB have now joined the consortium as cybersecurity partners and are developing a roadmap for secure data rooms. The goal is to enable companies to securely exchange sensitive production and process data along the value chain. The results are also intended to support other Manufacturing-X initiatives.

Bilfinger and Fraunhofer IOSB are developing a teleoperated retrieval system on behalf of the Federal Company for Radioactive Waste Disposal (BGE) to retrieve radioactive waste from the Asse II mine. The goal is to enable the safe, precise, and efficient exposure and retrieval of the waste drums – using multifunctional work machines, modern robotics, and assistance functions for the control center.

Turkish manufacturing companies can now take a concrete next step toward deeper cooperation with Fraunhofer in applied R&D, industrial digitalization and data-driven value creation. Today, the Fraunhofer Institute of Optronics, System Technologies and Image Exploitation IOSB – part of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, one of the world’s leading organizations for applied research – and partners publish the white paper “Turkish German Digital Technology Exchange: R&D Cooperation in Manufacturing Engineering and Manufacturing Related Information & Communication Technology.”

High recognition for application-oriented AI research from East Westphalia-Lippe: The Fraunhofer Institute in Lemgo, together with the Diwo sculpture studio in Paderborn, has been awarded the Seifriz Prize 2026. The prize recognizes the successful collaboration between craftsmanship and science in the development of “StoneCrackMon.” The innovation was developed as part of the project “Artificial Intelligence and Digital Offensive for Crafts in North Rhine-Westphalia” (KIDiHa).

The project “KI4PED – AI-based optimization of pedestrian crossing times through smart traffic light systems” by Fraunhofer IOSB-INA in Lemgo has made it onto the international list of the International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI) under the auspices of UNESCO. KI4PED was rated “Excellent” by the reviewers in the “IRCAI Top 100: Global AI for SDGs Index 2025” and is thus one of the 100 AI innovations worldwide that make a special contribution to sustainability and the 17 goals of the United Nations.

How can humans and machines be brought together in a way that benefits both? This question is the focus of the new Humation – Human-Centered Automation competence network, which was jointly founded by Bielefeld University and Fraunhofer IOSB-INA in Lemgo. The aim is to design the interaction between humans, artificial intelligence (AI), and automation in such a way that work processes become safer, more flexible, and more efficient, while at the same time keeping humans at the center.

The new white paper “AI Beyond The Prototype” highlights challenges and solutions for the sustainable use of customized AI models in industry. It shows how anomalies can be detected early, resource efficiency optimized, and AI systems made robust for stable continuous operation. The white paper, published by several Fraunhofer institutes and initiatives, is available to companies free of charge.

How can we make our increasingly interconnected world more resilient? This question was the focus of the 8th Fraunhofer Alumni Summit on November 14, 2025, in Berlin. Researchers, economic experts, and representatives of government institutions discussed current developments, demonstrated practical security solutions, and showed how Germany can arm itself against cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and hybrid threats.

At the IEEE Future Networks World Forum (November 10–12, 2025) in Bangalore, Fraunhofer mobile communications expert Timo Siekmann presented the latest research findings on improving smartphone location tracking. The international expert forum is considered one of the world's most important platforms for future technologies in mobile communications and networked systems.

The NachWinD innovation project (increasing sustainability and precision in winter road maintenance) is taking another decisive step toward climate-friendly, resource-efficient, and safe winter road maintenance: Starting in winter 2025/26, extensive practical testing of a new type of digital winter road maintenance management system will begin. The system has been prepared, installed, and is ready to prove its performance under real conditions in the district of Lippe and the city of Paderborn.