Projects and products

"PuritySurf" is a system used for the inspection of surfaces. The surfaces are checked for reflectance or coating defects.

The Purity system is used for quality control of transparent objects. It detects and differentiates between changes in transparency, inclusions of foreign bodies and air bubbles.

With the RRE principle (retro-reflection ellipsometry), curved surfaces can be inspected.

Current driver monitoring systems are unable to adequately detect cognitive distraction. In the Fraunhofer SensAI project, Fraunhofer IOSB, Fraunhofer IDMT, and Fraunhofer IMS are integrating camera, audio, vital signs, and vehicle data into a multimodal AI system. The goals are to develop an explainable demonstrator, a validation dataset, and a robust measurement definition.

GRIZZLY combines a line scan camera and an event camera to track material flows in real time and discharge them with greater precision.

The Digital Product Passport (DPP) is coming—and many SMEs are facing major hurdles. Our Fraunhofer teams at IOSB, IIS, and ISST are developing a smart solution to address this: semi-automated DPP creation, secure data room access, and clear added value for companies. This turns the DPP into a real competitive advantage.

The AktiMeter is an innovative product developed for the automatic recording of human movements, gestures, postures, activities, and interactions with objects in the vehicle interior.

We designed and executed a systematic, multi-modal benchmark of four ADAS-relevant sensing technologies – RGB camera, long-wave infrared (LWIR/thermal) camera, LiDAR, and imaging radar – for pedestrian detection in rain, fog, and night conditions.

Easily utilize industrial data spaces: The Data Space Consumer from Fraunhofer IOSB automates secure, sovereign data exchange—covering everything from searching for data sources, identity verification, and contract negotiation to the actual transfer. This modular, open-source solution lowers technical barriers to entry and integrates flexibly into existing system landscapes.

LLM4OPC enables interaction with industrial systems via a secure, natural language interface. Through OPC UA and Asset Administration Shells (AAS), connected via the Model Context Protocol (MCP), Large Language Models (LLMs) can read live machine data, explain machine statuses in an understandable way, and - upon approval - execute actions.

Novel applications of quantum technology for imaging - this is what the lead project QUILT is all about. At Fraunhofer IOSB, a technology for remote sensing using entangled photons is being developed.

Significant costs in the operation of wind turbines (WTG) are incurred through maintenance and repair. Downtimes caused by such work must be minimized, but failures due to damage not recognized in time must also be avoided.

Military reconnaissance in adverse atmospheric conditions requires imaging techniques capable of providing high-resolution images through scattering and turbulent media. Active imaging is the method of choice for critical applications where high precision and reliability are required.

Our solutions make it possible to operate equipment and systems using natural language while they are running and to interact with them in a targeted manner.

"Several Fraunhofer Institutes are collaboratively developing a data space solution for the independent and interoperable exchange of PCF data across borders."

Making aircraft more fuel-efficient is one of the aviation industry's most important goals. To this end, Lufthansa Technik uses AeroSHARK, a technology inspired by shark skin, which significantly reduces frictional drag and thus emissions. To attach the coating optimally, however, it is necessary to conduct flow simulations, which take the actual wing shape during flight into account. Measuring this is a challenge - and a specialty of the Fraunhofer Institute of Optronics, System Technologies and Image Exploitation IOSB. This was demonstrated during successful measurement flights by Lufthansa Technik.

In the Fraunhofer SWAP lighthouse project, ten Fraunhofer institutes are developing technological concepts for the modular and self-organised production of the future, which will no longer be controlled centrally but decentrally - all the way to hierarchical swarms whose participants work together collaboratively and (partially) autonomously.

In the lighthouse project Factory-X, an open and collaborative data ecosystem for factory outfitters and operators is being developed on the basis of Catena-X and concepts of the Industry 4.0 platform. Fraunhofer IOSB is involved in or leading a number of use cases.

Faster set-up and changeover: In the project, consistent plug-and-work capability was achieved in production-related software components - using the AutomationML and OPC UA standards. In the process, non-I4.0-communication-capable components are also retrofitted with I4.0 features.

"TRM4" (originally from: Thermal Range Model) is a software package developed over decades for the development and performance evaluation of optronic camera systems.