Fraunhofer IFF Press and Media Service

The European research project RoboSAPIENS is reaching its first important milestone. The consortium funded by the EU’s Horizon Europe program is developing self-adapting software for robots with the objective of enabling robots to respond flexibly to changing environments while guaranteeing safe and trustworthy collaboration with humans. Fraunhofer IFF’s case study is now available.

Pests that spread as a result of climate change pose an increasing threat to fruit farming and viticulture in Germany. Fraunhofer researchers are working with partners to develop methods for the early identification of infestations in grapevines and in apricot, apple and pear trees so as to enable timely counter-measures to be taken. A mobile lab, the PhenoTruck®, supports rapid and relia-ble identification of harmful organisms directly on site. The platform provides a highly mobile system for analyzing disease symptoms, combining machine-learning methods, drone-based multispectral sensing, hyperspectral sensing and molecular biological tests.

With the Safe Multipass Welding with Industrial Robots SIMMI research project, ATA Anlagentechnik Aschersleben GmbH, Polarith GmbH and Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation and Automation IFF are pooling their expertise. The objective of the joint project is to improve process reliability and job safety in automated welding of large and complex steel parts significantly, consequently advancing robot use in a sector that could only be automated to a limited extent until now.

The Construct-X research project will advance digitalization of the construction industry significantly. Around 40 partners from the construction industry, skilled trades, IT, the research community and associations will be working together in the three-year project on developing digital standards, tools and procedures for the whole industry. Fraunhofer IFF is researching two use cases intended to improve communication among the parties involved considerably.

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation and Automation IFF have developed cognitive robot capabilities that can handle complex tasks in manufacturing that were previously impossible to automate. In addition, they are also unveiling PARU and computer-aided safety (CAS), the first safety technologies and planning tools for close human-machine collaboration that can also ensure safety in AI-generated robot movements. The researchers will be demonstrating what cognitive robotics can do and how dynamic workspace monitoring works at the automatica event in Munich from June 24 to 27, 2025 (Hall A4, Booth 319).

Automated bin picking is a major challenge in companies that manufacture a wide variety of products in small lot sizes. Despite their steadily growing automation, many bin picking scenarios still require manual action, be that when handling packaging materials, when parts catch or are reflective or when a bin has to be emptied completely. Cost-effective automation of these processes is growing more important in these times of demographic change and growing skilled labor shortage. Fraunhofer IFF’s research project Adaptive Robotics for Robust Bin Picking and Precise Machine Tending ADAPT comes into play exactly here. The objective is the development of AI-assisted bin picking solutions that can detect, pick and place parts reliably and precisely—even under challenging conditions.

Land mines and unexploded ordnance still pose a lethal danger long after a war’s end and hinder or even prevent the use of entire regions. One third of Ukraine’s territory, for instance, is affected at present and there is urgent need for action to reclaim this land. Together with research and industry partners, Fraunhofer IFF has developed an innovative drone solution that detects unexploded ordnance safely, rapidly and efficiently. The technology combines high-resolution sensor data with autonomous aircraft.

Workers in the hot-dip galvanization industry are exposed to high safety and health risks during the galvanizing process, especially when they are removing zinc ash manually. The use of automation in the galvanizing process to minimize such risks was studied and tested on a real-world galvanizing furnace in industrial use in a joint research project of the Berufsgenossenschaft Holz und Metall (BGHM, German Social Accident Insurance Institution for the Woodworking and Metalworking Industries), Fraunhofer IFF and IEHK Steel Institute at RWTH Aachen University.

The Expert Meeting on AI and TVET, held at Fraunhofer IFF’s Elbfabrik on 18th till 19th of February 2025,under the umbrella of the UNESCO-UNEVOC Centre Magdeburg, a cooperation of Fraunhofer IFF, Otto-von-Guericke University, and GIZ TVET-Academy, brought together over 90 international experts, educators, and industry leaders to discuss how AI is shaping the future of vocational education. With industries rapidly evolving, the demand for AI-skilled workers is increasing, making the integration of AI into Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) a global priority.

Experiential knowledge is the key to effective problem-solving and lasting success in industry. Yet demographic change and the skilled labor shortage are making it difficult to share such valuable knowledge. A new research project with industry and research partners is examining how AI solutions can revolutionize the retention and sharing of experiential knowledge.