Kirchheim Designs Dynamic Logistics Systems Using AI

Alice Kirchheim investigates how artificial intelligence can support the planning and control of complex intralogistics systems. Intralogistics refers to the flows of goods and materials within a facility, such as when autonomous vehicles transport components in a factory or a warehouse adapts its operations to fluctuating orders. Kirchheim’s academic career combines computer science, technical logistics, and industrial practice. Since 2024, she has been heading Fraunhofer IML and the Chair of Material Handling and Warehousing at TU Dortmund University. At the Lamarr Institute, she already serves as Area Chair for the Planning & Logistics research division. “At the Lamarr Institute, we can closely link new AI methods to the specific requirements of complex logistics systems. This exchange generates research questions and solutions that are scientifically sound and can be tested under real-world conditions,” says Kirchheim.

Academic Excellence Under Real-World Conditions

Kirchheim’s work also demonstrates how Fraunhofer IML contributes to the Lamarr Institute’s collaborative research approach. Real-world warehouses, production environments, and supply chains serve as challenging research settings for learning systems: In these environments, AI must be high-performing, reliable, resource-efficient, and adaptable to change conditions. Within the leadership team Kirchheim will work alongside Prof. Dr. Jakob Rehof, director representing TU Dortmund University, Prof. Dr. Stefan Wrobel, director representing the University of Bonn, and Prof. Dr. Christian Bauckhage, director representing the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. The institute’s leadership thus reflects the disciplinary and institutional breadth of the Lamarr Institute, which connects interdisciplinary and cross-institutional AI research with questions arising from real-world applications.

Press Contact:

Caroline Winter
Lamarr Institute for Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence
c/o Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn
Friedrich-Hirzebruch-Allee 6, 53115 Bonn
Phone: +49 228 73 69342
Mail: caroline.winter@uni-bonn.de
Web: www.lamarr-institute.org  ML Blog: www.lamarr-institute.org/blog

Lamarr Institute for Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence

The Lamarr Institute is shaping a new generation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) that is high performing, sustainable, trustworthy and secure to contribute to solving fundamental challenges in business and society. As one of Germany’s major AI competence centers, the Lamarr Institute stands for value-based, internationally competitive and application-oriented excellent research and is engaged in science, education and technology transfer on a regional, national as well as international level.

The research institute is constituted by the TU Dortmund University, the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn and the Fraunhofer Institutes for Intelligent Analysis and Information Systems IAIS in Sankt Augustin and for Material Flow and Logistics IML in Dortmund. As outlined in the federal government’s AI strategy, the Lamarr Institute receives permanent funding from the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.