Evolution or revolution?
New dimensions in robotics

One of the central activities of Fraunhofer IML is the development and optimization of intelligent, autonomous transport systems that revolutionize the flow of materials in warehouses, distribution centers and manufacturing plants. The latest robotics and automation technologies are used, which are based on artificial intelligence (AI) and can be flexibly adapted to different requirements. Through its involvement in two future initiatives, the researchers are always at the cutting edge.

Robotics Institute Germany (RIG)

Fraunhofer IML supports the vision of the Robotics Institute Germany (RIG) to further advance AI-supported robotics and to position Germany as a leading international location for robotics. Through close cooperation with other Fraunhofer institutes, as well as other scientific institutions and partners from industry, the institute contributes to the promotion of talent, the efficient use of research resources and the transfer of research results into practice. The link between research and practical applications is particularly relevant, especially in the logistics industry, which further strengthens Germany's competitiveness in the field of robotics and artificial intelligence. In its collaboration with the RIG, Fraunhofer IML contributes in particular its expertise in research on automated guided vehicles and mobile robots, as well as in the development of open source software and the application of artificial intelligence processes.

About RIG

Lamarr Institute

In addition, Fraunhofer IML is involved in the section of AI-supported robotics at the Lamarr Institute for Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, one of five university AI competence centers in Germany. The institute is developing a new generation of artificial intelligence that is powerful, sustainable and secure. With its infrastructure, Fraunhofer IML supports research and development of solutions that are important for key economic and social challenges. The institute is particularly involved in the research areas of “planning and logistics” and “embodied AI”. The PACE-Lab, short for Positioning Accuracy Communication Evaluation, plays a special role here. The lab of the Fraunhofer institute, which is operated by the institute's own High-Performance Center Logistics and IT initiative, offers a globally unique research environment of high-precision positioning and industrial environment, and thus the optimal experimental environment for the agile development of autonomous systems in an industrial context.

About Lamarr institute

 About the PACE-Lab

The research conducted by Fraunhofer IML particularly focuses on autonomous and embedded systems. These executive components of logistics come in the form of mobile robots and, in the future, increasingly in humanoid form. They can act autonomously or be used as part of a complete system, acting alone or in swarms. Their development is being advanced as part of numerous other research activities in the areas of driverless transport systems and robotics. One example is intralogistics, where a wide range of transportation tasks must be addressed. Today, smaller and more powerful electronic components make it possible to build vehicles that are significantly more flexible than conventional solutions. 

Research is using a new approach to vehicle design and development: mechanics, electronics and software are considered together in an interdisciplinary way from the very beginning.

 Research places an ever-greater emphasis on the interaction between humans and automated guided vehicles and mobile robots. Researchers at Fraunhofer IML are working on innovative interaction concepts in numerous projects and initiatives with research partners and companies. The consideration of socio-technical systems and the design of intuitive, user-friendly solutions accepted by employees play an important role in this. At Fraunhofer IML, automation is not viewed as a replacement for human labor, but as an opportunity to enhance work processes. Automation particularly targets repetitive, undemanding tasks or areas with staff shortages, where human work is meaningfully supplemented and supported. Instead of replacing humans, the goal is to react quickly to changing needs in the economy and society by combining humans and machines.

Most systems currently used in the workplace still allow us to discern which decisions were made by humans and which by technology. However, the boundary between humans and technology is becoming increasingly blurred as systems become more intelligent and handle more complex organizational and cognitive tasks. Humans then automatically transfer some responsibility to technology. But how much responsibility can, should, and must humans transfer to technology? When it comes to enabling technology to act responsibly, what information or data can, should, and are we allowed to share with it? The challenges associated with these questions are of a legal, social, and ethical nature. The question of “machine responsibility” is thus an important one and must be a subject of research.

 Next-generation mobile technology promises to expand the capabilities of robotics in many ways. 5G has already enabled remote control of robots and real-time communication through significant improvements in latency and bandwidth. 6G will bring even more substantial enhancements with latency-free connections and even higher bandwidths. Additionally, 6G will support more powerful AI and edge computing approaches, enabling robots to perform many complex calculations directly on-site, without relying on cloud data.

In this context, Fraunhofer IML is also involved in the research project “6GEM – open – efficient – secure – safe,” funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The project aims to demonstrate the added value of 6G systems for society and industry in various test fields. One of the successes is the development of a digital twin that not only maps a research hall but also represents components such as the network quality of the communication link between robot systems and the systems themselves.

The Network Of Our DreamS (Discover Logistics #25)

Operating system for intralogistics

As part of the major research project Silicon Economy, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV), Fraunhofer IML has established the “Automation and IoT” community, where it researches new technologies for the supply chain. The researchers have already developed an open logistics operating system for dynamic systems—LogOS for short. LogOS is designed to simplify the integration of heterogeneous vehicle fleets into various IT systems through corresponding standardized interfaces and the mapping of processes using a suitable system language for fleet controllers.

Based on these results, the researchers have developed the Aulis fleet management system for automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). The modular architecture of the manufacturer-independent system enables easy customization to specific application needs and the integration of AGVs or AMRs from various manufacturers into the existing IT infrastructure.

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 It offers a generic open-source implementation of the VDA5050 standard developed by the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) and the German Mechanical Engineering Industry Association (VDMA). This standard serves as an interface that standardizes communication between automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and a control center. This provides AGV manufacturers with the opportunity to quickly upgrade their vehicles to the standard without significant effort.

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Automation in aviation logistics

In air cargo, digitalization, automation, and the improvement of data interfaces represent important challenges for economically, ecologically, and socially sustainable development. The “Digital Testbed Air Cargo” (DTAC), funded by the German Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV), has created a neutral, nationwide research framework that, under the leadership of Fraunhofer IML and the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, consolidates air freight-specific research activities and identifies and makes available digitization approaches in various process sections. In the area of automation, the project focuses on scheduling, handling, and transport.

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Automation in value creation networks

 A transparent and sovereign exchange of data is the basis for cross-company automation and autonomization of service provision, process execution, and payment transactions. The combination of AI and blockchain can address this challenge: While blockchain technology ensures trust in the origin of data, AI can support the validation of data before it is stored on the blockchain. In the SKALA project (Scalable AI and Blockchain Solutions for Automation and Autonomization in Value Creation Networks), funded by the German Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV), Fraunhofer IML is researching which AI and blockchain solutions provide the greatest added value.

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