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F r a u n H o F E r - i n s t i t u t F o r
C o M P u t E r G r a P H i C s r E s E a r C H i G D
indUStriE 4.0as a key to the faCtory of the future
FraUnHoFEr on tHE WaY to UndiSCoVErEd SHorESroCking Boat in plaCe of massiVe laB
for applieD researCh
tHE HoME oF tHE FUtUrEan insight offereD By Dr. anDreas Braun
ViSUal CoMPUting at tHE CliniCimage-BaseD proCessing of eXistential health
reCorDs makes life easier for CliniCal physiCians
Dear Partners and Friends,
Do you remember where you were on July 10, 1989, and what
you were doing? No? Then you should be in good company.
Hardly anyone has any specific memories of that day. It’s a
different story for November 9 of the same year, on the other
hand, although it was almost as long ago. What happened on that
day shaped world affairs and, in particular, the very personal fate
of over 16 million GDR citizens. Two states were reunited after
having been rigidly separated from each other despite belonging
together.
November 9, 1989 also helped to shape Fraunhofer IGD. After
all, this day laid the foundation for the institute’s structure today.
The future of the Computer Graphics Research Group at Rostock’s
Department of Computer Science was uncertain after the fall of
the wall and the collapse of the GDR. Fraunhofer IGD, therefore,
took the group in as part of the institute in Rostock. Since then,
employees in Darmstadt and Rostock have been working hand in
hand. Celebrating the motto “Joint research without borders,” we
celebrated our very personal unification of East and West on June
17, 2015. However, we did not only review the past during the
ceremony; we also asked where Fraunhofer IGD stands today and
we looked ahead. In the future, our research institute will mainly
be oriented towards research networks.
Preserving cultural heritage
When we look at today’s world affairs, they are also shaped by
radical events – unfortunately, fewer wonderful than horrifying,
such as the destructive rage displayed by the Islamic State terror
organization. The IS wants to demonstrate its power by means of
attacks against cultural heritage. In May 2015, for instance, the
Editorial
e D i t o r i a l
jihadists seized the ancient oasis city of Palmyra, looted several
mausoleums, smashed sculptures, and blew up the approximately
2000-year-old Baal Shamin temple. The dismay at the destruction
of this UNESCO world heritage resounds around the world.
looting, war, and natural disasters also continue to take their toll
and decimate the number of art objects in the world.
In a sense, we need to live with it. Wars and natural disasters are
hard to eliminate completely. Nevertheless, we can do something.
At Fraunhofer IGD, for instance, we work on preserving the
objects of art for posterity, even if we should fail to preserve
them from destruction. How? By digitizing the treasures, museum
exhibits, and historico-cultural sites. In this way, they can be used
at any time and even in parallel: while scientists study a digitized
temple, museum visitors from all over the world can virtually stroll
through the antique structure at the same time.
Visual computing in industrie 4.0
There is no question, unfortunately, that the preservation of
cultural objects is a task that could not be any more current today.
The potential of digitization is thus far from being exhausted. Even
in the corporate world, digitization is in high demand, particularly
in the context of Industrie 4.0. The production of tomorrow
will be completely different from today’s: production plants are
intelligent and can communicate with each other and, thus,
respond fl exibly. The products, in turn, are aware of their status
and know what they are missing to become a fi nished item. This
fl exible production process can only work, however, if the digital
and the real worlds coincide, and at any time. We at Fraunhofer
IGD have coined the term cyber-physical equivalence for this
congruence. Visual computing is the key here; it opens the door
to cyber-physical equivalence as well as the gate to Industrie 4.0.
Reaching far beyond industrial applications applies both for the
digitization process and the technologies developed here.
As much as technology may change the industrial landscape,
man still takes center stage in the industry of the future. The 27th
Conference of Academia Europaea, organized by Fraunhofer IGD,
was held in Darmstadt from September 7 through 10, 2015. The
conference revolved around the question of how man and tech-
nology can be brought closer together. High-ranking researchers
from various disciplines looked at the bigger picture together and
made Darmstadt once again the center of science.
In the Annual Report at hand, we will let you know which other
innovative technologies our researchers have devised. We hope
you will enjoy reading all about them.
Dieter W. Fellner, Professor Dr. Matthias Unbescheiden
01
Prof. Dr. Dieter W. Fellner (right), Director of Fraunhofer IGD,together with his deputy, Dr. Matthias Unbescheiden.
02 C o n t e n t
01 EDitorial
04 inDustriE 4.0 – Visual CoMPutinG as a KEY to tHE
FaCtorY oF tHE FuturE
Virtualizing reality, realizing virtuality–it all becomes possible
with visual computing technologies for Industrie 4.0. Emplo-
yees can virtually see on a screen what the machines are really
doing at the same moment–and even what they will do in the
near future.
09 “sEEinG” tECHnoloGY – HElPFul in inDustrY anD
tourisM
MEvery once in a while, technology needs “eyes” such as when
reality is to be captured and enhanced with additional information.
At the end of 2015, scientists from different institutes competed in
this art in the “Tracking Challenge” contest of the VW Group. The
researchers of Fraunhofer IGD were far ahead in the game.
10 FraunHoFEr on tHE WaY to unDisCoVErED sHorEs
The researchers of Fraunhofer IGD are used to developing
a great many things on their computers and in their labs. In
the summer of 2015, some of them went on an adventurous
expedition in the Skagerrak.
13 aCross tHE Color sPECtruM
Coloring in 3D printing used to be a delicate subject. The
Cuttlefish printer driver put an end to this dilemma and became
famous overnight. The researchers at Fraunhofer IGD also
provide solutions for other color issues.
14 tHE HoME oF tHE FuturE
The researchers of Fraunhofer IGD want to take an active part in
shaping future homes. We will find out how they are going to
make our four walls intelligent and how this will benefit us in an
interview with Dr. Andreas Braun.
18 DiGitiZinG WorKs oF art non-stoP
Museums often harbor large collections of art objects buried in
basements and storage rooms. A digital scanning facility now
makes it possible for us to digitize these vast amounts of treasu-
res in a fully automated process. A new object can be scanned
every ten minutes.
20 Visual CoMPutinG at tHE CliniC
A picture is worth a thousand words, as the saying goes. In
daily hospital routines, however, images often only reveal their
secrets after tough analysis. Clinical physicians must invest a lot
of time evaluating computer-tomography or magnetic-resonance
images. The right tools to speed up this process are provided by
Fraunhofer IGD.
24 Joint rEsEarCH WitHout BorDErs
Summing up 25 years of Germany’s reunification at the “Joint
research without borders event,” Fraunhofer IGD asks questions
about the shared research history of the sites in Darmstadt and
Rostock.
V i s u a l C o m p u t i n g a s a k e y t o t h e f a C t o r y o f t h e f u t u r e
What can visual computing provi-de in industrie 4.0? many things, according to the researchers of fraunhofer igD. industry in the future will link the virtual and the real world much closer together than before.
f r a u n h o f e r o n t h e Way t o u n D i s C o V e r e D s h o r e s
a rocking boat in place of a massive lab? for seven days, this scenario became a reality for three resear-chers from fraunhofer igD: they tested their novel environmental monitoring system on the research ship fs alkor.
t h e h o m e o f t h e f u t u r e
experts are certain that residential environments are changing. But where is the road taking us? living at home will become intelligent. an interview with Dr. andreas Braun provides insight.
04 10 14
03C o n t e n t
27 FlEXiBlE soFtWarE CoMPosition
In the future, urban planners no longer need to buy one stan-
dard software package but may compose the tools themselves
according to their wishes and needs by means of the modular
system, GEOToolbox.
28 Visual CoMPutinG@DarMstaDt
One of the special talents of the science city of Darmstadt is
visual computing, as Darmstadt is in fact home to Fraunhofer
IGD. Darmstadt is also home of the Technical University’s “Inter-
active Graphics Systems Group,” GRIS for short, which celebra-
ted its 40th anniversary this year.
30 Mr. 3D intErnEt
“This is never going to work out!” Dr. Johannes Behr was
bombarded with such prophecies of doom when he devoted
himself to his vision in the year 2000. He wanted to put inter-
active three-dimensional images on the internet. His customers
thought this idea was abstruse – after all, their patience was
already put to the test when opening a PDF file. How on earth
was this supposed to work for large 3D images?
32 YounG talEnt – CoME on in!
Gone are the days of overcrowded lecture halls in natural and
engineering sciences. Young talent is rare. Therefore, Fraunhofer
IGD wants to excite young people about visual computing early
on.
34 BroaDEninG HoriZons – FAIRS AND EVENTS
36 PlaYFullY ProViDinG inForMation
During frontal presentations, some people might get bored
and slump down in their chairs. Content can be learned in a
completely different way, however, if viewers need to actively
move through it.
38 aBout nEtWorKinG WitH KnoWlEDGE EXCHanGE
In September 2015, Darmstadt was the center of European
science. High-ranking researchers gathered at the 27th Annual
Conference of Academia Europaea, organized by Professor
Fellner, Director of Fraunhofer IGD and the GRIS Department at
TU Darmstadt.
40 FraunHoFEr iGD in ProFilE
44 FraunHoFEr linKED in
46 FraunHoFEr-GEsEllsCHaFt
48 CustoMErs anD CooPEration PartnErs
50 PuBliCations
52 sErViCE anD ContaCts
56 HoW to FinD us
57 EDitorial notEs
V i s u a l C o m p u t i n g at t h e C l i n i C
X-rays, etcetera, allow doctors to look inside our bodies. But the images are often reluctant to reveal their secrets. Visual computing can make life easier for clinical physicians.
J o i n t r e s e a r C h W i t h o u t B o r D e r s
After the German reunification, the future was uncertain for many employees of the Computer science Department at the university of rostock. in the 25th year of the reunited german nation, scientists from Darmstadt and rostock conduct research hand in hand.
m r . 3 D i n t e r n e t
three-dimensional games, CaD models of new cars – without Dr. Johannes Behr, 3D content online would not be what it is today. the portrait of a dynamic computer science visionary.
20 24 30
i n D u s t r i e 4 . 006
basic technologies, as we need computer vision and 3D models
to make the systems intelligent,” explains Professor André Stork,
head of the Interactive Engineering Technologies Competence
Center at Fraunhofer IGD. One example is capturing the geome-
try of components: was the part produced as requested? Or did
an error occur?
Virtualizing reality, realizing virtuality
“Industrie 4.0 makes 3D models much more important–
Industrie 4.0 will refuel our research once again,” Professor
Stork says. Why? Industry in the future will link the virtual and
the real world much closer together than before. For instance, it
will be possible in the future to communicate with any machine
from any work station. Employees can virtually see on a screen
what the machines are really doing at the moment, and even
what they will do in the near future. Currently, daily routines
still present a different picture: man surveys real production sites
by means of laser scanners, if at all, then manually transfers the
data to a digital format. Either virtual representation constantly
lags behind in terms of up-to-dateness or no data are available
at all. One big goal of Industrie 4.0 is, therefore, that we would
like to virtualize reality and realize virtuality, in real time. Digital
representation should thus correspond to reality at all times.
The term Digital Twins is also used in this context. “However,
we have coined the term cyber-physical equivalence for it, CPE
in short. The term Digital Twins is also used for avatars, as it
happens,” explains Stork.
The researchers of Fraunhofer IGD have already come much
closer to this equivalence of the real and digital worlds. With
depth-sensing cameras, they record the machine or hall
30 times per second. “This is how we are able to capture
movements and reflect them back to the virtual world instantly,
i.e. with immediate effect,” specifies Stork. Visitors to Hannover
Messe were able to witness how well this works. Here, the
What can visual computing provide in industrie
4.0? many things, according to the researchers
of fraunhofer igD.
The times are over when people - celebrating their solitude - sat
in front of the TV at home alone. Now they virtually huddle
around with numerous friends, be it via social networks or news
portals. So far, so good. However, this development does not
concern only us; no, it is not even limited to living beings. In
the future, even production machines will “talk” to each other
and to people-devices, in fact, which have previously been con-
sidered to be rather uncommunicative, working along without
regard for their environment. In the case of production plants,
of course, it is not about living out social relations, huddling
around with as many friends as possible. They will, rather, work
more effectively this way.
“What is the point then?” you might wonder. There are many
reasons for this development, called Industrie 4.0. One of those
reasons is that Industrie 4.0 makes production processes more
flexible, making it possible to produce individual products, i.e. in
a perspective lot size of one. Customers can design their product
on a computer at home, send the data to the appropriate
company, and receive the object of their desire in a package
some time later. It already works this way for simple products.
In the future, it should also be within the realms of possibility
for more complicated items. However, it all depends on whether
production plants coordinate with each other – by sorting out,
for instance, which machine takes over which process step
when.
What can visual computing accomplish in the context of
Industrie 4.0? “In the process, 3D visualization is one of the
CONTACT: BODO URBAN, ANDRE STORk, JöRN
kOHlHAMMER, AlExANDER NOUAk
07i n D u s t r i e 4 . 0
researchers presented a mini-robot by fischertechnik GmbH.
With a depth-sensing camera, they recorded its movements and
transferred them to the virtual world, live of course.
Based on this CPE demonstrator, the researchers are currently
developing another exhibit at Hannover Messe 2016 to convey
the idea of customized production to visitors. In principle, the
visitor can make any shape with bristle blocks, representative
of the customized product, then two to three depth-sensing
cameras take a picture of the structure and create a 3D model
from it. The software analyzes in which order the blocks
were assembled and, in turn, derives some sort of assembly
instructions. Based on these instructions, a robot will then
recreate the “product.”
Which other solutions have the researchers developed in the
field of cyber-physical equivalence? The results can be seen
in an Industrie 4.0 lab in Rostock. Here, companies can get
information and see different demonstrations. The Rostock
showroom was awarded as a Selected landmark in the land
of Ideas 2015, an award the site obtained for the third time
already, and the fifth time for Fraunhofer IGD.
transparent production plants facilitate forward-looking analyses
Industrie 4.0 may be different from today’s production in many
ways, but both production methods have one requirement
in common: the machines and production plants must run
smoothly. Enormous costs are incurred when production lines
are stopped. If a machine no longer operates well, sensors de-
tect this at an early stage, thus preventing a system failure at a
later time. However, such sensors generate enormous amounts
of data, which to date can only be evaluated sporadically. A
new software by Fraunhofer IGD helps here. With it, technical
experts can visually analyze the large amounts of data and
compare the results of different machines. What do data from
intact machines look like? Which data change in operation?
“We are, therefore, moving away from the evaluation of the
past towards an analysis allowing us to act more effectively
in the future,” says Professor Jörn kohlhammer, head of the
Information Visualization and Visual Analytics Competence
Center at Fraunhofer IGD.
Supporting man with flexible and relevant assistance systems
As intelligent as machines might become, it is safe to say that
man will continue to play an important role in the production
halls even in times of Industrie 4.0. “We therefore develop
different assistance systems to provide the best possible support
for employees,” says Professor Bodo Urban, Director at the
Rostock site of Fraunhofer IGD. Control stations, for instance,
compile complex information for specific tasks and the shift
leaders consequently see at a glance what is going on in their
production area. For this purpose, the researchers prepare a
three-dimensional model of the entire production plant, which
the employee can view on a multitouch display. If the power
consumption of the saw gets out of hand, for instance, the
relevant display changes to red. Detailed information can be
retrieved by touch, revealing the power consumption of the last
minutes, hours, or days.
When it comes to assistance systems, researchers rely on
flexibility. “Rigid systems are not much help if processes
become flexible. After all, workers should not be managed
apathetically but be able to bring in their practical knowledge,”
says Urban. For instance, the researchers track tools picked up
by the employee, deriving what he is in the process of doing to
be able to respond flexibly to the employee’s current situation.
Another key point is currentness, mainly when it comes to new
products. For example, if the product range is adjusted,
i n D u s t r i e 4 . 008
employees must be guided and trained such as, for example if
they need to assemble new car models. Up to now, employees
needed to laboriously enter the assembly data into an associ-
ated training system by hand. Occasionally, however, new
changes were made on the car model while the employees
were already feeding the training system data. In other words,
the training data were, for the most part, already obsolete
again. “For the automobile manufacturers Opel and Volvo,
we use the data from production design directly for training
purposes, without having to process them any further. The
data used to train the assembly operators are therefore always
up-to-date,” explains Stork.
In the long term, these assistance systems are also intended to
enable man and machine to cooperate better, just like human
coworkers do. The metal men are to perceive what man does,
coordinate with him and assist him. “Our assistance system lets
the robot know which tasks are up next,” explains Urban.
Secure data management by means of biometrics
Transparency is of great importance in Industrie 4.0 – all the
more important that data do not fall into the wrong hands.
Personal features might increase security; it is impossible to pass
on the shape of your ear or the pattern of your iris like a key or
even a PIN. losing them is also not an option. So far, such per-
sonal features have rarely been used. “The main goal is to use
biometric systems which can be discreetly incorporated in the
workflow,” says Alexander Nouak, head of the Identification
and Biometrics Competence Center at Fraunhofer IGD. “The
best example is Apple’s iPhone. Here, the user barely notices the
biometric identification of his or her fingerprint.”
It is even safer and more user-friendly if not only one feature,
but several characteristic marks are captured. Multi-modal bio-
metrics, for instance, combines facial recognition, iris pattern,
fingerprint, and auricle shape. If the camera only moderately
recognized the face, the user no longer needs to look at the
camera again as before. Instead, the system unambiguously
identifies the employee by his or her ear or fingerprint. Which
recognition features are applied in the process all depends on
the circumstances. Mainly, things often touched by the user are
appropriate for authentication, e.g. by providing them with a
finger sensor. If the user needs to write a lot, the dynamics of
his or her handwriting or personal way of typing on a keyboard
can be analyzed.
Biometrics is limited to living beings. “However, the concepts
are transferable or conceivable for objects as well,” says Nouak.
“We are currently identifying certain features in workpieces
which are suitable for recognition.” These are also called
“physical unclonable functions,” or PUF. For instance, product
piracy could be proven more reliably. “If we previously applied
a pattern on the relevant workpieces and products,” says
Nouak, “we now intend to examine the characteristics inherent
in the workpiece.” In this manner, the workpieces should also
become somewhat intelligent and thus be well equipped for
the industry of the future.
09a u g m e n t e D r e a l i t y
in first in three of the four categories. In the fourth task, which was
about recognizing a component, they finished second.
time traveling with ar – at the Burg Castle on the Wupper river
Not just carmakers like VW are interested in this recognition tech-
nology. It offers benefits in completely different fields as well, such
as tourism. Visitors to the Burg Castle on the Wupper in Solingen,
for instance, can travel more than one hundred years back into
the past by means of AR and find out what the ruins looked
like at that time. This is made possible by the free app, “Schloss
Burg.” The app will recognize where the visitors are currently
located by means of the camera integrated in their smartphones.
At twelve different locations, it provides them with short texts and
images on the topics of trivia, history, ruins, and reconstruction or
historical 360-degree views. If the visitors are standing inside the
castle courtyard, they can switch back and forth between today’s
view and the historical one. If users take a picture of the painting
inside the knights’ hall, the app will reveal the secret of who was
actually portrayed there by displaying information on the people
depicted.
Mankind is a real masterpiece. Even babies learn to recognize people
in their surroundings. Technology needs some coaching in what the
world’s citizens visually register on their own, not only when it comes
to recognizing people by means of their characteristic attributes as in
biometrics, but also when identifying objects. It is this recognition and,
mainly, the tracking of moving objects, however, that is essential in
terms of Augmented Reality (AR), tracking being the basic technology,
so to speak.
Who best to “teach” technology?
How important it is to lend “eyes” to technology is evidenced by the
Tracking Challenge contest advertised by the carmaker VW. Here,
scientists from different institutes compete in an attempt to provide
ideal solutions to the given scenarios. In the process, the researchers
register in a local system of coordinates and orient themselves by
means of tracking. The tasks are based on the requirements of the
automotive industry as well as on current scientific issues.
In 2015, the challenge included four different tasks. In one, for
example, a moving object needed to be tracked – e.g. a steering
wheel attached to a robotic arm and guided through space along
curves, twists and bends. But there is more. The researchers were not
only to keep their eyes on the object but also overlay it with virtual
three-dimensional geometries in the process for as long as possible.
The researchers from Fraunhofer IGD entered the contest and came
“SEEing” tECHnologY – HElPFUl in indUStrY and toUriSMEvery once in a whi le , technology needs “eyes ,” such as when rea l i ty i s to be captured and enhanced with
addi t iona l informat ion. Sc ient i s t s f rom d ifferent inst i tutes recent ly competed in th i s ar t in the VW Group’s
Track ing Chal lenge and the researchers of F raunhofer IGD were far ahead in game. The appl icat ions ranged
f rom automot ive engineer ing a l l the way to cast le tours .
CONTACT: UlI BOCkHOlT
a rocking boat in place of a massive lab? for seven days, this scenario became a reality for three resear-chers from fraunhofer igD: they successfully tested their novel environmental monitoring system on the research ship fs alkor.
FraUnHoFEr on tHE WaY FraUnHoFEr on tHE WaY to UndiSCoVErEd SHorES to UndiSCoVErEd SHorES
11r e s e a r C h s h i p e X p e D i t i o n
July 4, 2015, 2:00 pm, somewhere in the middle of the Skagerrak,
a part of the North Sea. The waves are breaking on the hull of
the FS Alkor. Here, the air is filled with tense anticipation. Twelve
scientists are crowded around the railing. Crew members, deck-
hands and officers are industriously bustling around. The FS Alkor
is actually a research ship, and the moment of truth is drawing
near for the team of researchers. Will their design deliver on its
promise? Or were the efforts of the past months in vain? While
the captain is keeping the ship as still as possible, the crew on deck
activates a winch. As a result, a hexagonal metal structure about
three meters high is lifted up on a thick wire, swings back and
forth, moves over the railing towards the water and then slowly
submerges. But, despite of all fingers being crossed, the waves are
too high and some parts of the structure come loose. There is a
lot of hustle and bustle as the winch lifts the structure back out of
the water, complete with the detached parts, and dozens of hands
reach for the frame, carefully guiding it onto the ship’s deck. While
the Fraunhofer IGD researchers evaluate the data from the cameras
attached to the structure, their colleagues pull out their wrenches
to tackle the hardware, i.e. the frame. And then the operation
starts all over again, this time successfully.
Sensor system FlexMoT instantly detects underwater leaks
But what exactly are the scientists testing? “We have developed
the modular sensor system, FlexMoT, together with colleagues
from three industrial partners and GEOMAR. The system measures
different parameters in the ocean, such as temperature, salt
content, or methane dissolved in water,” explains Thomas Ruth,
Head of Fraunhofer IGD Group Visualization, in a quiet moment.
He coordinates the project on board, together with his two
colleagues. “For instance, the sensor system would be able to
CONTACT: THOMAS RUTH
detect any leakage around drilling platforms at an early stage.” In
fact, marine researchers are already using such profiling systems
to some extent, but they put them together themselves, for the
most part, fiddling about sometimes for several years. “We, on
the other hand, are working on a ready-made system. This could
also be applied for long-term surveying, with smaller and more
readily available ships, such as supply vessels,” adds Ruth.
The principle: once the metal structure reaches the bottom of the
ocean, it releases a buoy which rises to the top. Ten meters below
the water surface is the maximum, however; the system cannot
be stretched any further. In this way, the buoy is not exposed to
the sometimes heavy swells on the surface. Due to its buoyancy,
the rope is tightened while being attached to the structure on the
seabed. From time to time, a little elevator moves up and down
the rope. Both metal structure and elevator are equipped with
sensors, so that the structure records data on the ocean floor
while the elevator delivers results from the entire water column.
Furthermore, the system allows for real-time monitoring by
sending a data balloon up to the water surface every day.
12 r e s e a r C h s h i p e X p e D i t i o n
Here, the balloon connects to the mobile network and sends its
data to a shore station where they can be evaluated. In the case
of remote sites, the data balloon communicates via satellite. The
system displays great longevity; it can remain in the water for up to
one year before the batteries die. Most conventional systems need
to be recharged after one or two months.
But enough theory. Back on board. The deck has almost been
cleared. The structure has been submerged in the water and
the current position of the ship and depth of the water have
been registered by the system configuration with a click on the
tablet. Now, the scientists are gathered around a little flickering
black-and-white screen inside the ship-based lab. What they can
see there is somewhat reminiscent of a moon landing: a little
explosive charge separates the structure from the rope winch so
that it settles on the ocean floor. Now, the researchers dart out to
the top deck above the ship’s bridge. Armed with binoculars and
tablet, they are on the lookout for the first little data buoy, which
is supposed to come up after ten minutes. There it is! But no, it
was only a lemon-colored jellyfish. But then somebody catches
sight of the buoy and immediately checks the tablet to see if the
data arrived safe and sound. lo and behold, the connection is up
and running, the data buoy reliably transmits the results recorded
by the different sensors underwater. Smiling faces all around.
spotting anomalies at a glance
Now, a little peace and quiet is restored. Almost leisurely, the
scientists begin evaluating the data received, so there is plenty
of time to look over Thomas Ruth’s shoulder. “We developed the
software at Fraunhofer IGD, for the most part,” he explains while
looking at the monitor. “On the one hand, there is the operating
software. It sinks down to the ocean floor so to speak, initiating
boot commands for the data buoys from there. And on the other
hand, there is an evaluation software on the so-called ‘topside,’
which we are in the process of using here.” A dashboard shows
how the individual parameters, such as the methane concentra-
tion or temperature, behave, and creates a corresponding site
map of the surroundings. “You can see anomalies at a glance,”
rejoices Ruth. “If, for instance, the temperature curve shows an
anomaly, the user can zoom in this time frame with the touch of
a finger and will then also see all other parameters for this time
period.” The software also requests and saves additional data
from special providers, such as the marine weather at the survey
site, as well as the wave height. It was much more complex and
lengthy for previous systems to evaluate the data together; as
every sensor manufacturer has its own evaluation software, the
software needed to be changed for each parameter.
A day and a half later. A storm rages at sea. It is impossible to
continue working. The researchers actually intended to stay in
the Skagerrak for four days but the weather threw a monkey
wrench in their plans. Instead, the structure needs to be retrieved
and relocated to calmer waters to continue testing there.
Back at home in the lab, Ruth summarizes, “All components are
working and our sensors are delivering reliable results, even if we
needed to assist here and there and adjust things. And teamwork
on board the ship is unique. While we normally all just research
along inside our labs, we deliberate in a large group there. life
on a ship had many inspirations in store for new developments
and future technologies. In a word, there is no substitute for
having experienced daily work routines on a research ship.”
13C o l o r & i m a g i n g
aCroSS tHE Color SPECtrUM
lEDs is attached to a one-meter-long moving arm. This allows the
researchers to realize numerous different light compositions, be
it daylight or the light of various lamps. The light falls on the test
colors of the 3D printer from any direction, and the reflected light
can be detected from any direction. In this manner, the scientists
determine the exact effects of each color composition, enabling
them to precisely calibrate the printer.
Darmstadt – hub of color sciences
The international IS&T Color and Imaging Conference was another
highlight in the field of color. It is the premier event of its kind
when it comes to color sciences. For the first time, it did not take
place in the US, but in Germany, in Darmstadt to be precise.
The Program Chair was Philipp Urban, head of the 3D Printing
Technology Competence Center at Fraunhofer IGD. Together
with his colleague, Michael Murdoch of the Rochester Institute of
Technology (RIT), he was responsible for the scientific program.
The organization was handled by Urban with his team on site.
They managed the framework program, booked hotel rooms, and
raised funds from the German Research Foundation DFG. The con-
ference was extraordinarily well received. Instead of the expected
150 guests, 189 people exchanged views at the event and, as in
the 22 previous years, they came from all over the world.
It was overnight–and completely unexpected–that the software
“Cuttlefish” turned into a media star. The reason it became
famous was a scientific article published by the researchers of
Fraunhofer IGD in mid-2015. Most of the time, such publications
go unnoticed in the media landscape, but it was a different story
for Cuttlefish: the magazine MIT Technology Review’s article
described the software in easily comprehensible terms and got
the ball rolling. The researchers had “solved the last big challenge
of 3D printing,” read the title of the article, and all of a sudden
the words “3D printing” and “Fraunhofer IGD” resounded in the
press all over the world.
What is behind the name creating such a stir? Cuttlefish is a
printer driver that makes it possible to create “shockingly realistic
color prints,” as expressed by the 3D Printing Industry web portal.
Cuttlefish not only imitates the color, but also the texture of the
original object deceivingly well, thus making it possible for 3D
printers to produce exact copies of objects.
Color calibration for 3D printers
Yet, the researchers of the 3D Printing Technology Competence
Center are not concerned only with 3D printing per se. They
are also a step ahead when it comes to calibration. With their
gonioreflectometer, they are able to achieve a level of color
accuracy that is globally unique. Viewed from the outside, the
device seems unspectacular. You only see a black box that is over
two meters long and just as wide. Dark velvet on all walls keeps
all the light out. Inside, however, a light source loaded with 22
Co lo r u sed to be a de l i c a te sub j ec t i n 3D p r in t i ng – i t was ha rd l y pos s ib l e to rep roduce co lo r s rea l i s t i c a l l y .
Cu t t l e f i sh pu t an end to th i s d i l emma and became famous ove r n igh t . The re sea rche r s a t F r aunhofe r IGD
a l so have so lu t i ons i n s to re fo r o the r co lo r i s sues .
CONTACT: PHIlIPP URBAN
experts are certain that residential environments are changing. But where is the road taking us?
tHE HoME oF tHE FUtUrE tHE HoME oF tHE FUtUrE tHE HoME oF tHE FUtUrE tHE HoME oF tHE FUtUrE tHE HoME oF tHE FUtUrE tHE HoME oF tHE FUtUrE tHE HoME oF tHE FUtUrE tHE HoME oF tHE FUtUrE tHE HoME oF tHE FUtUrE tHE HoME oF tHE FUtUrE tHE HoME oF tHE FUtUrE
15i n t e l l i g e n t l i V i n g
Home mainly relates to comfort and a sense of security. This is
what some people think. Not everyone sees this priority, which is
not to say that comfort is less important to others. It is paramount,
however, to assist residents in their everyday life and equip
apartments with intelligence. Dr. Andreas Braun, head of the Smart
living & Biometric Technologies Competence Center at Fraunhofer
IGD, will tell us what this means for day-to-day life.
Dr. Braun, how will we live at home in the future?
living at home will become more and more intelligent, without
the required technology becoming visible, as such. We also speak
of Ambient Assisted living, AAl in short. Mainly elderly people will
benefi t from it. After all, technology allows them to live in their
apartments as long and as independently as possible. The basic
requirement is that the devices need to understand what residents
would like to do, to understand and implement their wishes. If
they would like to dim the light, for instance, it should be enough
for residents to point at the lamp and say, “dim the light.” For
more complex wishes, it is necessary to develop some kind of
communication between the devices, meaning the devices must
talk to each other in the background to virtually coordinate who
can make which contribution to fulfi ll the residents’ wishes.
that sounds unusual. What is the status quo of intelligent
living?
There are already numerous solutions for intelligent living. Special
bathroom mirrors remind residents to take their medicine. The
stove will switch off automatically if no pots are on it. And if the
person leaves the bed at night, the light will guide him or her to
the bathroom. However, these have so far been isolated solutions,
so each application had its own software. A combination with
other approaches often caused problems. What had been missing
in the past was an open platform with a shared control button for
the different devices and sensors, a platform allowing the devices
CONTACT: ANDREAS BRAUNACTUATORS
SENSORS
ing, sitting, or walking – or whether he or she has fallen down
and is lying on the ground helplessly. In this case, the sensors will
call for help. We are expanding these tests at the WoQuaZ after
having tested CapFloor inside the lab on a surface area of just a
few square meters. So far, we have installed the sensors in three
apartments; after 2016, they will be found in all apartments, on a
total surface area of over a thousand square meters. Completely
different issues can arise in such a huge area than in a small corner
of a lab. There are no final results yet, but the users are happy so
far.
The applications of CapFloor are not only limited to falls, by the
way. For instance, the sensors can ensure that the light is turned
on in the bathroom if the resident walks towards it. They can also
turn off the heat if nobody is at home, or they can warn residents
if electrical devices are still running or the window is open when
they leave their home.
Can interested developers buy the intelligent apartment
as a complete solution already?
Such a complete solution was previously not available. Rather, you
had to pick up the individual solutions little by little. This gap was
closed by the spin-off, Assisted Home Solutions. My predecessor,
Dr. Reiner Wichert, founded the company in the summer of
2015. Assisted Home Solutions offers a comprehensive package
of intelligent services based on universal that already comes very
close to the complete solution for an intelligent apartment. The
offer includes sensors and actors by different producers as well
as various internet services. The user can therefore rely on quite a
large number of services.
In addition, Assisted Home Solutions assists developers, be it
in new buildings or in the conversion of existing buildings, as
experience shows that, for the most part, AAl applications are not
well planned in the construction phase of a house. The employees
to exchange their information among each other. We therefore
teamed up with partners and developed such a platform. The
result is called “universAAl.”
How far has the development of this software platform
evolved already?
It is currently being tested, namely in the scope of the large-scale
practice test “Make it ReAAl,” which was initiated by the EU and
in which more than 5000 people in eight countries are currently
participating. In their homes, AAl technologies from a total of 30
producers are running on the universal shared software platform.
So far, we have received positive feedback. Systems which used to
not talk to each other are now communicating without any issues.
let’s take an automatic blood pressure monitor and a personal
scale. Normally, the devices determine their data separately, so
the caregiver needs to look at two different software systems and
transfer the results to an overall chart. He or she records the data,
directly saving them in a shared list. The caregiver will therefore
see all examination results at a glance, gaining more information
and saving the manual transfer of the values. Eventually, this also
creates more time for personal, face-to-face care.
Another practice test is being run at the Weiterstadt
Center of living and accommodation, WoQuaZ for short.
What exactly are you studying there?
Here, it is also about testing the universAAl platform, although on
a different level. The focus is less on the amount of data. The
WoQuaZ actually only consists of 20 apartments, one shared-hous-
ing arrangement for dementia patients, and one day-care center.
Rather, it is about integrating and controlling individual sensor
systems in the platform as closely to everyday life as possible. For
instance, our CapFloor system uses sensors hidden in the floor
underneath the laminate to register whether the resident is stand-
16 i n t e l l i g e n t l i V i n g
17
of the spin-off will therefore support developers in an advisory
capacity to ensure that everything will work as planned.
Dr. Braun, which technologies can we expect from you
in the future?
We are working to replace motion sensors with less noticeable
technologies, as they are not always nice to look at hanging
from the ceiling in boxes. What is more, they are not particularly
precise. Changing light conditions, for instance, can cause interfer-
ence. In short, we would like to make the sensors less noticeable
and more fault-resistant.
One approach is providing furniture with “intelligence.” In the
future, couch and office chair will know whether someone is
sitting on them. If so, the light in the room next door is switched
off and the heat is turned down. The bed, in turn, might check
the sleeper’s breathing activity, which allows conclusions on how
restful his or her sleep was. For this purpose, we use a sensor
emitting a weak electric field. This field changes as the chest
moves up and down. Essentially, it is the same technology as in
CapFloor. Such intelligent furniture can almost provide the same
information as motion detectors but are much better integrated in
the design of the home.
a u g m e n t e D r e a l i t y
Not everyone can be in the spotlight – this applies to art
treasures as well. Museum visitors only marvel at and appreciate
some works that we shine the spotlight on. Many other works
are waiting in museum basements to be rediscovered. Some
of these buried collections are huge. Therefore, it used to be
impossible to completely digitize them.
A development by Fraunhofer IGD, therefore, attracted a lot of
attention at Digital Heritage 2015 in Granada, Spain, from Sep-
tember 28 through October 2. At the conference, visitors could
watch a fully automated scanning facility work. The researchers
scanned the QR code of the object in which the inventory
number is coded, put the object on a tray, and everything else
happened automatically. Out came a three-dimensional digital
copy of the object, and at a mind-boggling speed. A new object
can be digitized every ten minutes. It is therefore possible to
transfer entire collections to the digital world for the first time.
scanning facility – fully automated and fast
let’s take a look at how the Cultlab3D scanning facility works.
Once the art object is put on the tray, it is first taken to a
scanning arc equipped with nine cameras. A second arc, moving
parallel to the first scanning arc, provides the required lighting
with nine light sources. Once the object is placed underneath
the arcs, these move into nine different positions from which
they take a total of 153 different images. Duration? About one
minute. The underlying software creates a first three-dimensional
reconstruction from the 60 best images, a so-called preview
model. In the meantime, the scanning arc is taking more pictures
from positions it had not covered before. Added are pictures
from below, taken by nine stationary cameras through the
transparent tray. The status after five minutes: a first 3D model
and over one hundred additional images.
On the 3D model, the system will detect if there are any under-
cuts. Are there any “holes” in the digital art object? The second
scanning point – a robotic arm with a camera and a diffuse light
source – moves into specific positions where gaps still exist. The
scanning facility sends a total of 350 to 400 images to a comput-
er, which then creates the final digital “twin” of the object. This
takes another two hours, give or take. As the PC performs the
computation offline, however, the required computing power is
easy to supply.
C u lt l a B 3 D18
digitiZing WorKS oF art non-StoP
CONTACT: PEDRO SANTOS
Museums often harbor large col lect ions of art objects buried in basements and storage rooms. A digital scanning
faci l i ty now makes it possible for us to digit ize these vast amounts of treasures in a ful ly automated process. A new
object can be scanned every ten minutes..
1919
I N T E R V I E W
tHE “FUllY aUtoMatEd SCanning FaCilitY”
Ped ro San tos , head o f the D ig i t i z a t i on o f Cu l tu ra l
He r i t age Competence Cente r a t F r aunhofe r IGD ,
answer s some ques t i ons about the s cann ing f ac i l i t y .
Mr. Santos, you exhibited the CultLab3D scanning fa-cility at the Digital Heritage in 2013 for the fi rst time. What is new in 2015?
In 2013 we showed the fi rst prototype of the scanning facility. It
conveyed the idea, but we were just starting out at the time. In
2015, we put forward a fully automated scanning facility suited
to digitize entire collections for the fi rst time, due to its high
throughput.
What else is special about the scanning facility?
Currently, the scanning facility captures the geometry and texture
of an object, it is color-calibrated and registers the real size of the
objects. We calibrated the cameras for this purpose. We therefore
know the pixel-to-meter ratio and can convert the images
accordingly. We calibrate the cameras for color fastness via a color
scale. We “showed” a color palette to each camera and scaled it
in this manner. As we conceived the scanning concept like some
type of assembly system, additional scanners may be added at any
time. Currently, art treasures with a height of up to 60 centimeters
can be scanned from the top and the bottom. One might also
add scanners, however, to record volumetric data, such as an
ultrasound scanner.
When can museums and other interested parties use the scanning facility?
For spring 2016, we plan to test the fully automated scanning
facility at other museums fi rst. Then it is to be commercialized.
Moreover, we are developing the scanning facility further. In
addition to the shape and look of the object, in the future it will also
capture, in an equally fully automated manner, the optical material
properties, such as the refl ective properties.
21m e D i C i n e
A picture is worth a thousand words, as the saying goes.
Sometimes, however, even pictures only reveal their secrets
after lengthy and tough analyses, such as in daily hospital
routines. While fractures on an x-ray image are visible to the
trained eye at first glance, it often takes clinical physicians
many hours to evaluate computer-tomography or magnetic-
resonance images. In the process, the analysis in the head and
neck region is particularly challenging, for there are numerous
different structures located in a relatively small area.
tumor radiation in the head and neck region
Before clinical doctors radiate a tumor in the head region, for
instance, they study the relevant computer-tomography images
for about four hours, marking the regions of individual struc-
tures on the image data, such as spinal cord, blood vessels and
larynx. A precisely planned approach is vital for the patient’s
survival: In radiotherapy, the doctors “shoot” the tumor with
highly energetic rays, after all, destroying it in this manner.
Sensitive organs in close proximity must not be damaged too
much by the rays.
Visual computing makes it much easier for doctors to identify
structures. “With kOHAlA, our ‘kOpf-HAls-Atlas’ (head-neck
atlas) for radiation therapy, the evaluation only takes four
minutes instead of four hours,” confirms Dr. Stefan Wesarg,
head of the Visual Healthcare Technologies Competence
Center at Fraunhofer IGD. The heart of kOHAlA is the CoSMo
model. The “Coupled Shape Model” recognizes the different
structures, marks them accordingly, and segments them – it
virtually outlines their shapes.
The software has already been evaluated at the Sana Clinic
of Offenbach and at the University Clinics of Gießen and
Marburg, where physicians tested it on 20 patient records.
Currently, the researchers are increasing the accuracy of the
segmentation. Once this is accomplished, the industrial partner
Medcom GmbH, a Fraunhofer spin-off, plans to bring kOHAlA
to the market.
Minimally invasive surgeries in the head region
Many surgeries are minimally invasive and, therefore, much less
of a strain on the patient. Such a procedure actually does not
require a large cut; if polyps need to be removed, for instance,
doctors insert the endoscope through the nose. As the tool
comes rather close to the brain on its way, however, doctors
need to practice such procedures several times. Phacon GmbH
in leipzig offers training systems for this purpose: an artificial
head with a gaping hole in the place of the nose. Doctors
can insert different attachments and remove the polyps, for
example.
l o o k i n g i n s i d e a l i v i n g b o d y i s d i f f i c u l t , i f n o t i m p o s s i b l e . x - r a y s , e t c e t e r a , a l l o w u s t o t a k e a l o o k
i n s i d e a h u m a n b o d y , b u t t h e i m a g e s o f t e n o n l y re v e a l t h e i r s e c re t s a f t e r l e n g t h y a n a l y s i s . V i s u a l
c o m p u t i n g – m o re p re c i s e l y , t h e i m a g e - b a s e d p ro c e s s i n g o f e x i s t e n t i a l h e a l t h re c o rd s – c a n m a k e l i f e
e a s i e r f o r c l i n i c a l p h y s i c i a n s .
CONTACT: STEFAN WESARG
ViSUal CoMPUting at tHE CliniC
22 m e D i C i n e
OraMod developments will be integrated in the overall forecast
model and fed with the first data, including the software by
Fraunhofer IGD.
Specific treatment for prostate cancer
Which treatment is best for the patient? The answer to this
question is often as individual as the progression of the disease.
Medical experts therefore save the patients’ data – in line with
data protection laws, of course – because they want to find similar
cases to be able to treat patients as specifically as possible. This
is done at a private clinic affiliated with the University Hospital of
Hamburg-Eppendorf, where the doctors have already collected
20,000 data records of people suffering from prostate cancer – a
data jungle barely manageable with conventional tools. The team
around Professor Jörn kohlhammer, who heads the Information
Visualization and Visual Analytics Competence Center at Fraun-
hofer IGD, now offers a solution. “We have developed a software
to recognize the commonalities between the data records and
divide them with the doctor’s help into different groups,” says
kohlhammer. The University Clinic has been using the software
since 2013, although only in research for the time being. The
medical experts are trying to find out which commonalities exist
in patients whose treatment only resulted in little success. In this
way, the doctors also hope to answer the question of which genes
are responsible for the various forms of prostate cancer.
The employees of Phacon GmbH are using different com-
puter-tomography patient images as a basis for the models,
which they laboriously evaluate by hand. The researchers at
Fraunhofer IGD are therefore expanding their CoSMo model to
include the nose and sinuses. By summer 2016, the first version
of the software should be up and running. In the long term,
it is even conceivable for doctors to play through very difficult
operations on patient-specific models first.
Reliably and quickly detecting oral cavity cancer
Visual computing can even be of good service in cases of oral
cavity cancer, the sixth most common cancer in the world. The
tricky part about this type of cancer is that, in most people,
it can be easily treated at first, but recurs later in every other
patient. Are there indicators to show this development early
and reliably? Scientists want to answer this question in the EU
project, OraMod; they are creating a model to determine how
likely a recurrence is by means of a whole bundle of individual
patient data. One of the possible indicators are enlarged lymph
nodes. The researchers at Fraunhofer IGD are concentrating on
this piece of the puzzle from the OraMod project.
In order to examine the lymph nodes, the doctor regularly
slides his patient into the magnetic resonance scanner. Next is
a laborious task: the medical experts look for the nodes on the
current images and mark them. Bit by bit, they then work their
way through the older images. Where can the relevant nodes be
found? Did they grow? “This is much easier with our software.
Then it will suffice for the doctors to mark the lymph nodes in
the current image at the click of a mouse,” explains Wesarg.
Everything else runs automatically. Without any effort on the
part of the medical expert, the lymph nodes are segmented,
their volume is computed and compared to the relevant nodes
on older images. For test purposes, the researchers have already
rolled out their software to clinics. In 2016, all individual
S H O R T N E W S
MEaSUring Vital data – and StaYing HEaltHY
How high is your pulse rate? Under which conditions does your
heart rate change? How intensive is your breathing? Activity and
vital data provide a variety of information about a person and
allow important conclusions regarding his or her physical and
mental development. First, the data must be recorded and then
evaluated – this is what the cooperation network TakeCare is
concerned with. Here, users, service providers, producers, and
research institutions like Fraunhofer IGD jointly develop innovative
assistance systems and services for people. The network provides
technologies, facilitates their operation, prepares the market
launch, and supports a sustainable creation of value.
People are at the focus of TakeCare, for the assistance by means
of activity and vital data can support physical performance in
the long term and well into old age. Appropriate apps on a
smartwatch, for instance, can detect when the user falls down
and will notify caretakers or call for help if the vital data change
dramatically. Furthermore, vital data can indicate low blood sugar
levels at night or the onset of dementia. They are also helpful
when it comes to analyzing the effectiveness of drugs, treatment
concepts or preventive measures.
Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH Joint rESEarCH WitHoUt BordErSWitHoUt BordErSWitHoUt BordErSWitHoUt BordErSWitHoUt BordErSWitHoUt BordErSWitHoUt BordErSWitHoUt BordErSWitHoUt BordErSWitHoUt BordErSWitHoUt BordErSWitHoUt BordErSWitHoUt BordErSWitHoUt BordErSWitHoUt BordErSWitHoUt BordErSWitHoUt BordErSWitHoUt BordErSWitHoUt BordErSWitHoUt BordErSWitHoUt BordErSWitHoUt BordErSWitHoUt BordErSWitHoUt BordErSWitHoUt BordErSWitHoUt BordErSWitHoUt BordErSWitHoUt BordErS
25r e V i e W & p r e V i e W
Af te r the f a l l o f the wa l l , t he fu tu re was unce r ta in fo r many emp loyees o f the Compute r G raph i c s Re -
sea rch Group a t the Depa r tment o f Compute r S c i ence o f the Ros tock Un i ve r s i t y . These emp loyees were
hung ou t to d r y , so to speak . They were t aken i n by P ro fe s so r Jo sé lu i s Enca r nação , the D i rec to r o f
F r aunhofe r IGD a t the t ime . I n the 25 th y ea r o f the reun i t ed Ge rman na t ion , s c i en t i s t s f rom Da rms tad t and
Ros tock conduc t re sea rch hand in hand , w i thou t bo rde r s .
Germany in ecstasy−the wall that had divided the country for
such a long time was open. Inconceivable. Equally inconceivable
as the preceding division. What followed has not been easy,
people coming together from one and the same country, whose
experiences could not have been more different. 25 years later,
on June 17, 2015, to be exact, Fraunhofer IGD summed things up
and asked questions about the shared research history of the sites
in Darmstadt and Rostock at the Joint research without borders
event. The ceremony was organized within the scope of the
“crossing borders” of the German state of Hesse series of events.
The emeritus professor José luis Encarnação, who headed Fraun-
hofer IGD at the time of the German reunifi cation, his successor,
Professor Dieter W. Fellner, and Professor Bodo Urban, head of
Fraunhofer IGD in Rostock, remember the time before, during,
and after the reunifi cation, and look ahead.
Professor Urban, you were a member of the Computer
Graphics research Group at the rostock university, from
which today’s rostock site of Fraunhofer iGD emerged. How
did you experience the time in the GDR from a researcher’s
perspective?
Professor Urban: Prior to the reunifi cation, we were the strongest
computer graphics group in the GDR. As such, we naturally
followed the work of Professor Encarnação, who developed the fi rst
graphics standards on the other side of the wall. Overall, natural
and engineering sciences were not as politicized in the GDR as
social sciences; our technical developments were not tied as closely
to political interpretations, after all. The limitations we experienced
were therefore less in terms of content than of a cultural and social
nature – regarding, for instance, what and where we were allowed
to publish, contacting other scientists, traveling, and certainly
equipment.
What happened after the reunifi cation?
Professor Urban: First of all, the reunifi cation meant for us
that our cooperation partners vanished into thin air. Now, the
question was what was to happen with our group? At the time
of the reunifi cation, we had already made contact with Professor
Encarnação – he did a lot for us.
Professor Encarnação: First, I founded a branch offi ce of the
Darmstadt Center for Computer Graphics in Rostock and picked
up employees in this way. In January of 1992, we then had the
chance to establish a Fraunhofer network.
Professor Urban: IIn the set-up phase, we had a lot of support
from Darmstadt. The colleagues there integrated us in EU projects,
for instance - completely new ground for us, of course. In the East,
we also had a defi cit in terms of IT because current technologies
were often not accessible to us. However, we were able to close this
gap quickly. One of these EU projects was one of the fi rst applica-
tions of the World Wide Web, spreading information on European
research funding. Those were very exciting times!
CONTACT: BODO URBAN
26 r e V i e W & p r e V i e W
Professor Encarnação, what about people who had been
involved in the Stasi or SED?
Professor Encarnação: Of course, the Rostock research group
was not free from people who had been members of the party
or affi liated with the secret police. However, a distinction must
be made: some of them were only part of these organizations
to open up the required research opportunities for themselves
and the computer graphics group- i.e. to be able to travel to
conventions and conferences. It was those causing harm to
others by being loyal to the party line who were dangerous.
They were not acceptable in the group. The employees basically
solved this issue among themselves, in fact in a very confi dent,
goal-oriented, but also very fair and cooperative manner. They
consciously thought about these questions with the future in
mind and acted. In doing so, they intensively looked forward
and had these discussions, supported by shared hopes and
goals, and found good solutions as well. They continued to
work with each other constructively, without wasting time on
any destructive dealings with the past. I see this as another
reason for the group’s great success.
Which other strengths did you see in Rostock?
Professor Encarnação: The natural scientists and engineers in
the GDR had very good mathematical training. Furthermore,
they were used to working with limited resources. Their
approach was, therefore, very systematic and scientifi c. While
we had a rather pragmatic American approach in the West
and applied trial-and-error methods sometimes, the Rostock
employees already took care of any potential errors beforehand.
With their limited resources, they could not afford any failed
experiments.
The participants of the panel discussion “Grenzenlos gemeinsam forschen” at Fraunhofer IGD in Darmstadt on June 17, 2015: f. l. t. r. Dr. Norbert Niebert (Ericsson), Dr. Robert Heinrich (House of IT), Prof. em. Dr. Jose L. Encarnação (TU Darmstadt), Prof. Dr. Bodo Urban (Fraunhofer IGD), Dr. Michael Horn (“Darmstädter Echo”).
Professor Urban, how did you feel about the young
cooperation between Rostock and Darmstadt?
Professor Urban: From the very beginning, we worked together
on equal terms. Tearing down mental walls was much easier in a
scientifi c environment than in other areas. There were never any
condescending remarks, only a great need to know about how
things worked in the GDR. There are no more borders between
Darmstadt and Rostock today. If there ever were any, we have
overcome them.
Professor Fellner, you became the Director of Fraunhofer IGD
in 2006. Where will the road take us in the future?
Professor Fellner: In a sense, I am continuing the legacy of
Professor Encarnação. I provide the environment for both
German sites to continue their good cooperation in the future.
It is my goal to bring Rostock and Darmstadt closer together
conceptually. For example, this is shown by the Fraunhofer
strategy process: we are not developing a Rostock and Darmstadt
strategy, but a shared visual-computing strategy, applicable to
Fraunhofer IGD as a whole with all of its four sites.
The cooperation is also refl ected by various projects. Is there
something like a joint lighthouse project?
Professor Fellner: I could name a few. One of them is certainly our
Industrie 4.0 lab, which we are in the process of establishing both in
Rostock and Darmstadt. It serves as a kind of demo room, in which
we can demonstrate our developments in the fi eld of Industrie 4.0 to
industrial customers. The Industrie 4.0 concepts shown there stand
for our entire family of researchers. Rostock and Darmstadt not only
symbolize how to overcome mental borders, but also how to connect
geographically distant locations.
27
Sometimes you feel like pulling your hair out. Where in the world
is this or that setting on your smartphone? let’s be honest, most
smartphones offer far more functions than we use every day.
Searching for one particular setting can therefore take a lot of
time and nerves. Users of complex geographic information systems
(GIS) may feel the same way while navigating through their
software. These systems are real multitalents indeed. They can do
virtually anything your heart desires. However, this also makes the
programs extremely complex and a little confusing. Plus you need
to dig quite deep into your pocket.
Customizing software
In line with the motto “less is more,” the researchers at Fraun-
hofer IGD have now developed the modular system GEOToolbox.
The key benefi t is that users are able to customize their individual
software package with it. They only acquire the components they
actually need – the software thus becomes more manageable and
cost-effective.
The GEOToolbox is based on CityServer3D, which was also
created by Fraunhofer IGD and which makes it possible to use
3D city models in an animated way. The researchers have now
modularized the CityServer3D by taking out all operable services,
and offering them on a separate, stand-alone basis. In this
way, the scientists are much more fl exible in meeting customer
requirements. Alternatively, customers may compose their
software by themselves, tailored to their needs. For the long term,
the researchers plan to offer the individual services additionally
as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS): customers who only need the
In the future, urban planners no longer need to buy one standard software package but may compose the tools
themselves according to their wishes and needs by means of the modular system GEOToolbox.
software occasionally would not be required to buy it but could
use it in the form of a service offered by Fraunhofer IGD.
There are many examples of such micro services. For instance, the
GEOToolbox can convert data formats – e.g. a standard 3D format
into a visualization-capable format. Another example is tiling
for buildings: in order to avoid having to load data of a digital
building model, it is subdivided into tiles which can be loaded in
a fl exible way. Such tiles can be created and adapted with the
GEOToolbox.
Cloud computing
In addition, all individual components of the GEOToolbox are
cloud-enabled. The computing power is thus not supplied by
the respective end device, but by the cloud. This has multiple
benefi ts. On the one hand, the user can use end devices which
would otherwise have too little processing power for the
applications, such as a smartphone. On the other hand, the user
can adapt the computing capacity to the required computing
power and therefore process and visualize even large amounts of
data quickly and effi ciently. The computer would quickly reach its
limits with complex calculations, so patience would be called for.
The cloud is different. Here, the computing power can be scaled
up if need be. Moreover, the user can have several processes
running simultaneously, regardless of whether they are run by
the same or different applications.
g e o to o l b o x
FlEXiBlE SoFtWarE CoMPoSition
CONTACT: EVA klIEN
Bernt Schiele 2004-2010
Dieter W. Fellner 2007-heute
Michael Goesele
2007-heute
Stefan Roth
2007-heute
Jose L. Encarnacao
1975-2009
1990 20101980 2000
Marc Alexa 2002-2005
Reinhard Klein 1999-2000
Arjan Kuijper 2015-heute
Wolfgang Strasser 1978-1986
Konrad Schindler
2009-2010
29V i s u a l C o m p u t i n g @ D a r m s t a D t
ViSUal CoMPUting@darMStadt
From a bird’s eye view, it must seem like countless ant trails – more
than 40,000 students fl ock to Darmstadt’s lecture halls, libraries, or
cafeterias every day. It is not by chance that the “little” big city with
a population of 150,000 is considered a city of science: in addition
to the university, over 30 other institutes and research institutions
are actually based here.
Visual computing – a special gem
The Hessian city is particularly strong when it comes to visual
computing, for Fraunhofer IGD is located here; the VC know-how
of the researchers there is illustrated by the Annual Report at hand.
One part of their expertise is based on the close scientifi c ties to
TU Darmstadt. The GRIS department, short for Interactive Graphics
Systems, was founded by Professor José luis Encarnação 40 years
ago. Today, several departments in the fi eld of visual computing
work closely together. The Interactive Graphics Systems is headed by
Professor Dieter W. Fellner; Professor Michael Goesele is responsible
for Graphics, Capture, and Massively Parallel Computing; and the
department of Visual Inference is directed by Professor Stefan Roth.
new cooperation and honorary professorships to streng-then the connection between TU and Fraunhofer IGD
Another department was added in mid 2015. Within the scope of
a cooperation professorship, Professor Arjan kuijper has devoted
himself to the topic of Mathematical and Applied Visual Computing,
which means that kuijper conducts his research mainly at Fraunhofer
IGD as before. 20 percent of his time, however, is reserved for the
TU, where he is setting up his own research group. And what is
behind the seemingly complicated name of the professorship? In a
nutshell, you could say that kuijper closes the gap between math-
ematics and computer science. While mathematicians often have
a hard time dealing with applications, computer scientists on the
other hand are beginning to falter when it comes to mathematical
concepts. In short, TU Darmstadt needs one person who can speak
both languages and translate from a middle position; this person is
Arjan kuijper.
In recognition of his scientifi c accomplishments, Professor Jörn
kohlhammer was awarded an honorary professorship in 2015; he
can, therefore, intensify his cooperation with the students and link
fundamental and applied research in visual computing even closer
together. The focus of kohlhammer’s research is User Centered
Visual Analytics; i.e. kohlhammer would like to learn how users think
and involve them more closely in all VC developments.
The new umbrella brand VC@Darmstadt also shows how important
the topic of visual computing is in Darmstadt. It was introduced at
the 40th anniversary of the GRIS department on December 3 and
provides the VC professorships with a joint superstructure for their
public image.
CONTACT: JöRN kOHlHAMMER, ARJAN kUIJPER
Eve r y p l a ce has i t s gems , a s does the s c i ence c i t y o f Da rms tad t . One gem i s v i sua l comput ing , a s Da rms tad t
i s i n f a c t home to F raunhofe r IGD a s we l l a s to the Techn i ca l Un i ve r s i t y ’s I n te rac t i ve Graph i c s S y s tems
Group , GR IS fo r sho r t , wh i ch ce l eb ra ted i t s 40 th ann i ve r sa r y th i s yea r.
The new professors 2015: Prof. Dr. Jörn Kohlhammer and Prof. Dr. Arjan Kuijper.
31
used. Meanwhile, they no longer need to worry about this issue –
they simply deliver their files of any size to the technology and the
rest happens automatically. This is particularly interesting for the
automotive industry, among others, as the browser is sufficient to
visualize an entire car. Previously, special devices were required.
Currently, Johannes Behr is working on security. Delicate 3D data,
such as a new car model, might be risky to load onto end devices.
If the data are in the cloud, however, other drawbacks are involved.
The researcher therefore relies on a hybrid technology. “We are
switching back and forth between cloud and end device, depend-
ing on what is better suited for the respective application at hand.”
Behr reshapes 3D internet
Among experts, the avid climber continues to be visible and very
well known. One might say that Johannes Behr is the face of 3D
internet. For instance, the head of the competence center serves
on the Board of Directors of the Web3D Consortium, which
brings together employees of international research institutions
and their colleagues from industrial companies. They develop
basic technologies hand in hand to facilitate the swift loading of
three-dimensional data online. Behr also chairs another group at
W3C-CG, Declarative 3D, which is all about standardizing web
technology. In short, the formerly belittled visionary has turned
into an expert whose opinion is appreciated in specialist circles,
and who has revolutionized a small puzzle piece of the
internet.
“This is never going to work out!” Dr. Johannes Behr was
bombarded with such prophecies of doom when he devoted
himself to his vision in the year 2000. He wanted to put interactive
three-dimensional images on the internet. His customers thought
this idea was abstruse. After all, their patience was already put to
the test when opening a PDF file. How on earth was this supposed
to work for large 3D images? But Behr remained persistent. Now,
a decade and a half later, his success proves him right. “It paid off
to bet on the internet at such an early stage,” smiles the 47-year-
old computer scientist. “Meanwhile, the topic ‘Internet and 3D’ is
of high industrial relevance; my entire team is working on it with
ten to twelve people.” So the wind has completely changed. While
Behr was feeling a strong headwind in the beginning, a favorable
tailwind is now pushing him forward.
3D internet – moving out of the specialist corner
Behr successfully pursued his vision. This is reflected, for example,
by the Innovation Award he won at the 20th Conference of the
Web 3D Consortium in recognition of his achievements in making
3D content internet-ready. For instance, Behr developed an
integration model in 2009 allowing HTMl developers to do what
only specialists were able to accomplish before: make 3D content
available online. “We moved the three-dimensional concept out of
the specialist corner,” summarizes the father of a six-year-old son.
The technology reached its limits, however, when it came to
large data volumes. In a further step, Behr and his team therefore
worked hard to make the web integration of large data
amounts – so-called “Big Data” – possible. Previously, HTMl de-
velopers needed to customize their applications to the end devices
3 D - i n t e r n e t
F rom three-d imens iona l games to CAD mode l s o f new car s , 3D content on l ine wou ld not be what i t i s today
without Dr. Johannes Behr.
CONTACT: JOHANNES BEHR
32 y o u n g a C a D e m i C s
together. This is what everyday life is like: while the employees of
Fraunhofer IGD work out how certain industrial challenges can
be solved, the eight current VCRIC doctoral students try to gain
insights into the underlying basics. The Fraunhofer researchers
take up the doctoral students’ conceptual solutions, converting
them into practical applications. Vice versa, they seek out
applied-research topics in need of basic research. It is a win-win
situation for both sides.
Indeed, the VCRIC doctoral students can be found in the labs
and offices of Fraunhofer IGD every day, but their bank accounts
show salary payments from the University of Rostock. The required
project resources are made available by the Ministry of Education
in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and the University of Rostock.
Computer science rally in Darmstadt
Much younger research fans met at the German National
Computer Science Contest, where they demonstrated their
knowledge in three rounds over the course of about a year.
Fraunhofer IGD supported this year’s contest in Darmstadt. The
Fraunhofer researchers participated in the computer science rally,
which provided the participants with insights into current research
projects.
They have evolved for millions of years. We are talking about human
perception and recognition mechanisms. A quick glance is enough,
and we know within a matter of seconds who or what is in front of
us. But what exactly is behind all this? And how can we implement
these findings if we would like to visually represent connections
and circumstances? These and similar questions were addressed by
doctoral students as well as young and experienced scientists from
the US, the Uk, Austria and Germany at the one-week “International
Summer School on Visual Computing” in Rostock in August 2015,
which was organized by Fraunhofer IGD together with the University
of Rostock.
Each course day took place under a certain theme, such as “Visual
Perception” or “Man-Computer Interaction.” The participants were
able to increase their knowledge in tutorials before scientists reported
on their work in exciting research lectures. The evenings were entirely
dedicated to mutual exchange and networking – the barbecue tongs
were put to good use, and a night watchman guided the participants
through the moonlit city of Rostock.
research center for doctoral students
Fraunhofer IGD also supports young scientists before and after this
week in August, among others at the Visual Computing Research
and Innovation Center (VCRIC), a joint institution of Fraunhofer
IGD and the University of Rostock. The goal: to unite the strengths
of both institutions and bring basic and applied research closer
YoUng talEnt – CoME on in!Gone a re the days o f overc rowded lec ture ha l l s in natura l and eng ineer ing sc iences . Young ta lent i s ra re .
There fore , F raunhofer IGD wants to enthuse young peop le fo r v i sua l comput ing ear l y on .
CONTACT: BODO URBAN
35f a i r s & e V e n t s
“let’s think outside the box” is a fi gure of speech. We all want
to provide our customer with tailored solutions or fi nd solutions
to technical issues on our own, but what are we doing to achieve
this? One method is to sit in your offi ce, think, and research. An-
other way is to go outside, exchange professional views, or seek
dialog with potential customers – this is how we fi nd out where
exactly the shoe pinches. And this is how we broaden not only our
own horizons, but also our customers’ horizons.
appealingly appeal to customers
Be it at trade shows or events, customers should be taken away
and actively involved in dialog. A demonstrator is not always at
hand, and a simple PowerPoint presentation is often not enough.
Modern software tools which can be used on tablets are the
better choice to go into more detail or easily access information.
Interdisciplinary and intradisciplinary exchange
The box outside of which you should sometimes think might
concern your own research fi eld, in our case computer graphics.
But the buck does not stop there. Sociopolitical issues need to
be discussed and can be refl ected upon with your own research
fi eld – for instance at the annual conferences of the Academia
Europaea. These conferences result in exciting discussions time
and again and stand for direct networking with knowledge
exchange.
Fairs anD EVEnts 2015
Here is a small selection of fairs and events in which
Fraunhofer IGD participated in 2015:
Jugend forscht 2015 – regional compe tition Southern Hesse,
Darmstadt, Germany, February 12 ,2015
CeBit 2015, Hanover, Germany, March 16–20, 2015
Hannover Messe 2015, Hanover, Germany, April 13–17, 2015
aal-Kongress 2015, Frankfurt/M., Germany April 29–30, 2015
science meets Business “Grenzenlos gemeinsam Forschen”,
Darmstadt, Germany, June 17, 2015
Web3D ACM Conference 2015, Heraklion, Griechenland,
June 18-21, 2015
iWoar 2015, Rostock, Germany, June 25–26, 2015
siGGraPH 2015, los Angeles, USA, August 9–13, 2015
summer school 2015, Rostock, Germany, August 17–21, 2015
Go-3D 2015, Rostock, Germany, Septemer 3, 2015
academia Europaea 2015, Darmstadt, Germany,
September 7–10, 2015
intErGEo, Stuttgart, Germany, September 15.9–17, 2015
Go-Visual 2015, Berlin, Germany, October 8, 2015
Color and imaging Conference 2015, Darmstadt, Germany,
October 19–23, 2015
Digital Heritage 2015, Granada, Spanien, 28.9. – 2.10.2015
Medica 2015, Düsseldorf, Germany, November 16–19, 2015
rsna, Chicago, USA, November 29 – December 4, 2015
40 Jahre Gris, Darmstadt, Germany, December 3, 2015
www.igd.fraunhofer.de/en/EventsMessen
BroadEning HoriZonS
fa i r s a n D e V e n t s
PlaYFUllY ProViding inForMation
During frontal presentat ions, some people might get bored and s lump down in their chairs . Much of what is sa id
passes by the l i s tener’s percept ion unnot iced. With presentat ion tools l ike instantPresentat ion and Infoland,
however, l i s teners can act ive ly move through content effort less ly and intuit ive ly .
created via a hidden editing function. Comments and notes are
also saved directly on the table in meetings with customers.
Clearly, the software is not limited to usage at trade shows like
CeBIT or Hannover Messe, nor is its equivalent, the software tool
Infoland, developed by researchers of Fraunhofer IDM@NTU in
Singapore together with their colleagues of Fraunhofer Austria.
Both tools are perfect for foyers or presentation rooms at com-
panies. There, they may illustrate the organizational structure or
present the different projects in a playful form. In short, the tools
are suited wherever complex data rooms are to be portrayed in an
exciting and catchy way. Infoland, for instance, is used at the Ger-
man Embassy in Singapore. Visitors of the embassy can navigate
through the content stored on a multitouch table in a playful and
intuitive manner, familiarizing themselves with Germany. If current
events are to be featured, each authorized user can update the
content quickly and easily, even if the customer is in the process
of using the presentation. No programming skills are needed. In
many cases, a multitouch table may be the perfect gateway to
information, but it is not needed. Both software tools are in fact
web-based and can run on any touch-enabled end device, be it a
fl at-screen, tablet, or smartphone.
What? How? Christmas already!? And off you go to buy some
last-minute gifts in a hurry. Many fair exhibitors might be
reminded of this annual rush when the long-known trade show
date suddenly closes in on them. And so, a mad rush often breaks
out when setting up the booth. They notice, for instance, that the
presentation for the exhibit is not up-to-date, but an older version
has slipped in. You will be well prepared for such spontaneous
changes with the software tool instantPresentation by Fraunhofer
IGD: within a matter of seconds, the old slides will be replaced
by the latest version, even though the software accommodates a
whole lot of other content.
When the trade show visitor stands in front of the appropriate
multitouch table a little later, he or she will see all content stored
there in the shape of several tiles. These tiles may represent, for
example, different exhibits or software demos. When the user taps
on one of these tiles, the view changes: he or she now sees all
information stored on the selected exhibit, be it videos, images,
PowerPoint presentations, or interactive 3D models. If the trade
show visitor would like to watch a movie, it will also be played
on a big screen placed behind the multitouch table. What makes
it so special? While the customer is doing that, the exhibitor can
already open other content he would like to show to the interest-
ed person afterwards. And should there be a need to adjust the
virtual exhibits once again during the trade show, the exhibitors
are able to edit them directly in the presentation system: new
content can be integrated by touch, the arrangement of content
on the screen can be changed, or additional virtual exhibits can be
CONTACT: THOMAS RUTH, VOlkER SETTGAST
36 f a i r s & e V e n t s
37f r a u n h o f e r i g D i n s o Z i a l e n n e t Z e n
S H O R T N E W S
HigHtECH For UndEr-
WatEr aPPliCationS
Fraunhofer Maritim was the smallest of all joint
Fraunhofer booths at Hannover Messe 2015.
Size did not matter, for the key term “joint” was
important: fi ve Fraunhofer institutes set up a joint
exhibit of their underwater technologies by means
of instantPresentation.
It certainly comes as no surprise that Fraunhofer
carries out research on underwater technologies.
Five Fraunhofer institutes used the theme area
InwaterSolutions at Hannover Messe to present
their underwater technologies together. To start
a conversation with customers, however, they
abstained from displaying large devices at the
trade show booth.
The presentation tool InstantPresentation was
able to convey which solutions the Fraunhofer
researchers have to offer when it comes to
sensor technology, processing and analyzing
images, or in the prototype design of completely
remotely-controlled and autonomous underwater
vehicles. Together, they showed the typical high
technology Fraunhofer has in store. As with many
things, the crux is in the detail – to get to it,
customers and Fraunhofer researchers will enter
into direct dialog.
Man wants and needs to economically exploit the
oceans and he needs appropriate technologies
for a sustainable approach. It is not without
reason, after all, that seas and oceans are at the
focus of the 2016 Year of Science. It is, therefore,
guaranteed to be continued.
39f a i r s & e V e n t s
aBoUt nEtWorKing WitH KnoWlEdgE EXCHangEI n September 2015, Darmstadt was the cente r o f European sc ience . H igh- rank ing researchers gathered a t the
27 th Annua l Conference of Academia Europaea , o rgan ized by P rofessor Fe l lne r, D i rec tor o f F raunhofer IGD
and the In te rac t i ve Graph ics Sys tems Group (GR IS ) a t TU Darmstadt . Darmstadt i s a l so cons idered to be the
c rad le o f computer g raph ic s : 40 year s ago , P ro fessor Encarnação founded the academic cha i r he re , thus
p rov id ing the breed ing ground fo r F raunhofer IGD.
Fellowship, a prize for young scientists.
40 years of Gris – cradle of computer graphics
Darmstadt as the city of science was not only one step ahead
during the conference. The city already pioneered computer
graphics 40 years ago. At that time, Professor José luis
Encarnação founded the Interactive Graphics Systems Group
at TU Darmstadt – the first one of its kind. Here, everything
began with the question of how to project data on a screen.
Twelve years later, Fraunhofer IGD emerged from this nucleus
of the GRIS.
To this date, the GRIS department and Fraunhofer IGD are still
closely connected. The topic of visual computing has widened
its spectrum. How important the topic has meanwhile become
in Darmstadt is shown by the new Visual Computing@Darm-
stadt umbrella brand, which comprises four professorships:
The aforementioned GRIS, as well as Graphics, Capture and
Massively Parallel Computing, Visual Inference, and Mathemat-
ical and Applied Visual Computing, which have each emerged
from the GRIS. On December 3, the GRIS celebrated its 40th
anniversary with a ceremony, scientific presentations, and
awards of scientific papers.
We easily climb stairs, gallantly taking two steps at a time. No
big deal, you might think. After all, we already learn as toddlers
how to overcome such hurdles. looking at this sequence of
movements from a scientific perspective, however, we are mys-
tified. Mathematically, what we are doing is simply impossible.
So how can human beings teach robots to climb stairs?
This was one of the question that concerned visitors of the 27th
Annual Conference of Academia Europaea, which took place in
Darmstadt from September 7 through 10, 2015. The topic: the
synergy of man and technology. In other words, how can man
and technology be brought closer together? The Conference
aims, most of all, to bring together excellent representatives
of various disciplines, thus generating new ideas by thinking
outside the box. Germany’s Nobel laureate in Chemistry of the
year 2014, Professor Stefan W. Hell, was also involved. He is
Director at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry
and department head at the German Cancer Research Center.
Dieter W. Fellner, Director of Fraunhofer IGD and Professor of
the Interactive Graphics Systems Group, organized this year’s
Conference. He was enthusiastic about making Darmstadt the
center of European science once again. As special treat, his
former doctoral students kawa Nazemi (Fraunhofer IGD) and
Tatiana von landesberger (GRIS) were awarded the Burgen
CONTACT: ARJAN kUIJPER
pa rt- t i m e e m p l o y e e *
t h e e tat
f u l l - t i m e e m p l o y e e *
* f u l l t i m e e Q u i Va l e n t
191
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FraUnHoFEr igd in nUMBErS
2015
D a r m s ta D t r o s t o C k s i n g a p u r g r a Z
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HI R D - PA R T Y F U N D S
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41f r a u n h o f e r i g D i n p r o f i l e
For over 25 years, Fraunhofer IGD has been developing
technologies and applications based on visual computing. In
cooperation with its partners, technical solutions and market-rel-
evant products are created. In doing so, Fraunhofer IGD places
users at the forefront, providing them with technical solutions
to facilitate computer work and make it more efficient. The
institute’s solutions are dealing with the highly developed ability
of the human brain to quickly grasp and process complex issues
visually. Owing to its numerous innovations, Fraunhofer IGD
raises man-machine interaction to a new level. Man is able to
work in a more result-oriented and effective way by means of
the computer and visual-computing developments.
As early as in 1987, the story of Fraunhofer IGD began with the
task force established by Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft at TU Darmstadt.
In 1992, the Rostock location was added. The ”Visual Computing”
Business Unit of Fraunhofer Austria in Graz and Fraunhofer IDM@
NTU in Singapore followed in 2008 and 2010, respectively.
Since October 2006, Dieter W. Fellner has been Professor
for Computer Science at TU Darmstadt and Director of
Fraunhofer IGD. Prior to that, he held academic positions at TU
Graz, TU Braunschweig, the University of Bonn, the Memorial
University of Newfoundland, Canada, and the University of Den-
ver, Colorado. He is still associated with the Technical University
in Graz where he heads the Institute for Computer Graphics and
knowledge Visualization which he founded in 2005.
Darmstadt headquarters
In his role as professor at TU Darmstadt and as a director of
Fraunhofer IGD, Professor Fellner initiated a significant expan-
sion of the research field of visual computing in Darmstadt.
Thematically and organizationally, the institute is divided in
ten research competence centers and one service center. The
institute is working closely together with the institutes for
“Graphic-Interactive Systems” (GRIS) of the Computer Science
Department at TU Darmstadt. This cooperation is an asset for
the fundamental research at TU Darmstadt as well as the applied
research of Fraunhofer IGD. With applied research, the institute
decisively supports the industrial and business community in its
strategic development.
location rostock
In Rostock, targeted research is done in two core areas. At
the “Interactive Document Engineering” Competence Center,
researchers are processing issues in the field of visualizations
of existential data, in particular for mechanical and plant
engineering as well as the healthcare industry. The “Maritime
Graphics” Competence Center digitally, virtually and visually
supports customers from shipbuilding, ship operation and
maritime technology / maritime research. In the process, virtual
and augmented reality, image processing and knowledge
management are being used. The “Visual Computing Research
and Innovation Center” (VCRIC), also located at the premises
of Fraunhofer IGD in Rostock is a joint facility of Fraunhofer-
Gesellschaft and the University of Rostock. In a close cooperation,
preliminary fundamental research and add-on, Fraunhofer-typical
application research and development is done.
location Graz
In 2008, the Austrian affiliate of Fraunhofer IGD became oper-
ational under the roof of Fraunhofer Austria. The project office
of Fraunhofer IGD which had been in existence at TU Graz since
2007, was transferred to the “Visual Computing” Business Unit
of Fraunhofer Austria Research GmbH. The Fraunhofer location
in Graz develops target-oriented solutions and new products in
the fields of computer graphics, computer vision as well as virtual
and augmented reality. Together with their partners,
the researchers focus on the human being. The interaction
FraUnHoFEr igd in ProFilEFraunhofer IGD is the world‘s leading inst i tute for appl ied research in v isual computing. V isual computing is
image- and model-based information technology and inc ludes computer graphics, computer v is ion, as wel l as
v i r tual and augmented real i ty . In s imple terms, the Fraunhofer researchers in Darmstadt, Rostock, Graz and
Singapore are turning information into images and extract ing information from images. Prototypes and integrated
solut ions are developed in accordance with customized requirements. The research and des ign projects are
direct ly re lated to current economic issues.
42 f r a u n h o f e r i g D i n p r o f i l e
between man and machine is raised to a new level by visual
computing innovations. One of its focal points is the human
potential to quickly grasp complex issues visually. The researchers
at Fraunhofer Austria closely cooperate with the excellence
cluster “Visual Computing” established at TU Graz.
location singapore
In 1998, Fraunhofer IGD founded the Center for Advanced
Media Technology (CAMTech) with Nanyang Technological
University (NTU), from which the Project Center Fraunhofer
IDM@NTU emerged in 2010. It promotes research on current
economic issues and is committed to Interactive Digital Media
(IDM). The researchers are working on basic IDM technologies
and visual computing applications with the research priorities of
real-time rendering and visual analytics.
research areas
Research at Fraunhofer IGD is focused on five strategic research
areas:
Computer graphics
Computer graphics, “image synthesis”, is an essential core
discipline of “visual computing”. In this research area, techno-
logies and procedures are developed to generate images from
information. In the process, the data models used as the basis
for various application scenarios should be as consistent as pos-
sible. Fraunhofer IGD is researching procedures and methods
to provide and to handle this consistent data models in various
forms. The most efficient and flexible procedures are the goal
for this purpose.
Computer vision
Understanding and interpreting camera images (“computer
vision”) is becoming more and more important in automation
and engineering processes. Computer vision technologies
are used for object recognition via augmented reality and 3D
reconstruction procedures. At Fraunhofer IGD, special tracking
and digitization procedures are developed to faster capture, track
and reproduce – true to the original – objects, their position and
texture.
Human computer interaction
Today, the cooperation of man and machine considerably
exceeds previous standard forms of human computer interaction
(HCI). The interaction mechanisms are becoming increasingly
similar to the natural behavior of man. Furthermore, the ever
increasing amount of data are posing new challenges to visual-
ization as well as interaction. In this context, Fraunhofer IGD is
researching new interaction modalities, intelligent environments
and visualization methods.
(interactive) simulation
One core challenge for computer graphics consists of the sup-
port and acceleration of simulation processes. Simulation means
the virtual reproduction of the behavior of physical objects and
physical phenomena, such as the escape behavior of passengers
on ships. Fraunhofer IGD uses current methods with integrated
modeling, simulation and visualization in order to shorten the
design process and to allow users to directly influence the
simulation.
Modeling
Models are an integral part of visual computing. They offer an
abstract view of selected aspects of reality, thus making the
reproduction in an information-processing system possible.
Fraunhofer IGD researches, in addition to traditional two- or
three-dimensional model types, also more complex models to be
used in practice. In the process, additional information is often
included, and high-dimensional models to describe and evaluate
extensive data collections are developed.
Business fi elds
Based on these research areas, Fraunhofer IGD works in the
following business fi elds:
Visual decision-making
People want to understand contexts, gain insight and make
decisions. Visualizations make it possible to illustrate complex
and interrelated circumstances via models and simulations. Data
and experiences can be analyzed more quickly. This supports
the industry, public authorities and private individuals in making
easier and better decisions.
Virtual engineering
Nowadays, new cars or airplanes are almost exclusively created
on the computer. virtual engineering technologies accompany
the entire product life cycle. By means of 3D technologies, all
processes from manufacturing via training all the way to main-
tenance are realistically tested. Not only do users save time and
costs but they also improve the quality of their fi nished products.
Digital society
Intelligent living environments are assisting senior citizens, the
smart phone is turned into a tourist guide. Digitization and net-
working characterize our modern society. Acquiring, expanding
and storing knowledge is everyone’s goal. Digitization makes it
possible to capture and pass on experiences, thus enhancing the
quality of life of our society as a whole.
Technology laboratories
Fraunhofer IGD uses its labs to demonstrate the results of its
competence centers. In addition, experiments and studies for
project work are performed here.
The following Technology labs and demo centers are available to
Fraunhofer IGD:
� Ambient Assisted living laboratory
� Cultlab3D
� Evaluation laboratory for Biometric Systems
� lab 4.0
� Interactive Showroom & Innovation lounge
� laboratory for Augmented Engineering
� laboratory for High-Quality Image Acquisition and Display
� Maritime Graphics lab
� Distributed Ambient Assisted living laboratory
� Visual Analytics laboratory
� Service Center GEO
advisory Board
The advisory board of a Fraunhofer Institute acts as an advisory
board and at the same time as a supervisory board.
President
Dr. Gunter küchler lufthansa Systems AG
Vice-President
Prof. Dr. Reiner Anderl TU Darmstadt
Members
Dr. kai Beckmann – Merck kGaA
Prof. Dr. techn. Horst Bischof – TU Graz
Ekkehart Gerlach – Deutsche Medienakademie GmbH
Prof. Dr. Markus Gross – ETH Zürich
Prof. Alfred katzenbach – Daimler AG
Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Reinhard klein – University of Bonn
Dr. Ulrike Mattig – The Hessen State Ministry of
Higher Education, Research and the Arts
Dr. Torsten Niederdränk – Siemens AG
Gerhard Rauh – Finance Business
Dr. Albert Remke – 52° North GmbH
Prof. Dr. Bernt Schiele – Max-Planck-Institut für Informatik
Prof. Dr. Heidrun Schumann – University of Rostock
43f r a u n h o f e r i g D i n p r o f i l e
B i g D a t a
am
Bi e
nt a s s i s t e D l
i Vi n
g
em
B
e D D e D s y s t e m s
nu
me
riC
al
sim
ula
t i on o f p r o D u C t s , p r o C e s s e s
45f r a u n h o f e r l i n k e D i n
Fraunhofer alliances
Institutes or departments of institutes with different competences cooperate in Fraunhofer alliances to
jointly process and market a business field. Competence centers of Fraunhofer IGD have been working
closely together with other Fraunhofer Institutes in the Fraunhofer Alliances “Ambient Assisted living”,
“Big Data”, “Embedded Systems” and “Numerical Simulation of Products, Processes”.
www.fraunhofer.de/en/institutes/institutes-and-research-establishments-in-germany/fraunhofer-alliances.html
Fraunhofer Group information and Communication technology
Technically related institutes are organized within groups and join forces on the research and develop-
ment market. Fraunhofer IGD is a member of the Fraunhofer ICT Group. It bundles the competences
of the institutes of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft to develop and implement the IT solutions for various
industries and application scenarios. The Group permits business field specific, integrated and customized
approaches as well as competent technology consulting for industry, public authorities and media from a
single source. It provides companies and users with market knowledge, know-how, experts and state-of-
the-art technologies, independent of the manufacturer or system.
The Group represents 19 institutes with around 5000 employees. The office in Berlin-Mitte is service
provider and point of contact for companies, politics, media, and users when it comes to questions
about IT innovations.
Complementary focuses of the institutes comprehensively cover the value chains in the ICT
industry. The member institutes have a high innovation potential in technology development.
Professor Dieter W. Fellner (Director of Fraunhofer IGD) has been the new Chairman of the Fraunhofer
Group for Information and Communication Technology since January 1, 2016. The new Managing
Director is Alexander Nouak, formerly head of the Identification and Biometrics Competence Center at
Fraunhofer IGD.
www.iuk.fraunhofer.de/en
Business areas of the Fraunhofer
ICT Group:
� Mobility and Transport
� E-Government
� Public Safety
� Production and Logistics
� Media and Creative Industry
� Digital Services
� Business and Finance
Information Technology
� Medicine and Health
� Energy and Sustainability
Technology fields of the
Fraunhofer ICT Group:
� Numerical Software and
Simulation
� Usability and Man-Computer
Interaction
� Reliable Cyber-Physical Systems
� IT Security and Safety
� Digital Networks and Internet
� Graphics and Media Technology
� Imaging and Image Evaluation
� Big Data Management and
Analytics
� Automation Technology
� Automatisierungstechnik
nEtWorK
nu
me
riC
al
sim
ula
t i on o f p r o D u C t s , p r o C e s s e s
E M P l O Y E E S
R E S E A R C H V O l U M E
1,7 bil. eurosCONTRACT RESEARCH
I N S T I T U T E S A N D R E S E A R C H FA C I l I T I E S
67
24, 000
FraUnHoFEr in nUMBErS
2015
> 2 billion eurosFEDERAl AN
D STA
TE
GO
vERN
MENTS
INDUSTRIAl &
PUB
lIC R
ESEARC
H PRO JECTS
47f r a u n h o f e r - g e s e l l s C h a f t
FraUnHoFEr-gESEllSCHaFt
Putting research into practice is the central task of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. The research organiza-
tion was founded in 1949 and conducts application-oriented research for the benefit of the economy
and in the interest of society. Its contractual partners and customers are industrial and service
companies as well as public authorities.
The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft currently operates 67 institutes and research units. Around 24,000
employees, mainly scientists and engineers, are developing the annual research volume of 2 billion
euros. Of this sum, around 1.7 billion euros are generated through contract research. More than 70
percent of this service range is derived from contracts with industry and from publicly-funded research
projects. Almost 30 percent is contributed by the German federal and state governments in the form
of basic funding, enabling the institutes to work ahead on solutions to problems that will not become
acutely relevant to industry and society until five or ten years from now.
International cooperations with excellent research partners and innovative companies worldwide
are providing a direct access to the current and future key scientific and economic areas. With its
clear orientation towards applied research and its focus on future-relevant key technologies, the
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is playing a central role in Germany’s and Europe’s innovation process. The
impact of its applied research extends beyond the direct benefit for its customers: With its research
and development work, the Fraunhofer Institutes are contributing to regional, German and European
competitiveness. They boost innovation, reinforce technological performance, improve acceptance
of state-of-the-art technology and provide for initial and continuing training of urgently required
scientific-technical talent.
The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft offers its employees an opportunity to develop their professional and
personal talents for demanding positions at their institutes, at universities, in business and society.
Students working at the Fraunhofer institutes have excellent prospects of starting and developing a
career in industry by virtue of the practical training and experience they have acquired.
The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is a recognized non-profit organization and takes its name from Munich
scholar Joseph von Fraunhofer (1787–1826). He was equally successful as a researcher, inventor and
entrepreneur.
www.fraunhofer.de/en
Fraunhofer Executive Board:
Prof. Dr. Reimund Neugebauer
Prof. Dr. Alfred Gossner
Prof. Dr. Alexander Kurz
Fraunhofer IGD:
Institute Advisor
Dr. Birgit Geier
48 C u s t o m e r s a n D C o o p e r at i o n p a r t n e r s
“The lasting success of Fraunhofer IGD is based on our collaboration with strong partners. The institute cooperates with research
institutes and leading enterprises all around the world. Here is a small selection of our current customers and cooperation partners.”
� 2b AHEAD ThinkTank GmbH, leipzig, Germany � Adam Opel AG, Rüsselsheim, Germany � Airbus, Toulouse, France � Airbus, Manchingen, Germany � AIT – Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Vienna, Austria � Align Technology B. V., Amsterdam, the Netherlands � Arago GmbH, Frankfurt, Germany � ARCTUR d. o. o., Nova Gorica, Slovenia � Assisted Home Solutions, Darmstadt, Germany � Assyst GmbH, Aschheim-Dornach, Germany � ATHENA Research & Innovation Center, Athens, Greece � ATOS, Madrid, Spain � Audi AG, Ingolstadt, Germany � Autodesk GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany � AVl list GmbH, Graz, Austria � BioCurve S. l., Zaragoza, Spain � BluSky Services Group, Zaventem, Belgium � BMBF, Berlin, Germany � BOC Asset Management GmbH, Vienna, Austria � BOGE kOMPRESSOREN Otto Boge GmbH & Co. kG, Bielefeld,
Germany � British Telecom, london, United kingdom � BTechC Martorell, Barcelona, Spain � Bundesanstalt für landwirtschaft und Ernährung (BlE), Bonn,
Germany � Capvidia GmbH, Neuss, Germany � CARSA, Getxo, Spain � CIMNE, Barcelona, Spain � CIP4 Organization, Zurich, Switzerland � Clausohm Software GmbH, Neverin, Germany � Continental AG, Babenhausen, Germany � ConWeaver GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany � COSAWA Sanierung, Peine, Germany � CST AG, Darmstadt, Germany � CSUC – Consorci de Serveis Universitaris de Catalunya,
Barcelona, Spain � Daimler AG, Stuttgart, Germany � Daimler Protics, Ulm, Germany � Dassault Aviation, St Cloud, France � DATEV eG, Nuremberg, Germany � Delft University, the Netherlands � Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin, Germany � DFkI GmbH, kaiserslautern, Germany � Die Johanniter, Berlin, Germany
� Dr. Horst Schmidt klinik, Wiesbaden, Germany � Dr. Ing. h. c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft, ludwigsburg, Germany � EASN, Patras, Greece � EPFl, lausanne, Switzerland � EU, Brussels, Belgium � EurActiv.com PlC, Brussels, Belgium � Eurocopter, Marignane, France � Eurofast - ID Partners, Paris, France � European Sensor Systems S.A., Athens, Greece � FCC, Stiftelsen Fh – Chalmers Centrum for Industrimatematik,
Gothenburg, Sweden � FICEP S. p. A., Gazzada Schianno, Italy � Fraunhofer-Institut für Integrierte Schaltungen IIS, department
Entwurfsautomatisierung EAS, Dresden, Germany � Fraunhofer-Institut für Elektronische Nanosysteme ENAS,
Chemnitz, Germany � Fraunhofer Institut für Nachrichtentechnik, Heinrich-Hertz-Institut,
HHI, Berlin, Germany � Fraunhofer-Institut für Arbeitswirtschaft und Organisation IAO,
Stuttgart, Germany � Fraunhofer-Institut für Bauphysik IBP, Stuttgart, Germany � Fraunhofer-Institut für Chemische Technologie ICT, Pfinztal, Germany � Fraunhofer-Institut für Fertigungstechnik und Angewandte
Materialforschung IFAM, Bremen, Germany � Fraunhofer-Institut für Materialfluss und logistik IMl, Frankfurt
am Main, Germany � Fraunhofer-Institut für Produktionstechnik und Automatisierung
IPA, Stuttgart, Germany � Fraunhofer-Institut für Produktionsanlagen und konstruktions-
technik IPk, Berlin, Germany � Fraunhofer-Institut für Techno- und Wirtschaftsmathematik ITWM,
kaiserslautern, Germany � FZI Forschungszentrum Informatik, karlsruhe, Germany � Gnúbila France, Argonay, France � GPB Arke Ing.-Büro für Umwelttechnik, Hemeringen, Germany � Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf – HNO-klinik, Düsseldorf,
Germany � Helic S. A., Maroussi, Greece � Hoch, Zoellner + Partner Management Systeme GmbH, Nor-
derstedt, Germany � Hochschule Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany � IGN Institut National de l’Information Géographique et Forestière,
Saint-Mandé, France � IMATI, Genua, Italy
CUStoMErS and CooPEration PartnErS
49C u s t o m e r s a n D C o o p e r at i o n p a r t n e r s
� INRIA, Sophia Antipolis, France � INRIA – Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en
Automatique, France � Institut für Prävention und betriebliche Gesundheitsförderung,
Rostock, Germany � Institute of GeodesyInstitute of Geodesy, Cartography and
Remote Sensing, Hungary (FOMI), Budapest, Hungary � Introsys, SA, Moitra, Portugal � ISRA Vision AG, Darmstadt, Germany � Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genua, Italy � iuem – Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer, Plouzane, France � Jotne EPM Technology AS, Oslo, Norway � karde AS, Oslo, Norway � karlsruher Institut für Technologie (kIT), karlsruhe, Germany � lynkeus Srl, Rome, Italy � M. O. S. S. Computer Systeme GmbH, Taufkirchen, Germany � Martini-klinik am UkE GmbH, Hamburg, Germany � Medizinische Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria � Merck kGaA, Darmstadt, Germany � Middlesex University, Middlesex, Great Britain � Missler Software, Ramonville, France � nablaDot, Zaragoza, Spain � NEOCOSMO GmbH, Saarbrücken, Germany � NOVATRA SAS, Varennes St Saiveur, France � NUMECA Ingenieurbüro, Altdorf b. Nuremberg, Germany � NUMECA International, Brussels, Belgium � Oncotyrol, Innsbruck, Austria � OneToNet Srl, Milan, Italy � Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy � PE International AG, leinfelden-Echterdingen, Germany � Phacon GmbH, leipzig, Germany � PROGNOS AG, Berlin, Germany � Reifenhäuser Reicofil, Troisdorf, Germany � Robert Bosch GmbH, Blaichach, Stuttgart, Germany � Rölke Pharma, Hamburg, Germany � S. k. M. Informatik GmbH, Schwerin, Germany � Scheller Systemtechnik GmbH, Wismar, Germany � SEAR GmbH, Rostock/Weißenfels, Germany � Seazone Solutions limited, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, United
kingdom � Serious Games Interactive, Copenhagen, Denmark � SES-Tec OG, Graz, Austria � SGM Solutions Global Media GmbH, Berlin, Germany � ShareDat, Rostock, Germany � Siemens AG, Germany � SimPlan AG, Maintal, Germany � SINTEF ICT, Oslo, Norway � SIV Software-Architektur und Technologie GmbH, Rostock, Germany
� Spatial Corp. Bloomfield, CO, USA � Spatial Technology GmbH, Saarbrücken, Germany � STAM S. r. l., Genoa, Italy � Stellba Hydro GmbH & Co kG, Herbrechtingen, Germany � STMicroelectronics Srl, Milan, Italy � SUPSI – Scuola Universitaria Professionale della Svizzera Italiana,
Manno, Switzerland � Technische Informationsbibliothek (TIB), Hanover, Germany � Technische Universität Darmstadt, Germany � Technologie- und Anwendungszentrum Vorpommern mbH,
Greifswald, Germany � Thermokon GmbH, Mittenaar, Germany � Thünen-Institut, Rostock, Germany � tim – traffic information and management GmbH, Dieburg, Germany � TRIVISIO Prototyping GmbH, Trier, Germany � Tronrud Engineering AS, Honefoss, Norway � TRW Airbag Systems GmbH, laage , Germany � TTS – Technology Transfer System S. r. l., Milan, Italy � UCl – University College london, United kingdom � UNITEC Informationssysteme GmbH, Hanau, Germany � Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain � Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Spain � Università degli Studi di Parma, Italy � Universität kassel, Germany � Universität Rostock, Germany � Universität Stuttgart, Germany � Universitätsklinikum Essen, Germany � Universitätsmedizin Rostock, Germany � University College of london, United kingdom � University of Edinburgh, United kingdom � University of Nottingham, United kingdom � University of Patras, Greece � University of Sheffield, United kingdom � Universtair Medisch Centrum Utrecht, the Netherlands � VCI, Athens, Greece � Verband Druck und Medien NordOst e. V., Hanover, Germany � vital & physio GmbH, Rostock, Germany � Volkswagen AG, Wolfsburg, Germany � Volvo Technology AB, Göteborg, Sweden � VTT, Tampere, Finland � VTT Technical Research Center Finland, Espoo, Finland � VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands � Werner Otto GmbH, Hameln, Germany � WoQuaZ GmbH, Weiterstadt, Germany � Worldbank Energy & Extractives, Washington, DC, USA � Zentral-Fachausschuss Berufsbildung Druck und Medien (ZFA),
Hannover, Germany � ZGDV e.V., Darmstadt, Germany
50 p u B l i C at i o n s
Braun, Andreas; Fellner, Dieter W.; kuijper, Arjan; Wichert, Reiner:
Capacitive proximity sensing in smart environments.
JAISE 7(4): 483–510 (2015)
Distler, Martin; Grosse-Puppendahl, Tobias; Hastall, Matthias
R.; kirchbuchner, Florian; kuijper, Arjan: ambient intelligence
from senior Citizens' perspectives: understanding privacy
Concerns, technology acceptance, and expectations.
AmI 2015: 48–59
Fellner, Dieter W.; Mueller-Roemer, Johannes; Stork, André; Weber,
Daniel: a Cut-Cell geometric multigrid poisson solver for
fluid simulation. Comput. Graph. Forum 34(2): 481–491 (2015)
Altenhofen, Christian; Fellner, Dieter W.; Mueller-Roemer, Johannes;
Stork, André; Weber, Daniel: Deformation simulation using
cubic finite elements and efficient p-multigrid methods.
Computers & Graphics 53: 185–195 (2015)
Bernard, Jürgen; kohlhammer, Jörn; May, Thorsten; Pehrke, Dirk;
Schlomm, Thorsten; Sessler, David: a Visual-interactive system
for prostate Cancer Cohort analysis. IEEE Computer Graphics
and Applications (CGA) 35(3): 44–55 (2015)
Burkhardt, Dirk; Fellner, Dieter W.; kohlhammer, Jörn; kuijper,
Arjan; Nazemi, kawa; Retz, Reimond: Visual trend analysis with
digital libraries. I-kNOW 2015: 14
Bockholt, Ulrich; Engelke, Timo; keil, Jens; Rojtberg, Pavel;
Schmitt, Michael; Wientapper, Folker: Content first: a concept
for industrial augmented reality maintenance applications
using mobile devices. MMSys 2015: 105–111
Bockholt, Uli; Gavish, Nirit; Gutiérrez, Teresa; Peveri, Matteo;
Rodríguez, Jorge; Tecchia, Franco; Webel, Sabine: evaluating
virtual reality and augmented reality training for industrial
maintenance and assembly tasks. Interactive learning Environ-
ments (IlE) 23(6): 778–798 (2015)
krämer, Michel; Senner, Ivo: a modular software architecture
for processing of big geospatial data in the cloud.
Computers & Graphics 49: 69–81 (2015)
Gutbell, Ralf; krämer, Michel: a case study on 3D geospatial
applications in the web using state-of-the-art Webgl frame-
works. Web3D 2015: 189–197
Damer, Naser; Nouak, Alexander: Weighted integration of neighbors
Distance ratio in multi-biometric fusion. BIOSIG 2015: 255–262
Brandherm, Florian; Fellner, Dieter W.; kuijper, Arjan; limper, Max;: evalu-
ating 3D thumbnails for virtual object galleries. Web3D 2015: 17–24
Matthies, Denys J. C.; Perrault, Simon T.; Urban, Bodo; Zhao, Shengdong:
Botential: localizing on-Body gestures by measuring electrical
signatures on the human skin. MobileHCI 2015: 207–216
Researching, developing, publ ishing, that is part of everyday l ife in the world of sc ience. You can only be seen
if you are publ ished and engage in sc ient if ic networking, and only those who are seen wi l l be able to hold
sc ient if ic d ia logs and play a leading role in the sc ient if ic community. Researchers of Fraunhofer IGD publ ish their
knowledge in different forms, present their work at conferences, and win awards. The fol lowing compi lat ion
presents you with just a smal l se lect ion of the sc ient if ic publ icat ions from the year 2015.
PUBliCationS
Aehnelt, Mario; Alm, Rebekka; Urban, Bodo: processing manu-
facturing knowledge with ontology-based annotations and
cognitive architectures. I-kNOW 2015: 25
lukas, Uwe von; kuijper, Arjan; Urban, Bodo; Vahl, Matthias:
semi-automatic analysis of huge Digital nautical Charts of
Coastal aerial images. VISAPP (3) 2015: 100–107
Farhadifard, Fahimeh; lukas, Uwe von; Zhou, Zhiliang:
learning-based underwater image enhancement with
adaptive color mapping. ISPA 2015: 48–53
Dolereit, Tim; Arjan kuijper; lukas, Uwe von: new constraints for
underwater stereo calibration. ISPA 2015: 176–181
Erdt, Marius; Hebborn, Anna katharina; Müller, Stefan: robust
Model Based Tracking Using Edge Mapping and Refi nement.
AVR 2015: 109–124
He, Ying; Gu, xianfeng; liu, Yong-Jin; Mueller-Wittig, Wolfgang;
Wang, Wenping; Wang, xiaoning; xin, Shi-Qing; Ying, xiang:
intrinsic computation of centroidal Voronoi tessellation
(CVt) on meshes. Computer-Aided Design 58: 51–61 (2015)
Encarnação, José l.; Fellner, Dieter W.: Computer graphics
“made in germany”: Darmstadt, the leading “Computer
graphics and Visual Computing hub” in europe: the way
from 1975 to 2014. Computers & Graphics 53: 13–27 (2015)
Eicke, Tim Nicolas; Jung, Yvonne; kuijper, Arjan: stable dynamic
webshadows in the X3Dom framework.
Expert Syst. Appl. 42(7): 3585–3609 (2015)
Drechsler, klaus; Oelmann, Simon; Oyarzun laura, Cristina;
Wesarg, Stefan: active Contour based segmentation of re-
sected livers in Ct images. In: Ourselin, Sébastien (Ed.); Styner,
Martin A. (Ed.); The International Society for Optical Engineering
(SPIE): Medical Imaging 2015: Image Processing. Bellingham: SPIE
Press, 2015, pp. 941316-1 – 941316-6. (Proceedings of SPIE 9413)
Fellner, Dieter W.; Fuhrmann, Anton; Hecher, Martin; Hesina,
Gerd; Traxler, Christoph: Web-based Visualization platform
for geospatial Data. In: Braz, José (Ed.); kerren, Andreas (Ed.);
linsen, lars (Ed.); Institute for Systems and Technologies of
Information, Control and Communication (INSTICC): IVAPP 2015.
Proceedings: 6th International Conference on Information Visuali-
zation Theory and Applications. SciTePress, 2015, pp. 311–316.
Darmstädter Computer Graphik Abend 2015
Darmstädter Computer Graphik Abend 2015 was not a
stand-alone event. It constituted the conclusion of the 40th
anniversary of the GRIS department of TU Darmstadt and
thus the bridge it has actually always represented. It honors
the high-quality scientifi c papers which originate in basic
research at universities and are followed up on in applied
research. This is also refl ected by the Awards in 2015.
“Best Paper award” 2015
Category ”impact of Business”
Santos, Pedro; Ritz, Martin; Tausch, Reimar; Schmedt,
Hendrik; Rodriguez, Rafael Monroy; Stefano, Antonio;
Posniak, Oliver; Fuhrmann, Constanze; Fellner, Dieter W.:
Cultlab3D - on the Verge of 3D mass Digitization.
In: EUROGRAPHICS Workshop on Graphics and Cultural
Heritage 2014: 65–73
Category ”impact of society”
Dambruch, Jens; krämer, Michel:
leveraging public participation in urban planning with
3D Web technology. In: International Conference on
Web3D Technology – Web3D 2014: 117–124
Category ”impact of science”
Fuhrmann, Simon; Goesele, Michael:
floating scale surface reconstruction.
In: ACM Transactions on Graphics 33 (4): 46:1–46:11 (2014)
“Best thesis award” 2015
Jakob karolus:
“opportunities and applications of ultrasound sensing on
unmodifi ed consumer-grade Smartphones” (Master Thesis)
Daniel Thürck:
“optimizing large-scale irregular markov random fields
on gpus” (Master Thesis)
Matthieu Fraissinet-Tachet:
“mutual information-Based piecewise planar object
tracking” (Master Thesis)
51p u B l i C at i o n s
“We support customers from industry, business and
publ ic authorit ies with our competences in appl ied
v isual computing. Visual computing offers v isual iza-
t ion and s imulat ion technologies for a very broad
f ie ld of appl icat ions.”
Wherever people use modern computer technologies, there
are application fi elds of visual computing and thus supporting
solutions in order to facilitate the work of strongly visually-ori-
ented people. in particular when it comes to making quick
engineering or esthetic decisions, you can further improve
your work in terms of quality and quantity with adapted visual
computing solutions.
fraunhofer igD and its partners offer your customers numerous
services around contract research and implement them to a
high quality standard for you and with you.
our offers and services at a glance
Contract research for industry, business and public authorities
Development of new technologies, prototypes and complete
systems
preparation of concepts, models and practical solutions
support service at the customer‘s location
evaluation of software and hardware
Visualization of information
2D modeling and 3D modeling
simulations of models
studies and consultation
licensing
training
WHat WE Can do For YoU
53s e rV i C e a n D C o n ta C t s
Dr. Johannes Behr
location Darmstadt +49 6151 155-510
Visual Computing system technologies
Visual computing refers to image- and mod-
el-based computer science. This includes virtual
and augmented reality, graphic data processing
and computer vision. The “Visual Computing
System Technologies” Competence Center,
headed by Johannes Behr, is on a mission to
make these basic technologies of Fraunhofer
IGD more available to other research groups
and the German industry.
Dr. ulrich Bockholt
location Darmstadt +49 6151 155-277
Virtual and augmented reality“Virtual and Augmented Reality” – this is
the name of the competence center headed
by Ulrich Bockholt and active in the fields
of virtual reality and augmented reality. The
competence center researches technologies
for object recognition and tracking by means
of video camera images. The technologies are
used on smartphone and tablet systems in
industrial maintenance, 3D interaction, and
driver assistance.
Dr. andreas Braun
location Darmstadt +49 6151 155-208
smart living & Biometric technologies
The “Smart living & Biometric Technologies”
Competence Center under the direction of
Andreas Braun develops future-oriented solu-
tions for smart environments. Dynamic sensor
systems, intelligent platforms and innovative
interaction options as well as biometric systems
are discreetly integrated in living and working
environments, intelligently assisting us in our
daily routines.
Dr. Eva Eggeling
location Graz +43 316 873-5410
Visual ComputingTo make high-end visualizations possible,
modeling and simulation must interlock. The
team around Eva Eggeling combines these
two demanding disciplines with each other
and brings immersive environments to life
in this way. In the various application fields,
Fraunhofer Austria in Graz thus creates visu-
alizations for practice in order to continuously
improve the interaction between man and
machine.
SErViCE andContaCtS
technologies and applications support
our core competences. in our research
work, we use a wide range of methods
which we continuously develop. Due to
our comprehensive and interdisciplin-
ary vision, we have developed a diverse
service offer, bundled in 14 research
competence centers and one service
center.
Do you have any questions about
cooperation options and need more
information? Our contacts in Germany,
Austria and Singapore will be happy to
assist you.
54 s e rV i C e a n D C o n ta C t s
Dr. Eva Klien
location Darmstadt +49 6151 155-412
spatial information ManagementEva klien heads the “Spatial Information
Management” Competence Center. Successful
communication and efficient cooperation are
made possible by the researchers by means of
new digital spatial information technologies. In
the process, the competence center explores
new paths for the comprehensive integration,
administration and visualization by means of 3D
spatial information systems.
Dr. Jörn Kohlhammer
location Darmstadt +49 6151 155-646
information Visualization and Visual analytics
Visual analytics, semantic visualization and real
time – these are the topics of the “Information
Visualization and Visual Analytics” Competence
Center. The team headed by Jörn kohlhammer
creates solutions for the interactive visualization
of large amounts of data, so-called visual-ana-
lytics technologies.
Prof. uwe Freiherr von lukas
location Rostock +49 381 4024-100
Maritime GraphicsThe “Maritime Graphics” Competence Center
develops solutions for the maritime industry:
shipbuilding, ship operation, and maritime
technology / marine research benefit from
the future-oriented developments. Under the
direction of Uwe Freiherr von lukas, researchers
are combining the technical competence in
(submarine) image processing and visualization
with the knowledge of the special needs and
basic conditions of the maritime industry.
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Müller-Wittig
location Singapur +65 6790 6988
interactive Digital MediaHeaded by Wolfgang Müller-Wittig, the
research center Fraunhofer IDM@NTU with its
expertise, amongst others in real-time rendering,
virtual and augmented reality and man-machine
interaction, not only strengthens the “Interactive
Digital Media” market, but also provides solu-
tions for other sectors, such as transportation,
marketing, and education. Due to its presence in
Singapore, valuable knowledge on the regional
particularities of the Asian market is gained.
M. sc. Pedro santos
location Darmstadt +49 6151 155-472
Cultural Heritage DigitizationWith his “Cultural Heritage Digitization”
Competence Center, Pedro Santos develops
fast, economic digitization procedures for the
true-to-the-original, virtual reproduction of real
objects. In the process, geometry and texture, as
well as the physical-optical material properties,
are to be measured and captured automatically.
In the reconstruction procedures used, the objects
are scanned with various optical sensors and light
sources under constant environmental conditions
as much as possible for a comparably high quality.
Prof. Dr. andré stork
location Darmstadt +49 6151 155-469
interactive Engineering technologien
Under the direction of André Stork, the
“Interactive Engineering Technologies”
Competence Center creates solutions to simplify
decision-making processes for engineers. This is
done by means of computer graphics technol-
ogies – interactive graphics and simulation as
well as modeling reality. Demanding simulation
methods provide assistance through interactive
presentation formats and allow for insights to
be gained in complex issues.
55i h r e a n s p r e C h pa rt n e r
Prof. Dr. Bodo Urban
location Rostock +49 381 4024-110
interactive Document EngineeringThe “Interactive Document Engineering”
Competence Center develops solutions for the
visualization of existential data, in particular for
the mechanical, plant engineering, and health-
care industries. Under the direction of Bodo
Urban, researchers are working on technologies
to support man in many areas of working,
learning, and living, and to provide information
and documents in line with needs and context
and to offer intuitive interaction options.
Dr. Philipp Urban
location Darmstadt +49 6151 155-250
3D Printing technologyHeaded by Philipp Urban, the “3D Printing Tech-
nology” Competence Center develops models,
algorithms and software to make printed 3D ob-
jects confusingly similar to the original. The goal
is a 3D copying machine that will render original
and reproduction virtually indistinguishable. The
developments are headed towards 3D printing
with multiple materials.
Dr. stefan Wesarg
location Darmstadt +49 6151 155-511
Visual Healthcare technologiesNew software solutions are changing medicine
and medical engineering. Imaging techniques
support the daily work of doctors and have
become firmly established in the hospital
routine. They help the hospital staff in planning,
simulating and navigating surgical procedures.
The “Visual Healthcare Technologies”
Competence Center, headed by Stefan Wesarg,
develops solutions so that doctors can effectively
use image data when it comes to diagnostics,
therapy planning, and intra-operative navigation.
for more information on the respective competence centers and their projects, please visit our website
www.igd.fraunhofer.de/en/Institut/Abteilungen
56
Fraunhofer institute for Computer Graphics research iGDFraunhoferstrasse 5
64283 Darmstadt, Germany
Phone +49 6151 155-0
Fax +49 6151 155-199
www.igd.fraunhofer.de
Director
Dieter W. Fellner, Professor
+49 6151 155-100
Deputy Director
Dr. Matthias Unbescheiden
+49 6151 155-155
Director‘s Offi ce
Barbara Merten
+49 6151 155-101
loCation rostoCKJoachim-Jungius-Strasse 11
18059 Rostock, Germany
Phone +49 381 4024-110
Fax +49 381 4024-199
www.igd.fraunhofer.de/rostock
loCation GraZFraunhofer Austria Research GmbH
Visual Computing Business Unit
Inffeldgasse 16c/II
8010 Graz, Austria
Phone +43 316 873-5410
Fax +43 316 873-105410
offi [email protected]
www.vc.fraunhofer.at
loCation sinGaPorEFraunhofer Project Center IDM@NTU
50 Nanyang Avenue
Singapore 639798, Singapore
Phone +65 6790 6989
Fax +65 6792 8123
www.fraunhofer.sg
hoW to finD us
HoW to Find US
Publisher
Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research IGD
Dieter W. Fellner, Professor
Editorial team
Dr. konrad Baier (Head), Dr. Janine van Ackeren,
Heidrun Bornemann, Detlef Wehner
Design
Carina Bumke, Oliver Boyens, Juliane Egner
Editorial address
Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research IGD
Corporate Communications
Fraunhoferstrasse 5
64283 Darmstadt, Germany
Phone +49 6151 155-437 | E-Mail: [email protected]
For further information on projects, technologies and competenc-
es as well as contact addresses of our institute in German and
English, please visit our website at: www.igd.fraunhofer.de
Please address general inquiries by e-mail to: [email protected]
All rights reserved. © Fraunhofer IGD, 2015
Reproduction of any material is subject to editorial authorization.
image sources:Werbefotografi e Rühl und Bormann: p. 1, 6, 13, 18, 19, 21, 27,
29, 30, 40, 42, | Fotolia: p. 04, 05 Nataliya Hora, p. 15 Alexandre
Zveiger, p. 17 Black Jack, p. 20 everythingpossible, p. 22 violetkaipa,
p. 23 Maridav, p. 24 Alex, p. 50 stevanzz, p. 57 ty | IT- und Medien-
zentrum - Universität Rostock: p. 32, 49 | Thomas Mandt: p. 33, 34
All other images and graphs: © Fraunhofer IGD
Editorial notES