Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO IAO News May 2014
Fraunhofer IAO The basis for all work undertaken at the Fraunhofer IAO is a deep conviction that business success in a globalized arena is contingent on an ability to profitably leverage new high-tech potentials. In order to optimally exploit these opportunities, companies must be capable of developing and implementing customer and employee-oriented technologies faster than their competitors. Work organization concepts must be simultaneously innovative and anthropocentric. A systematic design, in other words, is the outcome of pooled management and technical expertise. This holistic perspective when it comes to project processing ensures that equal consideration is given to commercial success, employees interests and social consequences. Through its close cooperation with the Institute for Human Factors and Technology Management (IAT) of the University of Stuttgart, Fraunhofer IAO unites basic university research with applied science and business practice. More than 14 200 m 2 of offices, laboratories and technical installations are available to carry out contracted research. Our customer-focused range of services is based on the following areas of business: Corporate Development and Work Design Service and Human Resources Management Engineering Systems Information and Communication Technology Technology and Innovation Management Mobility and Urban Systems Engineering Further information www.iao.fraunhofer.de/lang-en http://blog.iao.fraunhofer.de twitter.com/iaostuttgart
overview of topics LAUNCH OF MORGENSTADT CITY CHALLENGE What makes a town or city fit for the future? Fraunhofer IAO, together with its numerous industry and city partners in the Innovation Network Morgenstadt: City Insights has developed an action-oriented model to provide precise answers to this question. Now they ve launched an international competition, the Morgenstadt City Challenge, to select three cities to implement the new Morgenstadt model for sustainable urban development. KEEPING ABREAST OF CAR2X TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS Car2X technologies make vehicles intelligent and allow them to communicate with the objects around them. Encouraged by the numerous opportunities for developing new technologies and patents this brings with it, large and small technology companies alike are rushing to capture their share of this future market. Fraunhofer IAO s Car2X patent index systematically shows companies where to find patent gaps and opportunities in the Car2X technology field. READY FOR THE SMART FACTORY? The advent of smartphones in factories not only fundamentally changes production processes, but also impacts manufacturing companies personnel policy. This brings changes to the world of work that call for innovative further training concepts. As part of the FutureKomp 4.0 project, the University of Stuttgart s IAT, which collaborates closely with Fraunhofer IAO, is working to identify which skills will be needed in the future and to draw up a basic concept for production-related training. SAFE DRIVING IN CITY TRAFFIC In future, cars with anticipatory driver assistance systems will help drivers to navigate their way through dense urban traffic without stress and above all safely. A taste of the solutions capable of transforming this vision into reality will be presented on May 14 by the 31 partners collaborating in the UR:BAN research initiative. The project, which runs to mid-2016, aims to develop new driver assistance systems and solutions for safe and efficient traffic management. SERVICE ENGINEERING FOR URBAN CLIMATE PROTECTION As part of a competition sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) to reward the most energy-efficient urban regions in Germany, the cities of Delitzsch, Essen, Stuttgart, Magdeburg and Wolfhagen are developing innovative service concepts that enable energy resources to be used more efficiently.
City of the Future cinoby - istock; draghicich, MasterLu - Fotolia.com LAUNCH OF MORGENSTADT CITY CHALLENGE International competition: Open to all municipalities aiming to improve their sustainability credentials Cities wishing to participate in the Morgenstadt City Challenge must have more than 100,000 inhabitants and a clearly defined sustainability mission statement. The three winners will benefit from access to an extensive range of research and consulting services tailored to their specific requirements: Analysis of current status: What level has the city reached with respect to sustainable development, for instance, in terms of resource saving, openness to innovation, and quality of life? Analysis of present and future needs for action Support with the development of strategies and their implementation The first stage of this model involves analyzing the need for action in core areas of the urban development system. A comprehensive set of indicators is evaluated to determine the current status in key technology sectors. The subsequent analysis covering over 80 key areas of application provides a detailed picture of the city s sustainability status today enabling strategic priorities to be set in accordance with an action plan that outlines the concrete steps required to implement its transformation process. The network partners work together with the participating cities to develop for - ward looking scenarios and innovative transformation projects for selected aspects of urban development, and also help to identify potential funding sources. By participating in this project, the winners of the City Challenge will benefit from the opportunity to enhance their profile as attractive and innovative locations. The first city will be selected on June 26, 2014; the closing date for applications is June 10. A second round will follow; applications can be submitted until October 10, 2014. The necessary documents must be submitted online via the site www.morgenstadt.de/en.html. The Innovation Network comprises 15 cities, 25 companies, and ten Fraunhofer Institutes. They are pursuing a holistic approach that combines individual con-cepts such as smart cities and sustainable urban development with proven innovation strategies. The Innovation Network has developed an action-oriented model based on six deep-dive analyses and hundreds of case studies to enable other cities to improve their sustainability credentials. Applicants must provide us with a brief outline of their strategy, underlining their willingness to invest in a mediumterm program of measures designed to promote urban sustainability and confirming their interest in a holistic approach to strategy development. They will also be expected to set up a team representing all municipal functions to participate in various workshops and finance 25 percent of the project costs through their own means. This will maximize their chance of counting among the pioneers of sustainable urban develop ment. Fraunhofer IAO, Alanus von Radecki Phone +49 711 970-2169 alanus.radecki@iao.fraunhofer.de
Sergey Nivens Fotolia.com KEEPING ABREAST OF CAR2X TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS Fraunhofer IAO s patent index serves as position indicator for technology companies In the future, bids to improve road safety will see vehicles not only able to communicate among themselves but also with their environment. This technological trend, which falls under the broader topic Car2X, is an area in which German companies have always been streets ahead as far as patenting is concerned. So the German automotive industry has nothing to worry about. Or does it? Fraunhofer IAO s recently developed Car2X patent index shows that while the German automotive industry currently has the largest patent portfolio in the Car2X field, it has slowed down in the face of international competition over the past two years. Statistics indicate that in 2013 and 2014, American automotive companies caught up in a big way, having registered the highest number of patent publications. The first big German company to make the list is ranked in third place, a long way behind the competition. What s more, IT companies are muscling their way into the automotive segment by patenting products in the Car2X technology field and we re not just talking about IT giants such as Google here, but also smaller, IT-based enterprises. We are also seeing the first patent buying activities from what are known as patent trolls. Given the extremely unpredictable manner in which Car2X technology is developing, experts anticipate that these NPEs (non-practicing entities) will become increasingly active in the future. Fraunhofer IAO developed its Car2X patent index to enable companies to keep abreast of the situation and of the latest developments in the turbulent patent jungle. Companies can use the index to identify current developments in patent law as well as technological advances in the Car2X technology field, and assess their own market position. On this basis, Fraunhofer IAO helps companies to develop company-specific technology and patent strategies. More information is available via the specified contact persons. Fraunhofer IAO, Truong Le, Dr. Thomas Fischer Phone +49 711 970-2108, -2037 truong.le@iao.fraunhofer.de thomas.fischer@iao.fraunhofer.de
Serp77 istockphoto.com READY FOR THE SMART FACTORY? FutureKomp 4.0 aims at identifying Industry 4.0 skills needs ahead of time Industrial production is encountering a technological development that will dovetail the real and virtual worlds into an Internet of Things, Data and Services within the smart factory. The introduction of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) into industrial production processes promises sustainable increases in productivity and flexibility for manufacturing companies. In Germany, this topic goes by the name Industry 4.0. Until now, Industry 4.0 has been seen as a predominantly technical matter. However, it is also a development that will change future production work, calling for different competences from the employees working in manufacturing in the future. A forward-looking personnel policy relies on identifying these skill requirements in good time, and it is as part of such policies that ongoing skill development via practical, work-related training becomes critically important. Funded by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Finance and Economics, the project will also hold expert talks and workshops with managers and employees from interested companies. Further information is available from the specified contact. Fraunhofer IAO, Bernd Dworschak, Helmut Zaiser Phone +49 711 970-2042 bernd.dworschak@iao.fraunhofer.de helmut.zaiser@iao.fraunhofer.de The FutureKomp 4.0 future competences in industry 4.0 project strives to identify future Industry 4.0 skill requirements at an early stage. A basic production-related training concept will also be developed to ensure perfect dovetailing between technological and organizational requirements and the development of practical, work-related competences. This approach, which is suitable for SMEs, will enable companies to react flexibly to new technological and organizational changes.
SAFE DRIVING IN CITY TRAFFIC UR:BAN research initiative develops assistance systems for city drivers The UR:BAN collaborative research project focuses on cognitive assistance, networked traffic systems, and human factors in traffic. 31 partners from the automotive sector and its suppliers, electronics and software companies, universities and research institutes are developing smart, cooperative driver assistance and traffic management systems specifically tailored to the needs of the urban environment. The aim is to define a set of technical specifications for new vehicles that will permit the design of safer and more efficient mobility solutions. Ideally, a driver assistance system enhances the driver s ability to handle critical situations and anticipate the dangers typically encountered on the road. A modern system specifically adapted to the urban environment relieves the driver through its optimized human-machine interaction, which allows the driver to concentrate on essential tasks and avoid accidents. Fraunhofer IAO s scientists have been working together with Bosch, BMW, Daimler, Opel, and other research partners to investigate behavior prediction and intention detection, for example in connection with braking maneuvers, and how this information might be integrated into driver assistance systems. Predicting driver intention minimizes reaction times and is the key to significant advances in the urban driving environment. Optimizing systems that provide intuitive assistance based on these findings for urban traffic conditions mitigates hazardous situations and helps prevent accidents. On May 14, 2014, the partners in this collaborative research project will present the results of their work so far in the giant aircraft hangar at the German Aerospace Center s (DLR) site in Braunschweig. Some 150 invited guests from industry, research, government departments, urban administrations and the press are expected to attend the event. The UR:BAN research initiative is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy (BMWi) to the tune of 40 million euros. Industrial partners are contributing a further 40 million euros. In addition to Fraunhofer IAO and other institutes of research, the participants in the project comprise companies in the automotive, software and telecommunications sectors. Fraunhofer IAO, Frederik Diederichs Phone +49 711 970-2266 frederik.diederichs@iao.fraunhofer.de Further information urban-online.org/en/urban www.vi.iao.fraunhofer.de/en.html
SERVICE ENGINEERING FOR URBAN CLIMATE PROTECTION Or how cities can benefit from services to improve energy efficiency Urban authorities require service concepts that will enable them to implement new technologies to improve climate protection. This is why the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) launched a competition to designate the most energy-efficient cities in Germany, based on solutions that combine a visionary approach to services and climate protection. These solutions range from complex financial services to street parties to promote energy saving. The main emphasis lies on the methodical development of services, a design approach that goes by the name of service engineering. The cities in question have called on the support of experts from Fraunhofer IAO and the Institute for Future Studies and Technological Assessment in Berlin (IZT). They provide assistance to the municipal authorities during the implementation of their projects and coach users in the use of simplified methods and tools throughout all stages of the service engineering process. The researchers will present the initial findings of these joint projects in Berlin on May 21, 2014 as part of the Berliner Energietage, and again during a similar event organized by the BMBF on May 27 and 28, 2014 in Berlin. Fraunhofer IAO, Thomas Burger Phone +49 711 970-2185 thomas.burger@iao.fraunhofer.de Further information http://www.servlab.eu/?cat=61 As well as helping the municipalities to develop concrete services to combat climate change, the R&D partners also evaluate the potential benefits that might be obtained by developing and testing new concepts to improve energy efficiency above and beyond those related to a specific community. The results achieved in tried-and-tested reference projects can then be transferred to other projects in other urban regions at a later stage.
Published by Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO Public Relations Nobelstrasse 12, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany Phone +49 711 970-2124, Fax +49 711 970-2299 presse@iao.fraunhofer.de www.iao.fraunhofer.de/press Editorial staff Verena Krug, Juliane Segedi, Tabea Friedel, Maarit Plewka, Laura Terberl Layout and typesetting Susanne Pagel Cover page Sergey Nivens Fotolia.com Sign up for our online newsletter Reprints free of charge. A voucher copy would be appreciated in case of publication. This bulletin is also available in German as IAO-News. https://informationen.iao. fraunhofer.de/anmeldung. php?lang=en&id=12