Press Releases

To unlock the potential of digital solutions for uses in healthcare, the solutions need to be suitable for real-world practice and fit seamlessly into existing processes and workflows. That is the only way they can ease the burden on healthcare workers. At the same time, the field needs trustworthy AI systems that ensure secure exchanges of sensitive health data — across different sectors, without data protection and privacy risks and with full control for patients. Eight Fraunhofer institutes will be jointly presenting solutions to these challenges at the DMEA 2025 trade show, held in Berlin from April 8 to 10, 2025. The researchers will be present at Booth D-109 in Hall 2.2, where they will use exhibits and demonstrators to pro-vide exciting glimpses of the health IT of the future and will also be available to talk with at-tendees.

Due to its highly sensitive nature, health data must be secure, but it must also be easy to use. Patients and healthcare professionals alike need solutions that allow them to control who has access to what information. Fraunhofer IGD has the solution. At DMEA in Berlin, the institute will present its latest research findings on secure digital medical twins at booth D-109 in hall 2.2.

The shortage of skilled labor is having a negative effect across the entire economy, from the IT sector through to healthcare. The Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research IGD has developed a range of technologies such as 3D planning tools, digital twins and visual control centers and applied them in practice, where they have been proven to boost the efficiency of skilled workers and initiatives towards a better qualified workforce. Analysis conducted by Prognos AG shows the great potential for jobs in Germany that can still benefit from these technologies.

Can 3D scanning be as easy as traditional 2D scanning? The Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research has the answer: Its robot-assisted solution enables fully automated and highly precise 3D scanning – without the need to spend time teaching the robot. Using intelligent dynamic trajectory algorithms, the system can digitize objects to within 10 microns. Users benefit from the ability to create complete 3D models of objects and components with virtually no user interaction – ideal for industrial and research applications.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research IGD in Rostock hosted personalities from politics and science today to discuss the latest developments in the field of Smart Farming. In addition to Federal Minister of Research Cem Özdemir, representatives from the federal and state governments were also present at the exchange, including Parliamentary State Secretary Claudia Müller from the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture. From the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Bettina Martin, the Minister for Science, Culture, Federal and European Affairs, participated in the exchange. The focus was on digital technologies that promote sustainable and resource-efficient agriculture.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research IGD is expanding its commitment to environmental and climate research with the opening of a new project office in Greifswald. The official opening marks an important step in the further collaboration with the University of Greifswald and the renowned Greifswald Mire Centre (GMC). A particular focus is on the VALPEATS research project, which is dedicated to the sustainable use and protection of peatlands.

Fraunhofer IGD is working on reliable methods to detect and prevent face-morphing attacks. Face morphing is a growing threat to biometric security systems. Criminals use it to create an alternative identity that allows them to travel to other countries without being detected.

How can existing sensitive data be made more usable without risk of misuse? The InGeo-X initiative establishes a national data space where geodata can be exchanged under transparent and reliable conditions. This benefits administrations and companies that provide geodata, as well as any stakeholders who use geodata. In the joint project InGeoDTM, Fraunhofer IGD and its partners are developing a model for this geodata space and a data trust.

From prehistoric horses to dismantling nuclear power plants: Fraunhofer IGD has developed the first autonomous 3D scanning robot that delivers precise, color accurate scans in repeatable, high quality. The 3D robot makes it possible to digitize cultural heritage assets, such as the fossils of a prehistoric horse found at the Messel Fossil Site, and transform them into a 3D model. There are numerous other applications for the robot. These include developing precise systems for dismantling nuclear power plants and digitizing components in the automotive industry when no CAD models are available. The technology enables 3D models to be prepared without the need for postprocessing. It is already used in cultural heritage, industry, forensics, and medicine.

How can we make our mobility more sustainable? Policy measures to date have focused on promoting technological innovation and providing incentives for the purchase of electric vehicles. Citizens’ preferences were often not heard. Though their behavior, however, citizens can make a significant contribution to ensuring that the transition to sustainable transportation is successful. This was the impetus for a research project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, entitled Participative Energy Transformation: Innovative Digital Tools for the Social Dimension of Energy Transition (PaEGIE). As part of a consortium led by the Technical University of Darmstadt and in close cooperation with the city of Darmstadt, researchers at Fraunhofer IGD developed a visualization tool that involves citizens in the early stages of the planning process and encourages them to participate in sustainable mobility solutions. This helps to ensure that the measures taken are better accepted by the population.