Fraunhofer CCIT
Technology supplier for the value chain
The Fraunhofer CCIT has set itself the task of pooling the expertise of several institutes in order to develop complex cognitive internet technologies for industry. Michael Fritz, Head of the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Cognitive Internet Technologies, explains the goals of this alliance.
What is the Fraunhofer CCIT?
The Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Cognitive Internet Technologies is an alliance between the Fraunhofer Institutes AISEC (Institute for Applied and Integrated Security), IIS (Institute for Integrated Circuits), ISST (Institute for Software and Systems Engineering) and IAIS (Institute for Intelligent Analysis and Information Systems). The common goal is to work on key technologies for the cognitive, industrial Internet. Cognitive Internet technologies are the basis for digital sovereignty, innovative strength and sustainable competitiveness of the economy in Germany and Europe.
What can be understood by "cognitive Internet technologies"?
Cognitive Internet technologies (CI) use sensor data and intelligent, learning systems to create smart services and applications. In contrast to the "normal" internet, they enable the semantic integration and processing of large amounts of data that can be used across companies. The aim is to automate and optimize complex processes, such as in industrial production or mobility. CI technologies help to drive digital transformation by supporting companies in the development of intelligent solutions and ensuring their competitiveness.
Why are different Fraunhofer Institutes working together in the research cluster for a cognitive Internet for industry?
The research and development of complex technologies requires the pooling of skills and the use of cross-institute expertise. This is why the four institutes at CCIT combine their technological expertise in the areas of IoT (sensor technology and communication), data spaces, machine learning and cyber security. Large amounts of data are required for process and product innovations in the context of digitalization in order to gain new insights using machine learning (ML) techniques. Collaboration within the cluster is a decisive competitive advantage: Fraunhofer CCIT makes it possible to tap into new data sources via innovative sensor technologies, to securely and automatically collect, merge, analyze and process the large amounts of data from different players and from heterogeneous data sources and thus ultimately to develop a basis for decision-making. In this way, the cluster supports the industry's efforts to build digital data ecosystems and enable new business models.
Which technologies do you consider to be decisive for the future?
We are observing that the trends of increased cloud usage, increased demand for cybersecurity and cognitive solutions such as voice assistance systems or generative artificial intelligence (AI) in the industrial environment will continue in the coming years. In addition, the requirements for integrated and open systems, especially in the combination of cloud, edge cloud and IoT, are now becoming increasingly clear. As a cluster, we therefore want to drive forward the topic of edge cloud continuum (ECC): Decentralized edge computing is seamlessly linked with centralized cloud computing. In digitalized industrial processes, data is automatically processed at the point where it is most efficient and economically viable. The choice is between real-time at the edge in the immediate vicinity of end devices or scalable in central data centers and on cloud platforms.
Which use cases are currently under development or already in use?
The Continuum is to be understood as an intelligent distributed solution approach in which the processing of data is organized automatically. Depending on the use case, the customer-specific objectives are implemented consistently and comprehensibly. These include, for example, a lowCO2 footprint, minimal latency times, scalable computing power and a high level of security. This seamless implementation is the key to applications with real-time requirements in Industry 4.0 or autonomous driving.
The collaboration between the Fraunhofer experts and companies has already produced a number of practical solutions. One example: large amounts of data are generated during the operation of forming presses. The innovative SmartNotch intelligent grooving stone records the machine load in real time, monitors the processes automatically and thus guarantees continuous transparency during processing, which was previously not possible. With the help of machine learning and artificial intelligence, users can also gain insights into the performance and susceptibility to errors of the machines. Continuous monitoring makes it possible to optimize processes and detect and counteract damage at an early stage. This ultimately has a positive effect on production efficiency.
What role does the Fraunhofer CCIT play in the research and development of these technologies?
The cluster combines the preliminary research of the Fraunhofer Institutes with applied research across interdisciplinary boundaries. We tackle industry-relevant problems together in a targeted and manufacturer-neutral manner. Partners and customers benefit from solutions that have at least the maturity level of a proof-of-concept status and from knowledge of how different technologies can be combined to create a marketable overall solution. The Fraunhofer CCIT combines the latest scientific findings, know-how and solution expertise along the entire digital value chain and, as a neutral technology supplier, can offer a system that is open to all participants.
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Fraunhofer CCIT, www.cit.fraunhofer.de
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