Customer Benefits Electronic Assistance Systems

Due to its technologies, infrastructure, cooperation models and the Fraunhofer-inHaus-Center, Fraunhofer IMS is a competent partner for various customer benefits in the area of development of electronic assistance systems.

By this we mean very complex embedded systems that support the user in the interaction with the increasingly extensive technical environment. Application emphasis of Fraunhofer IMS is on the fields of health and care as well as building and system automation.

A typical electronic assistance system contains sensory parts for detection of environmental parameters and interaction from the user, a “local intelligence” in the form of a controller system including embedded software, a user interface for communication and often a wired or wireless interfacte for integration into existing networks. The mentioned software, with which the functional behavior of the system is defined, usually contains parts of an “artificial intelligence”, e.g. in the form of neural networks that take over the processing of sensor data after a short learning period. Especially in the realization of innovative user interfaces for electronic assistance systems these algorithms play a major role when technical systems have to be used with gestures or handwritten input instead of buttons and keyboards. All of the technical competencies needed for the development of these electronic assistance systems are available at Fraunhofer IMS and at the disposal of the business field.

Our customer benefits in the field of Electronic Assistance Systems cover a broad range, beginning with feasibility studies over concept development up to demonstrator and prototype development. We also support our customers and partners in the transfer to pilot and series production and refer manufacturing partners for the new product.

If required, we also support our customers within the framework of joint workshops in the development of new business models for electronic assistance systems.

With its living labs the Fraunhofer-inHaus-Center offers the possibility to extensively test the product with a demonstrator or a prototype in a realistic application environment at an early development stage. This can also include testing with test subjects in which not only the functional behavior of the product can be tested, but also the external design, the operability and configuration as well as its integration capability into existing infrastructures.