Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO
Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO

Visual Technologies Lab

Technologies and applications for the digital world of today and tomorrow

© Fraunhofer IAO

Visual Technologies Lab

In the Visual Technologies Lab, Fraunhofer IAO carries out research into technologies and applications for the digital world of today and tomorrow. The team focuses on two priority areas: Interactive Surfaces & Spaces as well as Interactive Surfaces and Spaces.
© Ludmilla Parsyak, Fraunhofer IAO

Interactive Surfaces and Spaces: ProTable

Fraunhofer IAO’s ProTable makes it possible to work with digital documents in meetings and group collaborations like never before: A high-resolution table projection combined with touch and pen input transforms an ordinary conference table into a digital workspace – with sufficient resolution and surface area for plans, schedules, spreadsheets and presentations.
© Victor S. Brigola, Fraunhofer IAO

Interactive Surfaces and Spaces: FusionWall

Fusing displays: The FusionWall extends the concept of the digital table to the whole room. Comprising 16 individual displays, the FusionWall offers a total resolution of 33 megapixels on a surface of 4.8 m x 2.7 m. Any kind of 2D or 3D applications can be played on this surface. With the use of VD1, the applications can also be spatially better organized.

Research topics

 In the Visual Technologies Lab, Fraunhofer IAO researches all manner of technologies and applications to do with vision. The researchers focus on two main topics of interest.

The first of these goes by the working title of Light Fusion Research. Here, researchers are investigating the potential of new lighting technologies to achieve new quality of light – both in the workplace and in other areas of life. This is yielding concepts and solutions that have a real positive impact both on our working environment and our overall quality of life. In turn, this means improved health, an increased sense of wellbeing – and ultimately more productivity.

In Interactive Surfaces and Spaces, the second area of interest, Fraunhofer IAO is conducting research into new interactive systems that employ 2D and 3D display and interaction technology. Concentrating on users’ needs and preferences, the researchers are developing concepts and systems that facilitate clear, transparent and ergonomic human-computer interaction. The user interface is a crucial part of any ICT system, and this research is making sure they meet the requirements of our digitalized age. 

Facilities

Scientists at the Visual Technologies Lab create, evaluate and showcase prototypes of lighting and interactive environments, continually refining them as they go. Their work showcases the latest trends and research findings, from Virtual Sky and Xtended Workdesk, to the high-definition FusionWall and the interactive ProTable for meeting and project spaces. The Visual Technologies Lab is equipped with the full range of light measurement technology, an electronics laboratory and software tools for the simulation and prototyping of photonic and electronic systems.