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Fraunhofer IAO, Fraunhofer IPA and the IAT of the University of Stuttgart are pooling their research expertise to set up the cross-institute Fraunhofer Lab “flaQship.” The lab focuses on applied quantum computing in Stuttgart and Heilbronn.

The European Robotics Forum (ERF), the flagship event of the European rbotics association (euRobotics) will take place in Stuttgart's Liederhalle from March 25 to 27, 2025. Numerous partners, prominent guests, a wide-ranging program, and a major public engagement event on the afternoon of March 24 will turn Stuttgart into an outstanding meeting place for industry, science, and public interested in the topics of robotics and AI.

A concrete solution for pressing challenges: In the CYCLOMETRIC project, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO have devised a solution that allows companies to incorporate sustainability assessments and circular economy concepts into the early phases of development processes — right where there is the most leverage for ecofriendly design.

Over 1,300 attendees from European research, industry, and politics, with more than 60 sponsors and an extensive program on robotics and artificial intelligence (AI): The top-class European Robotics Forum (ERF) of euRobotics, the European Robotics Association, will take place in Stuttgart's Liederhalle from March 25-27, 2025. The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft with Fraunhofer IPA and Fraunhofer IAO, the University of Stuttgart and Cyber Valley are cooperation partners. The state capital Stuttgart and other partners also support ERF.

The potential applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the hotel industry are endless and offer numerous benefits. The current challenge lies in seamlessly integrating the AI technology into hotel operations. The new study from FutureHotel Innovation Network by Fraunhofer IAO developed potential use cases applied along the user journey, taking into account three perspectives: the hotel guest, the hotel employee, and the hotel business.

The Fraunhofer IAO supports the implementation of the innovative urban development project +Colonia on the way to a resilient Smart-Eco-City. The project will act as a Living Lab and Regulatory Innovation Zone (RIZ) for holistic planning approaches and sustainable technologies in the city of the future, developing and testing new human-centered models for communal living and working. Uruguay's National Agency for Research and Innovation (ANII) is promoting the approach in its initial development phase.

In a recent study, Fraunhofer IAO presents a concept that uses data-based analysis and artificial intelligence (AI) to enable the high-level personalization of hotel rooms. The “Experience Based Booking and Selling Model” offers the automated creation of offers that are tailored to the individual needs of hotel guests. The objective of the study is to determine the extent to which currently available attributes-based booking approaches can be further developed to meet changing social trends and user needs.

How can we enable providers of apps or internet platforms to develop privacy-friendly business models while also helping users to better protect their personal data? Fraunhofer IAO, the IAT at the University of Stuttgart and partners from research and business have developed solutions to these questions in the TESTER and PERISCOPE projects. The results are being presented at the “Digital Sovereignty and Data Protection” symposium, which is being held in Stuttgart on October 9.

Fraunhofer IAO presents a new model for the hotel service ecosystem that highlights the opportunities of an expanded service offering for hotels and their environment. The focus is on the service needs of various user groups, including not only traditional hotel guests, but also the local neighborhood, hotel employees and their families, day guests in the surrounding area and guests in the digital space. At the same time, the business potential for hotels is comprehensively analyzed. Relevant actors in the hotel service ecosystem include partners of the hotel industry, such as suppliers, service providers and investors, as well as local companies and organizations and political decision-makers.

Advancing the key technology of quantum computing: This is the mission of the Competence Center Quantum Computing Baden-Württemberg (KQCBW). The center is now entering the next phase, in which it will build on the successful cooperation projects to date. The continuation of the research and development work of its partners from science and industry is being prepared within a transfer project. Under the leadership of the Fraunhofer IAF and IAO institutes, the KQCBW is further expanding its leading role in application-oriented quantum computing research in order to unlock the application potential of quantum computers for industry.