Fraunhofer Institute for Cognitive Systems IKS

Annual report

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Annual magazine

In its latest printed Safe Intelligence Magazine, the Fraunhofer Institute for Cognitive Systems IKS introduces itself.

Annual magazine 2019/2020 [ PDF 12.1 MB ]

Annual reports

Read the last annual report of the Fraunhofer Institute for Cognitive Systems IKS and the reports of the former Fraunhofer ESK.

Publications of the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft

As an institution of application-oriented research, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft attaches great importance to the information it provides customers and the public at large.

Publications

Safe Intelligence Online Magazine

These are our latest articles:

Cobots / 31.3.2026

PROTECT: Reliable AI-powered person detection for safe and efficient human-robot collaboration

Flexible, efficient, and above all reliable and safe: That’s what deployable person recognition in industrial production should look like. In the PROTECT project, Fraunhofer IKS and Fraunhofer IGCV have taken a big leap toward delivering these capabilities.

PROTECT

The future of production / 6.3.2026

On the way to Industry 5.0?

Industrial production is undergoing profound change. With rapidly advancing technologies and a changing social environment, industrial automation needs to be rethought in order to respond more flexibly to new requirements and challenges—keyword: adaptive production.

The future of production

Software-Defined Defense / 11.2.2026

Speeding Up Defense: The Software-Defined Revolution

In times rife with geopolitical tensions, it is essential for the defense industry to quickly address pressing customer needs. Read on to find out how software-defined defense can deliver innovation through shorter cycles that still keep up with safety standards.

Software-Defined Defense

Safe Intelligence Day 2026 / 7.1.2026

How AI and Safety Balance Each Other in Automation

On February 5, 2026, the next Safe Intelligence Day will take place at Fraunhofer IKS. The focus of the showcases, presentations, and discussions will be generative AI in automation. Three aspects play an essential role: generative AI in the safety engineering process, as a basis for troubleshooting assistance in production, and applied to code generation in manufacturing.

Safe Intelligence Day 2026

Hybrid Quantum Algorithms / 17.12.2025

Do Classical Optimization Algorithms Perform Better with “Quantum Maps”?

A master's thesis created at Fraunhofer IKS and the Technical University of Munich has been honored with the Quantum Future Award from the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space.

Hybrid Quantum Algorithms

Quantum Computing / 3.12.2025

Are quantum solutions realistic in production?

Quantum machine learning (QML) offers a promising pathway for early adoption in industrial settings. For QML solutions to be effectively implemented in production, dedicated access to quantum hardware is essential. The quantum hardware ecosystem is rapidly evolving, with most of the infrastructure hosted by cloud providers. However, this reliance on cloud services presents challenges, including latency, security concerns, and high costs which can impede real-time applications. Is there a way to circumvent these limitations?

Quantum solutions

Interview with Mario Trapp / 21.11.2025

„We wanted to open up a kind of window into our research engine room“

Fraunhofer IKS has introduced its Playground. This platform is especially designed for companies to explore the institute's offerings. In an interview, Institute Director Prof. Dr. Mario Trapp discusses the concept behind the Fraunhofer IKS Playground.

Interview with Mario Trapp

Safe Intelligence
online magazine

Would you like to know more about the research of Fraunhofer IKS? Then take a look at our Safe Intelligence online magazine. Here you can find out more about our research projects and our employees.

To our Online Magazine

We are pleased to announce that we will no longer be publishing traditional annual reports. Instead, we invite you to take a look at our Safe Intelligence Online Magazine. Here, you will find exciting insights into our current projects, innovative approaches, and the latest developments within our company.