Fraunhofer to show AI, robotics and connected data for healthcare

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To unlock the potential of digital solutions for use in healthcare, the solutions need to be suitable for real-world practice and fit seamlessly into existing processes and workflows. That is the only way they can ease the burden on healthcare workers. At the same time, the field needs trustworthy AI systems that ensure secure exchanges of sensitive health data - across different sectors, without data protection and privacy risks and with full control for patients.

www.eenewseurope.com, Mar. 25, 2025 – 

Eight Fraunhofer institutes will jointly present trustworthy AI systems that ensure secure exchanges of sensitive healthcare data — across different sectors, without risks to data protection and privacy, and with full control for patients — at DMEA 2025 in Berlin.

With its interdisciplinary research approaches focused on real-world needs, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft serves as a key contact for pioneering technologies in healthcare. From AI-supported diagnostics to connected health data spaces and assistive robots, Fraunhofer is

AI is increasingly being utilised in diagnostic and therapeutic applications, yet there is scepticism toward “black box” models, which lack transparency. At the DMEA event, the Fraunhofer Institute for Cognitive Systems IKS will showcase trustworthy AI models that utilise ECG data or medical images to generate reliable insights. These models not only promote greater transparency in medical decisions but also offer predictions that can be easily interpreted.

At the DMEA, the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Medicine MEVIS will also be presenting its solutions for risk assessment and decision-making support. One exhibit will show how AI can be combined with clinical data to develop image-based digital biomarkers and thus improve diagnosis.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Intelligent Analysis and Information Systems (IAIS) has developed a doctor’s letter generator using generative language models. This illustrates how AI can streamline crucial yet time-consuming medical documentation. It enables doctors to automatically create letters from both structured and unstructured medical data sources.

Robots in nursing

In the future, robots may play a crucial role in healthcare, not only for transporting materials but also in documentation and diagnostics. The Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA will showcase a multifunctional robot assistant that combines various tasks involved in nursing, enabling cost-effective utilization. Fraunhofer MEVIS designs and integrates AI-supported assistance systems, such as the voice- and touch-controlled nursing assistant LUKAS, along with features for sensor-based monitoring of heart disease.

Personalised patient treatment

Personalised patient treatment is based in part on combining a wide range of different patient data for decision-making and on assembling and analysing cohorts. The Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research IGD develops tools for interactive visual data analysis in close coordination with clinical partners. The Analytics analytics dashboard supports self-service analysis functions in both medical and pharmaceutical research. The Fraunhofer researchers will present the results of projects in the fields of rheumatology, nephrology and chronic inflammatory bowel disease at DMEA.

Connected healthcare

Health data is often isolated in different systems, so important information can be lost between hospitals, medical practices and transitional or long-term care facilities. The Fraunhofer Institute for Software and Systems Engineering ISST develops concepts, architectures, prototypes and components of federated and interoperable health data spaces. Data space projects focusing on infrastructure, data use, services and applications will be presented at DMEA.

Health data transprency

Electronic patient records aim to enhance access to medical data, yet many patients struggle to view the overall picture of their health data and utilise that information effectively. Fraunhofer IGD and the National Research Center for Applied Cybersecurity ATHENE have joined forces to develop secure, interactive platforms that enable intuitive and comprehensible access to medical data. This empowers patients to visualise their health information, choose which items to share, and organise their data in a format that their care team can easily understand.

Digital healthcare for rural areas

The Fraunhofer Center for Digital Diagnostics (ZDD) plans to demonstrate how digital healthcare can be improved in rural areas. Their Neighborhood Diagnostics exhibit offers an interactive showcase of project goals and simulates various scenarios related to people’s health. It illustrates how health data is collected via smartphones and wearables and transferred to treating providers once it is released. The exhibit also depicts how the ecosystem utilises aggregated health data to better assess patients’ overall health and support physicians in determining which treatment path to pursue. Furthermore, the SODIAPH project highlights how data breaches in digital patient pathways within a hospital setting occur. It identifies where effective measures can be implemented to achieve direct improvements in data consistency.

In this context, the contactless collection of vital signs is becoming an increasingly important aspect of telehealth and occupational health management. At the DMEA, Fraunhofer IGD is scheduled to present its CareCam and Guardio technologies, which enable continuous and discreet health monitoring at home and in emergencies. CareCam logs vital signs such as pulse, respiration, and posture while focusing on subtle changes in facial expressions and blinking behaviour to detect stress. Guardio can transform a smartphone into a mobile ECG device.

Image: Fraunhofer ZDD shows smart medical technology using the Neighborhood Diagnostics project exhibit — revolutionising healthcare through connected data spaces.

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