The Fraunhofer Institute for Communication, Information Processing and Ergonomics FKIE develops technologies and processes with the goals of detecting life-threating risks early and effectively minimizing and managing these risks. In cooperation with strategic partners we address the specific issues and challenges of command and control as well as reconnaissance. We cover the topics of data acquisition, information processing and analysis, dissemination and communication as well as the protection of the data and information products. Our work is focused on creating effective and efficient human-machine systems, with the human factor playing the central role in the decision making process.

Our research is applied within the context of use of the German Federal Armed Forces (Bundeswehr), the civilian security agencies and throughout industry. We are developing methods and procedures for all aspects of security - be it on the ground, in the air, at sea, under water or in cyberspace.

Creating Situational Awareness out of Sensor Data

The latest sensor technology, networked communication systems and information-fusion are vital tools in threat detection. The FKIE conducts studies on systems and components designed for acquiring and processing relevant sensor data in different ways, from collecting sensor data by sensors on robotic systems to recognizing threat indicators in cyberspace. As part of our holistic approach, we examine how to merge and aggregate information from these heterogeneous sources to provide a comprehensive situational picture. To ensure that threats are detected quickly and reliably we also work on human-computer interaction that best meet the users’ context, task and information needs.

Providing Support for Command and Control

Our research areas support command and control processes including decision support. To consolidate decision making by comprehensive situational awareness we analyze application-specific information, process it for the users’ needs and present it ergonomically for intuitive interaction. We explore command and control systems under information processing, architectural and ergonomic perspectives. In addition, the exchange of information between heterogeneous systems and secure communication in all situations are covered by our research. In the cyberspace domain, we support the detection of unauthorized access, and provide protective measures to ensure the security of critical systems, even those with the highest security constraints.