Fraunhofer IIS

Fraunhofer IIS
Name	Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS
Native name	Fraunhofer-Institut für Integrierte Schaltungen IIS
Founded	1985
Founder	Joseph von Fraunhofer (namesake)
Headquarters	Erlangen
Fields	Microelectronics, Audio Technology, Signal Processing
Employees	~900 (approx.)
Parent	Fraunhofer Society

Fraunhofer IIS Fraunhofer IIS is a research institute within the Fraunhofer Society specializing in applied research on integrated circuits, audio coding, and sensor systems. The institute is noted for its development of standards and technologies that have been adopted by industry consortia and multinational corporations such as Microsoft, Apple Inc., Sony Corporation, Samsung Electronics, and Intel. Its work spans partnerships with universities including the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, the Technical University of Munich, and the University of Stuttgart.

History

Founded in 1985, the institute grew from German post-war efforts in microelectronics alongside institutions like Max Planck Society and Leibniz Association. Early projects connected with research at Siemens AG laboratories and collaborations with Nokia researchers on mobile audio standards. During the 1990s the institute contributed to efforts associated with the Moving Picture Experts Group and the International Telecommunication Union, contemporaneous with advances by AT&T Bell Laboratories and Philips. In the 2000s, engagements with firms such as Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft partners and the European Commission Framework Programmes expanded its scope alongside programs involving DARPA, National Science Foundation, and multinational consortia like MPEG. Leadership changes involved directors previously affiliated with IBM Research and professorships at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.

Research Areas and Technologies

Research covers audio coding standards (aligned with work by ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 29 and MPEG), imaging and sensor fusion comparable to research from Bell Labs and MIT Media Lab, and semiconductor circuit design in the tradition of Texas Instruments and Infineon Technologies. Signal processing initiatives draw on prior art from IEEE Signal Processing Society authors and concepts developed at Stanford University and ETH Zurich. Areas include psychoacoustics linked to studies at McGill University and Harvard University, digital rights management intersecting with work by Microsoft Research and Apple Inc., and wireless communication techniques related to research at Qualcomm and Nokia Siemens Networks. The institute develops IP cores and ASICs paralleling outputs from ARM Holdings and Xilinx research groups.

Organizational Structure and Locations

The institute is part of the Fraunhofer Society network with administrative ties to organizations such as Federal Ministry of Education and Research-funded projects and European funding offices like Horizon 2020. It maintains facilities in cities including Erlangen, Nuremberg, Fürth, and cooperates with academic hubs like University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. Departmental structures reflect groups analogous to units at Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems and Helmholtz Association centers. Management has exchanged experts with corporations like Robert Bosch GmbH, Continental AG, and research centers such as Fraunhofer IISB and Fraunhofer IFF.

Collaborations and Industry Partnerships

Partnerships encompass multinational technology companies such as Apple Inc., Microsoft, Sony Corporation, Samsung Electronics, Huawei, Google LLC, Amazon, Intel, Qualcomm, and Nvidia. Academic collaborations include Technical University of Munich, RWTH Aachen University, University of Stuttgart, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, and international partners like Imperial College London and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The institute participates in standardization and industry consortia including MPEG, 3GPP, IEEE, and ETSI, and has coordinated projects funded by the European Commission and national agencies alongside companies such as Siemens AG, Bosch, BMW, and Volkswagen. Collaborative initiatives have involved research networks like EUREKA and technology transfer offices similar to those at Stanford University and Cambridge Enterprise.

Notable Projects and Innovations

The institute is widely associated with audio codec work that fed into standards adopted by MPEG and ISO/IEC, influencing products from Apple Inc. and Sony Music Entertainment. Innovations include technologies used in consumer electronics from Samsung and broadcast systems deployed by broadcasters like BBC and Deutsche Welle. Projects have involved autonomous vehicle sensors comparable to developments at Tesla, Inc. and Waymo, and medical device sensor systems akin to research at Siemens Healthineers and Philips Healthcare. Collaborative demonstration projects have included smart home platforms similar to initiatives by Google Nest and industrial IoT pilots with Siemens AG and Honeywell International Inc..

Awards and Recognition

Work has been acknowledged by industry awards and academic honors similar to accolades from IEEE, Institut für Rundfunktechnik, and national honors from German state ministries. The institute's staff have received distinctions comparable to IEEE Fellow appointments and awards from organizations like Acoustical Society of America and German Research Foundation. Technologies developed at the institute have been cited in patents assigned to companies such as Sony Corporation, Apple Inc., and Samsung Electronics, and featured at conferences like International Conference on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing and International Broadcasting Convention.

Category:Research institutes in Germany Category:Fraunhofer Society