Sensor and data fusion
Sustainable operation and use of large structures in our infrastructure using continuous, comprehensive and precise monitoring
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Prof. Dr. Alexander Reiterer
Chair for Monitoring of Large-Scale Structures,Head of Division “Object and Shape Detection” at the Fraunhofer Institute for Physical Measurement Techniques IPM
Alexander Reiterer researches and develops multi-sensor systems and software for monitoring artificial and natural objects.
Vision: Sustainable safety through intelligent and precise monitoring
Maintenance of large-scale structures is expensive and time consuming. The intelligent use of monitoring systems contributes offers an important contribution to the sustainable operation of such structures.
Networked infrastructures extend our environment: They enable global communication, energy supply, goods transport, and human mobility. These infrastructures cover a variety of natural and artificial large-scale structures, like hillsides, forests, roads, railways, power lines or fibre-optic cables. To ensure the reliability and the safety of the infrastructure, it has to be monitored. Furthermore, the aging of the existing structures necessitate monitoring.
The cost for maintaining these systems is immense. However, this cost could be considerably reduced using continuous, comprehensive and precise monitoring. Only monitoring on this scale can guarantee sustainable operation of infrastructures of this size and importance. For this reason, the strategy for the future must be an intelligent and maximally multi-dimensional monitoring that takes the whole lifecycle of these large-scale structures into account.
Research
Monitoring and inspection, development and calibration of closed system chains, data analysis and interpretation are the focus of the research
Mobile data acquisition
Researching and monitoring 3D geometry of artificial and natural objects, high precision and fast object monitoring, innovative multi-sensor systems
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Data interpretation
Research and development of new processes for data analysis; data-interpretation components based on self-learning algorithms, data-processing methods.
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Calibration of closed system chains
Closed system chains – from selecting sensors to connecting system components to data fusion; holistic calibration and evaluation approaches
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Projects
Current research areas by members of the “Monitoring of Large-Scale Structures” (MLS) chair:
Amy - Autonomous mobile robotic monitoring system for large structures
Sponsored by the University of Freiburg
MoCES - Modeling of civil engineering structures with particular attention to incomplete and uncertain measurement data by using explainable machine learning
Sponsored by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft - DFG
SPENSER - Understanding and Predicting the Spatial and Temporal Variability of Snow Processes Under Different Vegetation Covers Combining Laser Observations and Point Measurements
Sponsored by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft - DFG
STREEM - Full Scale Testing of Tree Streamlining in Wind
Sponsored by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft - DFG
mdfBIM+ – Partially automated creation of object-based inventory models using multi-data fusion of multimodal datastreams and existing inventory data
Sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Digital and Transport BMVI
SFB 1537 ECOSENSE – Multi-scale quantification and modelling of spatio-temporal dynamics of ecosystem processes by smart autonomous sensor networks
Sponsored by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft - DFG
Vita
Curriculum Vitae
- Since 04/2017 | Professorship (W3, Full Professor) “Monitoring of Large-Scale Structures” at the Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Germany
- Since 01/2016 | Head of the department “Object and Shape Detection” at the Fraunhofer Institute for Physical Measurement Techniques IPM, Freiburg
- Since 05/2012 | Head of the Research Group “Mobile Terrestrial Scanning” at the Fraunhofer Institute for Physical Measurement Techniques IPM, Freiburg
- 2010-2012 | Scientist (Alexander von Humboldt Scholarship) at the Institute of Engineering Geodesy, Technical University Munich
- 2004-2010 | Scientist (PostDoc) at the Institute of Geodesy and Geophysics, Vienna University of Technology
- 04/2004 | Doctorate (Applied Geodesy), Vienna University of Technology
Awards and outstanding achievements
- 2006 | Laureate of the “Karl Rinner Prize” of the Austrian Geodetic Commission.
- 2009 | “Education Award” of the Vienna University of Technology for the academic year 2008/2009.
- 2010 | “Humboldt Research Fellowship for Experienced Scientists”.
- 2011 | “Fellow of the International Association of Geodesy (IAG)” - Awarded by the Executive Committee of the IAG.
- 2019 | “Josef von Fraunhofer Prize” for developments in the field of “Data evaluation with the aid of machine learning”.
- 2021 | »KI-Champions Baden-Württemberg« fort he »KI-Tool for Infrastructure planning«
Further information
Contact
Prof. Dr. Alexander Reiterer
alexander.reiterer@inatech.uni-freiburg.de
INATECH MLS
Chair for Monitoring of Large-Scale Structures
Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg
Georges-Koehler-Allee 10
79110 Freiburg, Germany
Secretary's office
Tanja Hagios
tanja.hagios@ipm.fraunhofer.de
Tel.: +49 761 8857-320
Office hours
If you are interested in information on lectures, exams, research projects, and bachelor and masters programs, please email us at tanja.hagios@ipm.fraunhofer.de. We will respond as quickly as possible with all relevant information.
