On 10 December, the ViNe Excursion offered a behind-the-scenes look at the Fraunhofer Institutes IBP, IPA and IAO, and the S-TEC Centre for Industrialised Construction and Refurbishment (ZIBS).
The ViNe excursion started with an impressive welcome at the 'Orgellabor': Dr Josep Llorca-Bofi, group leader at Fraunhofer IBP, played an organ concert for us.
Afterwards, Prof. Philip Leistner from the FhG IBP and University IABP, Katharina Hölzle from the FhG IAO and University IAT as well as Kai Kohler and Enrique Bances from FhG IPA and University IFF introduced us to their research fields and -questions.
These interesting talks were followed by guided tours to their labs.
At the IAO, we visited the NeuroLab, the Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroergonomics. There, Matthias Vukelic introduced us to their Applied Neurocognitive Systems, which enable brain-computer interaction via an implicit interface to the mind. The aim is to create human-centred technologies that improve human–technology interaction.
In the CAVE, Matthias Aust showed us a full-scale, walkable model of a construction site and demonstrated how deviations between the building and the BIM model are visualised in a point cloud.
In the IPA Exoskeletons lab, we experienced adaptive exoskeletons supporting two of Enrique Bances' colleagues in completing a cooperative task: lifting and transporting a beam together.
Prof. Leistner then guided us to the IBP building physics laboratories, where sound insulation from internal and external sources is tested. We experienced two acoustic extremes. In the anechoic chamber, sound power, sound intensity, and the location of sound sources are measured. Here, you can hear no echoes, and experience pure noise from its source.
In contrast, in the reverberation room, the sound reflections made it difficult to understand spoken words.
Finally, at the LIFT (Laboratory for Integrated Façade Technology), we learnt how to test façade elements that foster modular construction and serial building renovation.
Our Visiting IntCDC Institutes Networking Programme (ViNe) networking programme aims to promote mutual acquaintance, interdisciplinary exchange, and cross-disciplinary understanding between IntCDC researchers from around eighteen institutes at the University of Stuttgart and one MPI, encompassing architecture, structural engineering, building physics, engineering geodesy, manufacturing and systems engineering, computer science, robotics, and human and social sciences.
