Current Press Releases

Researchers at Fraunhofer IDMT have developed a 3D audio technology based on audio objects which, as a central audio platform in the vehicle, allows the creation of interactive and immersive audio content and thus creates completely new application scenarios for the use of audio in vehicles. In the technical article for audioXpress magazine, our acoustics expert Christoph Sladeczek describes a new workflow that enables the rendering of audio objects in serial vehicles on resource-limited hardware.

The Fraunhofer IDMT's Oldenburg Branch will present its application-specific service portfolio at the 30th annual conference of the German Society for Sleep Research and Sleep Medicine (DGSM) from November 10 to 12, 2022. The experts will present discreet and comfortable sensor systems that enable sleep monitoring outside the sleep laboratory.

Everyone hears differently – this applies inside a vehicle too. That is why Fraunhofer IDMT in Oldenburg has developed a technological concept for fast and individual sound adaptation, which has been integrated into the multimedia system of vehicles from the Mercedes-Benz Group AG. At the heart of the development is an algorithm that easily adjusts the sound of music according to passengers’ wishes. Once set, the sound is optimally adapted to listening preferences.

It was with deep sadness that we learned of the sudden passing of our long-time business partner and loyal companion, Dagfinn Bach, with whom we had a wonderful friendship for many years.

New algorithms from Fraunhofer IDMT form the basis for the »Dialogue Detection« in Steinberg Media Technologies’ latest version of its audio post-production software Nuendo. The function reliably recognises speech components in the audio track and in so doing enables audio professionals to easily separate passages with and without speech into different tracks. Fraunhofer IDMT supplied algorithms for measuring, evaluating and displaying speech intelligibility for the previous version of Nuendo too.

The acoustic sensor systems of the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology IDMT are used in industrial error and condition monitoring as well as automated quality control. In the »KI-MUSIK4.0« project, experts are further developing their technologies for use in highly integrated multi-sensor systems. One such application is the detection of pneumatic actuator leakage. At Hannover Messe 2022, the institute’s Oldenburg branch will provide practical insights into the results so far as well as its portfolio of products and services for industry.

The consequences of a stroke can be manifold. If a patient is affected afterwards by a speech disorder, this might be aphasia – a neuropsychological aftereffect of the stroke. Targeted logopaedic treatment can help. This is the focus, among others, of »HiSSS«, a project that has just started, which includes hybrid and interactive speech and language therapy. Under the leadership of SpeechCare GmbH, Fraunhofer IDMT is developing new approaches in collaboration with HAWK University of Applied Sciences and Arts and Bitnamic GmbH.

The Oldenburg Branch for Hearing, Speech and Audio Technology HSA can look back on many years of familiar cooperation with the University of Oldenburg. We have welcomed Prof. Dr. Bruder, the new President of the Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg for his inaugural visit at the HSA.

Stepan Shishkin receives the Best Student Paper Award with his paper »Active Learning for Sound Event Classification using Monte-Carlo Dropout and PANN Embeddings«.

September 2021 saw the launch of the innovation network “Foodservice Digital Hub”. Coordinated by the University of Leipzig, leading representatives of the sector are working hand in hand with innovative start-ups and research partners to develop viable future scenarios and digital prototypes. Fraunhofer IDMT from Oldenburg is contributing its know-how in the integration of speech recognition.

New audio analysis methods from the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology IDMT help audio professionals to evaluate speech intelligibility in an objective way and in so doing make an important contribution to the optimal audio mix. At the 31st »Tonmeistertagung« trade exhibition on 3-6 November 2021 in Düsseldorf, IDMT’s Oldenburg Branch for Hearing, Speech and Audio Technology HSA will present its portfolio of solutions.

A small Hearable in the ear is intended to combine various technologies of the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology IDMT in Oldenburg. In areas where hearing protection is worn anyway, it also offers an AI platform for intelligible communication, voice control and speech-based documentation, as well as acoustic monitoring for quality control. The institute will present its technologies at the digital Hannover Messe - in an expert talk on April 13 and in individual meetings.

Many companies do not have the confidence to try out artificial intelligence models. These models can, after all, quickly become confusing. As a result, they have a wealth of untapped potential for quality control. The new IDMT-ISAAC software now makes it possible for users without any expert knowledge of AI to also benefit from artificial intelligence applications. IDMT-ISAAC is set to be showcased at the Hannover Messe from April 12-16, 2021.

For Fraunhofer IDMT, the associated membership is an important step to learn more about the needs of broadcasting archives and to align research and development to these needs.

Scientists at Fraunhofer IDMT in Oldenburg are developing solutions to improve the intelligibility of speech in media. Algorithms for automatic measurement, evaluation and presentation of speech intelligibility facilitate the work of sound engineers in film, game and audio productions. With the implementation of intelligibility technology in Steinberg's current production solution Nuendo, a traffic light now indicates how well the spoken words will be objectively received by listeners.

Wouldn’t it be great if an intelligent button in your ear could protect your hearing from loud ambient noise and at the same time enable crystal-clear communication with people and machines? On the Fraunhofer IDMT’s virtual exhibition stand at the Fraunhofer Solution Days 2020, experts will present their latest developments for a hearable for use in smart industrial workplaces. Participation is free of charge.

Fraunhofer IDMT has developed a software tool for quality inspectors based on Artificial Intelligence (AI), which automates and simplifies the analysis of industrial sounds, for example in welding processes. Thanks to pre-built AI models, established methods for audio analysis and application-specific sensor data, companies can use it to improve their quality control decisively. Even without AI expert knowledge, statements can be made quickly and reliably regarding the quality of products and manufacturing processes during production and in the final quality inspection. The Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology IDMT will be presenting the new software at its virtual booth in the "Plant and Mechanical Engineering" area of the first virtual Fraunhofer trade fair, the "Fraunhofer Solution Days 2020".

Ilmenau, Germany, 8 September 2020 – Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology (Fraunhofer IDMT) is today launching its virtual exhibition, part of the IBC Showcase, which will take place 8-11 September, from 10am to 8pm CET daily at ibc2020.digitalmedia.fraunhofer.de.

It is the details that make all the difference. Epileptic disorders can vary greatly in terms of type, cause and severity. This makes having accurate knowledge of the person’s individual medical condition very important when choosing a custom-fit therapy. To date, physicians have to rely on accounts by the person concerned and those close to them when estimating how often seizures occur. However, this information is often incomplete, as seizures are not always consciously perceived. The partners in the »MOND« project are working on a solution: A mobile neurosensing system suitable for everyday use that detects epileptic seizures automatically and documents them for the purpose of medical anamnesis and optimisation of patient safety. The project, which started in April 2020, is coordinated by the Division Hearing, Speech and Audio Technology of the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology IDMT in Oldenburg.

At the Virtual XR Expo on June 25 and 26, 2020, the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology IDMT presents "VIPRA", a tool that for the first time makes the sound of virtual products audible in a realistic spatial environment. The benefit: with VIPRA, the acoustics of new products and components can be experienced authentically during the virtual engineering phase. Already in the early phases of virtual prototyping, the acoustic properties and their effect can be assessed continuously and changes in material and design are possible. The Virtual XR Expo is a trade fair for virtual, augmented and mixed reality, which will be digital this year due to coronavirus.