Fraunhofer, ESA, and CGI work on network for ‘European Civil Security from Space’...

04 Sep 2024

...and Fraunhofer IOF launches “Photonics4Future” webinar series on optics technologies.

The European Space Agency has commissioned a feasibility study on merging satellite communication and earth observation services on one central platform. The studies are carried out by CGI and the Fraunhofer Heinrich-Hertz-Institut. The partners intend to support civil security activities and provide information to affected people in crisis and disaster situations.

Given the increasing number of humanitarian crises and natural disasters, ESA has launched the Civil Security from Space (CSS) Hub. As part of a European network, CSS is intended to “promote the development of a resilient, sustainable, and secure society that can respond quickly to threats and emergencies”. CSS is “leveraging synergies between space technologies, including satellite communications, Earth observation (EO), and disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence.”

A key focus of the feasibility study will be on creating a digital marketplace to enable rapid access to integrated satcom and EO services. The aim is to enable users – for example, first responders and crisis centers – to receive actionable and trustworthy space-based solutions.

HHI is leading the DAKI-FWS (Data and AI-based Early Warning System for Stabilizing the German Economy) project funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. Various services and modules are being developed to be used in crisis situations. One of HHI’s most important tasks is the integration of AI technologies within the CSS hub using the specific example of modeling precipitation runoff (rainfall). The HHI will use the services developed in DAKI-FWS. A second use case of the CSS hub is detecting fire areas.

With the expertise of the Focus Group on AI for Natural Disaster Management, HHI is actively involving first responders, but also strategic partners on the political and scientific level, in the development and design, to ensure a user-centered design that is viable in daily use.

Stephane Pirio, of the ESA, commented, “The aim of the study is to enable seamless access to state-of-the-art satellite communication and Earth observation services in the event of a disaster, and to provide emergency services with rapid access to important information – whenever and wherever it is needed.”

He added, “The study will develop a prototype platform that will provide access to both connectivity and EO solutions through a single interface. This fusion of different space domains – telecommunications and Earth observation – is a novelty. It will revolutionize the way civil security actors work and allow them to easily acquire, monitor, and manage different services.”

“Photonics4Future” webinar series launched

Announced at the same time, the Fraunhofer Institute for Optics and Precision Engineering (IOF) has put together a digital webinar series called Photonics4Future to give “exclusive insights into pioneering research and technologies in the field of optics and photonics.

Each remaining month of 2024, researchers from the institute will present their solutions for current and future challenges in industry and society live. The series starts on September 12, 2024 at 14.00 (CET). Participation is free of charge and possible online without pre-registration.

From ultra-thin metasurfaces that could replace traditional lenses and innovative 3D measurement technologies to microlenses for vehicle signals and precise characterization of high-performance optics - optics and photonics research at the IOF in Jena is often paving the way for disruptive innovations, said the announcement.

Application-oriented knowledge

The Photonics4Future series will offer decision-makers from the optics and photonics industry exclusive insights into the institute’s current research and its practical application potential. In an initial pilot series, four selected departments will provide information about their work in brief public presentations followed by an opportunity for exchange.

The webinar series will kick off on September 12, 2024 with a presentation by the Department of Micro- and Nanostructured Optics. Head of department Dr. Falk Eilenberger will present “Scaling Micro- and Nanophotonics: Wafer-Level Metasurfaces and Beyond” on the potential of metasurfaces.

Other topics will include “Compact and Efficient: Micro-optics transforming automotive lighting”, “Characterization of Optical Surfaces and Coatings”, and “Multimodal 3D Measurement: Imaging Beyond Three Dimensions”.

The live 45 minute presentations will take place on the second Thursday of every month from September to December 2024. Interested parties can join online via Microsoft Teams without registering in advance. Participation is free of charge. The full program of the webinar series can be found here.