Fraunhofer Thüringen
About us
The Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS is a globally renowned application-oriented research institution specializing in microelectronic and information technology system solutions and services. It currently stands as the largest institute within the Fraunhofer Society. Founded in 1985, the institute has 14 sites across 11 cities, including Erlangen (its headquarters), Nuremberg, Fürth, Dresden, Bamberg, Waischenfeld, Coburg, Würzburg, Ilmenau, Deggendorf, and Passau.
Within the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS, the Department of Electronic Measurement Technology and Signal Processing (EMS) is situated in the Fraunhofer building at Vogelherd in Ilmenau. It collaborates closely with the corresponding field at the Institute of Information Technology at TU Ilmenau, forming a joint research group. Under the leadership of Professor Giovanni Del Galdo, 40 employees currently engage in research related to mobile communication, localization, sensor technology, and signal processing. The department translates fundamental scientific findings into practical projects, drawing from both public institutions and industry.
Notably, the department houses the FORTE (Facility for Over-the-Air Research and Testing) experimental facility, which offers exceptional capabilities for measuring, reproducing, and developing wireless communication technologies. This unique facility comprises two research platforms:
The Satellite Communications (SatCom) platform enables realistic testing of mobile satellite terminals, such as those used on ships or off-road vehicles.
The Over-The-Air Testing (OTA) platform allows the realistic emulation of electromagnetic wave fields in the frequency range from 1 to 6 gigahertz. This platform facilitates the realistic and reproducible testing and evaluation of communication devices, including mobile phones and GPS receivers, under adjustable boundary conditions.