An interview with Professor Dr.-Ing. habil. Gerhard Linß and Steffen Lübbecke, managing directors of Steinbeis Qualitätssicherung und Bildverarbeitung GmbH
Utilize the Unseen – this is the motto of RUBIN-AMI, a research alliance launched in October 2022 to look into multimodal imaging methods. With the support of such methods, not only do objects and substances become visible, but so do properties that remain hidden to the human eye, such as temperatures or vital parameters. TRANSFER magazine met up with Professor Dr.-Ing. Habil. Professor Gerhard Linß and Steffen Lübbecke from Steinbeis Qualitätssicherung und Bildverarbeitung (SQB, partner and coordinator of the RUBIN-AMI alliance), to find out more about the goals the alliance is aiming to achieve, the projects that will be implemented, and the role that innovation has to play in this.
Members of the RUBIN-AMI alliance in Thuringia
Hello Professor Linß. SQB is a member of the RUBIN-AMI research alliance. Would you describe this alliance as an innovation system?
Gerhard Linß:
RUBIN is a German acronym for “regional entrepreneurial alliances for innovation” and a funding model of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. It’s intended to help organize innovative companies and productive universities and research institutions into networks in regions with weak infrastructure – and accelerate the exploitation of research results. The funding program should therefore bring about sustainable structural development through innovation in regions with structural weaknesses.
RUBIN-AMI is a regional alliance in Central and Southern Thuringia looking at the topic of advanced multimodal imaging (AMI), which involves developing processes in areas of industrial growth that are important to Thuringia. The way I see it, therefore, is that this alliance is an innovation system.
How did the alliance come about and what are its goals?
Steffen Lübbecke:
The most important goal of RUBIN-AMI is to develop multimodal imaging technologies as a basis of innovation, to create a network of regionally integrated partners for developing innovative products and services, and to form new value chains within the region. Thinking about the strategic objectives of the alliance, the aim is to establish an entire innovation chain for multimodal imaging in Central and Southern Thuringia, to link that chain to suppliers and customers, and to open up new and important areas of application in Germany to demonstrate the considerable potential of this technology.
Gerhard Linß:
The technology objectives are a combination of classic color image processing, spectral image processing below and above the visible light spectrum, thermographic image processing, and 3D image processing – especially for transparent objects. Another goal of our work is miniaturization, by merging all of the aforementioned sensor concepts. In total, twelve leading research institutions are working together on this project in Thuringia.
What tasks are being taken on by SQB?
Steffen Lübbecke:
SQB is focusing on the development of a spectral illumination system for a variety of applications. What that means in concrete terms is that we’re working on a modular illumination control system for use in object-specific, multimodal image acquisition, we’re working on controllable, broadband high-performance radiation systems for use in high-speed image acquisition, and we’re working on optical imaging components for use in spectral illumination and radiation systems. SQB is also acting as chair for the alliance and coordinating a core team comprising three alliance members.
What specific projects are currently being implemented under the RUBIN-AMI alliance, and what are your plans for the future?
Gerhard Linß:
The plan for the period of the project is to develop and realize illumination systems for three application projects: for a multimodal, robot-based recovery system, for an analysis device for recycled aggregates, and for a vital signal and health sensor.
The idea of these three use cases is to demonstrate how to integrate multimodal imaging innovation chains into material recycling, into closed-loop material cycles, and into medical areas. Other areas are set to benefit from the developed innovation platform in the future, too – such as automotive applications, quality assurance processes, and human-robot interaction, for example in sustainable production, farming, forestry, and the food and beverages industry.
For more information on the RUBIN-AMI alliance, go to www.rubin-ami.de
Contact
Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Gerhard Linß (interviewee)
Managing Director
Steinbeis Qualitätssicherung und Bildverarbeitung GmbH (Ilmenau)
www.sqb-ilmenau.de
Steffen Lübbecke (interviewee)
Managing Director
Steinbeis Qualitätssicherung und Bildverarbeitung GmbH (Ilmenau)
www.sqb-ilmenau.de