New Lamarr Director: What Alice Kirchheim is Researching for Intralogistics

Autonomous vehicles, dynamic warehouse processes, and learning systems are at the core of their work. The Director of the Fraunhofer IML is now taking on another role in German research on Artificial Intelligence.

Alice Kirchheim is already responsible for the research area Planning & Logistics at the Lamarr Institute and will also be a member of the board of directors in the future. (Source: Fraunhofer IML)
Alice Kirchheim is already responsible for the research area Planning & Logistics at the Lamarr Institute and will also be a member of the board of directors in the future. (Source: Fraunhofer IML)

Alice Kirchheim joins the board of the Lamarr Institute

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Alice Kirchheim has been appointed to the board of the Lamarr Institute for Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence. The head of the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML and the Chair of Materials Handling and Warehousing at the Technical University of Dortmund succeeds Michael ten Hompel, according to the institute. Kirchheim is expected to contribute her research focuses on autonomous systems and planning with artificial intelligence to the management of the research institute.

Focus on Planning and Control

Kirchheim is scientifically exploring how Artificial Intelligence can support the planning and control of complex intralogistics systems. Application areas include autonomous vehicles for transporting components in factories and warehouses, with operations that adjust to fluctuating order quantities.

According to the Lamarr Institute, her work combines computer science, technical logistics, and industrial practice. Since 2024, Kirchheim has been leading the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML and holds the Chair of Materials Handling and Warehousing at the Technical University of Dortmund. At the Lamarr Institute, she is also responsible for the research area Planning & Logistics as Area Chair.

Real Logistics Systems as a Research Environment

Real warehouses, production environments, and supply chains play a role in research work. They serve as application fields for learning systems. According to the statement, it is not only about the performance of artificial intelligence but also about reliability, resource-efficient operation, and adaptation to changing conditions.

Thus, application conditions from logistics are incorporated into the research of the Lamarr Institute. The research aims to combine artificial intelligence methods with the specific requirements of complex logistics systems and examine them under real conditions.

Four Members on the Board

In the future, Kirchheim will work on the management board with Prof. Dr. Jakob Rehof from the Technical University of Dortmund, Prof. Dr. Stefan Wrobel from the University of Bonn, and Prof. Dr. Christian Bauckhage from the Fraunhofer Society.

The Lamarr Institute is supported by the Technical University of Dortmund, the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, the Fraunhofer Institute for Intelligent Analysis and Information Systems IAIS in Sankt Augustin, and the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML in Dortmund. The institute is permanently funded under the Federal Government's Artificial Intelligence strategy by the Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space, as well as the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Translated automatically from German.
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