imk - partner for national and international research projects. creative - innovative - future-oriented
imk Industrial Intelligence GmbH is a future-oriented company. The research for innovative ideas, methods and concepts is one of the cornerstones of the company.
The modern company headquarters in a historic setting offers our teams an inspiring and modernly equipped environment, making it the ideal place for research and development at the highest level. Thus, imk has already proven itself in numerous projects as a competent, flexible and reliable research partner of public institutions and industrial partners on a national and international level.
A large part of the research and development takes place within the framework of funded projects, which are supported by national and European funding agencies. We have summarized the current research and development activities for you.
Developing robotic technologies to improve human comfort and confidence in automation in hybrid human-robot manufacturing environments.
Exploring methods to study and evaluate exoskeletons using markerless motion capture and 3D human models for virtual planning of manual work processes.
The further development of possibilities for human-machine collaboration is currently one of the central research topics in Germany and Europe. The goal of these approaches is ...
Investigation of human motion variance for the validation of MRK processes in the planning simulation incl. implementation of the motion variances in the planning tool ema
Development of a prediction model for the determination of joining forces and their ergonomic and economic evaluation and design based on emaWD under ...
Development of technologies for better interaction between humans and machines with anticipation of the movement behavior of both actors.
Dissertations and technical articles can be requested by emailing lars.fritzsche@imk-automotive.de.
Fritzsche, L. (2008). Suitability of mobile augmented reality technologies in industrial production - A laboratory investigation of physical and mental stress and strain in full-shift operation. Saarbrücken: VDM Verlag Dr. Müller.
Fritzsche, L. (2010). Work Group Diversity and Digital Ergonomic Assessment as New Approaches for Compensating the Aging Workforce in Automotive Production. Dissertation, Dresden University of Technology.
Bauer, S., Sylaja, V. J., Fritzsche, L. & Ullmann, S. (2019). Task-based digital human simulation with Editor for Manual Work Activities - Basic functionalities, applications and future works. In G. Paul & S. Scataglini (Eds.), DHM and Posturography (pp. 57-62). London, UK: Elsevier.
Fritzsche, L., Ullmann, S., Bauer, S. & Sylaja, V. J. (2019). Task-based digital human simulation with Editor for Manual Work Activities - Industrial applications in product design and production planning. In G. Paul & S. Scataglini (Eds.), DHM and Posturography (pp. 569-575). London, UK: Elsevier.
Wegge, J., Emmermacher, A., Döbler, A., Fritzsche, L., Kügler, J. & Nowak, J. (2018). Work ability, work motivation, and leadership of older employees: state of the research and new developments. In F. Knieps & H. Pfaff (Eds.), BKK health report 2018 (pp. 190-201)). Berlin: MWV.
Leidholdt, W., Fritzsche, L., & Bauer, S. (2016). Editor of human work (ema) - From digital human model to virtual skilled worker. In A. C. Bullinger and J. Mühlstedt (Eds.), Homo Sapiens Digitalis (pp. 355 - 361). Berlin: Springer.
Maurice, P., Camernik, J., Gorjan, D., Schirrmeister, B., Bornmann, J., Tagliapietra, L., Latella, C., Pucci, D., Fritzsche, L., Ivaldi, S. & Babic, J. (2020). Objective and Subjective Effects of a Passive Exoskeleton on Overhead Work. IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, 28(1), 152-164. online ISSN: 1558-0210, DOI: 10.1109/TNSRE.2019.2945368.
Wolf, A., Miehling, J., Quadrat, E., Nolte, A., Fritzsche, L., Bauer, S., Spitzhirn, M., Peters, M., Leidholdt, W., Wischniewski, S. & Wartzack, S. (2019). Virtual planning and evaluation of human work. Occupational Medicine, Social Medicine, Environmental Medicine: ASU - Journal of Medical Prevention., 06-2019, 372-375.
Fritzsche, L. & Ullmann, S. (2018). Ergonomics 4.0 - Current trends and challenges in ergonomic work design. Betriebspraxis & Arbeitsforschung - Journal of applied ergonomics (pp. 49-52). Düsseldorf: Institute for Applied Work Science (ed.).
Fritzsche, L., Wach, D., Jungmann, F. & Wegge, J. (2017). On the importance of faultlines as boundaries in teamwork. Group. Interaction. Organization. Journal of Applied Organizational Psychology (GIO), 48 (2), 127-135.
Fritzsche, L., Wegge, J., Schmauder, M., Kliegel, M. & Schmidt, K.-H. (2014). Good ergonomics and team diversity reduce absenteeism and errors in car manufacturing. Ergonomics, 57 (2), 148-161.
Illmann, B., Fritzsche, L., Leidholdt, W., Bauer, S. & Dietrich, M. (2013). Application and Future Developments of ema in Digital Production Planning and Ergonomics. In: V.G. Duffy (Ed.), DHM/HCII HCII 2013, LNCS 8026 (pp. 66-75). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer.
Schaub, K. G., Mühlstedt, J., Illmann, B., Bauer, S., Fritzsche, L., Wagner, T., Bullinger-Hoffmann, A. C., Bruder, R. (2012). Ergonomic assessment of automotive assembly tasks with digital human modelling and the 'ergonomics assessment worksheet' (EAWS). International Journal of Human Factors Modeling and Simulation, 3, 398-426.
Fritzsche, L., Jendrusch, R., Leidholdt, W., Bauer, S., Jäckel, T., & Pirger, A. (2011). Introducing ema (Editor for Manual Work Activities) - A New Tool for Enhancing Accuracy and Efficiency of Human Simulations in Digital Production Planning. In: V.G. Duffy (Ed.), Digital Human Modeling, HCII 2011, LNCS 6777 (pp. 272-281). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer.
Fritzsche, L. (2010). Ergonomics risk assessment with digital human models in car assembly: simulation versus real-life. Human Factors and Ergonomics in Manufacturing & Service Industries, 20, 287-299.
Fritzsche, L., Hölzel, C. & Spitzhirn, M. (2019). Further development of cost-benefit assessment for ergonomics measures using practical examples from the automotive industry. In Gesellschaft für Arbeitswissenschaft (Ed.), Work interdisciplinary - analyzing, evaluating, designing. (pp. 1-6, contribution A.7.2). Dortmund: GfA-Press.
Spitzhirn, M. & Ullmann, S. (2019). Investigations on movement variance during work process execution and its integration into the human model ema. In Gesellschaft für Arbeitswissenschaft (Ed.), Work interdisciplinary - analyzing, evaluating, designing. (pp. 1-6, contribution C.4.4). Dortmund: GfA-Press.
Gonzales Marin, A., Shourijeh, M., Galibarov, P., Damsgaard, M., Fritzsche, L. & Stulp, F. (2018). Optimizing contextual ergonomics models in human-robot interaction. In IROS 2018 - IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems. October 1-5, Madrid, Spain.
Peters, M., Quadrat, E., Nolte, A., Wolf, A., Miehling, J., Wartzack, S., Leidholdt, W., Bauer, S., Fritzsche, L. & Wischniewski, S. (2019). Biomechanical digital human models: opportunities and challenges to expand ergonomic evaluation. In T. Ahram et al. (Eds.). 1st International Conference on Human Systems Engineering and Design: future trends and applications (pp. 885-890). CHU-Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, France.
Illmann, B., Fritzsche, L., Goldhahn, L. & Kaiser, N. (2018). Methods for the economic evaluation of ergonomics measures. In Gesellschaft für Arbeitswissenschaft (Ed.), ARBEIT(s).WISSEN.SCHAF(f)T - Basis for management & competence development (pp. 1-6, contribution C.6.5). Dortmund: GfA-Press.
Ullmann, S. & Fritzsche, L. (2018). Implementing age-related performance factors and individual performance limitations in the ema human model. In Gesellschaft für Arbeitswissenschaft (Ed.), ARBEIT(s).WISSEN.SCHAF(f)T - Basis for management & competence development (pp. 1-6, Contribution B.6.4). Dortmund: GfA-Press.
Ullmann, S., Fritzsche, L. & Morlok, F. (2018). Identifying movement variances during manual tasks in the vertical plane for integration into digital human models. In Gesellschaft für Arbeitswissenschaft (Ed.), ARBEIT(s).WISSEN.SCHAF(f)T - Basis for management & competence development (pp. 1-6, contribution A.8.3). Dortmund: GfA-Press.
Ullmann, S. & Fritzsche, L. (2017). Ergonomic work design for older and performance-restricted workers using digital human models. In S. Wischniewski & D. Bonin (Eds.), Proceedings of the 5th International Digital Human Modeling Symposium (pp. 100-109). Dortmund/Berlin/Dresden: Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. doi:10.21934/baua:report20170816 (online).
Ullmann, S. & Fritzsche, L. (2017). Work design for performance transformed employees with digital planning tools. In Gesellschaft für Arbeitswissenschaft (Ed.), Spring Congress 2017 in Brugg: Sociotechnical design of digital change - creative, innovative, meaningful (Paper D.1.7), Dortmund: GfA-Press.
Ullmann, S. & Fritzsche, L. (2016). Designing ergonomic workstations for people with restricted abilities using EMA simulation software. In A. Sušić, T. Jurčević Lulić, I. Salopek Čubrić, D. Sumpor and G. Čubrić (Eds.), Proceedings of the 6th International Ergonomics Conference IEA 2016, Zadar, Croatia (pp. 361-364). Zagreb: Croatian Ergonomics Society.
Ullmann, S. & Fritzsche, L. (2016). Virtual Aging - Using 3D technologies for preventive design of.
demographically resilient workplaces. In A. C. Bullinger (Ed.) 3D SENSATION - transdisciplinary perspectives (pp. 424-431). Chemnitz: aw&I Science and Practice.
Gläser, D., Fritzsche, L., Bauer, S & Sylaja, V. J. (2015). Optimized motion generation and semantic process description - Interim results of the INTERACT research project. In Gesellschaft für Arbeitswissenschaft (Ed.), Responsibility for the work of the future (pp. 1-5, Contribution B.2.4) Dortmund: GfA-Press.
Illmann, B., Fritzsche, L. & Ullmann, S. (2015). Holistic risk assessment with digital human models - Integrating environmental conditions into the digital factory. In Gesellschaft für Arbeitswissenschaft (Ed.), Responsibility for the Work of the Future (pp. 1-5, Contribution A.2.7) Dortmund: GfA-Press.
Ullmann, S., Fritzsche, L. & Schönherr, R. (2015). Concept for the design of standardized workplaces for
performance transformed employees. In Gesellschaft für Arbeitswissenschaft (ed.), Responsibility for the Work of the
Zukunft (pp. 1-6, contribution B.2.10) Dortmund: GfA-Press.
Fritzsche, L., Lindenberg, H., Illmann, B., & Hüter, U. (2014). Ergonomics optimization in the production and development of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles - Methods and implementation examples from practice. In Gesellschaft für Arbeitswissenschaft (Ed.), Designing the working world of the future, 60th Congress of the Gesellschaft für Arbeitswissenschaft (pp. 436-438). Dortmund: GfA-Press.
Fritzsche, L., Schönherr, R. & Illmann, B. (2014). Interactive Simulation and Ergonomics Assessment of Manual Work With EMA - Applications in Product Development and Production Planning. In T. Ahram, W. Karwowski and T. Marek (Eds.), Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics AHFE 2014, Kraków, Poland (pp. 3884-3893).
Gläser, D., Fritzsche, L., Bauer, S., & Leidholdt, W. (2014). The Quest to Validate Human Motion for Digital Ergonomic Assessment - Biomechanical Studies to Improve the Human-Like Behavior of the Human Model EMA. In T. Ahram,
W. Karwowski and T. Marek (Eds.), Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics AHFE 2014, Kraków, Poland (pp. 2400-2407).
Gläser, D., Eske, S., Fritzsche, L., & Leidholdt, W. (2014). On the trail of human motor control - Biomechanical studies.
On optimizing motion generation with ema. In Society for Ergonomics (Ed.), Design.
the working world of the future, 60th Congress of the Society for the Study of Labor (pp. 363-365). Dortmund: GfA-Press.
Heuwieser, G., Bauer, S., Illmann, B., & Fritzsche, L. (2014). Full integration of I.E. standards into digital human models - ema learns fluent MTM-AUS. In Gesellschaft für Arbeitswissenschaft (Ed.), Designing the working world of the future, 60th congress of the Gesellschaft für Arbeitswissenschaft (pp. 372-374). Dortmund: GfA-Press.
Illmann, B., Fritzsche, L., Leidholdt, W., Bauer, S. & Dietrich, M. (2013). Application and Future Developments of ema in Digital Production Planning and Ergonomics. In V.G. Duffy (Ed.), DHM/HCII HCII 2013, LNCS 8026 (pp. 66-75). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer.
Illmann, B. & Fritzsche, L. (2013). Extending the ema process language for holistic simulation and ergonomics assessment. In Gesellschaft für Arbeitswissenschaft (Ed.), Opportunities through work, product and system design - Future viability for production and service companies, 59th Congress of the Gesellschaft für Arbeitswissenschaft (pp. 379-382). Dortmund: GfA-Press.
Schönherr, R., Fritzsche, L., & Schmickartz, S. (2013). Practice of digital work planning - Validation study on the use of the editor of human work (ema). In Gesellschaft für Arbeitswissenschaft (Ed.), Opportunities through work, product and system design - Future viability for production and service companies, 59th Congress of the Gesellschaft für Arbeitswissenschaft (pp. 339-342). Dortmund: GfA-Press.
Fritzsche, L., Jendrusch, R., Leidholdt, W., Bauer, S., Jäckel, T., & Pirger, A. (2011). Introducing ema (Editor for Manual Work Activities) - A New Tool for Enhancing Accuracy and Efficiency of Human Simulations in Digital Production.
Planning. In: V.G. Duffy (Ed.), Digital Human Modeling, HCII 2011, LNCS 6777 (pp. 272-281). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer.
Leidholdt, W., Jendrusch, R., & Fritzsche, L. (2011). Tracking human motor skills - Algorithmic motion generation of digital human models. In Gesellschaft für Arbeitswissenschaft (Ed.), Humans, technology, organization - Networking in the product development and manufacturing process, 57th Congress of the Gesellschaft für Arbeitswissenschaft (pp. 607-610). Dortmund: GfA-Press.
Fritzsche, L. & Wegge, J. (2010). Age-mixed teamwork in passenger car assembly. In F. Petermann & U. Koglin (Eds.), 47th Congress of the DGPs (p. 81). Lengerich: Pabst.
Hoch, J. E., Fritzsche, L., & Wegge, J. (2009). Age diversity, team identification and innovation: Evidence for curvilinear relationships. Proceedings of 14th European Congress on Work and Organizational Psychology (EAWOP). Santiago de Compostela, Spain: CD-ROM.
Fritzsche, L. (2008). Validation of a method for preventive digital ergonomics assessment. In Gesellschaft für Arbeitswissenschaft (Ed.), Product and production ergonomics - Task for developers and planners, 54th Congress of the Gesellschaft für Arbeitswissenschaft (pp. 885-888). Dortmund: GfA-Press.
De Looze M. P., Koningsveld, E. P. A, Fritzsche, L., O'Sullivan, L., & Levizzari, A. (2008). Assessment of the benefits of ergonomic interventions in production. In B. Helgadóttir (Ed.), Ergonomics is a lifestyle, 40th Annual Conference of the Nordic Ergonomics Society (NES). Reykjavik, Iceland: CD-ROM.
Klippert, J., Fritzsche, L., Gudehus, T., Zick, J., Steck S. D., Ehler, R., Barcenas, A., Di Pardo, M., Sessa, F., Ellegast, R., Engstler, F., & Schaub, K. (2008). Motion capturing for preventive ergonomic assessment - possibilities and challenges for practical application. In Gesellschaft für Arbeitswissenschaft (Ed.), Product and production ergonomics - Task for developers and planners, 54th Congress of the Gesellschaft für Arbeitswissenschaft (pp. 891-894). Dortmund: GfA-Press.
Steck S. D., Mosig, A., Ehler, R., Hildebrand, A., & Fritzsche, L. (2008). Mixed and virtual reality methods to support digital ergonomics safeguards in early production planning. In Fraunhofer IFF (Ed.), Virtual reality and augmented reality for planning, testing and operating technical systems, 11th IFF Science Days Magdeburg (pp. 115-123). Magdeburg: Fraunhofer IFF.
Fritzsche, L., & Brau, H. (2007). Mobile augmented vision in automotive production: laboratory investigation of stress during all-day work with a monocular HMD. In Gesellschaft für Arbeitswissenschaft (Ed.), Competence development in real and virtual work systems, 53rd Congress of the Gesellschaft für Arbeitswissenschaft (pp. 311-314). Dortmund: GfA-Press.
Fritzsche, L., Klippert, J., Hildebrand, A., Gudehus, T., Zick, J., Lange, K.-H., Schaub, K., & Kohler, P. (2007). Innovative methods for early simulation of ergonomic conditions for participatory production planning processes. In Gesellschaft für Arbeitswissenschaft (Ed.), Competence development in real and virtual work systems, 53rd Congress of the Gesellschaft für Arbeitswissenschaft (pp. 825-828). Dortmund: GfA-Press.
Fritzsche, L. & Galibarov, P. (2019). Application of a biomechanical simulation framework to assess effects of an exoskeleton on the human body -The "PAEXO" case study. WearRAcon Europe, 19.11.2019, Stuttgart.
Fritzsche, L. (2019). Ergonomics 4.0 - Challenges of ergonomic work design in automotive production of the future. 1st Stuttgart Conference on the Future of Automotive Production, 26.09.2019, Stuttgart.
Fritzsche, L. & Kunz, M. (2019). Digital assembly planning for people with restricted abilities at Volkswagen Cityskater Project. ACI Assembly Engineering, 20.02.2019, Bad Nauheim.
Fritzsche, L. (2018). Shaping digitalization - opportunities for SMEs. BMBF Mittelstandskonferenz 2018 - KMU gestalten die Digitalisierung, 19.11.2018, Berlin.
Fritzsche, L. (2018). Ergonomics 4.0 - Work design and ergonomics for a modern production of the future. Teamwork Forum Arbeitsgestaltung, 27.06.2018, Stuttgart.
Fritzsche, L. & Rössing, S. (2018). Support of overhead activities with the exoskeleton "Paexo" - user-oriented design and results from user tests. 7th Ergonomics and Industrial Engineering Conference, 07.06.2018, Ingolstadt.
Fritzsche, L. & Hensel-Unger, R. (2018). Collaborative robots, exoskeletons, and other ergonomic innovations - What is really helpful for the operator? ACI Assembly Engineering, 21.02.2018, Bad Nauheim.
Fritzsche, L. (2017). Prospective ergonomics design with digital methods - Current trends and challenges of "Ergonomics 4.0". Lecture at the 2nd Essen Ergonomics Congress, 22.11.2017, Essen.
Fritzsche, L. (2017). Industrial Engineering 4.0 - The future of digital process and ergonomics planning. Presentation at the Autumn Conference of the Gesellschaft für Arbeitswissenschaft, 28.09.2017, Chemnitz.
Fritzsche, L. (2016). Ergonomic Work Design as Precondition for Effectively Integrating the Aging Workforce in Production Tasks. Paper presented at the "International Congress of Psychology 2016", 26.07.2016, Yokohama.
2016 Dr Fritzsche International Congress of Psychology
2016 Dr Fritzsche International Congress of Psychology (2.2 MiB)
Fritzsche, L. (2016). Sustainable Assembly Systems - Ergonomic Optimization of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Production. Presentation at the conference "Assembly Engineering 2016" of the Automotive Circle International,
24.02.2016, Bad Nauheim. ACI
2016 Dr Fritzsche Assembly Engineering
Fritzsche, L. (2015). Efficient Deployment of Employees with Impaired Abilities - Concepts for Planning and Production. Vortrag auf der Konferenz " Assembly Engineering 2015" des Automotive Circle International, 24.02.2015, Bad Nauheim.
2015 Dr Fritzsche Assembly Engineering
Fritzsche, L. (2014). Smart Work Design - Improving Ergonomics and Efficiency of Assembly Processes by Virtual Production Planning. Presentation at the conference "Assembly Engineering 2014" of the Automotive Circle International, 18.02.2014, Bad Nauheim.
2014 Dr Fritzsche Assembly Systems.pdf
Fritzsche, L. (2013). Prevention excels Correction - Early Ergonomic Assessment as part of the Product Development Process. Vortrag auf der Konferenz "Montagesysteme intensiv - Ergonomie-Optimierung in der automobilen Endmontage", 01.10.2013, Hannover.
2013 Dr Fritzsche Assembly intensive.pdf
Fritzsche, L. (2012). Preventive Ergonomics Design and Process Optimization - Examples for Combining Ergonomics and Efficiency. Vortrag auf der Konferenz "Faktor Mensch in der Automobilproduktion", 04.07.2012, Stuttgart.
2013 Dr Fritzsche and Dr Trepte Digital Humans Application.pdf.
Human Factor in Automotive Production Preventive, Ergonomic Design and Process Optimization - Examples for Combining Ergonomics and Efficiency (2012), Dr. Lars Fritzsche, Head of Department Ergonomics, imk automotive GmbH.
2012 Dr Fritzsche Human Factor.pdf
Fritzsche, L. (2011). Interactive Preproduction Planning and Ergonomic Assessment with ema -Introducing the "Editor for Manual Work Activities". Presentation at the "Applied Ergonomics Conference", 23.03.2011, Orlando, FL, USA.
2011 Dr Fritzsche Applied Ergonomics.pdf (1.3 MiB)
Fritzsche, L. (2010). Good Ergonomics is Good Economics - Empirical Evidence on the Relationship between Ergonomic Workplace Design and Productivity in Car Assembly. Presentation at the MTM User Conference, 16.04.2010, Heilbronn.
Bauer, S., Sylaja, V. J., Fritzsche, L. & Ullmann, S. (2019). Task-based digital human simulation with Editor for Manual Work Activities - Basic functionalities, applications and future works. In G. Paul & S. Scataglini (Eds.), DHM and Posturography (pp. 57-62). London, UK: Elsevier.
Fritzsche, L., Ullmann, S., Bauer, S. & Sylaja, V. J. (2019). Task-based digital human simulation with Editor for Manual Work Activities - Industrial applications in product design and production planning. In G. Paul & S. Scataglini (Eds.), DHM and Posturography (pp. 569-575). London, UK: Elsevier.
Leidholdt, W., Fritzsche, L., & Bauer, S. (2016). Editor of human work (ema) - From digital human model to virtual skilled worker. In A. C. Bullinger and J. Mühlstedt (Eds.), Homo Sapiens Digitalis (pp. 355 - 361). Berlin: Springer.
Wolf, A., Miehling, J., Quadrat, E., Nolte, A., Fritzsche, L., Bauer, S., Spitzhirn, M., Peters, M., Leidholdt, W., Wischniewski, S. & Wartzack, S. (2019). Virtual planning and evaluation of human work. Occupational Medicine, Social Medicine, Environmental Medicine: ASU - Journal of Medical Prevention., 06-2019, 372-375.
Illmann, B., Fritzsche, L., Leidholdt, W., Bauer, S. & Dietrich, M. (2013). Application and Future Developments of ema in Digital Production Planning and Ergonomics. In: V.G. Duffy (Ed.), DHM/HCII HCII 2013, LNCS 8026 (pp. 66-75). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer.
Schaub, K. G., Mühlstedt, J., Illmann, B., Bauer, S., Fritzsche, L., Wagner, T., Bullinger-Hoffmann, A. C., Bruder, R. (2012). Ergonomic assessment of automotive assembly tasks with digital human modelling and the 'ergonomics assessment worksheet' (EAWS). International Journal of Human Factors Modeling and Simulation, 3, 398-426.
Fritzsche, L., Jendrusch, R., Leidholdt, W., Bauer, S., Jäckel, T., & Pirger, A. (2011). Introducing ema (Editor for Manual Work Activities) - A New Tool for Enhancing Accuracy and Efficiency of Human Simulations in Digital Production Planning. In: V.G. Duffy (Ed.), Digital Human Modeling, HCII 2011, LNCS 6777 (pp. 272-281). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer.
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