AI Solutions, Resilience, and Sustainability Showcased at Transport Logistic 2025 by Fraunhofer IML
**Fraunhofer IML Showcases AI-Driven Logistics Solutions at Transport Logistic 2025**
At this year's Transport Logistic event in Munich, the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics (IML) presented a range of AI-supported logistics solutions designed to boost efficiency for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The institute's booth, located in Hall B1, Stand 501/602, was a hub of innovation, showcasing practical and human-centered automation.
One of the standout innovations was the adaptation of "Spot," a yellow robot dog originally developed by Boston Dynamics. Fraunhofer IML has trained Spot with artificial intelligence to perform key functions in air cargo logistics. The robot dog can detect chaotically arranged pallets in air cargo warehouses, scan and read barcodes on target pallets using a robotic arm, and forward real-time cargo information to a centralized control system. Spot itself does not pick items but efficiently locates cargo to enable other robots to handle transport tasks.
This system supports three primary AI functions: recognising cargo patterns, optimising robot fleet operations, and enabling predictive warehouse management. This approach helps to ensure efficiency while maintaining safety and addressing workforce acceptance challenges through early employee involvement during development phases.
The Fraunhofer IML's solutions in the field of sustainability also include a product passport for hydrogen supply chains. Another highlight was the AI platform "Omnistics," offering AI-supported logistics processes without expensive IT infrastructure, specifically for SMEs.
The institute's research project "Digital Test Field Air Cargo" (DTAC) was represented with live demonstrations of the robot dog "Spot" at the Munich Airport stand. Dr. Harald Sieke, in cooperation with Lufthansa Cargo, gave a lecture on the introduction of the IATA data standard "ONE Record" at the trade fair.
In addition, the Fraunhofer IML's portfolio includes the "SySta" system for optimized loading of air and sea freight containers. In the project "Scalable AI and Blockchain Solutions for Automation and Autonomy in Value Networks" (SKALA), the institute presented three developments: "GreenComplAI" offers a digital product passport for the traceability of product life cycles, "SiMBA" focuses on AI-supported pricing and automated invoicing, while "InstaSCAN" digitizes unstructured, paper-based transport documents.
Prof. Uwe Clausen, Institute Director at Fraunhofer IML, stated that AI is an essential tool for companies dealing with complex supply chains and tight margins, enabling streamlined processes and future-proof operations. The Fraunhofer IML's trade fair appearance emphasised digitization and sustainability, with a focus on technological innovations in Artificial Intelligence (AI), resilience, and CSRD reporting obligations. The institute actively participated in numerous industry forums at the trade fair, further highlighting its commitment to advancing logistics technology.
[1] This article is based on information provided by the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics (IML) and is intended to inform readers about the institute's innovations at Transport Logistic 2025.
1.At the Transport Logistic 2025 event, Fraunhofer IML showcased the adaptation of Spot, an artificial-intelligence trained robot dog, for key functions in air cargo logistics.2. The Fraunhofer IML's solutions, such as the AI platform Omnistics, aim to provide AI-supported logistics processes to small and medium-sized enterprises without the need for expensive IT infrastructure.
