Fraunhofer Institute for Production Systems and Design TechnologyAugmented reality, space travel, and rubber boots
Fraunhofer IPK goes Wacken
Wacken, space, and science – how does that fit together? With Wacken Space Camp! At this year's Wacken Open Air music festival, numerous partners from industry, science, and space organizations came together to provide information about astronomy, space travel, and space technology directly on the festival grounds. Right in the middle of it all: Fraunhofer AVIATION & SPACE and our extended reality expert Kathrin Konkol.
You were invited to give a lecture at Wacken Space Camp. How did that come about?
I have been working closely with Fraunhofer AVIATION & SPACE for several years, because my research topics in the fields of augmented and virtual reality have also found their way into space as modern work tools. Visitors can try out one of our VR demonstrators at important industry events such as the ILA trade fair.
When I heard that a broad-based event was being planned at “a North German music festival” and that Fraunhofer was on board, I immediately knew where this was going. As a passionate metalhead myself, I also knew that there is a huge overlap between metal fans and those working in STEM fields. That's why I thought the concept was brilliant from the very beginning, because I was convinced that we would reach the right target group there.
The title of your presentation was “Orbiting Oblivion: Navigating Space Engineering with AR.” What was the intention behind that title? What did you talk about?
When a colleague heard about the presentation, he immediately thought of the band “Darkspace” and how they address the emptiness of space. After all, AR and VR allow people to virtually visit places that would otherwise be inaccessible. It was a perfect fit. Plus it was simply a cool title that would pique people's curiosity. I then gave an introduction to what VR and AR can be used for and how they are being used in the development of space technologies.
What was different about this event compared to the trade fair and conference appearances you are used to?
Firstly, the live music from my favorite bands in the distance – you can't get that anywhere else. Then there's the mud – a typical Wacken phenomenon. I don't normally need rubber boots on a business trip. But what particularly impressed me was the interest of the people, as well as the lively technical discussions and questions. From acquisition talks to presentations for very young scientists to group photos with astronauts, everything was there. I have never experienced such a bombastically positive response at the usual trade fair appearances.
How did you find the atmosphere on site?
The atmosphere on site was phenomenal. Our appearance at Wacken was a welcome change for the festival visitors, who were delighted to have direct contact with scientists. Anyone who has ever been to a festival knows that the atmosphere is usually very good – no matter how hard it rains or how hot the sun is. People look forward to Wacken all year long and then spend a lot of time there. This led to exciting conversations and a deep insight into the visitors' opinions on our own research work. And it wasn't just the mood of the visitors that was fantastic – I also found the atmosphere at Space Camp to be absolutely positive – it was all about pitching in, helping each other, and maintaining good teamwork even in extreme working conditions. Being able to be part of this was an absolute highlight for me! So, thank you to the Space Camp team and the organizing team, who did an amazing job!
