Whether it’s ageing bridges or dilapidated buildings, ultrasonic measurements can reveal defects, weak points and cracks during safety inspections of large structures. However, the key to a professional assessment of structural integrity lies in the computer-based visualisation of these measurement results. In geophysics, such visualisations can already be calculated quickly and to a high standard today. A new start-up project at TU Bergakademie Freiberg has now set out to apply solutions from geophysics to structural inspection for the first time.
Using optimised measurement technology and high-performance imaging software, the team aims to achieve faster processing of measurement tasks whilst improving image quality. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) is funding the UltraFOCUS project for a period of two years as part of the EXIST research transfer programme.
UltraFOCUS builds on research findings from Professor Stefan Buske’s Institute of Geophysics and Geoinformatics. “We want to transfer state-of-the-art geophysical imaging techniques into structural inspection and thereby set a new standard for efficiency and quality. Our aim is to significantly speed up inspection processes whilst considerably improving the reliability of the measurement results,” explains project leader Christoph Büttner.
In addition to Christoph Büttner, the interdisciplinary team comprises Dr Elfi Lange, Sophia Hölzel and Erik Mista. It brings together expertise from the fields of geophysics, civil engineering, business administration and computer science. Dr Elfi Lange, an alumna of TU Bergakademie Freiberg, is also part of the founding team. “This shows that our entrepreneurship training has a lasting impact and provides the right incentives for setting up a start-up,” explains Professor Karina Sopp, Vice-Rector for Sustainability and Entrepreneurship.
Over the next two years, the team will work together to translate existing scientific findings into a commercially viable solution. The project is supported by the start-up network SAXEED, which is providing particular support with business model development and market launch. “UltraFOCUS impressively demonstrates how innovative research findings from academia can be successfully transformed into marketable technologies. We are delighted to support the team in developing a viable business model and bringing the technology to market,” says Andre Uhlmann from the SAXEED start-up network at TU Bergakademie Freiberg. With the growing market for structural inspection, the UltraFOCUS team sees ideal conditions for the future adoption of the technology.
About SAXEED at the TU Bergakademie Freiberg
As a central institution at the Prorectorate for Sustainability and Entrepreneurship, SAXEED is a key actor in supporting start-ups at the TU Bergakademie Freiberg. SAXEED sensitizes and motivates students, university graduates and university staff for the idea of founding their own company. Through the broad offer of network and teaching events, founders are qualified and accompanied by experienced founder consultants from the evaluation of the business idea to the development of the business model to the founding of their own start-up.
About the EXIST Research Transfer
The EXIST Research Transfer supports particularly innovative and research-intensive start-up projects from universities and research institutions. In the first funding phase, development work, prototype construction, and preparation of company founding are usually funded over a period of up to 18 to 24 months. The funding includes personnel costs for the start-up team (up to four people) as well as additional equipment of up to 250,000 euros for example for technology, materials, patents or market research.
