Helmholtz Imaging Projects


Helmholtz Imaging Projects aim to initiate cross-cutting research collaborations and identify innovative research topics in the field of imaging and data science.

Funds for Helmholtz Imaging Projects are annually granted to cross-disciplinary research teams for collaborative mid-term projects.

Ideally, Helmholtz Imaging Projects are co-created with users and non-academic stakeholders to ensure the quick adoption of results.

Funding for the first Helmholtz Imaging projects started in December 2020. Many teams have since begun work on major challenges and pressing issues facing society to develop sustainable solutions for tomorrow and beyond.

Discover these outstanding and fascinating research projects with us or become a part of Helmholtz Imaging Projects and apply for your own project. The new call will be published in spring 2024. Stay tuned!

Helmholtz Imaging Projects – Project overview


Hyperspectral data cube
Image: Aaron Christian Banze

HYPER-AMPLIFAI

Advancing Visual Foundation Models for Multi-/Hyperspectral Image Analysis in Agriculture/Forestry

The project aims to make advanced AI models accessible for Hyperspectral Earth Observation, reducing computational demands, and improving environmental assessments through user-friendly interfaces.

Decorative image, HI ImageTox
Image: Jonas Baumann, HIPS

ImageTox

Automated image-based Detection of Early Toxicity Events in Zebrafish Larvae

ImageTox wants to establish an automated image-based system to assess zebrafish larval development. This will allow for a fast and unbiased evaluation of pathophysiological events during toxicological studies. To achieve this, the imaging process has to be optimized and a reliable model for sequence recognition based on deep learning has to be developed.

Image: SmartPhase project partners

SmartPhase

Fast, intelligent 3-D X-ray images for material examination

In order to be able to improve materials, it helps to take a look at their microstructures. This is because valuable information about their properties and behaviour can be found there – for example information about when which ageing processes begin. The aim of this project is to automate and accelerate access to this information with the help of a smart imaging technique.

 

SyNaToSe

Leveraging Cross-Domain Synergies for Efficient Machine Learning of Nanoscale Tomogram Segmentation

The aim is to develop an adaptable algorithm that can be used to perform different tasks in data and image analysis without needing to be trained with new, laboriously annotated images for each separate task.

Image: DLR

TerraByte-DNN2Sim

On the trail of the mystery of the laws of calving

Researchers still face a mystery when it comes to the laws by which glaciers calve. This project aims to use satellite imagery, artificial intelligence, mathematical optimisation and a new data processing pipeline to track the movements of glacier fronts in Antarctica to get closer to solving the mystery.

Image: Ehsan Faridi, IEK-13, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH

UTILE

Autonomous image analysis to accelerate energy materials discovery and integration

Research into green materials for clean energy generation is moving at full speed – yet still requires a long time to complete. This project is working on an open source image processing application that uses artificial intelligence to drive the analysis and management of image data from experiments across the energy materials community.

Decorative image explaining WeMonitor
Image: WeMonitor

WeMonitor

Satellite-based Earth observation to detect natural hazards

Satellite imagery makes it possible to detect spatio-temporal anomalies on the Earth’s surface, including natural hazards such as landslides, deforestation, or the emergence of large waste dump sites. This project aims to use artificial intelligence to detect these changes at an early stage and to be able to monitor their progress.

Image of HI Project "X-BRAIN"
Image: X-BRAIN

X-BRAIN

Cross-modality representation learning for brain analysis and data integration

This project aims to develop AI methods that support the integration of multimodal imaging data into human brain atlases, thereby advancing the analysis of brain structure in both health and disease.