District Administrator Erny visits AITAD: High-tech from Offenburg with potential for nature conservation and industry

How can artificial intelligence be integrated into devices in such a way that it works reliably, conserves data, and is energy-efficient – even without an internet connection? This question was the focus of District Administrator Thorsten Erny’s visit to AITAD GmbH in Offenburg. Managing Director Viacheslav Gromov presented the concept of “embedded AI” to the district administrator – a technology that enables sensors not only to measure, but also to analyze data directly on site and make decisions.

The discussion covered possible areas of application such as industry, healthcare, and environmental protection and nature conservation. For example, the AITAD team explained how acoustic pattern analysis could be used to detect the presence of invasive bird species or the onset of bark beetle infestation without the need for complex infrastructure or permanent data transmission.

“It was impressive to see how solutions are being developed here in the Ortenau region that open up new perspectives in a wide variety of areas,” said District Administrator Erny. “The exchange was very informative for me – and it’s great to know that such an innovative company is based in the region.”

The application-specific sensors developed by AITAD work with integrated artificial intelligence that is specially trained for the respective application. They analyze data directly at the point of collection – in many cases without any cloud connection. This enables quick decisions, saves energy, and protects sensitive data. Development is always application-specific – with the aim of transmitting only relevant information.

During his tour of the company, District Administrator Erny also gained insights into the interdisciplinary collaboration at AITAD: from hardware development to mechanics and data science to AI software – everything is created under one roof. “Embedded AI only works really well when it is developed close to the application,” emphasizes Managing Director Gromov. “That’s why dialogue with regional partners is just as important to us as dialogue with industry.”

AITAD specializes in customized sensor solutions and works with companies in the mechanical engineering, medical technology, automotive, and food industries. The technology has been featured in the ZDF magazine frontal, among others.

The visit underscores the growing interest in embedded AI as a forward-looking technology that is developed regionally and used internationally – whether for quality assurance, condition monitoring, or intelligent human-machine interaction.