Natural hazards such as floods, landslides, and high tides are on the rise worldwide. In Europe alone, weather- and climate-related events have caused more than 160 billion euros in damage over the past three years, according to a study by the European Environment Agency (EEA). The earlier natural hazards can be detected, the sooner damage to people and infrastructure can be averted.

Digital protection network

In cooperation with Infineon, the Austrian startup company GMD from Innsbruck/Tyrol has developed an efficient, digital early warning system for monitoring Alpine rivers and areas. The development is based on intelligent PSoC 6 microcontrollers and Infineon's Deepcraft Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology. The system continuously measures important parameters such as water level or flow velocity and detects deformations or dangerous impacts in protective structures such as rockfall nets or avalanche barriers.

"Semiconductor solutions from Infineon are the digital heart of the Internet of Things," says Thomas Rosteck, Division President Connected Secure Systems at Infineon. "Our high-performance microcontrollers not only impress with their first-class features, but also with their wide range of possible applications. We are especially pleased when our solutions can help to save lives, as in this specific case. The easy integration of our microcontrollers into existing systems, their low energy consumption and their high level of safety make it easier for start-ups and developers to implement forward-looking ideas like this."

Detecting and eliminating obstacles with foresight

In the system, radar technology from Infineon reliably captures data – even in poor lighting and weather conditions – and provides information about the distance, speed and direction of movement of objects. The intelligent AI-based Infineon microcontrollers then process the large amounts of data quickly and precisely. This creates a powerful and efficient system that detects dangers, threats or risks at an early stage in order to remove obstacles and prevent flooding. Thanks to integrated photovoltaics, the intelligent sensor network is also completely energy self-sufficient.

Steve Weingarth, founder and CEO of GMD: "We are delighted to be working with Infineon, a leading international semiconductor company. In combination with our analytics platform, we can offer energy-efficient and cost-effective early warning systems. Since the beginning of our partnership as part of the Infineon Startup Challenge 2024, we have received great support and can already use the system in pilot projects.”

Pilot projects in the Alps

In Austria, the system is already being implemented with the city of Kufstein, the state of Tyrol and other municipalities. The aim is to use monitoring to detect blockages in watercourses at an early stage. GMD is also testing the system to record visitor flows at the Prager Alpenhütte in the Hohe Tauern National Park in cooperation with the German Alpine Association (DAV). From July onwards the system will be used to count people on high alpine hiking trails. The more precise recording of visitor flows is intended to improve the water management of the huts and adapt the infrastructure specifically to usage.

Infineon startup co-innovation programme

The global Infineon Startup Co-Innovation Programme is a real springboard for many startups. Infineon takes on the role of co-innovator and technology partner and provides the latest components in the fields of energy efficiency, mobility, security, IoT, and big data.

Lamin Ben-Hamdane, Head of Startup Cooperations at Infineon: "The cooperation gives the startups access to the latest technologies and our global network. In turn, we benefit from the agile entrepreneurial spirit, learn about innovative system approaches and can better adapt our products to new applications."

Participation Infineon Startup Challenge 2025

The Infineon Austria Startup Challenge 2025 on the topic ‘Building Intelligent IoT sensory systems with the help of Edge AI’ is currently open. The best startups will then be able to present their prototypes at the Infineon Demo Day in Vienna at the beginning of October. The Startup Challenge is supported by IPCEI ME/CT. Applications are still possible until June 15th. 

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