ðə fˈɜːst ɐsˈoʊsɪˌeɪɾᵻd ˌɪnstɪtˈuːʃən wʌz fˈaʊndᵻd ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi fˈaɪv, ðɪ ˈɪnstɪtˌuːt fɔːɹ lˈeɪzɚ tɛknˈɑːlədʒi ɪn mˈɛdəsən ænd mˈɛʒɚmənt tɛknˈiːk ˌaɪˌɛlˈɛm, æz ɐ faʊndˈeɪʃən ˌʌndɚ pˈʌblɪk lˈɔː.
The first associated institution was founded in 1985, the Institute for Laser Technology in Medicine and Measurement Technique (ILM), as a foundation under public law.