Research topics in keywords: 

• Digitization
• Manufacturing and Production
• Sensing technologies and Sense Making
• Interaction with the Internet of Things
• Semantic Technologies

Digitalization is currently moving production from computerization (e.g. using computer-controlled CNC mills) to fully digital computing and production systems, including available sensor data and facilitating networked control and data exchange.

We research on optimizing production steps by analysing the sensor and status data of the production machinery, both at the level of the individual machine and on production line level. We apply techniques from machine learning to identify starting points for improved processes.

Visualization and human-computer interaction for production machinery and networked technologies complement our capabilities.

Rapid manufacturing is for many domains crucial to evaluate new designs - from physical to digital level. We research on novel forms of human-computer interaction within the domain of personal fabrication, and at the same time have a strong focus on entrepreneurship and startups. We support entrepreneurs and industry in general in the professional evaluation and iterative development of products and services and provide you with professional facilities for interaction design, user experience design and methodological assessment and measurement of the performance of interactive systems on all scales and levels.

Digitization:

Companies still struggle with the shift from their used and well known environments towards the needed flexibility in today’s challenging world wide competition to other companies. Effective, high quality products down to lot-size one production needs the integration and use of digital technology. The collected data has to be integrated into the established business process and models. The whole process needs a rigorous rethinking, and change of the traditional processes. We support companies in gaining revenue from integrating prototypes in various industrial settings to make them aware of its benefits as a base for strategic decision making.

Manufacturing and Production:

Products and Production systems of the future will be dramatically different to the ones established now. Machines will be connected to each other and exchange data in realtime. This enables new approaches to support workers in their daily routines and to eliminate workplace inefficiencies and hazards. Cognitive capabilities will be implemented in this intelligent networks focusing not only on high product quality, realtime status exchange, and minimization of downtimes, but also on the human’s capability to ensure a healthy and not overwhelming workplace.

Sensing technologies and Sense Making:

Sensors deliver a wide range of heterogeneous data ranging from simple acceleration sensor values to complex non schematic data time series. The raw data is hard to understand and the need for methods to understand them is enormous. We apply methods from machine learning and pattern analysis to abstract from the low level sensor data and put meaning to the data that can be act on. We work on application scenarios in industry and health to support people in their daily living.

Interaction with the Internet of Things:

The Internet of Things assumes that objects have digital functionality and can be identified and tracked automatically. The main goal of embedded interaction is to look at new opportunities that arise for interactive systems and the immediate value users gain. Linking todays physical and digital world (the bits and atoms) raises new challenges that have to be addressed in the upcoming cyber-physical system world.

Semantic Technologies: