Research

We focus mainly on technical systems that are based on the interplay between engineering, science and informatics. Typically, such systems yield products in the field of information technology, communication technology, mechanical engineering, automotive and transport engineering, and the electrical and medical industry. The market success of products deriving from these industries will, in future, be largely determined by resource efficiency, usability and reliability.

The technical systems of tomorrow must display resource efficiency, usability and reliability.

• Resource Efficiency: We are guided by the principles of sustainable development; we are active in the fields of energy-efficient machines and active systems that support lightweight construction.
• Usability: Technical systems are required to possess more and more intelligent and active interfaces allowing users natural and intuitive handling. These systems will encourage modern interaction using displays, touch, gesture or speech for flexible information processing according to the situation, as well as offering partly or wholly independent operator assistance adapted to the needs of the individual user. The systems addressed here must be able to give the user a clear explanation of why certain actions are carried out.
• Reliability: The clearly-defined IT term comprises the availability, dependability and security of technical systems and is an expression of their ensured confidentiality.

All of the above demands new approaches to the creation of the technical systems of tomorrow; it includes information technology and non-technologically oriented disciplines such as neurobiology. This interdisciplinary approach offers a wide range of methods, techniques and processes with which sensor, actuator and cognitive functions - that were up until now only known to exist in biological systems - can be integrated into technical systems. Such systems are termed intelligent technical systems; their design, control and realisation require new approaches and presents interdisciplinary research with new challenges.

We want to develop and establish a new school of thought for the design of technical systems.

In principle, this new school of thought considers procedure models, specification and modeling techniques, fixed methods and IT tools for syntheses and analyses. It also includes training and education programmes. This approach should be based on sound theory and must appeal to product developers and designers in the target companies. The creation of the basic conceptual platform is in an ongoing process that combines the work completed to date and systems engineering in general. Systems engineering is intentionally cross-domain. It is a functional and target-oriented approach for the creation of complex systems that aims to integrate a variety of different domains and describe a structured process of development starting with the concept and extending well into the operational phase. Systems engineering remains a bold vision; a vision we want to turn into reality. Today, systems engineering is more a compilation of practices than a comprehensive, coherent school of thought for the design of complex multidisciplinary systems. In the light of this, we see a whole panorama of potential opportunities for us make our profile and position clear: we intend to establish ourselves as the leading systems engineering institute.

Structuring our research programme

Our research programme is divided into three areas: technologies, fields of application and innovation processes.

Technologies

Technologies are measures and procedures that facilitate the transfer of findings from science, computer science and engineering to practical use in technical systems.

1. Self-coordination and self-optimisation of distributed systems
2. ƒƒServices in mobile systems
3. ƒƒDynamically reconfigurable systems
4. ƒƒDistributed dynamic data rooms
5. Simulation, visualisation and interaction

Fields of application

Here, our emphasis lies on the implementation of real technical systems offering real benefits or fulfilling real requirements. This process should be carried out in close collaboration with the business sector, thus promoting the exchange of experiences and practices and validating the tried and tested procedures we have created. The following fields of application are currently the most important from our point of view:

1. ƒƒIntelligent mechatronic systems
2. ƒƒIntelligent networks
3. ƒƒKnowledge-based socio-technical systems

Innovation processes

First and foremost, the creation of the technical systems of tomorrow requires a fair amount of imagination, because today’s users cannot tell us what problems they will have to solve tomorrow or how best to go about solving them. Even if we did know what the systems of tomorrow will be required to do, we still lack both an instrument to design such systems and meaningful examples to work from. This presents us with two challenges:

1. ƒƒRecognising what will be required of the systems of tomorrow and making the right decisions regarding technology and business models. This requires foresight.
2. ƒƒConsidering design methodology. The main object here is to establish the above-mentioned new school of thought regarding system design, thus enabling third parties to design the systems of tomorrow.

Specific research and development projects are portrayed as cells in the structure shown below. The diagram shows seven representative projects, which we would like to present on the following pages.