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While industrial robots have long been established in mass production, mobile service robots for inspection and maintenance tasks as well as robot technology that enables direct collaboration between man and machine in production are currently coming more and more into focus in industry and research.

This seminar is dedicated to the conceptual and technical fundamentals, interaction principles such as teleoperation, supervisory control and collaboration, workplace analysis, visualization, control and simulation, and also takes a practical look at the changes in programming and safety using demonstrators.

Information and registration

While industrial robots have long been established in mass production, humanoid robots, which enable direct interaction between humans and machines, are increasingly coming into focus, e.g. at hotel receptions, for entertainment, in the home or in competitions such as the RoboCup.
In this seminar, humanoid Nao robots from Aldebaran Robotics are used, which are approx. 58 cm tall and weigh 5.2 kg. They have an Intel Atom processor, two cameras, four ultrasonic sensors, inertial and pressure sensors as well as WiFi and can be programmed with C++, Python and Java, among others. The Choregraph programming environment also offers an easy introduction to robot programming.
This seminar is dedicated to the basics of NAO robot programming and introduces basic programming concepts. In practical sessions with simulated and real robots, these basics will be deepened through guided exercises.

Information and registration

At the 18th Conference on Educational Technologies of the German Informatics Society (DELFI) 2020, Johannes Funk and Ludger Schmidt's long paper "Evaluation of an augmented reality instruction for a complex assembly task - comparison of a smartphone-based augmented reality instruction with a classic paper instruction for the training phase in manual assembly" received the "Best Paper Award". Out of a total of 85 submissions, 13 were presented as long papers at the DELFI conference, which was held purely digitally from September 14-18, 2020, together with the 15th European Conference on Technology-Enhanced Learning (EC-TEL).

The department's paper compares the use of augmented reality (AR) instructions with the paper instructions commonly used in manual assembly using a real-life application. A conventional smartphone was used for the self-created AR instructions, on which the camera image was supplemented with virtual objects. A study was then carried out to determine whether the type of instructions had an impact on assembly time, the number of errors, usability and employee stress. A special feature of the study was that it was carried out with 16 industrial mechanic trainees who had previous experience in the manual assembly of complex components at a real workplace for the assembly of emergency handles for unlocking doors in rail vehicles. After the AR group initially assembled more slowly than the paper group, the latter was significantly faster in the fifth round. The comparable number of errors, usability and stress make simple AR applications with smartphones particularly interesting for knowledge transfer in manual assembly due to the ease of access and low costs.

Conference website

Nowadays, tools of the trade are more than just trowels and screwdrivers - scientists at the University of Kassel have developed a teaching and learning platform that helps the skilled trades with digitalization. This also includes new training formats, for example with the use of virtual reality in the skilled trades.

Scientists led by Prof. Dr. Patrick Spieth developed future scenarios as part of the "FachWerk" project and used them to derive the effects of technological megatrends on the skilled trades. A platform, which was developed by the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering under the direction of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ludger Schmidt together with the practical partners in the project, provides assistance for the introduction of digital technologies such as document management in business processes or the use of drones, taking data protection into account. The project also provides new training formats for tradespeople, for example using virtual or augmented reality, which were tested in the project. The platform is made available to skilled crafts companies in North Hesse via the Vocational Training Center for Skilled Crafts.

The project was funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research with more than 1.3 million euros. In addition to the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering, the Department of Technology and Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship at the University of Kassel, the Institute for Vocational Education and Adult Education at Leibniz Universität Hannover, the Berufsförderungswerk des Handwerks gGmbH in Korbach, the companies Gringel Bau + Plan GmbH in Schwalmstadt and Hübschmann Aufzüge GmbH & Co KG in Korbach, the Korbach Employment Agency and the Kassel Chamber of Crafts were also involved.

Teaching and learning platform at the vocational training center for skilled trades

Report in the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine newspaper

The fight against the new coronavirus has been dominating private and public life in Germany for weeks now. Contact bans and social distancing rules have meant that we can no longer interact with each other in the way that was completely normal not so long ago. Now that we can meet in person less often, digital technologies are gaining in importance and providing a degree of normality - especially when it comes to communicating with each other.

But even beyond telephony and video conferencing, we are currently seeing how useful interactive technologies can be in supporting us during the ongoing pandemic - either because they minimize risks and protect us from infection in everyday life or because they support us with intelligent concepts and thus simplify our lives overall. This is what research projects in human-technology interaction are investigating.

In the U-hoch-3 project, researchers are developing an assistance system that, among other things, is designed to determine the capacity utilization of various means of public transport. This functionality could help to avoid journeys in overcrowded vehicles and therefore make traveling safer in the current climate. Prof. Dr. Ludger Schmidt is the project coordinator and explains how the system works in an interview.

Interview on "Interactive Technologies"

Do you want to help shape Kassel's public transportation system?
Take part in our moderated group discussions and let's develop ideas together to improve local public transport in Kassel.
The focus group workshops take place online and no prior knowledge is required. All you need to participate is a PC with internet access and a landline or cell phone.
Register online here: https://uni-kassel.de/go/u-hoch-3
Or call us personally on: 0561 804 7083

Report in the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine newspaper

The state of Hesse wants to set up a Hesse-wide competence center for digitalization. On February 5, Digital Minister Professor Kristina Sinemus visited the ITeG at the University of Kassel to discuss how the ITeG can contribute its expertise to the planned center.
How can digitalization be designed in such a way that it benefits our society and does not endanger it? The ITeG, the Scientific Center for Information Technology Design at the University of Kassel, has 15 years of expertise in this area.
This expertise is backed up by impressive third-party funding figures: In 2018 alone, over 4.5 million euros were implemented at the ITeG. The members are sought-after contacts and advisors for politicians in expert commissions and expert councils at federal level. The ITeG experts are regularly present in the media, as President Prof. Dr. Reiner Finkeldey emphasized in his welcoming address.
Prof. Sinemus was introduced to the ITeG in detailed discussions. Together, they discussed how the ITeG could contribute its expertise in responsibly shaping the digital transformation to a planned Hesse-wide center.

Until a few years ago, virtual reality glasses were still an expensive niche product, but they are now widely available. "For less than 50 euros, you can buy mounts into which a normal smartphone can be inserted, turning them into real virtual reality glasses," explains Prof. Dr.-Ing. Together with a team of colleagues from his "Human-Machine Systems Engineering" department, he has developed an application for this type of goggles, which should help with the training of tradespeople in the future.

"For our study, we shot a 3D 360° learning video in which the creation of a kitchen tile backsplash is demonstrated," explains Johannes Funk, who played a key role in supervising the implementation of the project in Prof. Schmidt's department. This 3D 360° learning video was then prepared with an interactive view control system so that it runs on a standard smartphone and can be viewed with the appropriate glasses holder. "We then divided 20 trainees into two groups - while one group used the 3D 360° video, the other group watched a conventional learning video on a laptop," explains Funk. After the training, both groups were able to produce a tile backsplash on a training construction site to roughly the same standard, as judged by independent assessors. "However, the participants from the virtual reality group were much more motivated," reports Funk. "At the same time, the distraction factor was also significantly higher in this group - this may be due to the appeal of the new medium," speculates Funk.

"With this project, we were able to show that there are also interesting potential uses for virtual reality in the training of tradespeople," concludes Prof. Schmidt. "Digitalization will also become increasingly important for the skilled trades - with this form of application, we can familiarize future experts with the technology in a meaningful way," Prof. Schmidt is certain.

The "VR/AR-Learning" working group of the German Informatics Society was also impressed by the study and, in collaboration with the Stifterverband der deutschen Wissenschaft, presented the project with a special award in the "Interactive 360° videos" category in the "Successful VR/AR learning scenarios" competition and has now presented it as the project of the month.

Report in ZDF heute

Interview in the Frankfurter Rundschau

Report in the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine newspaper

The workshop "Practical approaches to ELSI integration in technology projects (PRINT)" will focus on how ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI) can be integrated into technology projects. The aim is to obtain an up-to-date overview of integration strategies, methods and experiences with regard to ELSI issues, particularly in collaborative projects. Practical presentations will be used to identify current common challenges in integrated research and highlight possible solutions. The workshop will thus contribute to filling the methodological toolbox of integrated research. At the Scientific Centre for Information Technology Design (ITeG), the departments of Human-Machine Systems Engineering, Public Law, IT Law and Environmental Law as well as Business Informatics have taken over the organization of the workshop.

Call for submissions

Further information on the workshop

Registration for the conference

One solution to demographic change is the development of age appropriate assisting systems for a self-determined life (AAL). In this seminar, professionals from either the social or technical sector are to be informed about AAL and enabled to advise potential users about them, offer them and use them according to their needs, as these professional areas will be confronted with them in the future. The didactic approach of tandem learning is used, in which the participants support each other in the learning process.

Further information on the seminar

Report in the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine newspaper

As part of his summer trip, Hessian Digital State Secretary Patrick Burghardt visited the University of Kassel to find out about the possibilities of digitalized processes in industry. In addition to a tour of the model factory "μPlant", he met with the President of the University and ITeG member Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ludger Schmidt (Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering) and Prof. Peter Dräxler (Head of the University's IT Service Center).

"At the Scientific Centre for Information Technology Design, researchers in Kassel have been working for many years on the question of how information technology can be designed responsibly in the interests of society in such a way that its innovation potential is exploited, but also its risks are recognized and avoided," says Burghardt. The focus of ITeG research activities is on the interdisciplinary design of socially desirable information and communication technology from a socio-technical perspective. By bundling expertise from computer science, ergonomics, technology law, business informatics, gender and diversity research, sociology and business psychology, the ITeG is an interdisciplinary research network aimed at sustainably strengthening the research profile of the University of Kassel. These activities are embedded in the university's digitalization strategy, which promotes digital infrastructures and information management for research, teaching and administration.

The University of Kassel is particularly broad and interdisciplinary in the field of digitalization, information technology and AI. This applies to research as well as teaching and administration. "At the University of Kassel, we have unique expertise throughout Hesse when it comes to classifying the topics of information technology and AI in an interdisciplinary and comprehensive social context, assessing risks in data protection and developing socially acceptable solutions for the world of work and private use," said President Prof. Dr. Reiner Finkeldey.

University press release

Press release of the Hessian State Chancellery

The University of Kassel today (July 12) launched the development of an assistance system for local public transport and presented a mobility and simulation laboratory. Over the next four years, a research consortium will develop and test a digital system that will provide information on the occupancy status of buses and streetcars, improve connection reliability when changing trains and enable the separate transportation of shopping and luggage with a delivery service.

We've all been there: rushing from the streetcar to the bus stop with heavy shopping, but the connecting bus has just left and the next bus is overcrowded. To make the use of local public transport more customer-friendly, the partners in the U-hoch-3 ("Unbeschwert urban unterwegs") project are working on an information technology assistance system to remove barriers to use. "We have designed an assistance system that provides passengers with needs-based support along their travel chain. In addition to intermodal travel planning, it offers an innovative inner-city delivery service that covers the entire supply chain with luggage drop-off, transport and delivery, making it easier to shop without a car," says coordinator Prof. Dr.-Ing. "Instead of vans, cargo bikes will also be used. If public transport also becomes more attractive and drivers switch to buses and trains as a result, this will also reduce pollutant and CO₂ emissions in the city and improve the quality of life in urban areas. Two thirds of journeys made in cities are for leisure activities, shopping and private errands."

Initially, prototype components of the assistance system will be tested in the laboratory of the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering with the help of a CAVE, a simulation environment that uses three projection screens to virtually recreate a location such as a bus stop or train station. Among other things, a streetcar simulator can be placed there and a pedestrian can move around on a walking input device. In addition, a traffic control center will be set up and the use of delivery robots will be investigated. The system will then be implemented together with the project partners. In a one-year field test in Kassel, practical tests and scientific evaluations will be carried out to determine how the occupancy status of public transport can be recorded and made available in real time. The aim is to enable passengers to react flexibly to the occupancy status in their travel planning. In addition, a concept for ensuring connections is being tested. Customers should be able to signal their connection request so that transport service providers can ensure the connection and provide reliable information.

Following an initial concept development phase, in which Professor Carsten Sommer's Department of Transport Planning and Systems was also involved, and a multi-stage selection process as part of the "Individual and adaptive technologies for networked mobility" funding priority of the BMBF research program on human-technology interaction, the second funding phase for implementing the project has now also been approved. The project will run for a total of five years and has a volume of over 6.6 million euros. Prof. Dr. Arno Ehresmann, Vice President Research at the University of Kassel: "The positive decision for the second funding phase is impressive proof of the quality of the scientific work carried out so far. We are very pleased that the project will create an innovative laboratory for public mobility and urban logistics in Kassel, with which numerous project partners will be networked nationwide and for which the University of Kassel will receive a good 2.4 million euros in funding."

DHL (Bonn/Kassel), INIT Innovative Informatikanwendungen in Transport-, Verkehrs- und Leitsystemen (Karlsruhe) and IVU Traffic Technologies (Aachen/Berlin) are involved in the project as research and development partners. Application partners are Kasseler Verkehrs-Gesellschaft and Nordhessischer Verkehrsverbund (Kassel). In addition to the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering as overall project coordinator and the Department of Transport Planning and Transport Systems, the Department of Public Law, IT Law and Environmental Law (Prof. Dr. Gerrit Hornung) from the University of Kassel is also involved. Associated partners include the Association of German Transport Companies, the City of Kassel, MoWiN.net, the network of the North Hessian mobility industry, as well as Kassel retail associations and operators of shopping centers and parking garages.

Further information

Report in the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine newspaper

Report in the Hessenschau (from 17:48)

What will it be like when we are networked with digital technologies 24 hours a day? How can technology positively shape our future? The Federal Ministry of Education and Research was looking for creative ideas for the human-technology interaction of tomorrow. The jury selected five teams from over 40 submissions with many innovative and creative visions of technology.

The "TranslAid" entry was submitted by an interdisciplinary team of students from the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering (Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ludger Schmidt) and the Film and Television Department (Prof. Yana Drouz) at the University of Kassel, consisting of Anthony Borgan, Christian Engel, Victoria Koberstein, Philipp Krause and Niklas Seehausen. The team presented its concept of simultaneously translating data glasses at the Zukunftskongress 2019 in Bonn on May 21, 2019.

Federal Minister of Education and Research Anja Karliczek personally welcomed the five nominated teams and said at the opening of the congress: "I am particularly pleased that so many students were interested in our ideas competition "Sovereign into the digital future". Your exciting contributions and creative visions are what our society needs. I am keeping my fingers crossed for the award ceremony!". Voting by the more than 560 congress guests in attendance then decided the final winners. In the end, only 0.5% of the votes cast were between first and third place, with which the Kassel team was successful.

The task of the ideas competition was to identify a particular challenge for human-technology interaction in the future and to develop a visionary solution for this. This idea was to consist of a specific technological product or a related service. Both short idea papers and a video clip were submitted to visualize the creative idea, which will also be used as an impetus for future research funding.

The event also provided a good opportunity to listen to presentations and panel discussions about the future in a digitalized world. The focus was on systems based on virtual or augmented reality (VR or AR).

Video of the University of Kassel contribution

Further information about the ideas competition, all idea papers and videos

Increasing digitalization and virtualization present us with major challenges in many areas of life. The shape of our future also depends on how we interact with new technologies in our everyday lives. What can research into human-technology interaction do to positively influence this? The Future Congress 2019 is dedicated to the topic of "Sovereign in the digital future". On May 21 and 22, 2019 in Bonn, the focus will be on people in the digital transformation and their future interaction with technology. The focus will be on systems based on virtual or augmented reality (VR or AR).

A team of students from the department and the art academy, consisting of Anthony Borgan, Christian Engel, Victoria Koberstein, Philipp Krause and Niklas Seehausen, was selected by the jury from over 40 submissions to the student ideas competition for the shortlist of the best five with their entry "TranslAid". On the first day, the team will present their video and concept for simultaneous translation glasses before a vote by the congress guests decides the final winner of the competition.

Ludger Schmidt has been invited to present the U-hoch-3 project, which was selected as one of five research projects on individual and adaptive technologies for networked mobility for funding in the four-year second phase, for the first time in public on the second day as part of the session block "Technology at the heart of research" with a presentation entitled "Assistance system for reducing barriers to the use of public transport".

Further information on the project

Photo gallery

3D 360° video

The IHK Kassel-Marburg and Science Park Kassel GmbH cordially invite you to the 4th Innovation Breakfast North Hesse "Uni meets Business" on April 12, 2019 at 08:30 a.m. in the Science Park Kassel. Join us to discuss a highly topical issue for the innovative strength of North Hesse: Designing technology-supported assistance systems for people - Industry 4.0, robotics, augmented reality.

Human-robot collaboration and augmented reality data glasses are technological innovations discussed in the context of Industry 4.0. They are changing the working world of the future. What new design possibilities will arise for the use and relief of humans in production? How is the learning of continuously changing work processes supported? What are the effects of these possibilities on the productivity of the work system and the strain on people? Ludger Schmidt, Head of the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering at the University of Kassel, will present the concrete use of these technology-supported assistance systems in a laboratory setup. The setup was developed using a real manual assembly workstation at a company in North Hesse. Selected current research results illustrate the benefits of these approaches to work design.

Dr. Friedrich Freiherr Waitz von Eschen, Vice President of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce Kassel-Marburg, will represent the business community of North Hesse and will also moderate the innovation breakfast. We are particularly looking forward to the subsequent science-practice dialog with you.

Invitation

Registration form

Interview in the Science Park Newsletter

Report in Wirtschaft Nordhessen

REFA Landesverband Hessen e. V. was founded in November 1948. For 70 years now, REFA Hessen has been supporting the employees of the Hessian economy in questions of "increasing economic efficiency and humanizing work" through tailor-made training and further education measures. On this day, we do not want to look back, because the Hessian economy is doing well thanks to REFA. But we do want to look to the future to ensure that it stays that way. On 29.03.2019, Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ludger Schmidt will give a keynote speech on the topic of "Human-robot collaboration and assistance with augmented reality".

Report at REFA

The University of Kassel, KVG and NVV are asking local transport customers to take part in a survey. The results will help to develop a smartphone-based assistance system that will make it easier to change trains or transport shopping, for example. The form can be found on Limesurvey. It takes about 15 minutes to answer the questions. They concern, for example, the extent to which local public transport is used.

In the U-hoch-3 project, the University of Kassel (Departments of Human-Machine Systems Engineering and Transport Planning and Systems) is working with the Kasseler Verkehrsgesellschaft (KVG) and the Nordhessischer Verkehrsverbund (NVV) to design a smartphone-based assistance system for local public transport. The aim is not only to make travel planning easier, but also to include an innovative inner-city delivery service that covers the entire supply chain with baggage drop-off, transportation and delivery, thus making it easier to shop without a car. The researchers are initially evaluating how the occupancy status of vehicles can be recorded and transmitted. They are also developing a concept for reliable transfer. The project is still at an early stage.

Further information

The Hessian Minister President Volker Bouffier visited the robotics laboratory of the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering at the University of Kassel today (August 3) as part of his summer trip "Hessen has a future".

The head of government was impressed by Kassel's cutting-edge research into the supportive use of robotics and digitalization in the world of work, where the focus is on people.

Minister President Volker Bouffier was welcomed by the President of the University of North Hesse, Prof. Dr. Reiner Finkeldey. Finkeldey emphasized how well the university's research achievements have developed in recent years, not only in the breadth of scientific disciplines, but also at the top. Professor Ludger Schmidt, Head of the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Scientific Center for Information Technology Design, then presented an example of excellent research in Kassel. In 1982, the department was the first university institution in Germany in which scientists systematically dealt with human-machine systems research. Occupational scientist Ludger Schmidt and his interdisciplinary team showed the guest from Wiesbaden in the department's robotics laboratory what the interaction between humans and robots in the world of work could look like in the face of increasing digitalization. Among other things, Prof. Schmidt presented the Minister President with a ground-to-air service robotics system for inspection tasks in industrial production halls. Employees also demonstrated human-robot collaboration using a simulated workplace where humans are supported by a robot and augmented reality data glasses in the assembly of a gearbox in order to improve efficiency and ergonomics.

Minister President Bouffier was impressed by the research work of the robotics laboratory and thanked the university president and the scientists for their presentation: "What the workplaces of the future will look like with the influences of digitalization and robotics is also being impressively researched at Hessian universities. This shows what excellent research is being carried out in this field and what is already technically possible today, for example in industrial assembly. It is important that the focus is on people and the benefits for society as a whole - that is progress with a promising future."

Press release from the university

Press release from the Hessian State Chancellery

As part of the Hessian state government's Future Week "Education, Science and Research", Minister for Europe Lucia Puttrich visited the department's robotics laboratory today (May 2) to find out how humans and machines can work together efficiently and meaningfully now and in the near future.

Professor Ludger Schmidt gave the Minister a tour of the laboratory and, together with his colleagues, presented various projects and a demonstrator for human-robot collaboration, which allows a human to work together with a robot without a safety fence at the same time and in the same place in industrial assembly. This improves ergonomics and efficiency.

"Human-machine systems research sounds like science fiction and Hollywood movies. But robots have already changed our working lives and will continue to do so. The robotics laboratory at the University of Kassel is a place where excellent research is being carried out in this field and which already shows what is possible today," said Puttrich. "This is successful future research in the service of people and in the very best sense," said Puttrich after the discussion with Prof. Dr.-Ing.

Press release from the Hessian State Chancellery

Report in the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine newspaper

From April 26 to 27, around 75 researchers from a total of 12 joint projects met in Siegburg near Bonn as part of the BMBF research focus "Adaptive, learning systems - for comprehensible interaction between humans and complex technology" to discuss the results of their work. People should be given easy access to complex technology regardless of prior knowledge, age, socialization and physical and mental abilities. However, innovative technology will only find its place in everyday life if the system learns from people and adapts to them.

Everyone is familiar with the feeling of disorientation when visiting a metropolis for the first time. The RadAR+ project is developing a solution - a personal mobility agent uses smart glasses and smartwatches to provide users with up-to-date route information when they are out and about. As an adaptive travel assistance system, it learns whether its user prefers the stairs or the elevator on the way to their destination and distributes location-based, targeted information for completing the respective section of the journey - whether it's an exit reminder on the train or bus or directions when changing trains.

Report at the BMBF

Report in the Bonner Generalanzeiger

Two researchers at the University of Kassel are designing a smartphone-supported assistance system that is intended to greatly simplify the use of local public transport. Among other things, the system should enable separate luggage transport, provide information on bus or streetcar capacity utilization and facilitate connections when changing trains. This is initially a requirements analysis and concept development, not yet a real operation.

Making public transport more attractive will significantly improve the quality of life in urban areas. Two thirds of journeys made in cities are for leisure activities, shopping and private errands. This often involves carrying shopping or luggage, which can be inconvenient when using public transport. In addition, you cannot be sure that seats are available and that the desired connections will be reached when changing trains.

This is why the U-hoch-3 ("Unbeschwert urban unterwegs") project is designing an assistance system that supports users along their travel chain as required. In addition to intermodal travel planning, it offers an innovative inner-city delivery service that covers the entire supply chain with baggage drop-off, transportation and delivery, making it easier to shop without a car. Together with inner-city transport service providers, we are evaluating how the occupancy status of public transport can be recorded and made available in real time so that we can react flexibly to this in our future travel planning. Furthermore, a concept for ensuring connections is being developed. Customers should be able to signal their connection request so that transport service providers can ensure the connection and provide reliable information.

Even though this is initially just a concept for a system, the project should help to make public transport more attractive in the future and thus reduce pollution and noise in the city. Following a positive assessment, the implementation phase with other project partners is set to begin at the start of 2019.

The U-hoch-3 project, which is being funded by the BMBF as part of the "Individual and adaptive technologies for networked mobility" funding priority, will be presented at a kick-off event in Berlin on January 18, 2018. The research project is being carried out jointly by the departments of Human-Machine Systems Engineering (Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ludger Schmidt) and Transport Planning and Transport Systems (Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Carsten Sommer) at the University of Kassel. The project is led by the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering.

Further information

Report in the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine newspaper

Report from the BMBF

Usability engineering is the systematic engineering development of usable technical systems, i.e. systems that can be used effectively, efficiently and satisfactorily. Based on relevant international norms and established standards, this seminar presents concepts and methods with which the quality characteristic of usability can be pursued and checked in a targeted manner. The scientific principles are supplemented by practice-oriented examples in order to convey the content in a clear and memorable way.

This year's "Mensch und Computer", one of the largest HCI conferences in Europe, which is jointly organized by the Department of Human-Computer Interaction of the German Informatics Society and the German Usability Professionals Association, once again attracted over 700 participants from science and industry and was held under the motto "Playfully simple interaction". The Human-Machine Systems Engineering department was the most strongly represented in the scientific program with three long papers entitled "Design and evaluation of a natural flight robot control system", "Scenario-based prototype for a travel assistance system with data glasses" and "Vibrotactile perception when using gloves". A total of 21 of the 60 long papers submitted for review were included in the conference program. In addition, as part of the contribution "Natural user interface for controlling a flying robot", conference participants were able to control a flying robot using gestures and see-through data goggles during the interactive demo session, without having to train this beforehand and without collisions occurring. In addition, an "Augmented reality indoor navigation with data glasses" was presented in a short paper and poster. The contributions to the conference and workshop proceedings are available for download as open access publications in the Digital Library Human-Computer Interaction.

Conference website
Conference proceedings MuC '17
Workshop proceedings MuC '17

At the Interfaces and Human Computer Interaction (IHCI) 2017, the contribution from the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering "Suitable Parameters for Tacton Design in Touch Screen Interaction" by Tobias Stein, Martin Seeger, Bernd-Burkhard Borys and Ludger Schmidt received the "Outstanding Research Award". The acceptance rate for submitted research papers at this conference was just under 20%. Researchers from Europe, Asia and America met in Lisbon from July 21 to 23, 2017 to discuss the design, development and implementation of human-machine interfaces and the general implications of interface design, exchange new ideas and present their research work.

The department's contribution deals with the haptic feedback of touchscreens. When interacting on the flat surface of a touchscreen, the feeling of conventional keys is lost - inputs are slower and more mistakes are made. To counteract this negative effect, vibration signals can be used as an artificially generated form of haptic feedback. The award-winning contribution dealt with the haptic coding of information using such vibrotactile signals (tactons). Various parameters of a vibration pattern were examined with regard to their distinguishability and suitability for encoding information. 51 test subjects took part in the experiment, and recognition rates of 90 % had to be achieved in order to classify a parameter as suitable. The parameters frequency and roughness showed the best results, but the amplitude and rhythm of a vibration signal can also be used to encode information - the signal shape, on the other hand, appears less suitable. General design recommendations were derived from the results of the experiment and suggestions for the future design of tactons were presented.

Conference website

Review IHCI 2017

What is important when we are networked with digital technologies 24 hours a day, seven days a week, technical systems are becoming increasingly intelligent and robots are taking on more and more everyday tasks independently? These and many other questions were the focus of the 3rd Future Congress "Bringing Technology to People" organized by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Experts from politics, research and practice discussed new trends in human-technology interaction at the World Conference Center Bonn (WCCB) on June 26 and 27, 2017. The RadAR+ project was represented in the exhibition on the "Intelligent Mobility" theme island with its own stand, where trade visitors and the public were able to experience the benefits of a digital navigation system for local public transport using "smart" glasses.

Website of the RadAR+ project

Website of the BMBF Future Congresses

Interview with Georg Schütte, State Secretary at the BMBF, on human-technology interaction

At the opening of CeBIT, Hessischer Rundfunk asked the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering how data glasses can support people in the future. In order to gain an impression of the current state of the art, an augmented reality functional model from the department was tested on Microsoft HoloLens data glasses on site. The field report describes what assistance with orientation and navigation in buildings could look like. However, dynamic information in the user's field of vision can also provide useful support in the working environment, for example for service technicians or in manual assembly.

One solution to demographic change is the development of age appropriate assisting systems for a self-determined life (AAL). In this seminar, professionals from either the social or technical sector are to be informed about AAL and enabled to advise potential users about them, offer them and use them according to their needs, as these professional areas will be confronted with them in the future. The didactic approach of tandem learning is used, in which the participants support each other in the learning process.

flyer

Further information on the seminar

Registration form

Report in the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine newspaper

In the coming years, the German skilled trades sector will face profound upheavals due to digitalization. Scientists at the University of Kassel, together with the Vocational Training Center for Skilled Crafts and other partners, are developing methods to prepare employees, trainees and people returning to work, and therefore companies in North Hesse, for the working world of the future.

Over the coming months, a team led by Prof. Dr. Patrick Spieth, Head of the Department of Technology and Innovation Management at the University of Kassel, will be conducting a technological forecast to determine which digital skills will be in demand in the future. At the same time, a working group at the University of Hanover is assessing the training needs of tradespeople. A team led by Prof. Dr. Ludger Schmidt, Head of the Kassel Department of Human-Machine Systems Technology, is developing a multimedia learning environment based on this, which is to be used in the training of young tradespeople, in the further training of employees and, in particular, in the qualification of unemployed tradespeople. In addition to the University of Kassel, the University of Hanover (Prof. Dr. Steffi Robak), the Chamber of Crafts in Kassel, the Korbach Employment Agency and the companies Gringel Bau + Plan GmbH and Hübschmann Aufzüge GmbH & Co KG are also involved.

In the program "alpha-Campus", the University of Kassel is presented by two students. Among other things, the television team filmed the E2V driving simulator in the simulation laboratory of the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering, in which a student tests the experimental setup. The simulated single-axle electric vehicle was developed as part of the "E2V - Electromobility Concept with Semi-Autonomous Vehicles" project and is designed to enable mobility and flexibility for people with mobility impairments in areas outside of normal road traffic. Among other things, the department has experimentally investigated the interaction concept with an active sidestick for vehicle control. As part of student work, the simulator was equipped with a powerful movement platform after the project was completed, which now allows realistic driving through the Kassel Bergpark with six degrees of freedom.

Television report from Bayerischer Rundfunk

USEWARE 2016 focused on human-technology interaction in the Industry 4.0 era. On October 6 and 7, 2016, engineers, computer scientists, psychologists and designers met in Dresden to exchange practical solutions, find new ideas and discuss them with each other. At the end of the conference, the jury awarded the Best Paper prize to the paper by Manuel Radziwill, Romy Kniewel and Ludger Schmidt from the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering entitled "Usability and context-dependent acceptance of voice-based smartphone control in relation to younger and older users".

This paper presents the results of a study showing that there are significant differences between voice interaction and a touchscreen keyboard as well as between the two age cohorts in terms of the effectiveness and efficiency of smartphone input. Among other things, it was shown that fewer incorrect entries were made in both test groups using voice input and that voice enabled faster task processing than keyboard-based input. The comparison between the two age cohorts showed that younger users made significantly fewer incorrect entries using keyboard-based input than older users and also completed all the tasks set in the test scenario significantly faster. The subjective evaluation of the test subjects also made it clear that, regardless of age, voice input is perceived to be both more useful and easier to use than keyboard input. However, it was also shown that the willingness to use voice input is strongly dependent on the usage environment and the degree of familiarity with other people present, with older people being more critical of the use of voice input in public than younger people.

Conference program

The digital transformation of our economy and society is in full swing. However, uncertainty and ignorance are holding back many players and people are not daring to take the step towards change. Learning from experience, moving into the future together with partners, eliminating worries and concerns, encouraging people to take action - these are the goals of the joint event organized by the Chamber of Industry and Commerce Kassel Marburg, the University of Kassel, the Wirtschaftsjunioren Kassel and UniKasselTransfer. The event is also supported by Hessen Trade & Invest. The event will take place on 29.09.2016 in the Science Park Kassel.

Ludger Schmidt and Karl Stieler, Managing Director of STiMA GmbH & Co KG in Breitenbach, will contribute to the topic of the working world with a lecture entitled "Effects of Industry 4.0 on human-machine interaction" and an exhibit on human-robot cooperation, which will be presented as part of the exhibition.

Program

Further information and registration

Campus message

The Futurale film festival is part of the Work 4.0 dialog process of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. The festival showcases trends in the working world of the future, innovative lifestyles and traditional companies that are embarking on new paths. With seven documentaries on the topic of the future of work, the festival will be held in Kassel at the end of September. Each screening is embedded in a discussion event.
University Professor Dr. Ludger Schmidt will be available as an expert for the panel discussion following the film "Ik ben Alice", which deals with the topic of service robots for people in need of care.

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Further information

Gunnar Johannsen received the Hal W. Hendrick Distinguished International Colleague Award 2016 at the annual meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society in Washington, DC, on September 20, 2016. The laudatory speech stated: "Gunnar Johannsen has consistently been a leading figure in human-machine systems in Europe. He has made pioneering contributions to mathematical modeling of human behavior and performance in manual control tasks as well as supervisory control. Dr. Johannsen has been a tireless contributor to the international human-machine systems community. In the International Federation of Automatic Control, he led the formation of the Working Group on Man-Machine Systems. He was director of the Laboratory for Systems Engineering and Human-Machine Systems at Kassel University from 1982 until 2006, and continues to be University Professor of Systems Engineering and Human-Machine Systems. He has had many distinguished appointments at universities in the U. S. and internationally, including the Beckman Institute at the University of Illinois, Kyoto University, and the University of Technology in Vienna. According to Neville Moray, one of his nominators, he is an outstanding example of a person who successfully bridges the disciplines of engineering and ergonomics, and is probably the most highly qualified person in Europe in high-technology human factors." The Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering congratulates its founder and former head on this honorable award!

The "FREE - Leisure and event transportation with intermodally bookable electric vehicles" project ends in September 2016 after four successful years. To mark the occasion, the project consortium invites you to the closing event at the Schlosshotel in Kassel, Bad Wilhelmshöhe.

Since its launch in 2012, the FREE project has made a significant contribution to establishing the topic of electromobility in North Hesse and testing various applications for their suitability for everyday use. The aim of the project was to provide a sustainable transport service from a single source. The integration of electric vehicles and pedelecs into the public transport system is intended to give visitors to the North Hesse region, in cooperation with hosts and institutions, the opportunity to travel without their own car and be mobile locally at all times.

The Human-Machine Systems Engineering department was responsible for the user-oriented development of the information and booking system, focusing on the design of a smartphone app suitable for the target group. In the lecture"User-friendly information technology for leisure mobility", Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ludger Schmidt will present the results of the work.

Program flyer

The current RadAR+ project is developing an application for smart glasses to help users find their way around and navigate when using public transport. As part of RadAR+, the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering is conducting an online survey to find out which situations on public transport are particularly difficult and which functions users would like to see in a travel assistance system.

The survey has now been completed. The winners of the vouchers have been notified.

In an all-day workshop, the projects of the BMBF call for proposals "Adaptive, learning systems - For an understandable interaction between humans and complex technology" will present their current work status. The aim of the announcement is to facilitate access to complex technologies for a broad section of the population through the use of adaptive, learning systems in specific application contexts. These systems can interpret the intentions, needs and actions of users in a usage and environmental context. They can adapt optimally to the characteristics of the users and their individual handling of a complex technical system without restricting their autonomy.
The RadAR+ project funded in this context will be presented by PD Dr. Stefan Hennemann (HOLM GmbH) as overall coordinator and Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ludger Schmidt as scientific coordinator. A first functional model developed at the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering will also be demonstrated live.

The program

Further information

As part of the RadAR+ project, participants are being sought for a study on navigation and orientation at the airport. The test subjects will visit predefined locations at the airport, such as a check-in counter. With the help of glasses that record their eye movements, the aim is to find out how people orient themselves at the airport. Eye movements can also provide information about unconscious processes that are not revealed by pure observation or questioning. In addition, the test subjects' steps and heart rate are recorded and interviews are conducted at the end.

The study has now been completed. The winners of the vouchers have been notified in writing.

The University of Kassel's new lecture hall building on Holländischer Platz will be open to all interested guests for a whole day. A variety of presentations and hands-on activities for young and old will show what the University of Kassel and its academics have to offer. Members of the university, students, friends and supporters of the university as well as the citizens of the city of Kassel are cordially invited!

Under the title "Augmented Reality with Data Glasses", the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering will be represented in Seminar Room 2 (Level 1) from 11 am to 6 pm: In the RadAR+ research project, an app for data glasses is being developed to help users find their way around public transportation. You can try out the latest data glasses in a short experiment.

Program

Report in the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine newspaper

Independence and self-determination are a valuable asset in our society - especially with increasing age or in the event of a need for care. Technical support systems can offer solutions for this. However, when dealing with this complex of issues, many questions arise for those involved in working with the elderly and disabled, for social service providers, for the housing and real estate industry, the health and care industry as well as for the skilled trades, administration and politics: What technology makes sense for older people? What advice and placement options are available? What influence does technology have on care?

University Professor Dr Ludger Schmidt has been invited to give a keynote speech in the forum "Advice on helpful technology: complex mediation, networked information" and will give an outlook on the "Digitalization of everyday life" at the end of the event in the plenary session.

The symposium is organized by the Office for Social Work of the City of Wiesbaden in cooperation with the Hessian Ministry for Social Affairs and Integration, Hessen Trade & Invest GmbH, RheinMain University of Applied Sciences and the municipal "Quality of Life and Technology Strategy Group". It will take place on Friday, May 13, 2016, from 9.30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. at Wiesbaden City Hall on Schlossplatz. Registration is possible until May 4 using the online form.

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Program

Green footprints show travelers getting off the subway the quickest way to the station. They start right in front of their feet and run across the platform. This vision is soon to become reality. In the RadAR+ project, a consortium of research institutions and companies is developing a navigation system for changing trains with the help of smart glasses. The Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering at the University of Kassel is testing these glasses and making recommendations on how information should be displayed so that users can understand it intuitively.

It's hard to imagine cars without navigation systems - now they are also set to become a reality for travelers who need to find their way around airports or train stations. The navigation system for transfers works with the help of smart glasses. Current information is displayed directly in the traveler's field of vision - if they change their viewing direction, the information automatically adapts to the new perspective. The information ranges from directions and delay information to tips on nearby cafés in the event of long waiting times. The system takes individual needs into account - for example, calculating more time for older or physically impaired people to change trains. For this reason, data protection and data security play an important role in the project.

Prof. Dr. Ludger Schmidt, Head of the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering at the University of Kassel, explains what tasks his team is taking on within the project: "We are primarily working on user-friendliness." Schmidt continues: "This means that we consider how and where information should be displayed to people so that they can understand it easily. It is particularly important to involve users in all phases of the project." Schmidt and his team are conducting the first tests in the laboratory at the University of Kassel. In a later phase, they want to use the smart glasses for test purposes at Frankfurt's long-distance train station and Frankfurt Airport. His department is also responsible for the scientific coordination of the project.

The project "Travel assistance system for dynamic environments based on augmented reality" (RadAR+) will run for another three years and is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. It is part of the funding priority "Adaptive, learning systems - for comprehensible interaction between humans and complex technology". The project volume amounts to a total of 4.3 million euros, with the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering at the University of Kassel receiving around 940,000 euros in funding. The project partners include House of Logistics & Mobility GmbH, the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics, voiceINTERconnect GmbH, HaCon Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH, Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund Servicegesellschaft mbH, Frankfurt am Main, Ubimax GmbH, Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund GmbH, Hofheim am Taunus and Fraport AG.

Report in the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine newspaper

"Work in complex systems - digital, networked, human?" is the theme of the Society for Ergonomics' spring congress.

Working with digital tools and media as well as internal and cross-company networking have become increasingly important in recent years and are the main characteristics of future work systems.
Alongside the increasing diversification of products and processes, the rising level of digitalization and networking are the driving factors behind the growing complexity of work systems.
However, digitalization and networking are not only the causes of increasing complexity; they also make it possible to make it manageable in terms of structures and processes. We are only at the beginning of exploring the potential and using it for the benefit of working people.

After greetings from the Rector of RWTH Aachen University and the NRW Minister of Science, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ludger Schmidt will give the opening keynote speech on the topic of "Designing haptic feedback for touch-sensitive surfaces". The department is also represented with six other conference contributions.

The University of Kassel and Volkswagen Kassel have developed a semi-autonomous robot system that can detect leaks in industrial production. One component is a flying robot. The system, called Robot}air{, has now been finally presented.

In this demonstration, Robot}air{ showed in a production hall at the Volkswagen AG plant in Kassel how industrial production halls can be inspected for compressed air leaks, working environment factors and heat emissions from production facilities. The cost-effective, prototype robot system has been developed by a project consortium involving the University of Kassel and tested in laboratory and field studies.

The service robot system consists of a teleoperated flying robot and a semi-autonomous driving robot, both of which are equipped with multi-modal sensors, as well as a mobile control station with data goggles. On the one hand, the robot-assisted inspection serves to detect and locate compressed air leaks and insulation damage on process furnaces in order to use energy more sustainably and economically. On the other hand, environmental factors that go beyond legal requirements are recorded in order to ensure healthy working conditions and thus increase productivity.

Regular inspections of compressed air systems detect leaks at an early stage, thereby reducing losses and the use of primary energy, which in turn has a positive impact on CO₂ emissions and the climate. Robot-based mapping of the local climatic situation enables unfavorable working environment conditions to be detected and avoided and energy-saving opportunities to be identified. As the supply lines in the production halls are often difficult to reach and production is not directly affected, this has often been neglected up to now. However, studies have shown that it is economically worthwhile to seal significant leaks.

The project was launched in 2013; the Federal Ministry of Education and Research funded it with around 2.2 million euros as part of the "ICT 2020 - Research for Innovation" program. It was coordinated by the Volkswagen plant in Kassel, while the Human-Machine Systems Engineering and Measurement and Control Engineering departments at the University of Kassel took on the scientific management. Other consortium partners are the Fraunhofer Institute for Communication, Information Processing and Ergonomics and the companies Aibotix, Postberg+Co. Druckluftcontrolling, S-Elektronik and Sonotec Ultraschallsensorik Halle. The industrial partners will continue to pursue the commercial exploitation of the project results. The final report will be published soon.

Further information: Robot}air{ project

How can people remain living independently in their familiar surroundings for as long as possible? This is a key question that our society is asking itself in the face of demographic change. In combination with a barrier-free environment, assistance systems that support everyday life can make a significant contribution to quality of life and improve the social participation of vulnerable people.

Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ludger Schmidt will give a lecture on the topic "Why technology alone is not enough: AAL research and qualification for practice".

The 2nd North Hesse Symposium will take place on October 15, 2015 at Haus der Kirche, Wilhelmshöher Allee 330, 34131 Kassel.

Report in the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine newspaper

Radio report from Hessischer Rundfunk

Whether in the aircraft cockpit, airspace surveillance or airport operations on the ground, the aviation sector places extensive demands on the effective and efficient interaction of people and technology in a highly complex system. For safe and comfortable human-technology interaction, it is therefore of central importance to fundamentally consider the capabilities and characteristics of humans, as well as their performance limits, when designing products and processes. This seminar is aimed at developers and users who want to learn about the fundamentals of ergonomics as well as specific practical examples of human-factors-oriented design.

The following topics are planned, among others: Stress and strain - Human information processing and ergonomic design - Reliability and errors - Human factors engineering - Safety management and safety culture - Planning, conducting and evaluating experimental studies.

Information about the seminar

Once again this year, the University of Kassel and the two technical-scientific associations VDE Kassel and VDI Nordhessen are organizing the Day of Technology in Kassel in cooperation with selected industrial companies. The aim of the Technology Day is to show young people ways into the engineering profession. The event is intended for high school students who are interested in science and technology.

The Technology Day 2015 will be held in the afternoon in Lecture Hall I after the opening and a welcoming address by the new President of the University of Kassel, Univ.-Prof. Dr. Reiner Finkeldey, with an introductory lecture on the engineering profession and a lecture by Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ludger Schmidt on the topic of "Human-Robot Interaction". Afterwards, the robotics laboratory of the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering can be visited.

Report from the VDE

Intelligent lighting systems, a floor that detects falls (and forwards them to an emergency call), centrally controlled doors and windows, intelligent stove shut-off, sensors that detect and optimize lifestyle habits, automatic locking systems and smart homes are all technological possibilities that can provide important support for people in old age or with disabilities. The variety of products is increasing almost daily, and many companies and universities are investing large resources in these so-called "AAL technologies" in order to develop new products and services.

Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ludger Schmidt will give a lecture entitled "AAL - current developments and further training opportunities".

The event will take place on September 17, 2015, 16:00 to 18:30, at the Kassel Chamber of Crafts, Scheidemannplatz 2, 34117 Kassel. Admission is free. Registration is requested!

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On June 29 and 30, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), together with the interdisciplinary research community, provided impetus for future-oriented human-technology interaction. The focus of the 2nd BMBF Future Congress on Demography at the Gasometer in Berlin-Schöneberg was on questions relating to the future of human-technology interaction. "Technology must help people and improve our lives. It must have a clear social benefit and be accepted by citizens," said Johanna Wanka, Federal Minister of Education and Research, at the congress. The more than 360 participants at the congress spent two days learning about and exchanging ideas on smart technologies, particularly in the areas of digitalization, education, care and health as well as mobility, in keynote speeches, lively sessions and lively discussion rounds.

In his presentation on "New perspectives: smart technologies for information visualization", Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ludger Schmidt explained the possibilities that new visualization technologies open up. Here, information can be perceived not only from a separate display, but in the direct context of the real environment and connected to it. Forecasts for the technical development in the field of augmented reality were also highlighted, as were the consequences for everyday life in the digital, networked society.

Documentation

movie

Program booklet

Press release of the BMBF

The lecture by Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ludger Schmidt is dedicated to the systematic engineering development of usable products, i.e. products that can be used effectively, efficiently and satisfactorily, as well as the design of efficient and ergonomic workplaces. To this end, technologies and methods are presented with which these quality characteristics can be pursued and checked in a targeted manner and illustrated using examples from various projects.

The lecture begins at 5.00 p.m., after which you will have the opportunity to exchange ideas over a snack. Venue: Science Park Kassel, Universitätsplatz 12, 34127 Kassel (please enter Mombachstraße 1 in the navigation system).

Report in the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine

Digitalization is affecting and changing more and more areas of life. The ITeG at the University of Kassel has been researching how information technology can be designed to be socially acceptable, practicable and safe in terms of data protection since 2005. The ITeG has now been upgraded to a scientific center. The opening ceremony took place on May 19, 2015 as part of a symposium.

The symposium, which was opened by the President of the University of Kassel, Prof. Dr. Rolf-Dieter Postlep, also celebrated the tenth anniversary of the ITeG, which initially took the form of an interdisciplinary research center. Among the well-wishers was the Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board, Prof. em. Dr.-Ing. Dr. h.c. mult Paul J Kühn, who emphasized the ITeG's interdisciplinary platform, which is unique in Germany. Looking back on the first beginnings of interdisciplinary discourse, Kühn said that "the digital reality means that the interdisciplinary concept is really needed today". The Kassel model could play a pioneering role here. The following guests also made it clear in their presentations how the topic of socially desirable IT design is becoming increasingly topical and tangible. In his guest lecture "Digitalization and the future of work", Prof. Dr. Dres. h.c. Arnold Picot from the Research Center for Information, Organization and Management at the LMU Munich - based on the exponential developments in digitalization - highlighted the changes in individual forms of work and organizational structures that are currently taking place and the challenges that still lie ahead for management and society. The Vice President of the German Informatics Society, Prof. Dr. Andreas Oberweis, also emphasized that the ITeG topic has also become a core concern of the German Informatics Society. "Perspectives have changed," says Oberweis, "Whereas in the early 1980s information systems were still defined purely as systems for recording, storing, processing and passing on information, today it is becoming increasingly clear that information systems must be viewed as socio-technical systems. This is where the ITeG in Kassel is working on the central issues. Professor Matthias Jarke from the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Information Technology FIT in Aachen highlighted the opportunities offered by digitalization in his presentation "Computer Science, Inclusion and Innovation" in the field of tension between opportunity and risk and presented a unique learning software developed in Aachen for previously disadvantaged deaf pupils. In line with the learning cycle, Jarke also congratulated the ITeG on its 10th birthday and clearly described it as ready for high school.

One of the ITeG's guiding principles is to view the development of information technology from an overall perspective of people and technology and to understand it as a task of sustainable system design. Technology should be designed to be socially desirable and risks should be minimized. ITeG scientists are currently involved in the LOEWE focus areas "Social Link" and "NICER" as well as the Darmstadt LOEWE center CASED (Center for Advanced Security Research). The ITeG is the fourth scientific center at the University of Kassel, alongside INCHER, CESR and CinSaT.

The Scientific Center ITeG is intended to support the joint research development and visibility of the following subject areas: Distributed Systems, Communication Technology, Information Systems, Business Psychology, Public Law, Human-Machine Systems Engineering, Knowledge Processing and Applied Information Security. The assignment of the subject areas to the respective departments remains unaffected.

More information at http://www.iteg.uni-kassel.de

A research network coordinated at the University of Kassel has developed a single-axle electric vehicle. It stabilizes itself by moving the wheel axle back and forth almost imperceptibly. It could be used in parks or traffic-free residential areas.

A prototype has already proven its suitability. The vehicle remains stable thanks to minimal, electronically controlled displacements of the entire axle, which shift the vehicle's center of gravity. Unlike conventional single-axle vehicles that are driven standing up ("Segways"), the vehicle has a bench with two seats. "This also makes it attractive for senior citizens and people with restricted mobility," explains Prof. Ludwig Brabetz, Head of the Department of Vehicle Systems and Fundamentals of Electrical Engineering and spokesperson for the "Electric mobility concept with semi-autonomous vehicles" (E2V) research network. "The results of the project will help to close a mobility gap in an ageing society and at the same time meet the demand for environmentally friendly, individual transportation that can be powered by renewable energies."

Potential areas of application include traffic-free residential areas, parks and cultural landscapes where the use of conventional road vehicles is prohibited due to structural conditions or certain environmental and tourism aspects. The E2V vehicle is also equipped with information technology, it offers up-to-date information on the surroundings and provides a navigation platform. In a next step, a function for semi-autonomous driving is planned so that the vehicle can take passengers to their destination independently in the future.

The highly maneuverable vehicle was designed by a consortium with diverse expertise in the fields of lightweight construction, body and chassis, electric drives, electronics, human-machine interfaces and GPS navigation. The result is a two-seater passenger compartment with good all-round visibility. Other features of the vehicle include a chassis in hybrid lightweight construction (aluminium-steel) with adjustable suspension comfort, which is also suitable for driving on poor surfaces; a spindle drive for horizontal adjustment of the wheels under the vehicle body; two synchronous wheel hub motors with permanent magnets to ensure energy-efficient stabilization and driving function; and intelligent electronics to coordinate all balance, driving and comfort functions with GPS navigation.

The E2V is not controlled with a conventional steering wheel and pedals, but with an active sidestick. Thanks to the intuitive control concept developed by the Human-Machine Systems Engineering department and tested in advance as part of a driving simulator study, the E2V can also be used without a driving license. If the vehicle deviates from the drivable path, the sidestick warns the driver with vibrations. Tourist information can be called up via two integrated touchscreens and a voice output system when used in park landscapes.

Consortium:

University of Kassel (consortium lead)
Department of Vehicle Systems and Fundamentals of Electrical Engineering
Department of Systems and High Voltage Engineering
Department of Electrical Power Supply Systems
Department of Lightweight Design
Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering
EAM GmbH & Co. KG, Kassel
FINE Mobile GmbH, Rosenthal
Hella KGaA Hueck & Co.., Lippstadt
Ernst Hombach GmbH & Co. KG, Uehlfeld
Hymer Leichtmetallbau GmbH & Co. KG, Wangen
Krebs & Aulich GmbH, Derenburg

As in the previous year, the "TAAndem - AAL further training in tandem" project once again presented itself at the Kassel Health Days on 20 and 21 March 2015. As part of the project, the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering at the University of Kassel is developing a vocational training course on the topic of age-appropriate assistance systems (AAL for short), which is aimed equally at people from technical/trade professions and people from care/social professions. The content of the training is developed jointly in mixed "learning tandems" with people from different professional groups.

At the Kassel Health Days, interested visitors were able to find out more about age-appropriate assistance systems in a presentation and put themselves in the shoes of an elderly person in need of support using an age simulation suit. They had to complete a course that included typical everyday activities in order to better understand the needs of elderly and physically impaired people. The suit is also used in further education. Project team members were also on hand to provide more information about the TAAndem training program.

The University of Kassel brings together carers and tradespeople, social services and housing associations: Part-time and university-certified AAL consultant for Ambient Assisted Living

"Older people could live safely and independently in their familiar surroundings for much longer if they used the right aids. The right technology exists," says Professor Dr. Ludger Schmidt from the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering at the University of Kassel. "We want to bring together professionals from social and technical professions so that older people can lead a better life." This is how he promotes a new training course on age-appropriate assistance systems, which will take place for the first time in Kassel from January 27 to 29 for interested parties from all over Germany.

Participants will qualify as AAL consultants in accordance with application rule 2757-5 of the German Association for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies (VDE). The abbreviation AAL stands for Ambient Assisted Living, i.e. living in the home environment thanks to technical assistance systems. Participation is certified by the University of Kassel and the courses will be organized in future by UNIKIMS, the Management School of the University of Kassel and successful Hessian companies.

Further information and the opportunity to register up to 2 weeks before each seminar can be found at www.taandem.de.

Report in the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine newspaper

Handling touchscreens is one of the situations that people are confronted with in everyday life, e.g. when buying a ticket from a ticket machine or writing a message on a smartphone. It can happen that an element on the screen is touched but the device does not respond. How can you communicate to the user that the device has recognized an input when they touch the screen?

One possibility is vibrations perceived with the fingertips when touching the touchscreen. As part of the InterHapt project, we are investigating how touchscreens are used. In a survey, we determine the behavior when using mobile devices, for example, which fingers are used.

A user-friendly smartphone app is to be developed for the FREE research project, which aims to integrate electric vehicles into public transport services. The Department of Man - Machine - Systems Engineering is evaluating how well icons in smartphone apps can be assigned to their corresponding functions. For this purpose, participants are being sought for an approx. 60-minute laboratory test.

Touchscreens are stylish and practical, but people working on them type more slowly and make more mistakes than on a conventional keyboard. This is due to the often small key display, but also to the lack of tactile feedback.

The Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering is now developing design recommendations on how tablets, smartphones and ticket machines can be provided with feedback to the fingertips.

When working on a computer, people are used to "haptic feedback": every touch on the keyboard can be felt in the fingertips. Although modern touchscreens offer many options for entering commands, studies show that operation is slower and more error-prone due to the lack of feedback. "In many cases, it is more difficult to type on a smooth, immobile surface than on mechanical keys," explains Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ludger Schmidt, Head of the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering at the University of Kassel. "This has to do with the fact that the brain receives no feedback via the sense of touch. So you automatically type more slowly, and yet more typing errors occur."

To remedy this, the first providers are already incorporating simple "haptic feedback" into their devices: The user then feels brief vibrations when operating the touchscreen, for example. "So far, however, there are no recommendations on how to optimize this feedback: for example, how long or how strong the vibration should be or what stimulus is actually transmitted to the fingers," continues Schmidt. The InterHapt project, which is being funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research with 285,000 euros for an initial period of 1.5 years, aims to conduct better research and develop solutions in his field.

The scientists in Kassel are equipping various stationary and mobile screens with different haptic feedback. Test subjects then solve tasks on the devices. The time and error rates are measured, as are the test subjects' movements. The test subjects are also equipped with measuring devices that measure their physical reactions: does their heart beat faster or do they start to sweat because the operation is difficult? In this way, unconscious reactions are also recorded in order to answer the question of how the operation of a modern touchscreen can become as efficient as typing on a mechanical keyboard.

The results of the experiments are used to derive design recommendations that include stationary systems for experts (e.g. checkout systems) and for average users (e.g. ticket machines). However, the Kassel scientists are also making design recommendations for mobile devices such as smartphones. The project thus closes gaps in knowledge about human characteristics in haptic perception and at the same time lays the foundations for further implementation in application-related research projects. An early dialog with users and implementation partners and a concluding workshop ensure the transfer of knowledge.

Report in the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine newspaper

Radio interview from Hessischer Rundfunk

Further information: Project Interhap

The Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering at the University of Kassel has been using three human-like robots since this semester. The approximately waist-high machines are used in the training of students and can, among other things, independently carry out verbal commands.

The department presented the robots on Friday, July 18, at its open robotics lab day. "They open up new opportunities for us to introduce our students to working with human-machine interfaces in a practical way," explained Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Each of the humanoid robots is equipped with two HD cameras, four microphones, two ultrasonic sensors and pressure sensors in the feet, among other things. The device has two gripping hands, can move on two legs and is connected to a computer via WLAN. The CPU is a 1.6 GHz processor.

The devices are used in teaching at the department. Students use them to learn how to program machines so that they can interact with people. On Friday, some student teams demonstrated the results of a group project from the previous semester: they gave the robots the verbal task of searching for balls of certain colors in an unknown playing field with obstacles and bringing them back to the client. The students had programmed the code for this themselves.

The Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering officially opened its new robotics laboratory at Mönchebergstraße 7 on Friday. Among other things, experiments with a new flying robot can be carried out in the hall, which is around seven meters high. As part of the Robot}air{ research project, the device will be able to detect high-altitude compressed air leaks in industrial halls. Visitors were able to view and try out various moving, flying and walking robots at the open day.

Video "Opening of the Robotics Lab" by the Department of Communication, Press and Public Relations of the University of Kassel

Video "Robots support Kassel university professors" in the Hessenschau program on hr television

Video "University of Kassel opens new robotics lab" from hr-Fernsehen

Video "Robots support Kassel university professors" in Hessenschau kompakt

Report in the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine newspaper

Further information:

RoboGasInspector project
Project Robot}air

Coping with everyday life with a disability or illness is often a particular challenge. And older people also face a variety of problems during the course of the day when their bodies set limits.

Technical systems (Ambient Assisted Living, AAL for short) can provide valuable help here - but which systems are actually suitable and what requirements do they have to meet?

A research project in the field of "Human-Machine Systems Engineering" aims to provide answers to these questions by linking practitioners from the medical, nursing and social professions with technically qualified people (e.g. tradespeople). By combining both professions, technical solutions can be found that offer real help in everyday life for older people and those in need of care. For example, an architect and a physiotherapist can configure and plan the installation of a stairlift for a senior citizen with walking difficulties, or a geriatric nurse and a master electrician can plan the installation of elevators in a home for the visually impaired.

In order to organize the exchange of knowledge and joint learning for all interested parties in the best possible way, the research team is offering an initially free further training course for professionals on the subject of AAL as part of a pilot project. The training is divided into attendance days, which take place at the University of Kassel, and a self-study phase in which participants can expand and deepen their knowledge online using the TAAndem platform. The dates for the pilot run of the TAAndem training course are May 10 and 11 and July 12, 2014.

Further information: Taandem project

The partners of the FREE research project, which aims to integrate electric vehicles and pedelecs into public transport services, gave a positive interim assessment on Wednesday, June 21. The first successes of the project, in which two departments at the University of Kassel are also involved, are already visible in northern Hesse.

For example, an electric bus is running on KVG's regular service and some of the 18 planned electric cars are being used for car sharing. The expansion of the charging infrastructure is making great progress, and the FREE card can be used to charge at both EAM and SUN charging stations. In the e-bike network, 100 Heinrich Müller rental pedelecs are in use and e-bikes can be recharged free of charge at almost 30 battery charging stations. In order to make this offer bookable, an app and a booking system are being developed by the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering at the University of Kassel and Regionalmanagement Nordhessen GmbH.

The University's Department of Transport Planning and Transport Systems is designing an integrated ticket solution for local use, which, in cooperation with hosts and event organizers, will offer visitors to the North Hesse region the opportunity to travel without their own car and be mobile on site at all times. The result is a sustainable transport service from a single source. The FREE project ("Leisure and event transport with intermodally bookable electric vehicles") is "of great importance for the mobility industry and the Grimm home region of North Hesse and lays the foundation for innovations and other sustainable projects," said Holger Schach, Managing Director of Regionalmanagement Nordhessen GmbH, at the interim conference in the Schlosshotel in front of regional stakeholders and international trade visitors. During the breaks in the event, participants had the opportunity to test various electric vehicles and an initial app prototype that provides information on mobility services via smartphone. The charging infrastructure is to be further expanded to make it even easier to use in the future.

In addition, a cross-provider information and booking system is to be implemented and integrated ticket solutions developed. Both the electric car sharing and the mobile information system are based on existing structures and will be expanded to include the FREE services. This means that no parallel structures will be set up, but rather the use of proven systems and the integration of existing user groups will be ensured. "As a regional energy service provider, it is important to us to promote the topic of electromobility in the region and at the same time improve the transport infrastructure for electric vehicles," emphasized Thomas Weber, Managing Director of EAM GmbH & Co KG, which is one of the partners in the project.

The FREE offer is aimed at visitors to leisure destinations and events, especially overnight guests in the region. Ultimately, however, the local population also benefits from the sub-projects implemented by FREE. Dr. Thorsten Ebert, CEO of Städtische Werke AG and KVG AG, responds positively to the question of the added value of electric mobility for hosts and events in North Hesse: "Being electric offers travelers and visitors new and interesting experiences and therefore makes our region even more attractive. Against this backdrop in particular, these offers are suitable for becoming one of our trump cards in the competition between domestic vacation destinations and event locations. Electromobility is therefore also a driver for tourism development."

The FREE project has a project duration of three years, with a project volume of 4.36 million euros. It is part of the Electromobility Alliance and is funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure as part of the Rhine-Main Electromobility Model Region program. NOW GmbH National Organization Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology is responsible for coordinating the program.

Report in the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine 21.05.2014

Report in the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine 22.05.2014

The "Hesse creates Research" initiative has set itself the goal of making Hesse's diverse scientific landscape, its projects and faces even better known. The aim is to sustainably strengthen Hessen's position in national and international competition, facilitate the recruitment of scientific specialists and managers and improve the acquisition of third-party funding.

The communication initiative is supported by the Hessian universities, representatives of renowned research institutions and the scientists themselves, who are involved as ambassadors. In addition, the initiative cooperates with existing projects such as ProLOEWE, which are also committed to improving the exchange between citizens, business, politics and science. This enables high visibility and creates the basis for optimal knowledge transfer - for a successful Hessian future!

The Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering in the image film

These days, we read and hear a lot about refrigerators that think, intelligent vacuum cleaners, autonomous lawnmowers and the mutual networking of all electrical appliances in our own four walls. These things will soon be part of everyday life, be omnipresent, permeate our living environment and be invisibly embedded in our surroundings. We are researching this topic, with the focus on people. We don't just want to focus on visions of the future, but also on the present: In recent months in particular, it has become clear that new problems are emerging in a networked world. How are you dealing with them? Have you changed your behavior? Do you use a smartphone? We would like to ask you about such topics. We are also interested in what type of personality you have. Are you generally reserved when it comes to using technology or are you a technology freak? Are you more sociable? Do you sometimes let things slide or do you make sure that everything is done correctly? The aim of the survey is to get to know the potential users better and to learn something about their acceptance of new technical developments and challenges. The new findings will be used to better tailor our recommendations for the socially acceptable design of new technologies to people's diverse and very different wishes and needs.

Report in the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine newspaper

Technical and social networking in ubiquitous systems and context-sensitive applications are and will increasingly become part of the world we live in. We can help shape this new type of information technology. As part of an interdisciplinary research project (VENUS), the team from the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering at the University of Kassel is dedicated to designing these new applications in a socially acceptable way. An evaluation of the software applications developed in the project was carried out in the department's own usability laboratory using eye tracking, emotion recognition and physiological measurements.

Report in the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine newspaper

The Human-Machine Systems Engineering department investigates driver-vehicle interaction beyond the actual driving task. This includes, for example, the operation of the radio and navigation system or the heating and air conditioning system. Instead of the usual operating system with a rotary pushbutton (e.g. Audi MMI, BMW iDrive or Mercedes Command APS), input is via touch interaction with tactile feedback. To this end, driving tests were carried out in June and July in the department's own driving simulator.

Report in the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine newspaper
Press release from Continental AG
Report in the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine newspaper

REFA basic training has been valued in industry for decades as an important basic qualification for planning, controlling and scheduling tasks in the field of work management. The tried and tested methods for work system and process design as well as process data management are taught. The proven training has been reduced to the topics already covered at university.

With this basic training, you will acquire comprehensive practical skills,

• to analyze and structure work processes,
• to evaluate, design and improve workplaces from an ergonomic and work organization perspective,
• to determine, analyze and evaluate work data,
• to acquire an operational qualification with which you can demonstrably take on more responsibility in the company.

The REFA basic training consists of two parts. You will receive a certificate for each successfully completed part with coordinated seminars. And with the two certificates, you have the coveted REFA basic certificate in your pocket. It is advisable to follow the order of the seminars.

Admission requirement: Students of the University of Kassel who attend and successfully complete or have successfully completed the lecture "Arbeitswissenschaft" (Univ. -Prof. Dr. -Ing. Ludger Schmidt).

flyer

Further information from REFA Hessen

As part of the VENUS project, the Human-Machine Systems Engineering and Distributed Systems departments are inviting participants to take part in an evaluation in which an innovative, context-sensitive smartphone app for the leisure sector is to be assessed with the involvement of potential users. The participants' evaluations support decisions within the framework of the user-centered development approach. In the evaluation, the app is tested both under real conditions of use and in the usability laboratory of the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering. Using modern laboratory technology to objectively evaluate the app, the user's facial expressions are analyzed with regard to their emotions and their eye movements are tracked using a non-contact infrared optical method in order to gain information about their information processing. In addition, various physiological measurement options and a motion tracking system are available in the laboratory, which can be coupled with digital human models.

The evaluation will take place from 22.04. to 30.06.2013 at the Wilhelmshöher Allee campus and will last approx. 1 hour per participant. All participants will be entered into a prize draw to win 10 Amazon vouchers worth €20.00 each. Participants should at least have some experience with smartphones, smartphone apps and social networks.

Report in the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine newspaper

Radio interview by Hessischer Rundfunk

The aim of the Robot}air{ research project is to develop and evaluate a prototypical, cost-effective ground-to-air service robot system for detecting and locating compressed air leaks for the purpose of sustainable resource and energy use and for recording work environment factors to ensure healthy working conditions and increase productivity. Regular inspections of compressed air systems detect leaks at an early stage, thereby reducing losses and the use of primary energy, which in turn has a positive impact on CO2 emissions and the climate. Robot-based multimodal mapping of the local climatic situation is also intended to identify and realize potential savings in building technology and thus contribute to sustainable climate policy.
Due to poor spatial accessibility, low product relevance and low energy costs, this has often been neglected to date. Various studies have documented the economic significance and the large addressable market, as shown by a potential assessment by Volkswagen AG and a cost estimate by the research partners based on the EFFIROB system.
The project consortium consists of research, industrial development and application partners who combine all the necessary scientific and industrial expertise in the fields of mobile robotics, human-machine interaction, measurement technology, plant inspection and operation, compressed air systems and ergonomics. Together with the application partners, the requirements are determined and a system prototype is created, the robust functionality and usability of which is evaluated in the laboratory and in field studies in the automotive industry.

Consortium:

University of Kassel
Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering
Department of Measurement and Control Engineering at the University of Kassel
Volkswagen AG, Volkswagen Plant Kassel, Baunatal
Fraunhofer Institute for Communication, Information Processing and Ergonomics, Wachtberg
SONOTEC Ultraschallsensorik Halle GmbH, Halle (Saale)
AIBOTIX GmbH, Kassel
Postberg+Co. Druckluftcontrolling GmbH, Kassel
S-ELEKTRONIK GmbH & Co. KG, Wangen im Allgäu

The FREE project deals with the analysis, design, use and evaluation of various cooperating means of transport, including e-mobility, in the area of leisure and event transportation and is the first project of its kind in Germany. The aim is to integrate various sustainable mobility options for visiting leisure destinations and events and relates to the entire mobility process from information and booking to the actual change of location. A new feature is the integration of a central, integrated booking system, which can be used to book not only hotel rooms but also additional modules such as the use of vehicles and event transportation. The mobility services include streetcars and buses, e-buses, e-cars, pedelecs and rental bikes, including the charging infrastructure for e-vehicles.
The Human-Machine Systems Engineering department will provide scientific and methodological support for the user- and task-oriented development of the information and booking system in various work packages. The task of the information and booking system is to facilitate the entire e-mobility process for the target group, from information and booking of mobility modules to the actual change of location. To this end, a web portal solution and a solution for mobile devices will be developed to meet the various needs of the target group in different contexts.

Consortium:

Regionalmanagement Nordhessen GmbH, Kassel
Kasseler Verkehrs-Gesellschaft AG, Kassel
EAM GmbH & Co. KG, Kassel
Heinrich Müller ebikes mieten+mehr, Kassel
Nordhessischer Verkehrs-Verbund, Kassel
Städtische Werke AG, Kassel
Stadt Kassel - Straßenverkehrs- und Tiefbauamt, Kassel
University of Kassel
Fachgebiet Mensch-Maschine-Systemtechnik
Fachgebiet Verkehrsplanung und Verkehrssysteme

Report in the Göttinger Tageblatt

The event is aimed at product and communication managers, designers, architects, IT and media developers as well as students. All user experience enthusiasts and professionals from the North Hesse region are invited.

Lectures:

Interior Design: Digital Mock-up & Prototyping in the Automotive Industry
Achim Reitze, Managing Director, Trondesign GmbH

User experience: Dialogue & model building in information architecture
Oliver Gerstheimer, Managing Director, chilli mind GmbH

How a film is created: storyboarding for moving image projects
Benjamin Pfitzner, Creative Director, Ugly Sister

Planning and model construction stages in the design of a kindergarten
Prof. Philipp Krebs, Architect, foundation 5+

Objective evaluation of human-machine interaction with simulation and prototypes
Prof. Dr. Ludger Schmidt, University of Kassel

When & Where:

Thursday, November 8, 2012, starting at 4 p.m.
CARICATURA - Galerie für Komische Kunst
Kulturbahnhof Kassel, Rainer-Dierichs-Platz 1, 34117 Kassel

Registration:

The Kassel World Usability Day on 08.11.2012 is a free event and is supported by sponsors. The number of participants is limited to a maximum of 80 people. We ask for early registration by 01.11.2012 via fax or e-mail to: info(at)chilli-mind.com

Admission is only possible with confirmed registration.

The event is organized by the Usability Regional Group Kassel of the German Usability Professionals' Association e.V. in cooperation with the University of Kassel.

Kassel/Schwedt, 23 October 2012 - Today, the "RoboGasInspector" project, which has been funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology since 2009 as part of the AUTONOMIK technology program, used mobile, autonomous robots in a real refinery environment to demonstrate how industrial plants and pipelines can be inspected autonomously, how potential gas leaks can be detected remotely and how these can also be located precisely.

For operators of process plants and supply infrastructure, it is a constant challenge to ensure a high level of operational safety and to comply with legal requirements. To this end, prevention and inspection programs are usually established that include time-consuming routine inspections carried out by humans on a daily basis. The development of new monitoring methods that exploit the possibilities of state-of-the-art measurement, automation and robotics technology promises to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of inspections while relieving people of monotonous, time-consuming tasks.

The RoboGasInspector project is being coordinated by two departments in the mechanical engineering faculty at the University of Kassel. Together with seven other partners from research and industry, they are developing and evaluating an innovative human-machine system with cooperating inspection robots equipped with local intelligence and remote gas detection technology. The aim is to demonstrate that the detection and localization of gas leaks can be handled largely autonomously by mobile robots. The infrared-optical remote gas detection technology used ensures that places that are difficult to access can be inspected and do not necessarily have to be driven into the areas to be inspected, as is the case with conventional sensor technology.

As part of the final demonstration of the project, the inspection of pipe bridges, pipelines and tanks was demonstrated today under real plant conditions on a test track at the PCK refinery in Schwedt/Oder. Aspects of autonomous driving in the plant were demonstrated, such as independently driving around a restricted zone. Autonomous inspection was demonstrated with remote gas measurement systems and simulated gas leaks, which had to be detected and located. A thermographic camera was used to check the condition of system components. The inspection processes are planned, monitored and documented from a control room, from which the robot can also be teleoperated and telemanipulated. During teleoperated operation of the robot, a narrow passage was passed through and a drainage valve was actuated. A multi-robot system was also used to demonstrate cooperative measurement and task-sharing during measurement and telemanipulation.

Video documentation of the demonstration at the refinery

Video documentation of the project contributions of the department

Further information is available on the Internet at http://www.autonomik.de/ and at http://www.robogasinspector.de/.

The next workshop on the cross-cutting topic of "Human-technology interaction in autonomous and simulation-based systems for SMEs" will take place on October 5 at the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering at the University of Kassel.

Teams of researchers and developers funded by the BMWi's AUTONOMIK technology programme are developing pioneering approaches for new generations of intelligent tools and systems that are able to network independently via the Internet, recognize situations, adapt to changing operating conditions and interact with users. The projects are therefore taking place in the context of the current discussion about the increasing transformation of the production world and the private living environment. This development is described as "Industry 4.0". The work objects themselves become carriers and mediators of information. This eliminates the centralization of organization and the distribution of tasks. The "smart" object (workpiece, household appliance) is able to organize itself and communicate with its environment. In the context of human-technology interaction, several complex challenges arise for the value creation partners:

• The safety of human-technology interaction, particularly in terms of the physical integrity of humans, will place more complex demands on system design.
• The demand for work systems that promote learning will take on a new relevance and urgency.
• Establishing and maintaining human control over such advanced human-machine systems will become of central importance, both in terms of safety and the learning-promoting nature of these systems.

The discussions at the workshop at the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering at the University of Kassel are intended to contribute to the future design of autonomous systems in the context of human-technology interaction in such a way that they best meet the requirements of various fields of application (in production, logistics, technical services, etc.). In doing so, they should take into account the physical and mental capabilities of the people working with these autonomous systems, not impair them and, if possible, even promote them. Two sets of questions need to be answered in this context:

• What are the characteristics of autonomous systems that meet these objectives? What design criteria can be formulated for autonomous systems from the perspective of human-technology interaction?
• What should development and design processes for such systems look like? What methodological tools are available that allow questions of human-technology interaction to be addressed effectively and efficiently in the development and design process?

Take part in the discussion with experts from science and industry and get to know some of the AUTONOMIK projects and their solution approaches.

Further information

Federal Minister of Economics Dr. Philipp Rösler saw the RoboGasInspector from the University of Kassel in action during a live demonstration at the Hannover Messe and was impressed by the work of the scientists.

This year, a test course has been set up at the Ministry's stand at the Hannover Messe to demonstrate the functions of the innovative mobile robot. The RoboGasInspector, developed at the University of Kassel, independently inspects pipelines in industrial plants and can detect and locate possible gas leaks from a distance. This relieves humans of time-consuming and monotonous routine tasks.

Equipped with state-of-the-art remote gas detection technology, the robot carries out daily inspections of gas pipes and process equipment. The RoboGasInspector works autonomously, but can also be controlled manually, making the time-consuming and dangerous inspection rounds by human inspectors superfluous. The remote measurement technology used by the RoboGasInspector also makes it easy to inspect places that are difficult to access at great heights or depths.

Minister Rösler was impressed by the team effort of the scientists involved and was very interested to find out more about the new technology and its industrial applications. The RoboGasInspector is being developed together with seven other partners from science and industry and is being coordinated by the Human-Machine Systems Engineering and Measurement and Control Engineering departments at the University of Kassel. The project is being funded by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi) with around 2.4 million euros.

Video documentation of the trade fair visit

The department will be represented several times at the Hannover Messe 2012:

• RoboGasInspector live demonstrations at the joint stand of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (Hall 2, Stand D 30)
  
• MMS laboratory robot with telemanipulator and stereo camera system at the joint stand of the State of Hesse (Hall 2, Stand C 45)
  
• Prototype of a user-oriented charging station for electric vehicles at the joint stand of the State of Hesse (Hall 2, Stand C 45)
  
• R&T Arena on 24.04.2012 (Hall 2, Stand C 45)
  12:05-12:30: RoboGasInspector
  
• Forum "Robotics, Automation and Vision" on 24.04.2012 (Hall 17, Stand C 38)
  10:00-10.25 am: RoboGasInspector - Overview of the project
  11:00-11.25 am: Autonomous mobility and human-machine aspects

The Research Center for Information Technology Design (ITeG) at the University of Kassel has a new home. The new location in Kassel's Pfannkuchstraße will provide workplaces for more than 70 researchers.

The university acquired the new research center building together with two other buildings from the Kassenärztliche Vereinigung Hessen (KVH) at the end of 2010 for a total of around 1.5 million euros. Built in 1957 and extended several times, the office building was brought up to date in terms of technical infrastructure and fire protection between June 2011 and February 2012, extensively renovated and made accessible for the disabled. The main usable area is around 1,600 square meters. 48 offices, two laboratories, three meeting rooms and a central server room are now available. The conversion costs amounted to around two million euros. There are currently 35 scientists working at the research center. There is also a doctoral college with over 40 doctoral students.

Whether innovation growth or data misuse: an increasingly networked world harbors opportunities and risks. It presents modern societies with challenges that require the networking of scientific expertise. The University of Kassel is taking on this task with the interdisciplinary Research Center for Information Technology Design (ITeG).

Going to a pop concert with several friends used to require a lot of organizational talent and nerves of steel. Who is going? How do we get to the venue? Where do we meet? Where are the others? Hopefully nobody has forgotten the date! How do we find our seats? If you want a relaxed evening, you can now rely on the smartphone software "Meet-U", which enables intelligent, mobile networking of friends. It bundles a range of functions and information that previously required a large number of individual applications into a kind of all-rounder app. During its development, not only the desired technical functions, but also non-technical requirements such as usability, legal compliance and trust in the technology were systematically taken into account from the outset. The software was developed in interdisciplinary collaboration at the Department of Distributed Systems.

This app demonstrates exemplary solution concepts for the networked society that the center's researchers are working on. The approach of the ITeG, which was founded in 2005, is unique. It aims to close a significant gap in research - the lack of an overall interdisciplinary view of the interaction between humans and information technology in modern societies. A wide variety of scientific disciplines are therefore working together on the task of achieving sustainability in IT system design and methodically linking the previously separate areas of IT and society. Scientists from the fields of communication technology, human-machine systems technology, public law, distributed systems, business informatics and knowledge processing work hand in hand in the ITeG.

"Our goal is to minimize the risks of modern technologies for society through joint research and at the same time to strengthen the positive effects and opportunities," says Professor Kurt Geihs, Head of the Distributed Systems department: "At the ITeG, IT systems are therefore not only viewed from the perspective of hardware and software, but are understood as socio-technical systems that must be researched in the long term." This includes all phases in the life cycle of a socio-technical system. This also includes changes in social, legal, economic and organizational framework conditions.

The research center was already able to achieve a major success with its approach in 2009. With its application "Designing technical-social networking in situational ubiquitous systems (VENUS)", the ITeG was successful in the second funding phase of the Hessian research funding program "LOEWE State Offensive for the Development of Scientific-Economic Excellence": It achieved a funding commitment of 4.2 million euros, which will be used to develop the ITeG into a nationally leading and internationally visible research focus at the University of Kassel.

Reports in the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine newspaper

• Better networking under one roof
• Much praise for Kassel concept
• Digital world without pitfalls

A new type of mobile robot can independently inspect industrial plants or pipelines, detect and locate possible gas leaks from a distance: this relieves humans of time-consuming and monotonous routine tasks.

The RoboGasInspector prototype presented at a demonstration at the University of Kassel on November 23 is a new type of human-machine system for use in technical plants and supply infrastructure facilities. The project, funded by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi) with around 2.4 million euros, is being coordinated by two departments in the Mechanical Engineering Faculty at the University of Kassel and is being developed together with other research partners and industrial companies. The project sponsor is the German Aerospace Center (DLR).

In order to prevent damage to people, the environment and capital goods, potentially harmful or explosive gases escaping from plants and infrastructure facilities must be detected and located quickly and reliably. Inspection robots, equipped with the latest remote gas detection technology, carry out daily inspections of gas pipes to detect possible gas leaks. The robots work autonomously or can also be controlled manually. They therefore replace the time-consuming and dangerous inspection rounds carried out by human inspectors. The remote measurement technology used by the RoboGasInspector also makes it easy to inspect places that are difficult to access at great heights or depths.

The functions developed so far have now been demonstrated by a robot prototype on a test course at the University of Kassel: selected aspects of autonomous driving over a hill and past restricted areas were presented. The robot recognized unknown obstacles and drove around them, detecting and locating simulated gas leaks. The inspection processes were planned, monitored and documented from a control room, from which the robot can also be remotely controlled and its actions intervened in.

The University of Kassel has been working on the development of the RoboGasInspector together with seven other project partners from research and industry since 2009. The project is funded by the BMWi as part of the "Autonomik" program.

"The aim of the 'RoboGasInspector' project, to develop an innovative human-machine system with cooperating inspection robots equipped with remote gas measurement technology and local intelligence, is being implemented here in an outstanding way," emphasized Dipl.-Phys. Gerd Hembach as representative of the project sponsor on behalf of the BMWi at the demonstration in Kassel.

"In addition to the technical challenges of autonomous mobility and remote measurement inspection, the development of the RoboGasInspector also focused on relieving humans of repetitive routine tasks," said Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ludger Schmidt, Head of the Department of Human-Machine Systems, and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Andreas Kroll, Head of the Department of Measurement and Control Technology at the University of Kassel. They are coordinating the research project on behalf of the BMWi.

Further information is available on the Internet at http://www.autonomik.de/ and at http://www.robogasinspector.de/.

Report in the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine
Press release from the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology

Radio report by Deutschlandfunk

Video of the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine

Video of the main milestone demonstration

The smartphone as an intelligent companion at major events: the University of Kassel, the IT company TROUT and Kassel Marketing are working on this vision as part of a joint research project.

Under the name "EventWalker", an internet-based application for smartphones is to be developed that offers visitors to a major event or other tourist events a wide range of information and communication options. "It is an intelligent, practical event companion that can turn visits to events into even more individual experiences in the future," says Prof. Dr. Ludger Schmidt, Head of the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering at the university.

The first version of the "EventWalker" will be available for the city's accompanying program in the documenta year 2012. An improved version will then be available in 2013 for the city of Kassel's 1100th anniversary celebrations. The app is intended to help local and foreign visitors find historical sights, take part in guided tours, information events or festivities with the help of GPS, depending on their individual interests. On-site barcodes or 2D barcodes are to be read with the help of the cell phone camera. "This gives the user access to specific information about attractions or services offered at an event location," explains Prof. Schmidt. In addition, the app is also designed to answer questions such as: Is there an opportunity to meet well-known and interesting personalities there? Is there anyone here from my home country or people with similar interests with whom I could exchange ideas or meet up? "The social networking, communicative components of the `EventWalker' in particular are new for this type of application," emphasizes Prof. Schmidt.

The "EventWalker" is now to be developed as part of a cooperation between Kassel-based TROUT GmbH and the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering, with the involvement of Kassel Marketing GmbH. The project is scheduled to run for two years and is being funded by the Hessian Ministry of Science and Art as part of the "Landes-Offensive zur Entwicklung Wissenschaftlich-ökonomischer Exzellenz" (LOEWE).

The Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering at the University of Kassel contributes its expertise in the usable design of human-machine systems to the project and uses it as a concrete case and implementation example of a methodically guided user-oriented design process. This includes requirements analyses, the creation of usage scenarios, the ergonomic design of smartphone user interfaces and the prototypical realization of human-machine interaction in order to obtain user feedback early on in the development process. Usability tests and field studies will be carried out in an evaluation phase. The "EventWalker" will later be available free of charge via one of the so-called app stores.

Consortium:

University of Kassel
Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering
Trout GmbH, Kassel
Kassel Marketing GmbH, Kassel

Report in the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine newspaper

According to the German government's plans, there will be more than one million electric vehicles on German roads by 2020. The development of a corresponding infrastructure of charging stations is an essential prerequisite for this. This is because electric vehicles will draw their electricity from special electric charging stations, which can be located in parking lots, parking garages and private parking spaces, for example. However, there are still no mass-produced solutions for these charging stations. The systems presented so far as part of pilot projects, at trade fairs or on the Internet are mostly the first attempts by companies whose core business is not the construction of such stations. They therefore often resemble control cabinets or are design pieces, often with limited usability.

In order to change this, the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering at the University of Kassel and the Institute of Industrial Design at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences have joined forces with the companies Plug'n Charge KG and SEM-Schnellladung Elektromobilität GmbH & Co KG from Bad Emstal. The partners are supported by the Department of Lightweight Construction at the University of Kassel. Accompanying advice is provided by TÜV Hessen. The project "Development of mass-produced AC and DC charging stations for electric vehicles" is being funded by the Hessian Ministry of Science and the Arts as part of the "State Offensive for the Development of Scientific and Economic Excellence" (LOEWE).

The charging stations are to be developed in a user-oriented design process in order to ensure not only technical functionality and compliance with safety standards, but in particular maximum usability. To this end, the Human-Machine Systems Engineering department will initially carry out user and task-oriented requirements analyses and define usage scenarios. Solution concepts are to be designed according to anthropometric, perceptual and cognitive ergonomic aspects and human-machine interaction is to be supported with assistance functions. The solutions will be coordinated with the project partners and realized in the form of prototypes so that user participation based on models allows early feedback in the development process. Field and laboratory studies will then be used to demonstrate the benefits, acceptance and usability of the solutions and thus gain scientifically sound findings for usable charging stations. The project partners plan to present the initial project results at the Hannover Messe 2012. The start of series production is already planned for 2013.

Consortium:

University of Kassel
Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering
Department of Lightweight Construction
Plug'n Charge KG, Bad Emstal
SEM-Schnellladung ElektroMobilität GmbH & Co. KG, Bad Emstal
Institute for Industrial Design at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences , Darmstadt
TÜV Technische Überwachung Hessen GmbH, Kassel

Report in the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine newspaper

An interactive picture frame can make a significant contribution to better social networking and Internet communication between senior citizens and their distant family members.

The Communication Technology and Human-Machine Systems Engineering departments at the University of Kassel are developing a software system to support senior citizens. Finally, the high work-related mobility of the working population and demographic change are also leading to changes in communication and maintaining contact with family and friends. Developments in information and communication technology in recent decades, such as cell phones for senior citizens and private Internet connections, now also support older people in communicating within the family and over longer distances, but still have some limitations. Problems with previous technical solutions include non-existent or poorly usable video communication, high costs and susceptibility to faults.

In a preliminary study with users of senior age, it was found that they positively assess the prospect of using a technical system that offers the possibility of staying in better contact with family members living far away.

In order to address the need of older users for more intensive contact with relatives living further away and to respond to their requirements for technical devices, the departments of Communication Technology (Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Klaus David) and Human-Machine Systems Engineering (Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ludger Schmidt) are developing a technical system that facilitates communication between senior citizens and their relatives.

The advantages of the solution developed by the University of Kassel's departments are its uncomplicated use thanks to a simple user interface, the integration of a video transmission into a picture frame suitable for living rooms and the ability to follow the willingness to talk and the current situation in which relatives find themselves.

So that older people can participate in the daily routine of their relatives or other close people using the "picture frame", information, so-called contexts, are communicated about these people. These contexts indicate, for example, whether the person in question is currently alone, where the person is currently located, e.g. at work, at home or shopping, or provide information on whether the person is currently responsive or not.

The contexts are automatically recorded with the help of smartphones, which people carry with them and have become an integral part of our lives. Specifically, sensors in today's smartphones, such as GPS (Global Positioning System) and WLAN, and calendar data etc. are queried and their values subsequently interpreted. This makes it possible, for example, to derive a person's current location from the longitude and latitude information using the GPS sensor. The interactive picture frame, which has access to this information, then displays the person's context.

To determine whether a person is approachable, the active ringtone profile of the person's smartphone is accessed. If this is set to silent, for example, the current reachability status is indicated as unresponsive. A Bluetooth sensor within the smartphone and the person's calendar, which is also available via the smartphone, can be used to determine whether the person in question is alone or in company. If there are other smartphones from other people with Bluetooth in the vicinity or if a meeting is currently stored in the person's calendar, the person in question is most likely not alone and a corresponding message is displayed in the picture frame.

As a further basic context, the person carrying the smartphone can leave a message for the senior citizen. The person types a free text into a corresponding field on the smartphone. The message then appears next to the person's photo in the picture frame. This makes it easy to send further status messages, such as "I'm in a traffic jam and I'm running late", to the senior citizen.

Report in the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine newspaper

The E2V two-wheeled electric vehicle is intended to provide a solution for mobility in areas outside of public transportation, such as parkland, airports or pedestrian zones. People who are confronted with such a vehicle for the first time and who may also have limited physical mobility are to use it to explore an area that is still unknown to them and receive tourist information. Intuitive usability, driver assistance functions and the context-sensitive provision of tourist information with an interactive human-machine interface are necessary for acceptance by this target group and the safe use of the vehicle.

In this research and development project, the information and interaction needs of future users and operators are first determined, then suitable human-machine interfaces are designed and implemented in prototypes. Finally, the feasibility and acceptance of this new vehicle concept will be examined in a pilot study with the participation of users and operators.

The E2V project is part of the activities of the interdisciplinary Vehicle Systems Research Network (FAST) at the University of Kassel.

Consortium:

University of Kassel (consortium lead)
Department of Systems and High Voltage Engineering
Department of Electrical Power Supply Systems
Department of Vehicle Systems and Fundamentals of Electrical Engineering
Department of Lightweight Design
Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering
EAM GmbH & Co. KG, Kassel
FINE Mobile GmbH, Rosenthal
Hella KGaA Hueck & Co.., Lippstadt
Ernst Hombach GmbH & Co. KG, Uehlfeld
Hymer Leichtmetallbau GmbH & Co. KG, Wangen
Krebs & Aulich GmbH, Derenburg

Demographic change in Germany is already presenting society with major challenges. The consequences of demographic change include the increasing number of older people in need of support and a shortage of qualified specialists of working age. The development of so-called age-appropriate assistance systems for a self-determined life - AAL for short - is a possible solution. The research project "TAAndem - AAL training in tandem" is dedicated to this topic. Ludger Schmidt from the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering at the University of Kassel presented the project this week at the 4th German AAL Congress "Demographic Change - Assistance Systems from Research to the Market" in Berlin.

Learning and developing care and technology skills together in tandem

The aim of this new project is to tap into the potential of innovative technical developments for age-appropriate assistance systems and put them into practice. To this end, employees in various AAL professions are to learn through further training measures how to design, offer and use the new technical possibilities in such a way that the actual needs and wishes of the people to be supported are fully taken into account. Employees with medical, nursing and social professional knowledge (e.g. nursing staff) should come together with technically qualified people (e.g. craftsmen) to work on practical project tasks. In addition, links are to be established with university teaching and higher education and thus with the future developers of assistance systems. The didactic approach of tandem learning, in which pairs of differently qualified participants support each other in the learning process using specific case studies, is to be adopted. For example

• an architect and a physiotherapist can configure and plan the installation of a stairlift for a senior citizen with walking difficulties,
• a geriatric nurse and a master electrician can plan the installation of elevators in a home for the visually impaired,
• a care service manager and a mechatronics student configure a home emergency call and control system,
• a health insurance consultant and the managing director of a medical device company customize a computer keyboard for Parkinson's patients and
• a nurse and a computer scientist develop a sensor-controlled information system for diabetics.

Funding from the BMBF

The research project is to be funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) with around €650,000. The three-year project is being coordinated by the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering at the University of Kassel, whose research and teaching focuses on the user-oriented design of effective and efficient human-machine systems using an interdisciplinary approach. The aim is to optimize the interaction of humans with technical devices and systems in a system approach. The Department of Information Systems at the University of Kassel and the Institute for Sustainable, Innovative and Applied Systems Engineering INNIAS are also involved in this project as research partners. In addition to the involvement of Flobo Qualitätsmanagement for the certification of the offer, the Diakonische Aus- und Fortbildungszentrum Hofgeismar as a provider of further training in the care sector completes the consortium in order to establish a regional networking focus on "age-appropriate assistance systems".

Further information is available on the Internet at www.taandem.de

The World Usability Day in Kassel is entering its third round. This year, the focus is on "Multitouch User Interfaces".

The event is aimed at students and companies - product and communication managers as well as IT and media developers. All usability enthusiasts and professionals from the Kassel/North Hesse region are invited.

Presentations:

Trends & paradigm shifts in the world of work

Axel Oppermann, Senior Advisor, Experton Group AG

My first app! Multitouch in corporate communication

Oliver Gerstheimer, Managing Director, chilli mind GmbH

Trends in interaction design

Prof. Stefan Wölwer, FG Interaction Design, HAWK FH Hildesheim/Holzminden/Göttingen

New Communication

Andreas Strusch, Product Manager Communication Products, SMA Solar Technology AG

Gestures and more - how interaction is changing

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ludger Schmidt, Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering, University of Kassel

Touch Me! Hello Consumer!

Christian Klotz, Senior Creative Technologist, Pirata London Ltd.

When & Where:

Thursday, November 11, 2010, from 4 p.m.
CARICATURA - Galerie für Komische Kunst
KulturBahnhof Kassel, Bahnhofsplatz 1, 34117 Kassel

Registration:

The Kassel World Usability Day on 11.11.2010 is a free event and is supported by sponsors. The number of participants is limited to a maximum of 80 people. We ask for early registration by 03.11.2010 via e-mail to: info(at)chilli-mind.com

Admission is only possible with confirmed registration.

The event is organized by the Usability Regional Group Kassel of the German Usability Professionals' Association e.V. in cooperation with the University of Kassel.

The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy is funding the joint project "RoboGasInspector - Simulation-based design and evaluation of a human-machine system with autonomous mobile inspection robots for gas leak detection and localization in technical systems" coordinated by the Human-Machine Systems Engineering and Measurement and Control Technology departments.

Press release of the University of Kassel

With the "Internet of Things: Autonomous and simulation-based systems for SMEs" competition, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy aims to promote selected research and development activities that lead to greater autonomy of user systems. The projects should basically build on the available state of the art in robotics and automation technology as well as information and communication technology and use existing methods of modelling, simulation or visualization, among others.

The aim is to develop prototype systems and solutions that demonstrate feasibility, benefits and economic viability in various application areas. The desired autonomy refers in particular to the ability of systems to independently adapt their behavior to changing and new situations, environments or tasks.

During a jury meeting, an independent jury evaluated the submitted project proposals in accordance with the objectives and criteria of the call and made a recommendation for selection. The joint project RoboGasInspector, coordinated by the Human-Machine Systems Engineering and Measurement and Control Engineering departments at the University of Kassel, was nominated for funding.

In order to prevent damage to people, the environment and capital goods, gases that are potentially hazardous to health or form explosive mixtures must be detected and located quickly and reliably from plants and infrastructure facilities.

The aim of the RoboGasInspector project is to develop and evaluate an innovative human-machine system with cooperating inspection robots equipped with remote gas detection technology and local intelligence, in which the detection and localization of gas leaks can be handled largely autonomously by mobile robots. The further development of sensor technology opens up new potential here with IR-optical remote measurement methods.

The development of new inspection technologies and the concentration of the flexibility and efficiency of human operators on the managerial control of the technical system is desirable, not only for economic reasons, but also against the background of relieving people of repetitive routine tasks while at the same time providing better coverage of the usually extensive inspection area.

In this joint project, the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing and the Fraunhofer Institute for Communication, Information Processing and Ergonomics are working together as research partners and telerob Gesellschaft für Fernhantierungstechnik and the companies Adlares GmbH and Hermann Sewerin GmbH, which specialize in remote measurement technology, as industrial development partners under the leadership of the Human-Machine Systems Engineering and Measurement and Control Technology departments at the University of Kassel. PCK Raffinerie GmbH and Wingas GmbH, operators of large petrochemical plants and supply networks, are involved as application partners.

The planned demonstration and evaluation cases were selected in such a way that a transfer to various other applications and thus an increased broad impact of the utilization of the results is possible.

Consortium:

University of Kassel (consortium leader)
Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering
Department of Measurement and Control Engineering
Fraunhofer Institute for Communication, Information Processing and Ergonomics, Wachtberg
BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Berlin
telerob Gesellschaft für Fernhantierungstechnik mbH, Ostfildern
ADLARES GmbH, Teltow
Hermann Sewerin GmbH, Gütersloh
WINGAS GmbH und Co. KG, Kassel
PCK Raffinerie GmbH, Schwedt / Oder

Video gamers used to sit in front of the screen pressing buttons, today they box and do gymnastics. This revolution was triggered by the Nintendo Wii games console. Its control unit transmits the user's movements to the screen. But manufacturers have already gone one step further: players can control their heroes using the power of thought. Professor Dr. Ludger Schmidt from the Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering at the University of Kassel has investigated the practical suitability of such a system for applications outside the gaming sector. Full report in the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine newspaper

More information on this and other projects

"With its research activities, the LOEWE focus 'VENUS' is intended to help the University of Kassel develop into a leading location for socially responsible technology design in the medium term." Minister of State Eva Kühne-Hörmann emphasized this when handing over the approval notice to University President Prof. Dr. Rolf-Dieter Postlep. The LOEWE project, in which lawyers, economists, ergonomists, information technicians and computer scientists will work together, will receive a total of around 4.2 million euros in funding from the State Excellence Initiative from 2010 to 2012. Press release from the Hessian Ministry of Science and Art

First short report and detailed report in the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine

With its application under the title VENUS, the University of Kassel was able to obtain a commitment for priority funding of € 4.2 million for the years 2010 to 2012 in the second funding phase of the Hessian research funding program "LOEWE - Landes-Offensive zur Entwicklung Wissenschaftlich-ökonomischer Exzellenz".

Today, IT applications permeate our personal lives. The Internet is already part of many people's everyday lives; in the next few years, the mobile Internet will offer us access to information and services virtually anywhere. Technical networking has already had a major impact on the nature of our social networks and will continue to enrich them with new forms of communication and interaction. In short, ubiquitous computing is increasingly interweaving computers with our everyday living environment.

The systems of the next generation will use sensors to detect the respective application context and thus be able to adapt their services to the respective situation. They will also interact spontaneously with other ubiquitous services in their environment. This will create a completely new type of networked information processing that must be designed both from a technical perspective and in terms of the human user and their networking with others. Of particular interest here are the usability of the systems, user trust in the technology-mediated exchange relationships, the necessary legal framework conditions and economically sustainable business, service and operator models. The technology must be embedded in the actions of the individual user, i.e. it must support them in accomplishing their work tasks and in cooperating with others by knowing the tasks, preferences and intentions of the user or recognizing them from their context and adapting its services to these. In order to be used in practice, the new technology also needs to be embedded in society. As it is intended to provide its services everywhere, at any time and in a networked manner, it will have a strong impact on social networking and socialization. It must meet the goals that society has set itself for its coexistence. Above all, this means that it must meet legal requirements. Finally, the new technology requires successful embedding in the economy; it must be embedded in suitable business, service and operator models. Successful embedding is a decisive success factor for the new technology.

In order to take these success factors into account during the development of the technology, a systematic development methodology is required that takes into account the special functional and non-functional requirements of ubiquitous computing. In VENUS, three computer scientists, an ergonomist, a business computer scientist and a lawyer have set themselves the goal of developing an interdisciplinary methodology for the development and evaluation of ubiquitous adaptive applications and testing it in a joint laboratory for socially acceptable technology design. It will be crucial to suitably combine the separate modeling of the different design aspects and requirements of the various disciplines with a common development methodology. VENUS builds on the proven strengths and interdisciplinary experience of the participating research groups within the framework of the Research Center for Information Technology Design (ITeG).

Consortium:

University of Kassel
Department of Communication Technology
Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering
Department of Public Law
Department of Distributed Systems
Department of Information Systems
Department of Knowledge Processing

The World Usability Day in Kassel is entering its second round. This year, the focus is on "Innovation through Usability". Insights and experiences from various research and industry projects will demonstrate the influence usability has on the design of innovative products and services.

The event is aimed at students and companies - product and communication managers as well as IT and media developers. All usability enthusiasts and professionals from the Kassel/North Hesse region are invited.

Lectures:

Usability - definition and positioning

Henning Brau, President of the German UPA e.V., Stuttgart

Customer-oriented product development in the global market

Stefan Boller, Designer/Developer, EXPRESSO Deutschland GmbH, Kassel

Sustainable innovation through user experience design (UXD)

Oliver Gerstheimer, Managing Director, chilli mind GmbH, Kassel

Corporate usability using the example of the website relaunch

Matthias Koslowski, Senior Project Manager Internet / New Media,

Corporate Communications, B. Braun Melsungen AG, Melsungen

Competitive advantages through managed software

Kai Reinhard, Managing Director, Micromata GmbH, Kassel

User experience and emotional human-machine interaction

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ludger Schmidt, Department of Human-Machine Systems Engineering, University of Kassel

Organizer is the Usability Regional Group Kassel of the German Usability Professionals' Association e.V. in cooperation with the University of Kassel.

Report in the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine