ITIV

We are delighted with Lukas Kohout from Prof. Stork's group of PhD students for his successful dissertation entitled "Automatisierte Workflowanalyse im OP für die chirurgische Logistik"
In order to optimise the logistics around the operating theatre in hospitals, this dissertation examines how an automated workflow analysis of operations can be implemented within an intelligent operating theatre.

The work makes a contribution to various aspects of workflow analysis in the operating theatre environment and forms the basis for further possible applications of AI methods in the surgical context. Congratulations!

ITIV

In March 2024, an exciting research exchange took place between ITIV and Tsinghua University in Beijing. Tim Hotfilter and Julian Höfer, two PhD students from Prof Becker's team, travelled to Beijing to visit Prof Yu Wang's lab. Here they were greeted by a variety of projects: from computer chips to large language models - the research foci are diverse, and everyday life at the university is both hectic and inspiring. In addition to research, there was also a cultural exchange. The two tried their hand at the Chinese language, savoured local delicacies and explored the historical sites of Beijing. The great hospitality, helpfulness and openness of their Chinese colleagues was always remarkable. The research exchange lays the foundation for future collaborations. It is a bridge between cultures and a reminder that research should know no borders.

ITIV

Yesterday was an exciting day for the Year 9 pupils at Helmholtz Gymnasium: they visited the Institute of Information Technology (ITIV) at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology (ETIT) at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT).
The day began with a warm welcome from the Dean of Studies, Prof. Hiller. The students, accompanied by their teachers, were then shown around the state-of-the-art laboratories and research facilities.
A particular highlight was the presentation of various demonstrators showing the practical application of the technologies developed at ITIV. The pupils had the unique opportunity to operate a robotic vehicle whose electronic circuitry students can develop themselves in teams in the second semester. Dr. Andreas Barth from ETIT summed up the day and emphasized how impressed the students were by the variety of topics covered by the faculty. The teachers were also very positive about the visit and the high level of commitment with which they and their students were received.

The CeCaS (CentralCarServer) research project of the Federal Ministry of Research and Education (BMBF) under its "Mannheim" funding programme aims to support the German automotive industry in assuming a leading role in global competition even in the era of IT dominance. Under the leadership of Infineon AG, 30 partners from industry, research organisations and universities are conducting research into future high-performance computers in cars. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dr. h.c. Jürgen Becker gives an insight into the work on the CeCaS project.

ITIV

The Stork Group's doctoral seminar took place in idyllic Menzenschwand in the Black Forest from March 4 to 8, 2024. An event that not only promoted scientific discourse, but also strengthened the sense of community. The doctoral students of the working groups at the FZI and ITIV came together to present their own research topic in a relaxed atmosphere and then discuss possible further research steps as a team. A special highlight were the one-on-one meetings with Prof. Stork, in which individual progress and future milestones for the doctorate were discussed. These personal consultations provided the doctoral students with valuable insights and guidance for their academic careers.

ITIV

Discover the fascinating world of microcontrollers in our workshop "Green thumbs through technology: the world of microcontrollers for beginners!" Find out how microcontrollers - the "brains" of our technical devices - work and how you can program them. In this workshop, you will become developers and create your own microcontroller that will remind you to water your plants. At the end of the workshop, you will take your self-built and programmed circuit home with you and can even automate watering. We look forward to an inspiring day with you! Places are limited - register quickly!

ITIV

We are delighted to congratulate Dejenie Gemeda Birile from Prof. Stork's group for his successful dissertation titled "Implementation of Machine Learning Models for Transmission Grid Monitoring and Blackout Prevention". This doctoral thesis aims to solve the problems of the Ethiopian power transmission grid with the help of dynamic line evaluation of overhead lines in real-time applications.
Congratulations!

Thomas Klink

The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) mourns the loss of its founding president Professor Horst Hippler, who passed away on 6 March 2024 at the age of 77. Hippler had been Rector of the then University of Karlsruhe since 2002, which he led to its first success in the Excellence Initiative with the idea of founding KIT in 2006. From 2009 to 2012, he headed KIT together with Professor Eberhard Umbach. He then served as President of the German Rectors' Conference until 2018. ITIV's thoughts and sincere condolences are with his family and will honour his memory.

ITIV

We congratulate Mr. Jundong Zhou, who successfully completed his doctorate as an external doctoral student under the supervision of Prof. Stork. With his research topic "Development of a novel Directional Backlight for Multi-user Display Applications" he has made a significant contribution to his field.

ITIV

The annual winter school of the graduate school UpGrade Mobility, a networking event of the KIT Mobility Systems Center, took place from February 12 to 16, 2024. It offered a platform for doctoral students from various mobility disciplines to expand their knowledge, exchange ideas and collaborate in interdisciplinary workshops. An excursion through ITIV's research labs allowed participants to learn about various research topics in the field of autonomous mobility of the future through four captivating project presentations.

ITIV

The topics of machine learning and artificial intelligence are playing an increasingly important role in our society. The Laboratory for Applied Machine Learning Algorithms (LAMA) has been attended by students since 2019 and was developed by ITIV. Here, bachelor students of electrical engineering gain a basic understanding of methods and tools in the field of machine learning, practice practical challenges and find innovative solutions, which were presented last week. After an oral colloquium and a general assessment, the lab ends, which often provides a good transition to final theses and internships in further studies.

ITIV

In 2024, the Seamless Engineering course was once again able to teach students on the MIT Master's degree program about robotics hardware (gripper robots, AGVs) and the associated software tools (Robot Operating System) using a practical logistics problem. The final presentation of the group results took place yesterday on the IFL's test area: a fictitious customer order for which various blocks representing the fictitious customer had to be picked up in the developed material flow system and transported to a storage box at the end of the material flow. The task was successfully completed by all participants. Next year, Prof. Eric Sax's team and Prof. Kai Furmans' team (IFL) will again be coordinating the teaching module.

Henning Kemper and Jan Stehle from IPG Automotive GmbH were in conversation with Prof. Eric Sax and interviewed him about the effects of digital transformation on vehicle development.
In the interview, you can also read more about current challenges in research work, the use of systems engineering and the role of simulation.

BNS1

ITIV was able to present itself at two events at the Balthasar Neumann School (BNS) in Bruchsal as part of the cooperation program with BNS. At the school's in-house exhibition on January 27 and as part of a lecture by Prof. Eric Sax on January 31 about studying electrical engineering and information technology at KIT, his research assistant Houssem Guissouma presented a demonstrator (ATLAS) to the students to illustrate the role of embedded systems in modern networked vehicles.

Both events were well attended and focused on the importance of digitalization and information technology for society and the economy. The students showed great interest and asked questions about studying at ETIT, internship opportunities at ITIV and the demonstrator. In terms of promoting young talent, this was a practical way of further strengthening cooperation.

The development of embedded electronic systems for self-driving cars, autonomous air cabs and similar safety-critical applications is subject to numerous constraints. As part of the XANDAR joint project coordinated by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), eight European partners have joined forces to research new approaches to tackle this complex challenge. After a three-year term, the consortium is presenting an automated tool chain that is tailored to the environment of innovative mobility solutions and supports developers in meeting important safety, security and real-time requirements. In the consortium coordinated by Prof. Becker and his research assistant Tobias Dörr, the newly developed concepts were used in particular to meet application-specific safety, security and real-time requirements.