Department of Computer Science
2024 at the Department of Computer Science
We would like to look back at some of the highlights of the past few months - without claiming to be exhaustive:
The Department of Computer Science has been involved in the establishment of two new research institutes this year:
Together with two partners, a laboratory for digital twins has been set up. The knowledge gained there will be of particular benefit to small and medium-sized enterprises. The virtual images are much more than just computer simulations. They can be used to optimise the design of products and processes in new ways.
Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences (H-BRS) is working together with the Rhine-Waal and Lower Rhine universities and the University of Duisburg-Essen in the new ‘Centre for Assistive Technologies (ZAT) Rhine-Ruhr’( „Zentrum Assistive Technologien (ZAT) Rhein-Ruhr“ ). The North Rhine-Westphalian Ministry of Culture and Science (MKW) is funding the project with 2.7 million euros over the next three years.
The Institute for AI and Autonomous Systems (A2S), which was founded in 2023, introduces itself with a video.
Numerous research projects have been initiated or advanced during the year.
In the „PInBiM“ project, the Institute for Visual Computing, together with the Museum Koenig Bonn and the LIB Foundation, is actively involving citizens in the monitoring of insect populations.
At the Institute for Security Research, the „NAkSU“ project has entered the test phase. New analytical methods are being developed to collect security and environmental data and make it usable for cities - for example, for planning or public relations work on microclimate and pollution.
Following the successful pilot phase, the joint project „Cyber Campus NRW“ with the Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences will be funded by the state of NRW for a further two years. A CCNRW symposium will be held at the Sankt Augustin campus on 4 April 2025 - mark your calendars!
In the „Migrave“ project, the Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Systems (A2S) developed a prototype of a social robot that performs learning tasks with autistic children. It also created an information platform with reliable content for relatives.
The „Garrulus“ project at H-BRS shows how destroyed forest areas can be reforested more efficiently with the help of drones. Following successful field tests, a prototype covering everything from surveying to seeding is due to be completed by the end of 2026.
The Institute for Visual Computing (IVC), together with international partners including the Canadian Space Agency and NASA, has been investigating the effects of microgravity on human perception. The first of three studies has now been published.
Getting our projects noticed in politics and society
During her visit in April, Digitalisation Minister Scharrenbach praised the research strength of the department, particularly in the fields of cyber security, visual computing and consumer informatics.
On 29 April 2024, politician Björn Franken, digital policy spokesman for the CDU parliamentary group in the NRW state parliament, visited the Institute for Visual Computing (IVC). As a former student and alumnus of Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences, Franken has shown an ongoing interest in the developments at his former educational institution.
The Institute for Visual Computing (IVC) at Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences caused a stir at this year's Bonn Science Night and at the Museumsmeilenfest in Bonn whith its virtual Neanderthal avatar.
The DIGITAL@School Campus at the Telekom Forum in Bonn aimed to get a young audience interested in digital technologies such as programming, AI and robotics. At the event, our institute A2S presented various learning programmes with QTrobot, which were originally developed in the MigrAVE project and are now being refined at the Centre for Assistive Technologies Rhine-Ruhr (ZAT Rhein-Ruhr).
Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences (H-BRS) was once again represented at Gamescom with its own stand. Teachers and staff presented current projects from the research fields of visual computing, games technology and autonomous systems on all days of the trade fair.
The department also made its mark at home, once again hosting two major events
The ninth Data Saturday#50 Rheinland 2024 conference focused on data management, cloud computing, business intelligence and related topics.
In August, the campus hosted the 19th FrOSCon (Free and Open Source Conference). With 1,500 visitors, 83 workshops and talks, 119 speakers and 31 partner booths, the open source community was well represented.
What's new in the team
Andreas Hackelöer took up a professorship specialising in software engineering.
Luigi Lo Iacono has moved to the University of Siegen as a professor, but will remain at H-BRS as a lecturer. The Cybersecurity team has also been strengthened by Hannes Tschofenig (Professor of Network Security).
The department also welcomed Dr Oliver Stiemerling (Digital Transformation and Regulation) and Dr Jürgen Wirtgen as honorary professors. Dr Guido Noelle retired as an honorary professor.
Iman Awaad left the university as a long-standing research associate and will undoubtedly leave a gap in the Autonomous Systems Group.
We also had to say goodbye to our former professor and b-it founding director Matthias Jarke and our longstanding research assistant Ralph Mayer.
The international relations of the department have been further strengthened in 2024:
A new agreement with the Erasmus+ partner university Universidad Castilla-La Mancha in Albacete, Spain, enables two students per year to visit the partner university.
Professor Mariia Dorosh from the Ukrainian H-BRS partner university Chernihiv Polytechnic National University was our guest for a month. Together with computer science professor Petra Haferkorn, she worked on a study on information security during this time. It was the first Ukrainian-German exchange at the Department of Computer Science. Over the course of the year, the DAAD internship programme deepened the relationship.
The German Jordanian University (GJU), a long-standing partner university of the Department of Computer Science, became a strategic partner. In addition to GJU, the University of Cape Coast in Ghana also became a strategic partner of H-BRS.
H-BrS researchers have presented their research findings at numerous international conferences. For example, the IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication (RO-MAN) in the USA, the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) in Japan and the IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality.
Last but not least: Prizes and Awards
Ahmed Faisal Abdelrahman, now an alumnus of H-BRS, took first place at the VDI sponsorship award ceremony with his master's thesis in the Autonomous Systems degree programme entitled A Neuromorphic Approach to Obstacle Avoidance in Robot Manipulation.
The robotics team from Bonn-Rhine-Sieg University of Applied Sciences came in first in the @work league of working robots at the international robotics competition German Open in Kassel in April. The students beat off stiff competition with their mobile robot, which was developed at the university.
At the world championship in Eindhoven/Netherlands, the team achieved an impressive third place in the RoboCup@Work League despite problems with the hardware and was also honoured with the Open Source Award.
The AFCEA Bonn e.v. 1st prize of 6,000 euros went to Natalia Quiroga Perez this year.
Kontakt
Miriam Lüdtke-Handjery
M.Sc. M.A., Graduate Institute: Scientific Advisor, Department of Computer Science: Project Cyber Campus NRW
Location
Sankt Augustin
Room
F 423
Address
Grantham-Allee 20
53757, Sankt Augustin
Telephone
+49 2241 865 704
Öffentlichkeitsarbeit Informatik
Homepage of the Department, Event Management, Press Relations, Brochures, Flyers etc.
Location
Sankt Augustin
Room
C 157
Address
Grantham-Allee 20
53757, Sankt Augustin
Anlaufstellen
Öffentlichkeitsarbeit
Campus
Sankt Augustin
Room
C 157