GRK 2159:  Integrity and collaboration in dynamic sensor networks

• Subject Area: Geophysics and Geodesy ; Systems Engineering
• Term: since 2016
• Website: Homepage
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 270849308

The goal of the research training group is to investigate concepts that ensure the integrity of systems acting collaboratively in dynamic sensor networks. The focus of the second phase is on the predictability of integrity and on increasing the robustness of collaboration. Our starting point is the observation that the number of intelligent systems that interact directly with humans will increase significantly, e.g. in the form of trainable assistants in production, autonomous vehicles in traffic areas, or robotic systems in agricultural, construction or household applications. These applications imply that the systems will no longer operate isolated from humans and therefore pose a considerable risk potential. The key to mastering this risk lies in ensuring the integrity of the technical systems and exploiting the synergies resulting from collaboration. The focus of the research training group is the development of fundamental principles for achieving integrity and collaboration in dynamic sensor networks, taking into account the aspects of observation, methodology and mapping. We limit ourselves to kinematic state variables and outdoor application scenarios. The results are made available in the form of a generic “construction kit for collaborative integrity”. There is a substantial need for research and development in the above-mentioned areas, both now and in the future, which leads to a large demand for highly qualified specialists. The research training group’s structured qualification and supervision concept offers doctoral students excellent opportunities to quickly qualify for this national and international, academic and nonacademic job market. Integral parts are a structured tandem supervision, a study programme with an individual qualification plan, a weekly jour fixe, research retreats, lectures by guest researchers as well as additional courses offered by the university’s graduate academy and diversity office. The central experimentation facility (“Experimentierstube”) offers an ideal opportunity for the experimental evaluation and validation of individual research work, increases identification with the group as a whole and is essential for increasing the external visibility of the research training group.

• DFG Programme: Research Training Groups
• Applicant Institution: Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr.-Ing. Steffen Schön
• Participating Researchers: Dr.-Ing. Hamza Alkhatib; Professor Dr.-Ing. Claus Brenner; Professor Dr.-Ing. Christian Heipke; Professor Dr.-Ing. Ingo Neumann; Professor Dr.-Ing. Franz Rottensteiner; Professorin Dr.-Ing. Monika Sester; Professor Dr.-Ing. Bernardo Wagner