Electrical Engineering, Medical Engineering and Computer Science

The department council handles matters pertaining to the department in accordance with Section 25(1) of the LHG.

In addition to ex officio members, the department council of the Department of Electrical Engineering, Medical Engineering and Computer Science (EMI) includes all full-time faculty members of the department by virtue of their position, without election.

In addition, a maximum of nine elected students serve on the department council.

Three other staff members are elected to the department council; these are currently:

Profile and Objectives

In the Autonomous Systems lab, students have access to physical and simulated agents that they can use to enable autonomous behavior with the help of artificial intelligence. One area of focus is autonomous driving. In addition to the Carla simulation software, students have access to Zumi robots capable of autonomous operation as well as 1:8-scale Audi models. As humanoid robots, a Nao robot and a Pepper robot are available. Other simulated robots include the simulated Nao robots from the RoboCup soccer environment, in which our team, Magma, is the runner-up in the world championship.

Current projects:

• Carla: Simulated self-driving cars

• Future Mobility Cup: Self-driving cars

• RoboCup: Simulated robots playing soccer

• Sweaty: Homemade bipedal robot (in collaboration with Maschinenbau and Process Engineering and Media and Information Studies)

Completed Projects:

• Attractive: Transportation optimization (BMBF)

• Team Autonomous Car Offenburg: Self-driving cars

• Codie: Distributed software execution in a cluster

• Humans Learn Machine Learning: BMBF research project at IMLA

• SimManager: Hosting RoboCup soccer tournaments

Equipment

Hardware:

• 1 Nao robot

• 1 Pepper robot (shared with other labs)

• 10 Zumi robots

• 3 Audi Cup vehicles (1:8 scale)

• 6 PCs for simulation and machine learning

Software:

• Version control: Git

• Modeling: Visual Paradigm (SE)

• Development: Eclipse, IntelliJ

• Automation: GitLab

• Issue Tracking: GitLab

Profile and Objectives

Mobile autonomous systems—in the form of vacuum cleaners, lawn mowers, and automated logistics systems—are already an established part of our everyday lives. Developments in automated driving, the ongoing digitization of production, the need for real-time environmental data, and, not least, the growing demand for support in the field of care will continue to drive a sharp increase in the number and presence of mobile robots in our environment.

Of central importance to these systems is the processing of internal and external sensor data and, based on that, the control of the actuators—which ultimately enables the systems’ autonomy. The design, implementation, and system integration of these complex control algorithms require powerful simulation and design tools, as well as experience in system configuration and tuning.

The Mobile Autonomous Systems Lab introduces students to the challenges of autonomous mobile systems and presents solution methods and system components for a wide variety of problems in simulation and system integration.

Practicums and Exercises

In the lab, students have the opportunity to program mobile robot systems. Using ground-based and aerial systems, various approaches to robot programming and simulation are demonstrated.

The topics covered in the lab are presented in the form of short lecture blocks and hands-on experiments:

• Software components for sensors, actuators, and planning

• Robot Operating System (ROS) as robotic middleware

• Simulation with Gazebo and Simulink

• Sensors, mapping, and path planning.

The hardware setup includes various robotic platforms such as the Turtlebot3 and a Clearpath Husky robot, as well as several small quadcopters from the Micro Aerial Vehicles (MAV) category and medium-sized models. Lab computers running Windows and, primarily, Linux allow for flexible testing of developed algorithms.

The lab also offers a wide range of research topics for bachelor’s or master’s theses (both within the University and in collaboration with industry partners).

Profile and Objectives

The Operating Systems and Computer Networks lab supports the lectures in the Angewandte Informatik, Computer Science/Business+, and Wirtschaftsinformatik degree programs. It offers students the opportunity to simulate real-world problems in these areas and to apply specific tools and solution methods they have previously learned in lectures. 

The lab environment is also used for theses related to a bachelor's degree and master's theses, as well as for project work and externally funded projects.

Lab Sessions and Exercises

Practical sessions typically take place in small groups of two to three students and are structured into 4–6 experiments per session. Detailed lab instructions, including pre-lab and post-lab assignments, are provided for each experiment. The lab sessions are supported by an online e-learning portal with additional learning materials and upload areas.

The computers are arranged in 5 clusters, each with four computers, all of which are connected to each other via a LAN. The clusters are arranged spatially so that the lab groups can work together in a focused and efficient manner. The experiments utilize the programming languages C, C#, C++, Java, and Python, as well as the middleware technologies JMS, RMI, gRPC, and Web Services (AXIS2).

Equipment

• 24 multi-core high-speed PCs with multiple network cards

• Dual-boot Windows / OpenSUSE Linux

• Standard Cisco routers, switches, hubs, and Wi-Fi access points

• Zodiac and HP OpenFlow switches

• Standard IDEs: Eclipse, PyCharm, KDevelop, and Microsoft Visual Studio

• Native IPv6, network tool suite, gRPC, OpenVPN, Icinga, NS3

• All computers can be automatically installed and reset from a central installation and configuration server.

Profile and Objectives

Image processing is already well established in many areas of industrial metrology. In addition to noncontact measurement, image processing is opening up an ever-increasing number of application areas. When the goal goes beyond mere measurement to include interaction, interpretation, and ultimately understanding the environment, this is referred to as “machine vision,” which is finding widespread application in robotics, autonomous driving, and the user-friendly processing of image data—for example, in Medizintechnik. The detection of features in images—whether using classical mathematical methods or techniques from the field of machine learning—enables the segmentation, description, and retrieval of images, as well as the use of the camera as a sensor, whether for localization or the precise determination of distances and velocities.

The “Digital Image Processing” lecture and the “Image Processing” lab introduce students to the challenges of image processing and computer vision and present solution methods for a wide variety of problems.

Practicums and Exercises

In the lab, students have the opportunity to write their own image processing programs. MATLAB is used, but frameworks in Python, Java, or C are also made available as alternatives. Students are introduced to the more complex topics of image processing through sample tasks and programming exercises.

Topics covered in the lab include:

• Optics and Depth of Field

• Color representation

• Linear filters in the spatial and frequency domains

• Morphological operators and edge detection

• Image mosaicking using feature detectors and descriptors

The hardware setup includes various cameras with different interfaces and lenses, as well as telecentric lenses for precise industrial measurement tasks. Laboratory computers running Windows and Linux operating systems allow for flexible testing of developed algorithms.

The lab also offers a wide range of projects for bachelor's or master's theses (both within the University and in cooperation with industrial companies).

Profile and Objectives

The Laboratory for Computer-Assisted Medicine at Hochschule Offenburg is a research-only lab and provides workstations for staff, doctoral candidates, and students writing their bachelor’s or master’s theses.

The scientific work at the lab for computer-assisted medicine focuses on programming in MATLAB and C++, particularly the control of hardware to address a wide variety of medical problems. Many of these problems involve calibration—that is, determining the parameters necessary for the precise operation and control of individual hardware components.

Research Focuses

• Navigation in Surgery

• Medical Mixed and Augmented Reality Applications

• Intraoperative Surgical Planning

• Robotics in Medicine

• Medical Image Processing

• Navigated Ultrasound Applications

• Automation of Calibration Processes

Topics for final theses

• Calibration and Control of Augmented and Mixed Reality Headsets

• Development of end-effectors for medical applications

• Non-contact calibration of surgical instruments

• Calibration of Ultrasound Probes

• Synchronization, streaming, and overlay of ultrasound images

• Eye tracking for mixed and augmented reality headsets

• Control of the Baxter Research Robot for medical applications

• Further development of the non-model-based camera calibration developed in the lab

• Tracking a catheter via projection or overlay in augmented reality glasses

Equipment

• "Stryker FP 6000" optical navigation system with various tracking tools and pointers

• Stryker surgical drill

• "NDI Aurora" electromagnetic navigation system with a tabletop field generator and various sensors

• "Baxter" research robot from Rethink Robotics (two arms, each with seven degrees of freedom)

• Artec Eva 3D scanner with texture capture

• Zonare ultrasound system

• Various ultrasound devices from Terason

• Augmented and mixed reality headsets from various manufacturers: Microsoft HoloLens, Vuzix STAR 1200 XLD, Meta2, Epson Moverio BT-200

• Industrial cameras from various manufacturers (The Imaging Source, XIMEA, IDS, etc.) for image processing applications

• Actuators for automating calibration processes and building simple robots

2021

• Strzeletz S., Moctezuma J.-L., Shah M., Hubbe U., Hoppe H. (2021). External Ventricular Drainage Using Augmented Reality and Peer-to-Peer Navigation, Image Processing for Medicine 2021: Proceedings, Springer Vieweg, Wiesbaden, 1st edition, pp. 73–78, ISBN: 978-3-658-33197-9 (print), link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-658-33198-6_18

• Hazubski S., Hoppe H., Otte A. (2021). A New Concept for Activating Prosthetic Hands Using Augmented Reality. Orthopädie Technik, Orthopädie-Technik Publishing, Wiesbaden, pp. 40–42, ISSN: 0340-5591

2020

• Hoppe H., Otte A., Hazubski S. (2020). Method for controlling a device, in particular, a prosthetic hand or a robotic arm (US20200327705A1), patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf

• Strzeletz S., Hazubski S., Moctezuma J.-L., Hoppe H. (2020). Fast, robust, and accurate monocular peer-to-peer tracking for surgical navigation, International Journal of Computer-Assisted Radiology and Surgery, Springer, pp. 479–489, ISSN: 1861-6410 (Print), link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11548-019-02111-z

• Hazubski S., Hoppe H., Otte A. (2020). Method for controlling a device, in particular a hand prosthesis or a robotic arm (DE102019108670A1), depatisnet.dpma.de/DepatisNet/depatisnet

• Hazubski S., Hoppe H., Otte A. (2020). Hand prosthesis controlled via augmented reality, Hochschule Offenburg, www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-107496/v1

• Hazubski S., Hoppe H., Otte A. (2020). Electrode-free visual prosthesis/exoskeleton control using augmented reality glasses in a first proof-of-technical-concept study, Scientific Reports, Nature Publishing Group UK, ISSN: 2045-2322, www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-73250-6

• Hazubski S., Hoppe H., Otte A. (2020). Non-contact visual control of personalized hand prostheses/exoskeletons via tracking using augmented reality glasses, 3D Printing in Medicine, Article 6, BMC Springer-Nature, ISSN: 2365-6271 threedmedprint.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s41205-020-00059-4

2019

• Hoppe H., Hazubski S., Strzeletz S., Augmented Reality in Medicine (2019). Campus: Magazine of Hochschule Offenburg, pp. 52–53, opus.hs-offenburg.de/frontdoor/deliver/index/docId/3780/file/Campus_gesamt_2019.pdf

• Hazubski S., Soekadar S., Hoppe H., Otte A., Neuroprosthetics 2.0 (2019). EBioMedicine, Elsevier, p. 22, ISSN: 2352-3964

2018

• Strzeletz S, Hazubski S, Moctezuma J L, Hoppe H. Peer-to-Peer Navigation in Computer-Assisted Surgery. Proceedings of the 17th Annual Meeting of the German Society for Computer- and Robot-Assisted Surgery (CURAC) 2018, eds. Neumuth T, Melzer A, Chalopin C, pp. 119–124, ISBN: 978-3-00-060786-8.

• Klemm M, Hanebeck U D, Hoppe H. Control Algorithms for 3-DoF Handheld Robotic Devices Used in Orthopedic Surgery, Journal of Medical Robotics Research, published August 30, 2018 (online), doi.org/10.1142/S2424905X19500028.

• Hense J, Otte A, Hoppe H. Challenging Brain-Computer Interfaces with a Modularized Real-Time Software Framework. Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology 2018; 122 (Suppl. 1): 7–8.

• Hense J, Sachpazidis I, Hoppe H, Baltas D. Optimization of catheter positioning in HIPO inverse treatment planning for HDR brachytherapy of prostate cancer using centroidal Voronoi tessellation. Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology 2018; 122 (Suppl. 1): 6.

2017

• Otte A, Hoppe H. Non-invasive brain-machine interface concepts for everyday use—a step forward. Sci Robotics 2017: e-letter: <link http: robotics.sciencemag.org content eaag3296 tab-e-letters>robotics.sciencemag.org/content/1/1/eaag3296/tab-e-letters [published online: March 7, 2017].

• Becker N, Hoppe H, Otte A. Robot Control Using Convolutional Neural Networks. horizonte 50/ September 2017, ISSN 1432-9174, pp. 4–5.

• Otte A., Hoppe H. NeuRob: Neuroscience and Robotics. Hochschule Offenburg, Institute of Applied Research (IAF), Research in Focus, Summer 2017.

• Klemm M, Seebacher F, Hoppe H. High-Accuracy Pixel-Wise Spatial Calibration of Optical See-Through Glasses, Computers & Graphics, vol. 64, pp. 51–61, 2017.

• Hense J, Sachpazidis I, Hoppe H, Baltas D. “Positioning of Catheters in HIPO Inverse Planning with Centroidal Voronoi Tessellation for HDR Brachytherapy of Prostate Cancer,” Annual Conference on BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING and Tri-Country Conference on MEDICAL PHYSICS, September 10–13, 2017, Dresden. 

2016

• Klemm M, Kirchner T, Gröhl J, Cheray D, Nolden M, Seitel A, Hoppe H, Maier-Hein L, Franz A M. MITK—OpenIGTLink for combining open-source toolkits in real-time computer-assisted interventions, International Journal of Computer-Assisted Radiology and Surgery; pp. 1–11. (TR)

• Klemm M, Seebacher F, Hoppe H. Flexible Three-dimensional Camera-based Reconstruction and Calibration of Tracked Instruments, 19th International Conference on Information Fusion (FUSION), Proceedings, July 5–8, 2016; pp. 861–867.

• Hoppe H, Seebacher F, Klemm M. Non-model-based calibration of cameras with monitors, T. Tolxdorff, T. M. Deserno, H. Handels, H.-P. Meinzer (eds.): Image Processing for Medicine 2016, Proceedings, March 13–15, 2016, Berlin; pp. 50–55.

• Klemm M, Seebacher F, Hoppe H. Non-parametric Camera-Based Calibration of Optical See-Through Glasses for AR Applications, 2016 International Conference on Cyberworlds (CW), Proceedings, September 28–30, Chongqing; pp. 33–40.

2015

• Otte A., Hoppe H. Hybrid SPECT/US. Radiology. Jan. 2015;274(1):304–5. doi: 10.1148/radiol.14141312.

2014

• Klemm M, Hoppe H, Seebacher F. “[Poster] Non-parametric camera-based calibration of optical see-through glasses for augmented reality applications.” 2014 IEEE International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality (ISMAR). IEEE, 2014.

Profile and Objectives

In the Lab for Electric Drives and Power Electronics, electrical engineering and mechatronics students in their 6th In laboratory exercises, students in their sixth semester gain practical insights into the operational behavior of electric machines and power converters. Through group work, students gain initial experience with DC, asynchronous, and synchronous machines, as well as with power electronic circuits. In addition, the interaction of the individual drive components with one another and with higher-level controland control systems. Students in the bachelor's program “Sustainable Energy Systems” gain their first hands-on experience with power electronic actuators in the lab during their 4th semester. For students in the master's program in “Elektrotechnik/Informationstechnik,” the “Control of Electric Drives” lab will begin in the winter semester of 2024/25, where participants will gain practical experience with highly dynamic, field-oriented three-phase drives, such as those are used, among other things, in traction, elevator, conveyor, and machine tool drives, as well as in test bench applications.

In addition, research-oriented projects are continuously carried out, in which students can participate, among other things, can participate as part of their bachelor’s and master’s theses. These projects often address current challenges facing the industry. The focus is on the development and refinement of control algorithms for three-phase drives and for inverters used for feeding power into and back into the grid. Solutions are also sought for fundamental scientific questions in drive technology, particularly in the field of drive control.

By participating in laboratory exercises and working on specific project tasks in the field of electrical drivedrive technology, students in the EI bachelor's programs, MKA, and NES—including the EI-plus and MK-plus tracks—as well as students in the EIM master's program, consolidate and expand the basic knowledge they have acquired in various courses on this topic. This should enable them if they so desire, to pursue a career in the field of electric drive technology after graduation or to delve deeper into the field of drive technology by pursuing a master’s degree.

The Lab’s Success Story

Efforts to actively make an impact in this research area began with the development of the laboratory’s own controller board in 2005. As part of undergraduate and final theses, a platform was created at that time to develop and test proprietary control algorithms for electric drives. The fourth generation of this controller board is now available. The high-performance digital signal processor used in the board enables complex current, speed, position, and position-difference control algorithms, as well as control tasks, to be executed very quickly and in sync with the pulse-width modulation being used. Further development of this control board for an industrial partner, with the goal of achieving even shorter response times, is currently in the conceptual phase.

Power components required to convert the control variables calculated on the controller board into voltages—and which provide sufficiently high currents—are typically purchased and adapted to the laboratory’s own controller hardware via so-called interface boards. In addition to level adjustments, the interface board also handles hardware-based current and voltage monitoring as well as basic fault management. However, the lab has also developed its own inverters with maximum output currents of 250 A, which are used, for example, in municipal specialty vehicles with hybrid drives to power the electric motor.

In addition to the hybrid vehicle project, which was carried out in collaboration with an engine manufacturer and a commercial vehicle manufacturer from the Black Forest, the team members developed, among other things, engine emulators for Formula 1, control strategies for photovoltaic inverters, a real-time internal combustion engine simulation using a three-phase drive, and customer-specific controller hardware and software.

International Collaboration

The lab staff are also active on an international level. In a project currently underway, the cooperation partner is based in Taiwan. A custom controller board, including expansion plug-in cards for encoder and current measurement, as well as the corresponding software, was developed for this partner. To integrate the controller board into the customer’s frequency converters and to facilitate the transfer of know-how, a member of the lab team was specifically sent to a branch of the partner’s company in Australia for nine months.

Current Projects

In addition to further developing the software for our long-standing partners, we are currently working on a project in the field of automotive test bench technology. The goal is to achieve highly dynamic torque and speed injection for test bench motors by utilizing all available degrees of freedom and to embed the solutions being developed into a higher-level, partially web-based HIL system for full-vehicle simulation. FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays) are being used here to further reduce the computation times for the control algorithms; state-based control methods that have already proven effective in other projects are to be implemented and further developed on these FPGAs.

The Lab’s Engine Test Stands

The developed control and regulation methods can be tested in the lab on a variety of motor test benches across different power classes. The most powerful of these is a back-to-back test stand consisting of an asynchronous machine with a rated power of 81 kW and a permanent-magnet-excited synchronous machine with a rated power of 67 kW. It is characterized by the fact that, during steady-state operation, only the power loss needs to be drawn from the grid. The majority of the power generated by the respective machines—whether as motors or generators—flows in an energy-efficient loop within the test bench via the inverters that supply them, which are connected to each other through a common DC link.

Equipment

• A height-adjustable asynchronous/synchronous motor test bench (rated power Pnom = 81 kW or 67 kW, rated speed nnom = 2900 min-1) with a torque measurement shaft (measurement range up to 500 Nm)

• Eight combinable DC/asynchronous/synchronous motor test stands (maximum available rated power PNenn = 15 kW, maximum speed nmax = 2000 min⁻¹)

• one asynchronous motor test stand (2 × PNenn = 5.5 kW, nmax = 3000 min⁻¹) with a torque measurement shaft (measuring range up to 200 Nm)

• two synchronous motor test stands (Mnom = 3.2 Nm and 2.6 Nm, respectively; nmax = 6000 min⁻¹) with torque measurement shafts (measurement range up to 15 Nm and 10 Nm, respectively)

• two linear actuators

• two linear axes (Mnom = 3 Nm and 1.1 Nm, respectively; nmax = 6000 min⁻¹)

• One radio-controlled model of a four-rope grab crane, driven via a gearbox by two frequency-converter-fed asynchronous motors

• numerous individual motors and power converters with a rated power of up to 11 kW

• Numerous measuring instruments for measuring current, voltage, power, and speed, as well as for determining noise and vibration

Laboratory courses and exercises for bachelor's programs

• Metrological determination of operating characteristics, losses, and efficiencies of separately excited DC machines

• Control and operational behavior of AC and three-phase controllers, as well as grid-connected and self-excited power converters

• Metrological determination of operating characteristics, losses, and efficiencies of induction motors

• Speed control of power converter-fed DC machines

• Speed control of converter-fed asynchronous machines

• Control and operational behavior of power converter-fed synchronous drives

• Spatial vector analysis of synchronous drives

Laboratory Sessions and Exercises in the Master's Program in Elektrotechnik/Informationstechnik

• Highly Dynamic Current, Speed, and Position Control of Induction Motors

• High-Dynamic Current, Speed, and Position Control of Synchronous Drives

• Stabilization of an inverse pendulum

• Field weakening in highly dynamic three-phase drives

Prof. Dr. Christian Klöffer and Prof. Dr. Patrick König jointly head the Electric Mobility Competence Center EMC² at INES. Together with research assistants and student assistants, the two professors are engaged in research on the optimized operation of electric drive components in electric vehicles. This research is conducted both in collaboration with renowned national automotive companies and regional industry partners, as well as within the framework of international research projects funded by the European Union (for more details, see the section on current and completed projects). The research activities are closely integrated with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology to offer young researchers the opportunity to pursue a Ph.D.

Work is currently underway to expand the existing testing capabilities for electric drive components of electric and hybrid vehicles. The planned test facility is expected to have the following technical specifications:

Electric motor:

• Mechanical power: < 300 kW

• Mechanical speeds: < 20,000 1/min

• Torque: <500 Nm

• AC voltage amplitude: < 500 V

• AC current amplitude: < 800 A

DC/AC converter:

• DC voltage: < 900 V

• AC current amplitude: < 800 A

Energy storage:

• DC current: < 900 A

• DC voltage: < 900 V

Profile and Objectives

Increased demands on operational safety and the economic efficiency of the electric power supply have prompted utility companies to operate their power plants and high-voltage grids in an interconnected system.

One of the prerequisites for the interconnected operation of three-phase grids is the synchronous operation of all generators. In the event of faults (short circuits, load shedding, overloads, etc.), synchronism—and thus the stability of grid operation—can be lost. Consequently, special requirements are placed on the stability of long transmission lines. The “Model Power Plant” lab is designed to familiarize students with these issues as a supplement to the EVE1 and EVE2 lectures.

By participating in the laboratory exercises and working on specific project tasks in the field of electrical power engineering, students in the EP and EP-plus degree programs will be able to consolidate and expand the basic knowledge they have acquired in various lectures on this topic. This will enable them, if they so choose, to pursue a career in the field of electrical power engineering—particularly with electric utilities—after completing their bachelor’s degree.

Test Benches and Equipment

Model Power Plant

The power plant is simulated by a diesel three-phase generator set (generator rated data: 230/400 V; 12.5 kVA; cosφ = 0.8). It is operated from a control panel.

The mechanically supplied power is adjusted by remotely controlling the engine’s fuel injection pump. A speed governor based on the centrifugal force principle allows only speed changes within the control range during island operation when the generator is loaded or unloaded.

In emergency power mode, the generator is self-excited; in test mode, it is externally excited via the excitation set. Switching operations can be performed using the pushbutton switches arranged on the control panel according to the schematic diagram. Measurements are taken using transducers and measuring instruments built into the control panel.

The transmission angle Θ is determined by illuminating a reference disc on the generator’s shaft with a stroboscopic light flash.

Coarse synchronization of the generator with the grid is achieved by manual connection following a comparison of voltage, phase sequence, phase angle, and frequency. Since the automatic synchronization device is not operational when the generator and grid are connected via the transmission line model, it is advisable to first establish the direct generator-grid connection, connect the transmission line in parallel, and then disconnect the direct connection.

Unlike the other experiments, this experiment will initially be conducted only by the supervising student assistant or only under his or her direct instruction, since the generator set designed for emergency power supply could not be equipped with all the safety interlocks desirable for experimental operation.

Overhead Line Simulation

The 400 km long 220 kV overhead line is simulated in three phases using three π-circuits connected in series. A simple switchover to 1/3 of the line length is possible.

Power can be fed into a fixed grid and/or a load as desired. The fixed grid is simulated by the University’s low-voltage grid.

Practical Courses and Exercises

1. Three-Phase Power Systems

2. Symmetrical Three-Phase Transmission

3. Plotting the line vector diagram

4. Demonstration of the static stability of ideal three-phase transmission

5. Grid Control

6. Model power plant and overhead line simulation

7. Feeding into the grid

8. Recording of power characteristics

9. Recording of values for constructing the phasor diagram of long-distance transmission

10. Analysis of static stability

11. Recording of grid characteristics

Profile and Objectives

Learning Objectives

• Selecting appropriate measuring instruments for the specific measurement problem so that the measurement is performed as simply and quickly as possible, with the required level of accuracy, and at the lowest possible cost in terms of time and equipment.

• Properly setting up, reading, calibrating, and adjusting instruments.

• Working in a Team

• Clearly documenting observations and measurement data

• Distinguish between systematic and random errors

• Estimate and calculate error limits

• Read and explain operating instructions and data sheets

Lab Sessions and Exercises

Experiment Content

• Measuring ohmic resistances as accurately as possible using current and voltage shunt circuits with specified digital and analog multimeter devices.

• Application of compensation measurement methods for non-active measurement of currents, voltages, and resistances, including differential resistances.

• Resistance measurement using a DC measuring bridge: measurement of even very small resistances,

• Designing the bridge circuit to achieve the required accuracy and sensitivity.

• Getting to Know the Oscilloscope

• Measuring with the oscilloscope

Profile and Objectives

The “Internet of Things” continues to expand. The wired and wireless networking of embedded systems and their integration as cyber-physical systems (CPS) is playing an increasingly important role in this context. The “Embedded Systems and Communications Electronics” lab is dedicated to addressing the contemporary challenges that need to be solved in this field.

• Real-time communication, particularly using Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) protocols,

• wireless communication, particularly using Bluetooth/Bluetooth Low Energy, 5G/6G solutions (especially for non-public networks such as campus networks), and Wi-Fi,

• Secure communication for fieldbus and extremely narrowband systems, particularly with regard to secure protocols and credential management,

• Monitoring and anomaly detection, particularly for fieldbuses and wireless communication,

• Hardware-software architectures for the efficient implementation of embedded network nodes, including for Root of Trust approaches using Physical Unclonable Functions (PUF).

Research Projects

The lab is part of the Institute for Reliable Embedded Systems and Communication Electronics. Further information on current projects can be found there.

Facilities

The lab is equipped with modern networked workstations and servers, as well as measurement equipment such as function generators, oscilloscopes, and signal analyzers, as well as network analyzers (such as the Rohde & Schwarz CMW500) and TSN-related measurement instruments (particularly those from our project partner tsn.systems)

In terms of hardware, a wide variety of development boards for microcontrollers, radio transceivers, and communication units are available. Several implementations of non-public networks (campus networks, particularly from our project partner CampusGenius) are also installed.

In terms of software, in addition to standard development tools (Eclipse, GIT, Redmine), full licenses for IAR Embedded Workbench, Keil µVision4, Perytons Network Sniffer, and OPNET Network Simulator are worth mentioning.

A unique selling point is the fully automated testbed for spatially distributed wireless nodes (Automated Physical Testbed, APTB).

Practicums and Exercises

In addition to the lab exercises “Bus Systems and Interfaces” (for various bachelor’s programs in the EMI Department) and “Embedded and Industrial Networks” (for various master’s programs in the EMI Department), the lab hosts project work (EI-14), numerous final theses are written, and internships are conducted.

Current job postings can also be found at the Institute for Reliable Embedded Systems and Communication Electronics.

Links and Downloads

Research Report Winter Semester 2014/15 (PDF)

Institute for Reliable Embedded Systems and Communication Electronics

White Paper: EH Proline Web Server (German) (PDF)

White Paper: EH Proline Web Server (English) (PDF)

Wireless Congress

Profile and Objectives

A long-held dream of humanity came true when Heinrich Hertz, through his experiments at the Technical University in Karlsruhe, opened up the possibility of transmitting messages wirelessly over long distances.

The field of science that continues to intensively address this challenge to this day is high-frequency technology. This term is used whenever an electrical voltage, an electric current, or an electromagnetic field changes within approximately 10⁻⁷ to 10⁻¹² seconds. Radio and television technology are the classic examples of high-frequency technology. Of course, the field has since become much more extensive, and there are numerous applications.

Current applications include, for example, cellular communications, radar, microwave ovens, Earth observation via satellites, and measurement sensors. The trend is toward ever-higher frequencies.

Equipment

• 2 Hz – 50 GHz Signal Analyzer Keysight N9030B

• 9 kHz – 21.2 GHz Signal Analyzer Anritsu MS2665C

• 60–90 GHz RF Mixer/Millimeter-Wave Signal Analyzer Frequency Extension Module, Keysight N9029AV12

• 90–140 GHz RF Mixer/Millimeter-Wave Signal Analyzer Frequency Extension Module, Keysight N9029AV08

• 10 MHz – 20 GHz Vector Network Analyzer Agilent PNA-L

• 9 kHz – 6 GHz Signal Generator, Rohde & Schwarz SMA 100A

• 8 kHz–20 GHz Signal Generator, Rohde & Schwarz SMA 100BS

• 10 MHz – 20 GHz Signal Generator, Anritsu 68247B

• 8 GHz 4-Channel Mixed-Signal Oscilloscope, Keysight MSOS804A Infiniium S Series

• 8 GHz 4-channel oscilloscope, Keysight DSOS804A Infiniium S Series

• Anechoic chamber with a 3 m measuring range for radiation and interference power measurements up to 1 GHz

• Rohde & Schwarz ESHS10 EMI Test Receiver, 9 kHz – 30 MHz

• EMI Test Receiver Rohde & Schwarz ESVS10 20 MHz – 1000 MHz

• RFT network replica NNB11 for line-based measurements during development

Practical Courses and Exercises

The High-Frequency Technology and Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) lab offers two courses covering different areas of high-frequency technology.

High-Frequency Technology Lab I

• Experiment 1
  : Behavior of Components at Higher Frequencies:
  Simulation and Measurement of Parasitic Properties of Components

• Experiment 2
  : Line Theory:
  Behavior of TEM waves on RF lines; simulation and measurement of complex voltages along a line with various line terminations.

• Experiment 3
  : Strip Lines:
  Simulation of microstrip lines, S-parameters, and matching transformation using a tap

High-Frequency Technology Lab II

• Experiment 1
  : Network analysis of passive microwave components

• Experiment 2
  : Circuit Simulation with AWR Microwave Office

• Experiment 3
  : Rectangular waveguides in microwave engineering

• Experiment 4
  : Determination of Noise Parameters of Microwave Components

• Experiment 5
  : Nonlinearity of Amplifiers and Behavior of Mixers

Current Projects

You can find current projects in the field of high-frequency technology on the IUAS website.

Profile and Objectives

The Lab for Information Technology / Parallel Computing provides the hardware and software infrastructure (native installations and VMs) for the following courses:

• Software Ergonomics (C#, Microsoft Blend)

• Technical Informatik Lab

• Computer Architecture Lab (Java)

• Software Engineering 2 (C#)

• Engineering Informatik Lab (C)

• Object-Oriented Software Development Lab (C++)

• Programming 2 (C, C++)

• Embedded Systems Lab 1 (Assembler, C)

• Embedded Systems Lab 2 (C, C++)

• Advanced Embedded Systems Lab (C)

• Embedded Real-Time Systems (C, C++)

• Embedded Software Testing (C, C++)

• Parallel Computing Practicum (Java, CUDA)

• Model-Driven Software Development Internship (Java)

In addition to providing the necessary infrastructure, the Information Technology / Parallel Computing lab also offers opportunities to complete final theses, internships, and project work.

Facilities

A total of six workstations with modern GPU-based computers and measurement equipment are available. Various IDEs in their latest versions are used (Microsoft Visual Studio, Keil uVision, Eclipse, NVIDIA Nsight) and are supplemented by additional software engineering tools such as CodeSonar, Testwell CMT++/CTC++, and Enterprise Architect.

Various evaluation boards (ARM processors) are also used as part of the courses mentioned above.

Profile and Objectives

The “Cardiology, Electrophysiology, and Electronic Cardiac Implants” lab serves as a complementary component to the two courses “Cardiology” and “Electrical Stimulation” for Medizintechnik students.
In addition, it is open to all interested parties as part of the elective course “Devices and Technology for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Cardiac Arrhythmias.” This includes, in particular, trainees and members of the medical professions as part of continuing education programs.

Equipment

Thanks to the generous support of the Medizintechnik industry, it has been possible to offer individual lab stations covering all major procedures in electrocardiology—from simple routine ECGs to the latest electronic cardiac implants with their Internet--based remote monitoring systems such as Homemonitoring® and Carelink®, all the way to radiofrequency catheter ablation using imaging techniques like CARTO®, as individual laboratory stations. Here, participants can specialize in their existing knowledge through hands-on practice on simulators or, if they wish, even through self-experimentation, and experience the function of the various devices firsthand and in detail.

Practical Sessions and Exercises

The following topics are available for this “learning through experimentation”:

• Lead placement for the 12-lead routine electrocardiogram

• Accuracy of long-term storage ECG

• Reveal XT and Biomonitor implantable ECG event recorders

• Semi-invasive left atrial and left ventricular leads 

• Signal averaging—a technique for late potential analysis

• Phonocardiography and sphygmography

• Types of External Pacemakers

• Implantable rate-adaptive pacemakers

• Physiological dual-chamber pacing on a cardiac simulator

• Pacemakers with automatic antitachycardic pacing

• Function of automatic implantable single-chamber defibrillators

• Function of automatic implantable dual-chamber defibrillators

• Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) with implants

• Remote data transmission technology for cardiac implants

• Defibrillator/Pacemaker Programming on a Teaching System

• Detection algorithms of modern implantable defibrillators

• Function and programming of neurological implants

• Methods for diastolic AV delay optimization

• Serial AV and VV delay optimization using impedance cardiography

• In-vitro simulation of electrophysiological studies

• Initiation and termination of supraventricular tachycardias

• Control and Regulation Technology for High-Frequency Catheter Ablation

• X-ray-free imaging techniques: anatomical CARTO mapping

• MRI/CT image integration on the CARTO XP Merge electroanatomical system

• X-ray-free ultrasound-based imaging using a real-time position management system

• Hemodynamic monitoring using Aesculon

• Hemodynamic monitoring using Cardioscreen

Profile and Objectives

Communications engineering encompasses the broad and fascinating field of transmitting speech, images, text, music, and data using electronic means. The information and communication society in which we live can only exist and continue to develop thanks to state-of-the-art technologies for transmitting such information via cable, fiber optics, radio waves, or satellite. Today, we take it for granted that we communicate via radio, television, telephone, fax, mobile communications, local computer networks, the Internet, and so on.

Our explosively growing demand for these technologies—and for entirely new possibilities in the future—requires ever-faster and more powerful devices and creative ideas. That is why various courses, conducted under expert supervision, impart the fundamental knowledge of telecommunications, particularly in the area of signal transmission.

Facilities

• Function generators

• Digital oscilloscopes with FFT analysis

• Multimeters with frequency counters

• Experimental setups for individual topics (in-house developments)

• Enough for 6 simultaneous lab groups

Lab Sessions and Exercises

In small groups, students build breadboard circuits for limiter, amplifier, and oscillator circuits and measure their parameters. Through these hands-on experiments, students acquire—almost playfully—the circuit design knowledge that is particularly important for telecommunications engineers.

Of course, a thorough understanding of communications also requires clear and comprehensive experiments on amplitude and frequency modulation.

The telecommunications lab also allows students to conduct their own creative experiments, calculations, and measurements, which can be carried out, for example, as part of term papers and final theses.

Research

The focus of the “Medizintechnik” division is on the research and development of materials and implants for orthopedics, cardiology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, and dental implants. The focus here is on researching powder metallurgy-based materials and processes, as well as the multi-material approach to functional materials. Particular interest is placed on researching functional materials with bioresorbable properties, for example for stents or for the replacement of bone structures. In addition, the research group is engaged in the development of highly porous cellular metallic materials that are particularly well-suited for replacing cancellous bone.

Together with the 4D Printing Research Group, the “Materials Mechanics and Simulation” Division, and the “Biotechnologie” Division, the research group forms the Lab for Smart Materials in Medizintechnik. The focus of this DFG-funded collaboration is on combining so-called smart materials with the manufacturing techniques of additive manufacturing. Smart materials are functional materials that undergo changes in their mechanical, structural, or multiphysical properties in response to changes in their environmental conditions. To this end, the lab’s infrastructure is currently being expanded to include powder metallurgy characterization, equipment for metal binder jetting, and facilities for heat treatment via debinding and sintering.

Teaching

The Medical Technology Materials Lab complements the courses “Materials in Medizintechnik” and “Process Chains in Medizintechnik.” The lab focuses on manufacturing technology for materials and their testing. It is specifically designed for students of Medizintechnik. The lab provides insights into the testing of typical metallic materials used in Medizintechnik, particularly in the manufacture of implants. In addition, there is a focus on the digital manufacturing process for patient-specific, 3D-printed implants. The hands-on courses enable students to acquire specialization in Medizintechnik and to bridge the gap between theory and practical application.

The Medizintechnik Materials Lab is a collaboration with the Materials Engineering Lab (Metals and Plastics) in the Maschinenbau department and the EduFabLab in the EMI department. Laboratory practicals are currently conducted at the following workstations:

• Metallography

• Reflected-light microscopy

• Destructive materials testing, universal testing machine

• Hardness testing

• Chemical analysis via emission spectroscopy and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy

• Computer-based segmentation of computed tomography data

• CAD/CAM manufacturing of patient-specific components

• Additive manufacturing using fused layer manufacturing

Profile and Objectives

In measurement technology, the term “sensor” refers to the transducer as the primary element in a measurement chain. The number of sensors surrounding us is characterized by steady growth, with no end in sight. Everyday objects such as smartphones and automobiles, current issues related to the Internet of Things and Industry 4.0, as well as efforts to improve the efficiency of existing structures and processes in industrial automation, would be inconceivable without sensors, the associated measurement technology, and intelligent data analysis.

Lab Sessions and Exercises

The Measurement and Sensor Technology Laboratory at Offenburg University of Applied Sciences represents the state-of-the-art in selected areas of measurement technology. In the lab, students have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the design, application, and evaluation of selected sensors and principles of measurement technology.

 These include:

• Strain gauges: Measurement of material stress and weight.

• Pressure sensors: Design of various sensor principles, measurement of fill levels and height differences.

• Correlation measurement technology: Non-contact velocity measurements on surfaces; determination of distances using time-of-flight correlation.

• Laser interferometry: Measurement of minute changes in length with a resolution of 10 nm. Application in checking machine tools for dimensional accuracy.

• Computer-Aided Measurement Signal Analysis: Comparison of various sensors and analysis using model-based software (LabView).

• Linear differential transformers: Design and operation, including signal evaluation and conditioning, for precise length measurement in the micrometer range.

• Length measurement with radar and ultrasonic sensors: Comparison of different principles for level determination. 

• Magnetic field measurement using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS): Use of Hall-effect and fluxgate magnetometers to measure the Earth’s magnetic field.

The experiments are continuously updated and always combine the sensors presented in the lecture with the corresponding electrical measurement techniques and signal processing, ensuring that current developments in sensor technology are taken into account.

Profile and Objectives

The Microelectronic Systems Design Lab focuses its teaching and research on the design and implementation of microelectronic circuits, which can be either discrete or highly integrated.

The following project-oriented lab courses are offered as part of the curriculum:

• VLSI Lab (mixed-signal design of semi-custom or full-custom ICs)

• HDL Lab (Design of integrated digital circuits using hardware description languages)

• Circuit Design Lab (Fundamentals lab for analog and digital circuit design)

• PCB Lab (design, fabrication, and testing of printed circuit boards)

The Microelectronic Systems Design Lab also features a professionally equipped lab space for the fabrication and testing of microelectronic circuits. The Electronics Manufacturing Lab is available for use by students and University staff for final theses and research initiatives.

The scientific work at the Microelectronic Systems Design Lab focuses in particular on the design of low-power electronic and sensor systems with wireless interfaces for a wide variety of applications (see project examples).

Research Focuses and Topics for Final Theses

• Self-powered, wireless sensor systems

• Low-power electronics design

• Energy-harvesting-based electronic systems

• Microelectronics design with programmable and application-specific circuits (ASICs, FPGAs, CPLDs, PSoCs, FPAAs…)

• Processor integration on FPGAs and ASICs

• Additively manufactured electronics (2D printing, 3D printing, flexible electronic systems)

Facilities

Hardware:

• 15 Sun Ray Virtual Desktop Clients for VLSI design

• Various servers (1 Windows server, 1 Linux RHEL 5.8 server, 2 Unix Solaris 9 servers)

• A3 color and A4 black-and-white laser printers

• 8 PC workstations for laboratory work in the areas of circuit, FPGA, and PCB design, each equipped with high-quality Windows PCs, an oscilloscope, a frequency generator, a voltage source, and much more

• 6 additional PC workstations for staff, research assistants, and the completion of final theses

• Wide range of evaluation boards with Intel and Xilinx FPGAs

• Extensive selection of components for electronic circuit design

• A fully equipped Class 1000 cleanroom lab for the fabrication and testing of microelectronic circuits, featuring an SMD assembly station, reflow oven, vacuum drying oven, eyepiece-free microscope, SMD soldering and rework station, etc. 

Software:

• IC design software: Synopsys Design Vision; Mentor FPGA and board design; IC Full Design (Model Sim/Questa Sim, HDL Designer, Precision Synthesis, Design Manager IC; Cadence (Encounter Digital Implementation System, Virtuoso Design Environment, AMS Simulator), Synopsys Design Vision

• FPGA design software: Intel Quartus, Xilinx ISE Design Suite 13.1 for FPGA design

• PCB design software: Orcad 16.3, Altium Designer 6, Cadence Allegro

• Software for electronic circuit simulation: PSPICE, LTSpice

• 2020

  • Le, V.; Lemmer, U., Mackensen, E.: Analysis of Miniaturized Printed Flexible RFID/NFC Antennas Using Different Carrier Substrates. In: IEEE Journal of Radio Frequency Identification; Print ISSN: 2469-7281; Online ISSN: 2469-7281; Digital Object Identifier: 10.1109/JRFID.2020.3001336; Published: 2020

  • Angermayer, A.; Mackensen, E.: Development of a Self-Powered Door Sign with an E-Paper Display and NFC Configuration Interface. In: Proceedings of the 63rd MPC Workshop. Mannheim, February 2020, IEEE German Section Solid-State Circuit Society, IEEE.

• 2019

  • Le, V.; Moser, P.; Lemmer, U.; Mackensen, E.: A Comparison of Printed Flexible RFID/NFC Antennas for a Microelectronic Measurement System. 10th IEEE International Conference on RFID Technology and Applications (RFID-TA 2019), September 25–27, 2019, Pisa, Italy

  • E. Mackensen, A. Rombach, A. Spitznagel, J. Klose: Energy-Autonomous Automation of Smart Home Applications Using the Example of a Wireless Indoor Smart Gardening System. 15th IEEE International Conference on Automation Science and Engineering, August 22–26, 2019, Vancouver, BC, Canada

  • P. Moser, F. Rank, E. Mackensen: Highly Miniaturized Non-Invasive Measurement System for Recording Vital Parameters in Microorganisms with a Wireless RFID/NFC Readout Interface. 20th GMA/ITG Symposium on Sensors and Measurement Systems 2019. Pages 86–92. DOI 10.5162/sensoren2019/1.3.3. ISBN 978-3-9819376-0-2

  • E. Mackensen, A. Rombach, A. Spitznagel, J. Klose: Energy-Self-Sufficient Indoor Smart Gardening System with Wireless Monitoring and Automated Irrigation. 20th GMA/ITG Symposium on Sensors and Measurement Systems 2019. Pages 744–750, DOI 10.5162/sensoren2019/P2.15, ISBN 978-3-9819376-0-2

• 2018

  • Möhringer, S.; Moser, P., Mackensen, E.: Indoor Smart Gardening Based on an Energy-Autonomous Wireless Network Platform. In: Proceedings of the Wireless Congress: Systems & Applications 2018. Munich, November 14–15, 2018

  • Le, V., Mackensen, E.: State of the Art in Power Management ASICs for Printed Energy Harvesters. In: Proceedings of the 59th MPC Workshop. Offenburg, February 2018. Pages 73–78. ISSN 1868-9221

• 2017

  • Werner, A.; Moser, P.; Mackensen, E.: Implementation of Softcore Processors and/or Other IPs (Intellectual Property) in FPGAs. In: Proceedings of the 58th MPC Workshop. Reutlingen, July 2017. Pages 19–26. ISSN 1868-9221

• 2015

  • Bhattacharyya, M.; Dusch, B.; Jansen, D.; Mackensen, E.: Design and Verification of a Mixed-Signal SoC for Biomedical Applications. In: Proceedings of the 54th MPC Workshop. Ulm, July 2015. Pages 43–38. ISSN 1868-9221

  • Wendt, T., Volk, F., Mackensen, E., LoRaTM—A Secure Wireless Technology Operating at 2.45 GHz. Proceedings, Conference: Forum on Functional Safety, Hilton Munich Airport, July 7–9, 2015, pp. 1–6

  • Wendt, T. M.; Volk, F.; Mackensen, E.; A benchmark survey of Long Range (LoRa™) spread-spectrum communication at 2.45 GHz for safety applications. In: Proceedings of the 16th IEEE MTT-S WAMICON, Wireless and Microwave Technology Conference (IEEE WAMICON-2015). Cocoa Beach, Florida, USA, April 2015

  • Mackensen, E.; Lurz, C.; Reichert, A., Köbler, J.: Enhancing the motivation and success of freshman students in interdisciplinary engineering degree programs. In: Proceedings of the IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON). Tallinn, March 2015, Pages: 659–667

  • Wendt, T. M.; Volk, F.; Mackensen, E.: Wireless in Safety-Critical Applications—Benchmarking of Long Range (LoRa™) Spread-Spectrum Communication at 2.45 GHz. In: Proceedings of the 14th IEEE Annual Wireless Telecommunications Symposium (WTS 2015). New York City, NY, USA, April 2015

• 2014

  • Mackensen, E.; Lurz, C.; Reichert, A.: Fit4PracSis: A competence-, business-, and science-oriented educational approach for first-year students in interdisciplinary degree programs. In: Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering (TALE). Wellington, December 2014, Pages: 109–114

  • Wendt, T. M.; Volk, F.; Mackensen, E.: A benchmark analysis of Long Range (LoRa™) communication at 2.45 GHz for safety applications. In: Wireless Congress 2014: Systems & Applications, Conference Proceedings, ICM – International Congress Center Munich, Munich, Germany, November 2014, Pages: 1–4

• 2012

  • Mackensen, E.; Lai, M.; Wendt, T. M.: Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)-based wireless sensors. In: Proceedings of the IEEE Sensors. Taipei, 2012 - ISBN 978-1-4577-1765-9

  • Mackensen, E.; Lai, M.; Wendt, T. M.: Performance Analysis of a Bluetooth Low Energy Sensor System. In: Proceedings of the 1st IEEE Symposium on Wireless Systems within the Conferences on Intelligent Data Acquisition and Advanced Computing Systems (IDAACS-SWS’2012). Offenburg, 2012 - ISBN 978-1-4673-4677-1

  • Mackensen, E.; Wendt, T. M.: Energy-Harvesting-Based Power Supplies for Wireless Sensor Systems: Analysis of Commercially Available Solutions and Derived Design Concepts. In: WEKA Fachmedien GmbH (ed.): 1st Electronics Energy Harvesting Congress 2012, Conference Proceedings. Munich: WEKA Fachmedien GmbH, 2012. – ISBN 978-3-645-50076-0

• 2010

  • Mackensen, E.; Wendt, T. M.: Application of SysML and Agile Development Methods in the Development of Embedded Systems. In: Design&Elektronik Developer Forum on Embedded System Development. Conference Proceedings. Munich 2012

  • Wendt, T. M.; Mackensen, E.; Fehrenbach, M. (NewTec GmbH System Development and Consulting), Moosmann, C.; Laux, O.; Kurth, M. (A. Raymond GmbH & Co. KG, Lörrach): Energy-autonomous wireless sensor microsystem in the 2.45-GHz band for harsh operating environments based on a kinematic energy harvester. In: ITG; GMM; GMA; AMA (eds.): Sensors and Measurement Systems 2010. Düsseldorf: VDI-Verlag GmbH, 2010. - ISBN 978-3-8007-3260-9

Profile and Objectives

• Conducting exercises in smartphone programming. Focus: Android programming.

• Testing and analysis of smartphone communication interfaces, currently NFC, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and WLAN; programming of sensor-based mobile applications. Evaluation and processing of sensor data (accelerometer, magnetic field, camera, microphones).

• Use of smartphones in AR and VR environments, as well as in robotics (Android-based robotics).

Equipment

• Pool of smartphones (focus on Android)

• Pool of tablets (focus on Android)

• 3D printer (MakerBot)

• Oculus Rift VR headset

• Lego Robotics

Lab Sessions and Exercises

• "Mobile Computing" exercise for the "Application Development" lecture

• "Enterprise Applications 1" lab

Profile and Objectives

The NeuroAcoustics Lab is a leading research and teaching lab equipped with state-of-the-art technology in the fields of acoustic measurement, acoustic reproduction systems, and audiological diagnostic and therapeutic devices (hearing aids/cochlear implants). Here, advanced techniques and methodologies are applied to gain new insights into hearing acoustics and to put these into practice.

Research

The NeuroAkustik lab is distinguished by its world-class research. The lab’s publications are recognized worldwide and frequently cited. Of particular note is the development of innovative algorithms that have already been successfully integrated into commercial cochlear implant systems.

Research Topics:

• Algorithm development for hearing aids and cochlear implants

• (Further) development of objective audiometric measurement methods (hardware and software)

• Development and implementation of hearing tests

• Development of virtual acoustic scenes

• Interaural spectrotemporal matching of hearing systems

Teaching

The NeuroAcoustics lab also serves to train the next generation of experts in this field. By combining theoretical knowledge with practical experiments, the teaching programs optimally prepare students for their future careers.

The experiments in the NeuroAcoustics lab provide students in the fields of Medizintechnik, electrical engineering, Angewandte Künstliche Intelligenz, and other interested individuals with insights into the processing of sound signals in the auditory system as well as into acoustic measurement techniques.

The laboratory experiments, conducted in small groups, complement the lectures and seminars (for those seeking a bachelor's degree or a master's degree).

Artificial head for acoustic measurements with a research hearing aid. This enables, for example, the characterization of signal processing in hearing aids as well as the measurement of head-related impulse responses

Continuing Education

The NeuroAcoustics lab offers lectures and hands-on workshops for continuing education alongside professional practice. In addition, certification courses are offered that are recognized with continuing education credits by the German Society for Audiology (DGA) and the Federal Guild of Hearing Aid Specialists (biha). The laboratory director, Prof. Zirn, is a DGA-certified continuing education instructor in the field of scientific and technical audiology.

Facilities

The NeuroAkustik lab offers the following facilities:

• A 3x3 m soundproof booth for conducting hearing experiments and virtual acoustics

• Measurement systems for recording auditory evoked potentials

• A measurement system for recording otoacoustic emissions

• Several high-performance computers, used, for example, to simulate various aspects of the hearing process, such as vibrations of the basilar membrane or electrical simulation of the electrode-tissue interface of implanted electrodes

• Several high-quality audio recording systems

• Class 1 and 2 sound level meters

• Embedded systems programming and circuit design

Profile and Objectives

The NeuroScience lab is designed for students in the master's program in Medizintechnik. Here, neuroscientific relationships are explored through specific examples. Through various experiments, students are encouraged to discover and understand these relationships for themselves.

Facilities

The NeuroScience lab offers the following state-of-the-art workstations:

•  Workstation No. 1: NeuroSimulation

  • Age Simulation

  • Wernicke-Mann hemiparesis simulation

•  Workstation No. 2: Color Doppler sonography

  • Color Doppler sonography of the carotid artery (including measurement)

  • Simulation of carotid perfusion conditions in cases of stenosis using a model

•  Station No. 3: Electromyography (EMG)

  • Muscle Endurance Test: Neck Muscles

  • Muscle Endurance Test: Low Back Muscles 

• Station No. 4: Electroencephalography (EEG)

  • BIOPAC EEG II Professional Lesson

  • Advanced Brain Monitoring B-Alert X10 Mobile EEG System

•  Workstation No. 5: Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS)

  • Live Perfusion Measurements of the Brain

•  Workstation No. 6: Neurostimulation

  • Tremor Simulation

  • Neurostimulation

  • Artificial neural networks

Profile and Objectives

In the physics lab, students learn through fundamental experiments how to prepare, conduct, and document their own technical investigations. Working in small groups, students independently conduct experiments to determine material properties and physical constants in mechanics, thermodynamics, electrical engineering, and optics; they analyze the measurements and present their findings in lab reports. By combining theoretical and practical skills, students specialize in their foundational knowledge of engineering and expand it through mathematical methods for estimating and calculating measurement uncertainties.

Facilities
: Approximately 30 workstations equipped for physics experiments, from which each student selects 5 to 6 experiments every semester to complete, including:

Experiments

• Determination of the focal lengths of thin lenses

• Determination of wavelength through diffraction at a grating

• Determination of the shear modulus of the material of a torsion wire in the torsional pendulum experiment

• Determination of moments of inertia in the torsional pendulum experiment using Steiner’s theorem

• Oscillatory behavior of coupled pendulums

• Measurement of gravitational acceleration using a physical pendulum

• Measuring the wavelength of light from a spectral lamp using a diffraction grating

• Determination of the heat of fusion of ice using a calorimeter

• Measurement of thermostress by compensation

• Recording with a high-speed camera

• Thermographic measurements

• Fuel cell efficiency

• Viscosity of liquids

Students have access to materials for mechanical experiments, general measuring equipment (electronic measuring instruments, oscilloscopes, timers, balances), optical devices and components (lasers, prism spectrometers, microscopes), thermostats, and viscometers.
The lab is available to all divisions.

Profile and Objectives

The Physiology and Medical Sensors Lab is designed for Medizintechnik students. It is intended to provide specialization in some of the topics covered in the Physiology lecture. Through various experiments, students will also learn to identify and understand these relationships on their own.

Facilities

The Physiology and Medical Sensors Lab offers the following state-of-the-art workstations: 

• Audiometry Workstation

• Ultrasound Workstation with B/W Pulse-Wave Doppler

• Biopac cardiovascular workstation

  • ECG, heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), peripheral pulse, heart sounds, blood pressure measured using the Riva-Rocci method

• Biopac workstation for physiological signals

  • ECG, EMG, EOG, ENG, EEG, electrodermal activity (EDA) (phasic and tonic components)

• Biopac workstation for reflexes and responses

  • Electrical and mechanical stimuli, reflex responses in the fingers and limbs, acoustic stimuli, and universal psychophysiological parameters

• Biopac workstation for lung function – pulmonology

  • Respiratory curve, respiratory rate, volume measurement, tidal volume, inspiratory, expiratory, and residual capacity 

Profile and Objectives

The Programming Languages Lab offers the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with various programming languages, programming concepts, and paradigms. In addition to classic object-oriented languages such as Java, C#, and C++, the lab also uses functional languages (Haskell, OCaml, Racket, Erlang, Elixir), scripting languages (Python, JavaScript, TypeScript), languages for mobile platforms (Objective-C, Swift, Dart), and systems languages (Rust). Furthermore, the lab explores modern approaches to software design and software architecture. The lab also offers insights into the implementation of programming languages, with a focus on type systems, compilers, and interpreters.

Practicums and Exercises

• Programming Practicum 1 and 2 (with Python)

• Programming Lab 1 (using Java)

• Algorithms & Data Structures Lab (with Python and Java)

• Advanced Programming Lab

Profile and Objectives

The lab enables students to gain practical specialization in the material covered in the automation technology lectures. We provide state-of-the-art industrial automation equipment that allows students to apply their theoretical knowledge directly in a practical setting.

In our well-equipped lab, students can explore various aspects of control engineering, ranging from programming automation systems and controlling production processes to designing control systems. This hands-on experience helps students develop a better understanding of industrial engineering and acquire important skills for future careers in this field.

Equipment

• Automation Systems:

  • 8 PLC lab workstations with Siemens TIA Portal software (latest version), analog and digital input and output modules, as well as touchscreens and operator panels
    —4 SIMATIC S7 1500 F units with integrated safety technology and various peripherals
    - 4 SIMATIC S7 1500 units with various peripherals
    - 4 SIMATIC S7 300 units with various peripherals

  • 8 lab workstations with the CODESYS Development System
    - 8 Remote-IO (ET200 MP decentralized peripherals from Siemens)
    - 15 CODESYS soft PLCs (CODESYS Control Win, www.codesys.com)

  • 8 workstations with MATLAB software and corresponding toolboxes

  • Various Fischertechnik system models (10 conveyor belts, 8 sorting stations, 8 multi-processing stations, 4 vacuum-arm grippers, 2 high-bay warehouses)

  • 2 process automation controllers—freely programmable (SIMATIC OPEN Controller CPU 1515SP)

  • 9 programmable logic modules/microcontrollers (Siemens LOGO!)

  • 3 RFID systems (SIMATIC RF200 readers connected via IO-Link with transponders)

  • 4 Internet of Things – open-source platforms (SIMATIC IOT2040)

  • 2 PCS 7 process control systems (controllers with ET200M)

  • 4 electric drive systems with conveyor belt applications (1 x SINAMICS S120 and 3 x SINAMICS S210 servo inverters)

  • 4 safety systems: safety door with safety limit switch (Edison MKEY), emergency stop, safety PLC

  • 1 Festo gantry robot

  • Various 3D-printable vertical articulated-arm robots (in-house development)

• Test setups for control engineering:

  • 2 workstations for basic exercises using the Bode plot

  • 3 roll control systems

  • 4 fluid control systems

  • 6 process control boards with various controllers and control systems

Lab Sessions and Exercises

Various courses are offered in the lab. It is recommended that students attend the lab sessions concurrently with the corresponding lecture:

• Automation Systems Lab

• Control and Automation Systems Lab 1

• Control and Automation Systems Lab 2

The lab exercises cover the following topics, among others

• Determination of system parameters using frequency response analysis (Bode plot)

• Sizing and simulation of basic controller types—P, PI, and PID controllers—on various control systems

• Tuning using Bode plots, the Kessler method, and the Chien-Hrones-Reswick method

• Sizing and simulation of discrete PID-type controllers on selected control systems

• Cascade control of an industrial level control system

• Position control and motion control of a robot with RTT kinematics

• Programming in accordance with DIN EN 61131-3 using the programming languages Function Block Language (FBS, FUP), Sequential Language (AS, GRAPH7), Structured Text (ST, SCL), and, to a lesser extent, Contact Plan (KOP) and Instruction List (AWL).

• Design of logic functions, logic controllers, and sequence controllers

• Configuration of PLCs from the SIMATIC S7 series and the CODESYS soft PLC Win Control Motion-Control

Internships can also be completed in the lab (as part of a college degree program).

Profile and Objectives

Renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydropower form the basis for a sustainable energy supply. They are increasingly becoming the most economical option. Accordingly, the importance of renewable energy is growing in Germany and around the world.

To pursue a career in this field or to develop new innovations in research and development, one must have a thorough understanding of the individual energy systems as well as their interaction with other generators, consumers, and storage systems within various electrical grid structures.

In the “Renewable Energy Systems” lab, students are expected to develop this multifaceted understanding of renewable energy systems through numerous hands-on experiments and bring it to life. In the process, they will acquire specialized knowledge, skills, and methodologies in the following areas:

• Technologies for converting renewable energy into electrical energy within photovoltaic systems, wind turbines, or hydroelectric power plants, with a particular focus on managing fluctuations in energy supply

• Fundamentals of energy storage technologies (batteries, fuel cells)

• Integration of renewable energy systems into isolated grids/microgrids and power grids, and system behavior in the event of a fault

• Design and planning of individual renewable energy systems or their integration into microgrids using appropriate software

• Control, regulation, and optimization of individual energy systems and microgrids using appropriate automation hardware and algorithms

Facilities

The lab in Room B138 is equipped with modern hardware, software, and teaching systems covering the following topics:

• Photovoltaics (solar modules using various technologies, photovoltaic systems in grid-connected and off-grid operation, …)

• Wind energy (operational behavior of double-fed asynchronous generators, behavior during faults, …)

• Storage technologies (batteries, fuel cells)

• Energy system simulation (PVsyst, QBlade, Meteonorm, HOMER, MATLAB/Simulink, …) on six PCs and one workstation

• Energy management and monitoring in hybrid systems and microgrids (Beckhoff training system, LabVIEW, …)

These topic-specific systems are supplemented by modern and versatile laboratory equipment such as oscilloscopes, electronic loads, function generators, NI data acquisition systems, etc.

Through teaching and research collaborations within the University, additional teaching and research systems are available on the following topics:

• Grid integration of renewable energy systems (in collaboration with the “Electric Power Systems” lab)

• Solar module manufacturing and PV system technology (in cooperation with the “PV System Technology” lab)

• Hydropower with Pelton and Francis turbines (starting in spring 2016, in cooperation with the Mechanical Engineering Laboratory)

• Microgrids with solar energy, small-scale wind power, battery systems, and combined heat and power plants, along with corresponding automation technology: the “Energy Island” of the Intelligent Energy Networks research group

• Smart grid with solar energy, small-scale wind power, battery systems, electrolysers, and fuel cells, electric mobility, and automation technology: the “SmartGrid” at the Institute for Sustainable Energy Systems

Projects and Final Theses

If you are interested in project or final thesis work in the field of renewable energy systems, please see the Intelligent Energy Systems Research Group

Profile and Objectives

In many areas of electrical engineering, the analog processing of signal waveforms is being replaced by digital methods. In this process, an analog-to-digital converter takes “samples” from a voltage waveform at a specified sampling rate (e.g., approximately 50,000 per second for audio signals, for video signals, approximately 20 million per second), which are then processed as encoded numerical values. A processor processes the incoming sequence of numbers according to a specified algorithm; if necessary, the output sequence of numbers can be converted back into a standard analog signal by a digital-to-analog converter.
Processing is often performed by a program on an integrated circuit. Signal processors are specialized microprocessors capable of performing arithmetic operations very quickly.
The goal of the lab is to achieve specialization in the theoretical knowledge acquired in the corresponding lectures through practical experience. 

Equipment

The experiments are equipped with networked PCs running the Linux and Windows operating systems and the MATLAB mathematical software system, which enable the design of filters and the evaluation of results. In general, the processes are not merely simulated; rather, electrical signals are processed step-by-step—in real time—and analyzed using measuring instruments such as oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, signal analyzers, and audio measurement stations.

Laboratory Sessions and Exercises

Experiments are offered on the following topics:

• Analog-to-Digital and Digital-to-Analog Conversion

• Recursive (IIR) filters

• Non-recursive (FIR) filters

• Algorithms based on the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT)

• Multirate processing

• Iterative algorithms

Profile and Objectives

The goal of the lab exercises is to provide specialization in the theoretical lecture content in the relevant subject area through practical exercises and to make that content tangible. In addition, the lab offers students the opportunity to participate in applied research projects as part of their project work or final thesis.

The Telecommunications Engineering lab is offered to students in the EI and EIplus bachelor’s programs at the Department of Elektrotechnik/Informationstechnik in their 6th semester, provided they have chosen the Communications Engineering track.
 
 Furthermore, practical project exercises are offered to students in the master's program in Elektrotechnik/Informationstechnik (EIM) with a concentration in Communications Engineering during their second semester as part of the “Wireless Communications” lab.

Equipment

In addition to a high-performance computer network, the following key devices and tools are available in this lab:

• R&S Digital Radio Tester CTS65 (GSM & DECT)

• R&S Communication Tester CMU 200 (Bluetooth)

• R&S Signal Analyzer FSV (7 GHz)

• R&S Vector Signal Generator SMBV100A (6 GHz)

• R&S ETH TV Analyzer (DVB-T)

• R&S RTO 1022 Oscilloscope (2 GHz, 10 GSa/s)

• Fluke DSX-600 & Fluke OneTouch AT G2

• Ekahau Site Survey / Airopeek (Wi-Fi Planning & Analysis Tools)

• xG-Planner / ChirPlus_M (GSM/UMTS wireless network planning tools)

• Chipcon ZDK 420 Development / Evaluation Boards (ZigBee) with analysis tools Z-Trace, RF Studio, AVR Studio, and Daintree Sensor Network

• Anritzu MS 2665C Spectrum Analyzer

• ARGUS 142 DSL Tester with ALL126AS2 & ALL126AM2 VDSL2 Modems

• Various NovAtel SATNAV receivers ((D)GPS, Glonass, Galileo)

• Ettus Research Software-Defined Radios USRP N210 & X300 

Lab Sessions and Exercises

• Hands-on exercises in the telecommunications engineering lab

  • Analysis of a LAN/WLAN network using the Fluke DSX-600 and OneTouch AT G2 testers

  • Analysis of various error correction coding (FEC) methods

  • Digital Representation of Information Using Pulse Code Modulation (PCM)

  • Digital Modulation Methods

  • GSM wireless network planning

  • Metrological analysis of a satellite navigation system

  • Metrological analysis of mobile communication terminals

  • Metrological analysis of line coding methods

  • xDSL Transmission Methods

• Practical Lab Exercises in Wireless Communications

  • Design and Analysis of a WLAN According to IEEE 802.11

  • Short-range communication according to the Bluetooth standard

  • Testing and analysis of the IEEE 802.15.4 (ZigBee) wireless standard

  • Metrological Analysis of Digital Carrier Modulation Signals

  • Real-time positioning using Ultra-Wideband (UWB) radio signals

  • Software-Defined Radio

Profile and Objectives

The Electronics Manufacturing Lab facilitates the professional fabrication and testing of microelectronic circuits. It is a Class 1000 cleanroom equipped with a wide variety of testing and fabrication equipment.

The Electronics Manufacturing Lab is available for use by students and University staff for their final theses and research projects. After receiving appropriate training on the equipment, work can be carried out independently in the lab.

Equipment

• SMD Component Placement and Solder Paste Dispensing

  • Manual placement station for SMD components

  • Manual dispensing unit for solder paste, adhesive, etc.

  • Manual stencil printer for solder paste; maximum PCB size: Eurocard format 100 mm x 160 mm

• Reflow oven

  • Benchtop unit SEF 548.07G

  • Specifications available for download

• Heraeus Vacutherm vacuum drying oven

• Eyepiece-free microscope suitable for optical inspection of printed circuit boards

  • Lynx Evo stereo microscope with camera module, 360° angled optics, 10:1 zoom ratio, magnification from 6x to 60x, working distance 76 mm

• SMD Soldering and Rework Workstations

  • JBC JT 6040 Hot-Air Repair Station and JBC 4 Tools Control Unit JB-DB2 with storage rack for soldering tips and soldering irons, soldering tip cleaner, soldering iron, desoldering iron, micro-desoldering tweezers

• Printer for additive 2D electronics printing

  • Voltera V-One PCB Printer: This is a printer for the additive manufacturing of electronics on a wide variety of substrates. The full specifications can be found on Voltera’s website 

• Test station with PC, oscilloscope, function generator, etc.

Profile and Objectives

The VLSI Lab teaches both the theory and practice of designing and manufacturing highly integrated circuits and VLSI systems (VLSI = Very Large Scale Integration).

Theoretical Course Content:

• Introduction to Microelectronics and VLSI Design

• VLSI circuit design process

• Review of the physical fundamentals of semiconductor technology

• Integrated circuit fabrication technologies

• Standard IC manufacturing processes

• Design of CMOS Circuits (both analog and digital)

Practical Course Content (Project-Based):

As part of the VLSI Design seminar in the master's program in Elektrotechnik/Informationstechnik, students design a mixed-signal IC (i.e., an integrated circuit consisting of both analog and digital components). All steps of the IC design process are covered. This ranges from the schematic design of the analog section and the VHDL modeling of the digital section, through the simulation of individual circuit components and the overall system, to the layout design of the mixed-signal IC and the generation of manufacturing data. Modern CAE tools widely used in the industry for integrated circuit design are employed (Cadence Virtuoso, Synopsys, Mentor HDL Designer, etc.).

Profile and Objectives

The HDL Lab teaches both the theory and practice of designing highly integrated digital systems using hardware description languages (HDL). Specifically, students learn the hardware description language VHDL.

Theoretical Course Content:

• Introduction to VHDL-based development

• Fundamentals of Modeling with VHDL

• Structural versus behavioral modeling

• Concurrent versus sequential statements

• Design levels in VHDL

• Synthesis-Ready Modeling

• Design Rules for VHDL

• Modeling Memory with VHDL

• Simulation of VHDL Models Using Testbenches

Practical Course Content (Project-Oriented):

As part of the seminar “Design of Highly Integrated Systems Using Hardware Description Languages” in the bachelor's program in Elektrotechnik/Informationstechnik, students design, simulate, implement, and test a complete, complex FPGA project (stopwatch, short-term alarm clock, or similar).  Emphasis is placed on an industry-oriented approach. Computer-aided development tools commonly used in industry (the Intel Quartus platform and Mentor ModelSim) are employed. High-quality development boards from Terasic featuring Intel Cyclone-FPGA IV or V are available for implementation.

Profile and Objectives

The Circuit Design Lab is a foundational lab for analog and digital circuit design, which is taken in the 3rd or 4th semester of the bachelor's programs in Elektrotechnik/Informationstechnik, Medizintechnik, and Mechatronics.

The Circuit Design Lab complements the Analog and Digital Circuits lectures. The focus of this lab is on the design of a typical (complete) electronic circuit. Participants in the lab should, as independently as possible, be able to establish connections and understand the implications between the individual thematic focuses of the “Analog Circuits” and “Digital Circuits” lectures.

The lab does not consist of self-contained individual experiment descriptions. Instead, participants will work on an industry-oriented circuit design project throughout the entire semester. However, the timeframe for completing the project and the individual tasks to be completed are specified, so that students know what needs to be done and by when. The individual tasks to be completed build upon one another throughout the semester, that is, as the project progresses.

The lab is competency-based. The goal is not only to acquire, demonstrate, and understand/apply technical competencies, but also methodological, personal, and social competencies.

The Circuit Design Lab covers the following topics:

• Sensor Technology, Analog Technology

  • Understanding sensor behavior

  • Design, construction/implementation, and testing of an analog subcircuit (operational amplifier = OPV) for processing a specified analog signal and under specified boundary conditions.

  • Computer-aided circuit design (simulation) using PSPICE or LTSPICE.

  • Understanding and evaluating the general characteristics of an OPV.

  • Learn about the application of op-amps as amplifiers, subtractors, etc.

• Analog-to-Digital Converters

  • Evaluate the general characteristics of AD converters.

  • Joint commissioning of the AD converter with the sensor system and the analog signal conditioning circuit.

• Digital Technology, Programmable Digital Circuits

  • Design combinational and sequential circuit elements.

  • Design of more complex digital circuits and implementation of the circuit in a programmable digital circuit (FPGA); computer-aided design of digital circuits.

  • Integration of combinational and sequential circuit components into a specified digital circuit environment.

  • Joint commissioning of the previously designed circuit components with the resulting digital section.

  • Gain insight into the possibilities of computer-aided design of digital circuits.

The concept and structure of the lab were honored in 2014 with the Fellowship for Innovations in Higher Education Teaching from the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft, a non-profit foundation promoting cooperation between industry and science, and the Baden-Württemberg Foundation.

Profile and Objectives

The PCB Lab provides an application-oriented introduction to printed circuit board (PCB) design. Offered as a required elective course “Designing, Manufacturing, and Testing Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs),” the lab is aimed at students with a bachelor's degree from various programs. The following topics are covered in the course:

• Types of Printed Circuit Boards

• Printed Circuit Board Manufacturing

• PCB design (mechanical design, component placement, routing, considerations for the PCB manufacturer)

• PCB assembly with components (SMD; through-hole components)

• PCB assembly

• Soldering Methods

• PCB Testing and Commissioning

• CAE Tools for PCB Design

• Practical design of a printed circuit board using a CAE tool commonly used in the industry

• Assembly and soldering of a printed circuit board using modern manufacturing equipment

• Commissioning a printed circuit board

Each participant receives the printed circuit board they assembled, soldered, and commissioned themselves.