High-tech in Upper Lusatia

Cutting-Edge European Research at HSZG

The entire consortium of one of Europe’s largest research projects, iDev40 (Integrated Development 4.0), met from November 29–30, November 2018, with over 60 researchers at the Peter-Dierich Building on the Zittau campus for its first full meeting since the kick-off meeting in June of this year. Led by Infineon Technologies Austria AG, the 39 partners from six European countries are collaborating through April 2021 on digitalization topics related to the intelligent networking of production and development processes for electronic components and systems (Industry 4.0).

Prof. Sophia Keil and her team at the Faculty of Business Administration and Engineering Management are focusing in this project on human creativity and innovative capacity within highly automated and artificial intelligence-based systems. The design of future workplaces, the degree of human-machine interaction, virtual collaboration among global teams, and future training for working in complex systems play an important role in this context.

1st European Conference on Digitalization

Prior to the closed-door project meeting of the research and industry partners of iDev40, the 1st European Conference on Digitization — ^1st European Advances in Digitization Conference (EADC) —took place on Thursday morning at the initiative of Prof. Sophia Keil. Serving as a platform for presenting initial research results from iDev40, it aims to foster exchange with the academic and industrial communities as well as small and medium-sized enterprises across all industries and sectors. The number of abstracts submitted for the first EADC had already exceeded all of the organizers’ expectations in the run-up to the event, so a second conference is already being planned in Milan. Instead of a single conference proceedings volume, two volumes will be published early next year by the Lausitz Verlag für Wirtschafts- und Social Sciences (LVWS).

After the guests were welcomed by the host and Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration and Engineering Management, Prof. Sophia Keil, Patrick Moder from Infineon Technologies AG in Munich gave a clear and concise presentation on the use of semantic data mining methods to create a digital twin. Prof. Christoph Laroque from the West Saxon University of Applied Sciences in Zwickau then presented the innovative method of backward simulation for shortening production times. After the coffee break, Prof. Gerald Reiner from the Vienna University of Economics and Business took a closer look at modeling return on quality in the electronic components and systems industries. Finally, Dr. Germar Schneider from Infineon Dresden spoke about the opportunities and risks of digitalization in the semiconductor industry.

The EADC, founded by Prof. Sophia Keil and Infineon Austria, is now set to establish itself as the preeminent conference on digital transformation in Europe and offer an alternative to existing conferences in this field—the enthusiastic response during this first conference proves them right.

iDev40 Working Meeting

After the lunch break on Thursday, the Rector of Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences, Prof. Friedrich Albrecht, also addressed the international guests with warm words and welcomed them to the university and to Zittau. In the subsequent working meeting of the iDev40 consortium partners, which lasted until Friday afternoon, the focus was on a technical exchange regarding the project results to date, collaborative work on the further steps necessary to achieve the set research goals, and the creation of new synergies among the partners — particularly between research institutions and industrial companies.

Upper Lusatian Culture & Hospitality

Away from the intensive work, Prof. Jos Tomlow gave the guests an insight into the history of the city and Upper Lusatia during a tour of Zittau on Thursday evening, before a relaxed atmosphere for further conversation took hold in the foyer of the Gerhart-Hauptmann Theater, accompanied by live music from Christian Fischer and Falk Schönfelder—alias “SchönFisch”—and a buffet. The mayor of Zittau, Thomas Zenker, also had inspiring words for the region as a major center of science and culture during his welcome speech at the theater.

Culinary delicacies from Upper Lusatia were served to guests from near and far by the Görlich Theater catering service and Anja Nixdorf-Munkwitz with “Ein Korb voll Glück” (A Basket Full of Happiness). The seasonal products from regional producers, arranged into a wonderful buffet, were particularly well received.

All European guests from academia and industry were impressed by the organization, culture, and hospitality at the university and in Zittau and will retain extremely positive memories of Upper Lusatia. Conference and meeting participants are also returning home with new ideas and inspiration for their (research) work and are looking forward to the next consortium meeting as well as the second EADC in Milan.

Thanks to Everyone Involved

For an event like this to be a success at all, many helpers and supporters are needed. For this reason, we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to: Rector Prof. Friedrich Albrecht, Chancellor Karin Hollstein, Mayor Thomas Zenker, the Görlitz District, Jenny König, Norbert Kalz, Prof. Jos Tomlow, Henry Beyer, the Dresden Student Services Organization, the Rönsch Bakery, the Gerhart Hauptmann Theater Görlitz-Zittau, the theater catering service run by Susann Görlich, Christian Fischer, and Falk Schönfelder (aka “SchönFisch”), “Ein Korb voll Glück” Anja Nixdorf-Munkwitz, Engemanns, Andreas Volz, Elisia Heinrich, and Samer Hamdan.

Disclaimer

The iDev40 project is funded by the ECSEL Joint Undertaking under Grant Agreement No. 783163. The JU is supported by the EU’s Horizon 2020 program for research and innovation. The project is co-funded by the consortium partners as well as grants from Austria, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Spain, and Romania. The project coordinator is Infineon Technologies Austria AG.

Text: Fabian Lindner