Research Area

A further step towards the future
Cell phone, Internet and wireless LAN: Information and communication technology has made its mark during the past decade. Scientists at Lakeside Labs will take a further step towards the future: They are researching into self-organizing networked systems and their practical usage.

Mobile and multimedia communication technology is all around us
Mobile devices, such as cell phones and notebooks, have become our constant companions both at work and in our leisure time. We converse with our business partners whilst traveling, and send electronic photos home from our holidays. We surf the Internet via fast, wireless connections at work, on the campus and more and more frequently at home.

Internet of things
However, the expectations of research and industry from this technology are considerably higher: Not only are cell phones and computers being interconnected, but more and more everyday objects of which we would not immediately expect this. The latter form an "Internet of things" that is intended to be of assistance to people in their daily lives.

Self-organizing networking of devices
For instance, the wireless connection of cars can warn of accidents and traffic jams. For such, technically and economically extremely interesting, visions to become reality, new technologies are required that enable a spontaneous and self-organizing networking of devices - if possible, independent of a network infrastructure. Moreover, the networked devices interact actively with their environment in that they record information, for example, using sensors and cameras, and influence their environment by means of actuators. The devices are quasi embedded into their environment, where they fulfill specific tasks and form the interface between the real and virtual world.

Focal point of versatile, dynamic networks
In this context, Lakeside Labs is concerned with information and communication technologies for self-organizing networked systems, the focal point of the research being techniques, technologies and services for such versatile, dynamic networks. For example, new algorithms and protocols for energy-saving radio transmission are being developed, as well as basic concepts for the design and modeling of self-organizing technical systems.

Human usage
In addition to technical development, one main aspect is human usage. Two specific application areas have been selected in which the concepts and technologies that have been developed are to be implemented as prototypes and tested. They comprise "automotive safety" and "disaster management". In these two areas, the efficient implementation of the new technologies is being tested in cooperation with relevant companies and organizations.