Faculty of
Design Computer Science Media

Adaptive, self-interconnecting IT systems will play a central role in the near future in solving increasingly complex problems arising from the ubiquitous networking of a wide variety of end devices. The vision developed by Mark Weiser—in which computers are replaced by “smart objects”—has already become a reality to some extent. Even today, many everyday objects contain computing power comparable to that of standard PCs. Unfortunately, however, these are mostly still proprietary solutions, which hinders comprehensive networking and meaningful communication between individual devices that would open the door to new applications. The operation of these various objects is not standardized and, above all, is usually neither intuitive nor self-explanatory. Interfaces for the intuitive administration and appropriate visualization of this emerging “ubiquitous computing”—which are the fundamental prerequisites for both the further development and user acceptance of these systems—are virtually nonexistent.

The central goal of this research group is to develop methods for secure and transparent communication among adaptive, self-networking IT systems. Here, “communication” refers both to communication between the different systems and to communication between users and the systems—or, more broadly, the overall system resulting from this networking. To solve the problems that arise in this context, expertise from a wide variety of fields in Computer Science is required, such as theoretical Computer Science, distributed systems, telecommunications, digital image processing, and visualization. The participating lecturers have formed such an interdisciplinary working group, whose expertise ideally complements one another across institutional boundaries, thereby further intensifying the interdisciplinary exchange of knowledge.

To pursue the vision of adaptive, self-interconnecting IT systems for future living environments, the doctoral program focuses on three main research focuses:

• Self-X,
• Security, and
• Human-Computer Interaction.

Self-X

Self-X properties (self-organization, self-configuration, self-optimization, self-healing, self-adaptation, self-stabilization, self-protection, self-control, …) form a central principle for enabling the manageability of highly complex autonomous systems, meeting specified quality criteria, and achieving system operation without requiring significant attention from users. To this end, approaches from biology and socio-economic systems are drawn upon.

Security

With regard to security, the goal is, on the one hand, to develop and verify structures, algorithms, and protocols that make it possible to guarantee the necessary authenticity of data obtained within the network while simultaneously ensuring, on a technical basis—even on resource-constrained systems—the required anonymity and the necessary protection of users’ privacy and informational self-determination. On the other hand, the mesh must be capable of protecting itself against external security threats (self-protection) and warding off undesirable emergent behavior without the need for administrative intervention by a user. The starting point is, for example, research on zero-knowledge protocols, as well as specialized cryptographic methods for embedded systems and ad hoc networks.

Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)

Human-Computer Interaction is critical in terms of different user profiles, usability, and the engineering and monitoring of the network. Key HCI research topics within the doctoral program include multisensor interfaces for new interaction metaphors based on various input sensors, including the seamless integration of existing standard interfaces, visualization to help users build a mental model of the network through new forms of visual authoring using mixed reality; and the evolutionary development of user interfaces, including considerations of accessibility.

Beyond the specializations described above, the doctoral program aims to make a significant contribution to the engineering of self-organizing, distributed, autonomous systems—that is, to develop models, methods, and tools to support the development cycle from requirements specification through to the operation and maintenance of such a network. The vision is that, with the right tools, users themselves can also actively participate as authors in the engineering process. The doctoral program considers all system levels, from heterogeneous computer nodes and communication infrastructures through middleware to applications in the comprehensive living environments of the future—including workspaces, recreational spaces, and learning spaces.