Research projects at adesso

We are already shaping the future today

Our current research projects

Standing still means taking a step backwards – this is especially true when it comes to successfully implementing IT projects. That makes it all the more important to think about the new developments of tomorrow, today. This is why adesso considers research to be an important element in the innovation process. We participate in (publicly funded) research projects in various forms with the aim of finding new solutions, which in turn enable us to actively shape the future of our customers. But for adesso, research is more than that: it is the fascination with the new, the possibility to go beyond what has been achieved. That’s why we also use research to improve and develop ourselves.

Ongoing research projects

ECO:DIGIT

The holistic measurement of the resource consumption of distributed digital solutions is currently extremely challenging. This is mainly due to the lack of common standards and the often opaque nature of the underlying digital infrastructure. This limits the ability to accurately quantify the environmental footprint of these systems.

The main objective of the ECO:DIGIT (Enabling green COmputing and DIGItal Transformation) project is to create an evaluation environment that allows us to assess the sustainability of digital systems. To this end, we are developing transparent and scientifically sound methods for the evaluation of software projects.

adesso realises the testbed as a disturbance-free environment in which all components of a digital system - from the user to the backend - can be tested. The load metrics of these components are aggregated to measure their performance. This approach allows us to better understand and optimise the resource consumption and sustainability of digital solutions. There are currently no comparable solutions on the market that allow a distributed system to be run in different environments and at the same time measure the environmental footprint in these environments in a comparative manner.

Funding code

01MN23011C

Duration

01.06.2023 - 31.05.2026

Partners

Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V.
Siemens AG, Öko-Institut e.V.
Open Source Business Alliance e.V.

ProDina

Intelligent prototype testing on the digital twin to optimise the sustainability of drive systems

Product testing is not only resource-intensive, but also often leads to capacity bottlenecks – which affects both efficiency and sustainability. It is usually difficult to detect defects during the test phase, i.e. events that may make it unnecessary to continue testing. Another challenge is to clearly identify the cause of a defect. At the same time, manufacturing companies in particular are under increasing pressure to develop and implement more sustainable methods and technologies.

The vision of the ProDiNA project is resource-efficient product development. To this end, the project team – consisting of technical users and experts in simulation, digitisation and material properties – is developing a digital, scalable test procedure using pump prototypes as an example. This procedure combines a flow simulation with machine learning methods. A digital twin of the prototype is used as a link, which is enriched with various data – including geometric data, material characteristics and results from sensor measurements. Physical tests can be greatly reduced or even completely replaced by the simulation. When a physical test is carried out, defects can be detected more quickly using machine learning, so that the type and cause of the problem can be identified more precisely by stopping the test in time. Thanks to the digital twin, the duration of physical testing can also be significantly reduced. The ability to test multiple variants of a prototype at the same time also contributes to greater flexibility. Particular focus is placed on the sustainability of the product, with factors such as energy consumption, durability, failure rate and recyclability. For example, an increased product life can save resources in maintenance and replacement, as well as costs.

The data collected using the digital twin then forms the basis for a digital sustainability passport – an important component of the digital product passport, which will be mandatory in the future and is considered a core element of the circular economy. The sustainability passport provides a comprehensive view of all relevant product information and thus transparent communication, for example on material properties, recyclability or resource consumption.

adesso SE is developing the data platform, the central hub between the systems involved. The platform and the digital twin are largely being developed on the basis of the com2m IoT platform.

ProDINA is a winner of the "GreenTech Innovation Competition - Digital Technologies as the Key to the Ecological Transformation of the Economy.

Funding code

01MN23016E

Duration

01.05.2023 - 30.04.2026

Partners

August-Wilhelm Scheer Institut für digitale Produkte und Prozesse gGmbH
Miele & Cie. KG
INM gGmbH
dive solutions GmbH

ProDit

Increasing digitalisation and the trend towards project-based working methods are having a major impact on our working and living environments. The digital transformation represents a significant challenge for companies, society and education, requires new management approaches and offers opportunities for disruption and innovation. The knowledge alliance "ProDiT" is establishing a cluster of universities, companies and other partners to provide the necessary skills for project management of the digital transformation.

The focus is on a common competence model, organisational development and sustainability. The integration of international, intercultural and interdisciplinary competences is of crucial importance. The research questions concentrate on relevant competences and their dynamics, the transformation of organisations, dealing with the growth of knowledge, and monitoring and ensuring the sustainability of the transformation.

Duration

01.2021 – 12.2023

Partners

Fachhochschule Dortmund - University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Dortmund, Deutschland (Projektleitung)
Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), Kaunas, Litauen
KU Leuven, Belgien
Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norwegen
University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Bilbao, Spanien
Absolem Engineers NV, Belgien
AgLa4D, Spanien
adesso SE, Deutschland
IHOBE, Spanien
INDEFORM, Litauen
International Project Management Association (IPMA), AEIPRO, Spanien
MAINSTRAT, Spanien
mpool, Deutschland
Public Institution Kaunas Science and Technology Park (Kaunas STP), Litauen
ruhrvalley Cluster e.V., Deutschland
Siemens, Belgien
Smart Mechatronics, Deutschland
SOFTNETA, Litauen
SOKwadraat, Belgien
Stichting Center for Technology and Innovation Management (CeTIM), Niederlande
UNITY, Deutschland

Health-Track-X

The Healthtrack-X joint project is dedicated to the development of an innovative digital ecosystem in the healthcare sector. The aim is to digitally record and track the paths of physical goods along the supply chain. The industrial healthcare sector, although a leader in research and innovation, is faced with the challenge of creating a sufficient digital infrastructure for interoperable networking.

Healthtrack-X aims to improve interoperability through compatible interfaces and to drive digitisation by switching to standardised, purely electronic delivery documents. The challenges include creating a common data ecosystem, establishing uniform data standards, simplifying data flows and harmonising data protection regulations.

Practical use cases include digitising the production and supply chain for medical products and improving data exchange to avoid supply disruptions. In addition, the aim is to achieve standardised carbon footprint management to assess sustainability along the supply chain.

As part of this project, adesso SE is developing a technical demonstrator based on open technologies and standards. The company will also use the "Rulebook for a fair Data Economy" to adapt it to the requirements of the Healthtrack-X ecosystem. This should enable more efficient, secure and sustainable logistics in the healthcare sector.

Funding code

13MX007A

Duration

01.05.2024-30.06.2026

Partners

Roche
BDI
Fraunhofer ISST
Gesundheitsforen
Siemens Healthineers
Rote Liste
W2healthcare

BIMcontracts

Construction projects are often handled by a large number of companies (SMEs), which are individually contracted. This often results in complex contract set-ups with a large chain of subcontractors. The complexity of the different trades involved means the current progress of a construction project is usually very unclear.

The research project aims to develop an automated payment and contract management system in the construction industry using blockchain technology and BIM.

As part of the research project, adesso is developing a demonstrator for the blockchain-based payment system.

To the project page [german]

Duration

01.08.2019 - 31.07.2022

Partners

Ruhr-Universität Bochum – Chair of Computer Science in Engineering, Prof. Markus König
paluno, University of Duisburg-Essen (Universität Duisburg-Essen), Prof. Volker Gruhn
Freundlieb Bauunternehmen GmbH
Kapellmann und Partner

Supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie) and the German Aerospace Centre (Deutsche Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.)

CERES

CERES is an ongoing research project. Digitalisation in agriculture is in full swing. Many farmers already use digital applications. There is also a willingness to share the data collected with others working in agriculture. At the same time, however, farmers have data protection concerns and fear that large companies will collect and analyse the data, leading to farms having to buy back this valuable information at a high price.

The ability to plan and measure operational processes plays a key role in resource-efficient and sustainable agriculture that takes animal welfare into account. This means that digitalisation is needed to integrate measurement methods into agricultural processes and to condense the collected data into information. To achieve this, data must be managed and processed in real time, which in turns creates a set of requirements regarding the speed, efficiency and quality with which data is processed. The CERES research project deals with these issues and others and will culminate in the implementation of a cooperative cloud platform. Information is made available via intuitive evaluation services so as to increase the competitiveness of domestic farms, to improve the individual and livestock-friendly husbandry of farm animals and to create transparency for consumers.

Funding code

281C209D19

Duration

15.11.2020 - 14.11.2023

DigiPEP

Digital product development process for the design of TFP preforms. Digital platform and AI sub-project

The mobility of tomorrow should be one thing above all: Sustainable. Therefore, increasingly lighter and resource-saving materials are being developed. Tailored Textiles (TT) are a form of fibre-reinforced composite materials that particularly meet these demands and are used in various industries such as mobility, automation, sports and prosthetics. One of the most promising processes for producing TT is Tailored Fiber Placement (TFP), a variant of technical embroidery.

The aim of the DigiPEP research project is to establish TFP technology in the German economy. This is to be achieved by networking the value chain: design, structural mechanics, textile and production technology. For this purpose, a system model is being developed to make the development of TFP components and the transfer of information between the various players more efficient.

For this purpose, adesso is developing a data platform in the automotive sector that enables the exchange of the various data formats across the process steps. In addition, artificial intelligence is used to digitally map the transformation of a 2D textile into a 3D component.

Duration

01.05.2022 - 30.04.2024

Partners

RWTH University Aachen - Institute of Structural Mechanics and Lightweight Construction
RWTH University Aachen - Institute of Textile Technology and Chair of Textile Mechanical Engineering
EDAG Engineering Group AG
ModuleWorks GmbH
Ph-MECHANIK GmbH & Co. KG

EURIALE

The 5G euriale project is one of the winners of the 5G.NRW funding competition, which was announced by the state of NRW to support innovative ideas around 5G technology.

The aim of the euriale project is to use the possibilities of the 5G system from mobile communications and edge cloud to ensure the interference-free and secure transmission of data together with image, video and audio information in emergency situations. The information is to be consolidated in a dynamic data room and made available to all parties involved in order to optimize communication within the rescue chain. Furthermore, sensible application scenarios for the use of augmented reality technology within rescue services are to be developed and tested.

Duration

01.02.2021 - 31.01.2023

Partner

Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML, Dortmund (consortium leader)
University of Duisburg-Essen Chair of Software Engineering, Essen
Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität WWU Münster with the University Hospital Münster, Münster
City of Dortmund with the Institute for Fire and Rescue Technology of the Fire Department, Dortmund
adesso mobile solutions GmbH, Dortmund

Supported by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Innovation, Digitalization and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.

In the euriale blog, the project partners report from the fields of rescue, emergency medicine and digitalization, as well as from the ongoing activities of the consortium.

To the blog

5GAIN

The expansion of decentralised, renewable energy sources as well as manageable loads and storage (e.g., e-mobility) has meant that the control of energy systems is becoming increasingly complex. One solution is to divide the energy network into cells within which a decentralised, largely autonomous load and feed-in management is carried out.

The research project aims to develop and evaluate concepts for cellular energy systems and intends to use machine learning methods to optimise regional withdrawal and production behaviour. In this context, the development of billing procedures is to be made possible through the use of smart contracts.

The feasibility analysis is performed by additional services that are only possible with 5G networks. This includes, among other things, the data rate-intensive and automated remote maintenance of distributed infrastructures using drones.

adesso is working on the development of a blockchain solution for the billing of services in decentralised energy networks. urban ENERGY is responsible for the development of software for cellular energy systems with demand-dependent 5G communication via network slicing.

Duration

01.12.2019 - 30.11.2022

GRIPPS-X

GRIPPS-X is an ongoing research project in which adesso is involved as a partner. As a digital infrastructure for the European Economic Area, the GAIA-X initiative is a lighthouse project that removes the hurdles of data integrity and data sovereignty and creates an industrial data space for complex industrial product service systems (IPSS). The aim is to establish a uniform language in industrial service and to provide the corresponding support tools for a service platform.

Funding code

02J21D107

Duration

01.11.2022 - 30.09.2024

KARL

The aim of the competence centre KARL (Artificial Intelligence for Work and Learning in the Karlsruhe Region) is to design human-centred, transparent and learning-friendly AI-supported work and learning systems (AI-ALS) and to make them presentable in concrete practical applications.

Rules, guidelines and presentable concepts of AI-ALS are designed and tested in practice, which combine the advantages of human and artificial intelligence. The KARL project focuses on four application domains in which the Karlsruhe region has proven economic and technological strengths: (1) mobility and autonomous driving, (2) knowledge-intensive services and ICT systems, (3)manufacturing industry and (4) education.

Funding code

02L19C261

Duration

01.04.2021 - 31.03.2025

Partner

Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences
ADAC Nordbaden e.V.
ArtMinds Robotics GmbH
auvisus GmbH
Blanc and Fischer Corporate Services GmbH & Co. KG
CyberForum e.V.
Datalyxt GmbH
EDI GmbH
Fraunhofer Institute of Optronics, System Technologies and Image Exploitation IOSB
Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI
FZI Research Centre for Information Technology
INIT GmbH
Kinemic GmbH
KIT ifab - Institute for Industrial Engineering and Organisation
KIT wbk - Institute for Production Technology
LAVRIO.solutions GmbH
Neohelden GmbH
Optimum datamanagement solutions GmbH
SICK AG

Supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research in the programme "Future of Value Creation - Research on Production, Services and Work", funding measure "KMU-innovativ: Produktionsforschung.

KIWI

Modern web services are the key to and engines of the ongoing digitalisation of our society. The misuse of these identities must be securely excluded in order to avert damage to private users and economic actors. However, attacks against web services often do not target an isolated technical level.

They change over time and leave traces at various spots in the system, which must be evaluated as a complete whole. Complete means then also across different organisations. Often, data (for example, log data) for the detection of such attacks are also distributed among these organisations. In KIWI, methods of federated learning are investigated in order to detect such attacks in their entirety without having to share data from individual organisations.

Duration

01.06.2020 - 31.05.2023

Partners

1&1 Mail & Media Development & Technology GmbH (1&1)
adesso SE
adesso as a service GmbH (3as)
Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences - Technology and Economics (HsKA)
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
secuvera GmbH (secuvera)
Technical University of Braunschweig, Institute for Application Safety

Supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung).

MONDY

A secure and open platform for AI-based health care apps

The aim of MONDY is to create a secure, open and interoperable technical platform for health care apps that defines and implements data storage and processing in a secure and legally compliant manner.

The platform provides AI modules that enable a combinatorial evaluation of various clinical pictures. To give an example, the two syndromes – epilepsy and depression – are assessed, and the ‘monikit’ (for mobile detection of epilepsy seizure) and ‘STEADY’ (for early detection of depressive episodes) apps are consolidated on the platform. The usability of the platform is tested and evaluated in a two-arm proof-of-concept study. The study design provides for an inpatient and outpatient setting at two sites.

Funding code

13GW0576A

Duration

01.11.2021 - 31.10.2024

Partners

adesso SE
Stiftung Deutsche Depressionshilfe (SDD)
Institute for Applied Informatics (InfAI)
Uniklinik RWTH Aachen – Centre for Epileptology
monikit
gematik

To project site

Sealed Services

Sealed Services is an ongoing joint project to provide an infrastructure for implementing industrial services in value networks in the context of digital integrity and sovereignty. The Sealed Services joint project is creating an ecosystem to support SMEs in the co-production of industrial services.

Distributed ledger technology is used to specifically link data-based and physical (‘on-site’) services to ensure integrity and sovereign and secure exchange of data. It looks at industrial, maintenance-related services as well as digital life cycle records for machines and plants.

Funding code

05K15D132

Duration

01.05.2020 - 31.10.2023

VideKIS

An integrated virtual power plant network of decentralised, small-scale plants for the AI-backed provision of system services. Sub-project: AI-supported control and market logics

For reliable and secure operation of power grids, grid operators have always had to provide system services, which also include frequency maintenance. The transformation taking place in the energy industry, driven by the energy transition, poses new challenges for grid operation in general and the provision of system services more specifically. While system services are primarily provided by conventional power plants today, decarbonised energy supply systems and renewable energy plants will have to perform this function to a large extent in future.

The participation of small-scale wind, solar and hydropower plants has proved difficult to implement so far due to the massive cost associated with administration and control, among other things for balancing and, in particular, due to current requirements regarding invitations to bid on the provision of system services pursuant to Section 6(2) of the Power Grid Access Regulation [Stromnetzzugangsverordnung, (StromNZV)]. These issues are already being addressed today in various projects by aggregating several smaller plants into a virtual power plant.

The aim of this project is to develop a system that goes beyond simple aggregation and optimally exploits the different capabilities and unused potential of the new players via intelligent control in order to primarily provide (primary) balancing energy. Within the scope of the sub-project, adesso SE is pursuing three overarching goals:

the design and development of an optimal, efficient and automated market model for the virtual power plant network;
the development of an AI-backed balancing and billing model in the virtual power plant, which optimises the surcharge mechanism on the basis of plant performance forecasts, current electricity prices and other influencing factors.
the exploration of possible uses of the power plant network against the backdrop of German regulatory requirements.

Funding code

03EI6058B

Duration

01.09.2021 - 31.08.2024

Partners

adesso SE
Urban Energy
TU Dortmund
H&S Technologie
Mainzer Stadtwerke

Projects as an associated partner

Completed research projects

Do you have any questions?

Do you have questions about research and teaching at adesso or would you like to learn more about our research projects and cooperations? Get in touch with me.

Head of Research and Innovation Dr. Angela Carell +49231 7000-7000

Contact