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Institute of Pervasive Computing
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COMET K1 Centre Pro²Future.

Products and Production Systems of the Future.

Pro2Future is a COMET centre under the Austrian competence centre funding programme COMET (Competence Centres for Excellent Technologies). It began operations in 2017, and Pro2Future entered its second funding period in 2021.

Funding FFG COMET, 4th call K1-Centres
Duration 2017-2025
Shareholder Johannes Kepler Universität Linz, Technische Universität Graz, AVL List GmbH, FRONIUS International GmbH, Upper Austrian Research GmbH
Role Proposer, Scientific Director, Scientific Partner

 

Pro2Future builds on top of the consortium's expertise in mechatronic systems, networked embedded systems, cyber-physical systems, smart/pervasive/ubiquitous systems, systems of systems, big data analytics and data-driven predictive models, semantic and intelligent systems, and adresses innovative ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) for production systems and future products. The main focus is on cognitive systems. Pro2Future aims at a next generation of industrial ICT: Cognitive products and industrial systems that help equip products and production systems with human-like cognitive capabilities such as perception, understanding, interpretation, memorization and learning, reasoning, and corresponding cognition-driven autonomous action. The Pro²Future research programme consolidates research results in two core areas, namely Area 4.1 Cognitive Products and Area 4.2 Cognitive Production Systems. They are supported by the three basic areas Area 1 Machine Perception and Consciousness, Area 2 Cognitive Robotics and Shop Floors and Area 3 Cognitive Decision Support Systems.

[Translate to Englisch:] Visualisation Research Program

The core of Pro2Future is a highly ambitious research programme jointly defined by business and science. Over an initial four-year funding period from 2017 to 2021, Pro2Future carried out projects in the area of industrial research and the experimental development of cognitive products and cognitive production systems. Basic research, training measures and technical feasibility studies round off the funded activities. In the so-called non-COMET area, Pro²Future conducts research and development that is either funded outside the COMET funding framework, both nationally and internationally, or is commissioned directly by companies and organisations from business and society.

FFG Success Stories Pro²Future, opens an external URL in a new window:

Joint projects

Since the beginning, the Institute of Pervasive Computing has accompanied the COMET K1 Centre. We already played a leading role in development and submission, and Prof. Ferscha is active today as scientific director of Pro2Future GmbH and key researcher.

The institute works closely with Pro²Future, especially in the Area 1 (machine perception and consciousness). Here, innovative interaction concepts are developed to enable direct, collaborative and safe cooperation between humans and machines by equipping technical systems with cognitive capabilities (e.g. perception, interpretation, learning, decision making, etc.).

In our projects, cognitive systems are realized in the form of industrial, sensor-based assistance systems for the optimal support of workers directly in the concrete production process (human-in-the-loop). Intuitive support and assistance functions integrated into the workflow are intended to provide optimal support for workers in the product process. The overriding goal is to provide the right, relevant information at the right time on a suitable sensory channel and thus to support the workflow in the best possible way.

The main focus of the research is on (i) the technical realization of perception and interpretation of the context, such as the modeling of the status in the production process, and (ii) the acquisition of human (e.g. vital data, skill and experience, cognitive load) as well as machine parameters (material, process specifications, environment), (ii) in the exploration of innovative interaction modalities that allow a simplified and more efficient execution of work processes, such as in technical support in maintenance and documentation scenarios, and (iii) in the development of optimal sensor-actuator systems that meet industrial and human requirements and that can adapt and adjust (learn) to human differences as well as to technical conditions.

Joint projects in FP 2

The Institute of Pervasive Computing is currently engaged in the following projects:

  • UnderstandHIT - AI2Human (10/2021-03/2025)
  • KAL-GISS: Klassifizierung der Spritzgießverfahren (10/2021-03/2024)
  • GuideIT - APECGR: Artificial Personality for Cognitive Guidance and Recommendation Systems (04/2021-03/2024)
  • GuideIT - RTEL: Cognitive Rail Track Error Learning (04/2021-03/2024)
  • ReifyAI (10/2021-03/2023)
  • GuideIT - GAP: Cognitive Guidance for Assembly Processes (04/2021-03/2022)
  • UnderstandHIT - Fischer4You2 (04/2021-03/2022)

Poster collection of joint projects in FP2:

Joint projects in FP 1

The Institute of Pervasive Computing is engaged in the following projects (FP1):

  • SeeIT: Augmented Work Processes (01/2018-03/2021)
  • WorkIT: Workflow and Tool Process Modelling (01/2018-03/2021)
  • GUIDE: Guidance and Assistance (04/2018-03/2021)
  • Fischer4You: Cognitive Skiing Products (01/2019-03/2021)
  • RTEAS: Cognitive Rail Track Error Analysis Support (11/2019-03/2021)
  • Opportunistic Awareness in Assistive Environments (04/2020-03/2021)
  • HumanAI: Human Focused AI for occupational safety and accident prevention (11/2020-03/2021)

Poster collection of joint projects in FP1: