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Electrical Engineering and Information Technology

Kategorie: ‘Allgemein’

(Deutsch) Neuromorphic hardware : Kick of event in January

February 7th, 2025 | by

The NeuroSys future cluster at RWTH enters its second phase

At the beginning of this year, the Cluster4Future NeuroSys (Neuromorphic Hardware for Autonomous Artificial Intelligence Systems) is entering its second phase.
The Clusters4Future initiative is part of the German government’s High-Tech Strategy 2025 and is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

At the kick-off event at the end of January, more than 90 participants discussed their ideas and technologies for the development of neuromorphic hardware in the Super C at RWTH Aachen University.

Neuromorphic systems are modelled on the basic building blocks of the brain, neurons and synapses. Neuromorphic hardware is a resource-saving but powerful basis for energy-intensive artificial intelligence research operations. The aim is to create a technology basis for neuromorphic components and alogrithms, building on the basic research carried out at RWTH Aachen University and the Jülich Research Centre. The coordinator of the future cluster is Professor Max Lemme, Head of the Chair of Electronic Components at RWTH Aachen University.

Learning neuromorphic AI chips could soon enable energy-efficient on-site data processing and thus offer promising prospects for future working methods, smart city concepts and the Internet of Things. Various contributions from autonomous driving to learning systems and personalised medicine will also be delivered.

The second phase of the project is planned for three years and will see RWTH collaborating with a wide range of experts from research and industry.


Further information on the project can be found here

Degree programme survey 2025

January 21st, 2025 | by

I have something to say, Illustration

Every six years, the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology organises a student survey, which is of particular importance for the quality assurance of academic teaching.

The aim of the degree programme survey is to improve the quality of studies based on feedback from students enrolled in the following subjects

o Electrical Engineering and Information Technology

o Electrical Engineering with orientation semester

o Computer Engineering

And since everything is interconnected, the students of Business Administration and Engineering: Electrical Power Engineering are being consulted as well.

The survey enables students to reflect on their personal study experience and to evaluate the study conditions. In order to ensure a valid database for the quality assurance of studies and teaching, every single piece of feedback is valuable. In this way, today’s students contribute to the advancement of academic teaching and enable future generations of students to build on their experiences.

‘Our students are absolute insiders when it comes to our courses. So who better to advise us on the direction in which we need to develop our teaching,’ says Martina Dahm, Managing Director of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology.

In recognition of their efforts, a prize draw will be held for all participating students. The prizes consist of ten vouchers per 100 participants, each worth €50, which can be redeemed either as a credit for the RWTH shop or as a gift voucher for Schenk Lokal. Contact details are kept in a separate record for this purpose, independent of survey content. So responses are processed without reference to individuals, ensuring anonymity.


The online survey can be accessed via a personalised link sent to students by email, which allows them to complete the survey on mobile devices or on the desktop. It is also possible to access the questionnaire via the dashboard of the RWTHmoodle accounts. There the questionnaire is easiest to complete on the desktop.

Invitation to the 31st Energy Technology Evening

January 17th, 2025 | by

© Nikolai Wolff

In cooperation with the VDE Aachen University Group, VDE Regio Aachen e.V. is organising the 31st Energy Technology Evening on Tuesday, 21 January 2025.

This evening’s guest speaker, Dr Christoph Schneiders, who occupies the position of Head of Grid Management and System Control at Amprion GmbH and who is a former student of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology at RWTH Aachen University, will deliver a presentation on the current challenges, opportunities and news from the areas of grid expansion, grid stability and the energy transition.

„This is certainly a highly topical social issue in view of the forthcoming general election“, comments Can Özmaden, training officer at VDE Regio Aachen e. V..

The presentation will be followed by a get-together where the technical discussions can be continued in a more relaxed atmosphere. Participation in the event is free of charge, drinks and snacks will be provided free of charge.


The event will take place at 18:30 in the EA lecture hall, Schinkelstraße 6, 52062 Aachen. Informal registration is requested by e-mail to: info@vde-aachen.de

‘Colloquium Biomedical Engineering and Related Fields’ – Invitation to the current lecture

January 17th, 2025 | by

The lecture, entitled ‘Mobility in older adults‘, will be moderated by Professor Steffen Leonhardt, Chair holder of the Medical Information Technology (MedIT) at the Helmholtz Institute for Biomedical Engineering at RWTH Aachen University, on Thursday, 30 January 2025.

Professor Wiebren Zijlstra, Head of the Institute of Movement and Sport Gerontology at the German Sport University Cologne, will deliver a presentation on factors which underly age-related changes in mobility based on experimental laboratory-based studies as well as studies of real-life mobility.

In the abstract that precedes the lecture, Professor Zijlstra outlines the various challenges presented by mobility in daily life, such as finding the way to a target location, while ensuring safe progression by continuously perceiving the environment and adapting locomotion if needed, e.g. in order to avoid potential collisions with obstacles, other pedestrians, or traffic. Such adaptive control of locomotion requires physical and cognitive functions and, even without overt pathological conditions, age-related changes in functioning may cause older persons to show a reduced mobility and an increased fall risk. Mobility limitations are associated with reduced quality-of-life, a plethora of negative health outcomes, and an increased morbidity and mortality. According to Professor Zijlstra, it is important to understand factors that contribute to an age-related reduction in mobility and when possible develop effective interventions.

„Results of recent studies show that physical capacity alone is poor in predicting older adults’ mobility performance in real-life. Other studies show that age-related changes in cognition, especially the so-called executive functions, are associated with a reduced mobility and an increased fall-risk,“ the specialist points out.

Executive functions are crucial for adaptive locomotion, as they enable a person to monitor behaviour in relation to the environment and to adapt behaviour when necessary. By focusing on two key components of executive functions (cognitive flexibility and inhibitory control), this talk will also present recent results from studies that aim to better understand the role of cognitive control during mobility-related tasks.

Despite an abundance of mobility studies and increasing insight in factors that negatively impact on mobility in older persons, it is yet unclear to what degree the combination of these factors predicts real-life mobility, Professor Zijlstra continues in his apstract. Only a limited number of recent studies considered various potential mobility determinants by combining measures from physical, cognitive, and psycho-social functioning.

„These studies showed that real-life mobility cannot yet be predicted very well. Taken together, these findings necessitate more well-focused studies of real-life mobility in various groups of older adults, as well as experimental studies of older adults’ performance of complex mobility tasks which resemble daily life conditions,“ he concludes.

The ‘Colloquium on Biomedical Engineering and Related Areas’ is a regular series of events organised by RWTH Aachen University. The objective of the series is to facilitate interdisciplinary education in these fields and to encourage the interdisciplinary exchange of ideas.

A cordial invitation is extended to all students, clinicians, engineers and scientists to attend this illuminating lecture and engage in discourse with experts in the field of biomedical engineering.


The event will take place from 5 to 5:45 pm at the Helmholtz Institute for Biomedical Engineering at RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 20, 52074 Aachen, Germany, seminar room 2.70. It will be coordinated by Prof. Dr. Klaus Radermacher, Chair of Medical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University. For further information please contact the secretariat at meditec@hia.rwth-aachen.de or call +49-(0)241-80 23870.

Hackers, attacks and malware – an up-to-date overview

January 10th, 2025 | by
Portrait of a smiling woman

Professor Ulrike Meyer, ©Peter Winandy

Professor Ulrike Meyer from the Department of IT Security at RWTH Aachen will give an online lecture on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM, followed by a discussion. Admission is free.

The threats posed by cyberattacks have steadily increased, and IT security has thus increasingly come into focus for companies as well as individuals. During the presentation of the current report on the state of IT security in Germany (2024) by the Federal Office for Information Security, its president Claudia Plattner describes the IT threat situation as “worrisome” and states that “particularly ransomware, espionage, and disinformation endanger our prosperity and our democracy”.

The lecture addresses current attacks and the underlying business models of cybercriminals. Additionally, a selection of solution approaches developed at RWTH for attack detection using machine learning will be presented.

In cooperation with the Computer Science Department of RWTH, FZ Jülich, Regional Group of the Society for Computer Science (RIA), Regional Industrial Club for Computer Science Aachen (Regina), and Aachen Group of the German University Association.


Access to the webinar and video via access link

If someone misses the lecture, they can watch it later as a video.

Back to the roots

January 10th, 2025 | by
This portrait shows a man smiling and wearing a light blue shirt. His arms are crossed in front of his chest.

Professor Simon Steentjes, a former student of RWTH Aachen University and the current holder of the Chair of Electrical Machines and Drives ©Christian Schneider

Professor Simon Steentjes returned to his academic roots in October 2024 to become holder of the Chair of Electrical Machines and Drives.

The 37-year-old professor’s passion for technology was cultivated during his childhood, and led him to RWTH Aachen University for the first time in 2006. Here, he successfully completed his studies in Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, subsequently earning his doctorate under the supervision of his predecessor, Professor Kay Hameyer.

„I learned from an early age to repair things instead of throwing them away. My father showed me everything as a child. We often tinkered until things worked again,” recalls Professor Steentjes.

It was these formative experiences that not only ignited his enthusiasm for technology, but also instilled in him a strong commitment to sustainability.

„I want to leave behind a world worth living in for my child and future generations; thus, I consider sustainable development within electric machines and drives absolutely essential,” states the electrical engineer.

Electrical machines are indispensable for numerous applications – from industrial facilities, mobility solutions, and household appliances to energy supply systems. As such, enhancing the efficiency of electric machines and drives represents a significant opportunity for reducing CO₂ emissions – a crucial step toward protecting our climate, according to Steentje. He emphasizes that ongoing research and innovation are essential to enhance power density, torque density, efficiency levels, and manufacturing techniques while maintaining resource efficiency when integrating new technologies. Steentjes believes that we also need to gain a deeper understanding of the materials and resources used to manufacture our electrical machines to optimize their sustainability and efficiency. The use and production of magnetic materials alone – integral components found within every electrical machine – offers vast potential for optimization that must first be thoroughly understood by researchers like himself.

„To date, little attention has been paid to the advances made by the various disciplines involved or to specific components. While manufacturing technology evolves rapidly, these advancements must also inform production methods and design choices surrounding electric machines to harness opportunities for improved efficiency fully,“ the engineer points out.

Simon Steentjes is a researcher through and through. He relishes engaging with fellow researchers on pressing questions while finding solutions collaboratively, often alongside students and doctoral candidates – a dynamic he finds immensely rewarding. For him, working with young minds means fostering fresh ideas that keep him on the cutting edge. He finds it wonderful to be back in teaching.

The electrical engineer returned to academia having worked in industry before. At Audi, he was actively involved in e-mobility from the very beginning. Later, at Hilti, he took on the role of head of electric motors and drive technology in 2022, leading the development of a new electric motor platform for power tools, from concept to mass production, among other initiatives. During this time, Professor Steentjes experienced how crucial practical feedback is for designing and developing electrical machines, particularly in addressing the needs and challenges inherent of series production.

During his time in industry, he supervised around 20 doctoral theses. Publishing scientific work remained a priority for him despite his time away from academia – a clear indication that he always intended to return. Steentjes considers himself lucky to have turned his hobby into a career. He believes it’s important to do what makes you happy. And it is this attitude that he passes on to his students:

„As a professor, you have a responsibility to equip the next generation with knowledge, to motivate and encourage them to trust in their own abilities.“

He has now found his way back to academia. His return means also a personal success: Returning to RWTH Aachen University was a very personal mission for him, which he worked towards with the help of his family. The support of his family is particularly important to the husband and father. And when he’s not researching new electrical machines or drives, he likes to work with his son on motorising Lego vehicles.

 

Friedrich Wilhelm Prizes 2024

December 19th, 2024 | by
The photo shows the 22 graduates and the award presenter standing on the stage and shown in an oblique bird's eye view.

Professor Ulrich Rüdiger, Rector of RWTH Aachen University, honoured 22 outstanding graduates with the Friedrich Wilhelm Prize 2024. ©Andreas Schmitter

Three individuals, distinguished for their academic excellence, were recognized as winners of the Friedrich Wilhelm Prizes for their exemplary final theses, which were developed under the auspices of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology.

Christian Fester, a research assistant at the Chair of Transmission Grids and Energy Economics at RWTH Aachen University, was awarded recognition for his master’s thesis, entitled ‘Validation and further development of a method for topology optimisation of the German transmission grid using real operational planning data’. The thesis provides innovative impulses for the integration of the optimisation of switching operations into the preview processes in the German transmission grid.

Following the completion of his Bachelor’s degree at RWTH Aachen University, Maximilian Henri Vincent Tillmann proceeded to undertake the T.I.M.E. Double Degree Programme, which enabled him to obtain a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering, Information Technology and Computer Engineering at RWTH Aachen University and Keio University. His thesis, which was awarded the Friedrich Wilhelm Prize, is entitled ‘Investigation on Autoencoder Models for Online System Identification’.

In recognition of his academic achievements, Dr Eduard Heidebrecht was also honoured for his dissertation, entitled ‘Alternative Concepts for Wideband Doherty Power Amplifiers’. His research is conducted at the Chair of High Frequency Electronics at RWTH Aachen University, where it is primarily focused on nonlinear efficient PA design, specializing in wideband Doherty power amplifier (DPA) design across CMOS, MMIC, and hybrid systems from sub-6 GHz to mmWave frequencies.

The Friedrich Wilhelm Prize is bestowed by the foundation bearing the same name, which was established in 1865 by the legal predecessor of the present-day Generali Deutschland. The foundation’s principal objective is to advance research and academic education, and to provide support for students and scholars at RWTH.

The foundation takes its name from Prussian Crown Prince and later Emperor Frederick William III. In 1858, he received a donation of 5,000 thalers from the Aachener und Münchener Feuer-Versicherungs-Gesellschaft for the purpose of establishing a polytechnic institute in the Rhineland. This donation constituted the basis for the Friedrich Wilhelm Foundation, which in turn laid the foundation for RWTH Aachen University.

Otto Junker Prizes 2024

December 12th, 2024 | by
The formation is completed on the left by an elderly gentleman and on the right by two other elderly gentlemen; in the centre are four young men, each holding a certificate. The depicted individuals exhibit a smile directed towards the camera.

Wolfgang Bleck (on the left), Udo von Berg (on the right) and Ulrich Rüdiger (second from right) extended their congratulations to the award winners Jan Krusenbaum (second from left), Gerrit Ipers (third from left), Daniel Baggen (fourth from left) and Moritz Diewald (third from right). ©Andreas Schmitter

At this year’s Otto Junker Award ceremony, two outstanding young talents, Daniel Baggen and Gerrit Ipers, from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, were honoured for their outstanding academic achievements.

Daniel Baggen, born in Aachen in 2000, commenced the Bachelor’s degree programme in Electrical Engineering, Information Technology and Computer Engineering at RWTH Aachen University following the completion of his Abitur at Städtisches Gymnasium Herzogenrath. He completed his Master’s degree with a thesis on “the design and commissioning of a highly integrated DC-DC converter for the production of green hydrogen” at the Institute for Power Electronics and Electrical Drives under the supervision of Professor Rik W. De Doncker. Since November 2023, Baggen has been working as a doctoral student in the field of power electronics.

Gerrit Ipers, aged 27, was born in Viersen. Subsequent to his graduation from the Liebfrauenschule Mülhausen in Grefrath, he first completed a Bachelor’s and thereafter a Master’s degree in industrial engineering, with a specialisation in electrical power engineering, at the RWTH Aachen University. He authored his master’s thesis, entitled “Rapid Prediction of Electro-Chemo-Mechanical Degradation of Li-Ion Batteries for End-of-Life Options”, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the USA. Prior to this, he completed the T.I.M.E. double master’s programme at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. He was supervised by Professor Dirk Uwe Sauer, also from the Institute for Power Electronics and Electrical Drives at RWTH Aachen University. Since May 2023, Ipers has been employed as a technical project manager at a Swedish automotive supplier.

Moritz Diewald, from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering in the Faculty of Georesources and Materials Engineering, impressed the jury with his Master’s thesis, in which he investigated sub-stoichiometric combustion as part of multi-stage flameless oxidation, using both numerical and experimental techniques. In the same department, Jan Krusenbaum was honoured for his Master’s thesis entitled “Thermal conditioning of Li-ion battery shredders as part of a novel recycling process: Effects of the process gas atmosphere and other determinants on the recovery of the critical element lithium”.

The awards were bestowed at a celebratory ceremony. Udo von Berg, Chairman of the Otto Junker Foundation, and Ulrich Rüdiger, Rector of RWTH Aachen University, presented the awards. Professor Wolfgang Bleck, who holds the title of Professor Emeritus and serves as Chairman of the Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Board, extended congratulations on the occasion.

The awards, which are named in honour of the foundation’s founder, Dr. Otto Junker, are bestowed annually upon the most distinguished graduates of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology and the Materials Science and Engineering Group, which is part of the Faculty of Georesources and Materials Engineering. The foundation, which was established in 1970, is dedicated to the advancement of young scientists and provides substantial support for a multitude of individual research projects.

The exceptional accomplishments of these four graduates not only exemplify their individual excellence but also reflect positively on RWTH Aachen University as an institution of higher educations that nurtures outstanding individuals. We would like to extend our sincerest congratulations to Daniel Baggen, Gerrit Ipers, Moritz Diewald and Jan Krusenbaum on this well-deserved recognition. We wish them continued success in their promising careers.

Day of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology 2024

December 12th, 2024 | by
Auf der Bühne stehen eine Frau und zwei Männer. Die Frau, die einen Blumenstrauß trägt, und der Mann, der neben ihr steht, richten ihre Blicke auf die dritte Person, die ihnen zugewandt ein Mikrofon hält.

After five and a half years in the role of Dean of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Professor Jens-Rainer Ohm (left) was given a ceremonial farewell. The farewell was given by Managing Director Martina Dahm (right) and the new Dean of the Faculty, Professor Albert Moser (centre). © Martin Braun

On the 25th Day of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology (TDEI), which took place on 22 November 2024, we presented our success this year and once again brought together companies, students, faculty members and graduates.

The Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology at RWTH Aachen University has a longstanding reputation as an institution that produces highly qualified and responsible engineers, a reputation that has been established over the course of five decades. This is corroborated by the faculty’s consistent performance in national and international rankings, in which it consistently ranks at the top. The Dean of the Faculty, Professor Albert Moser, commenced proceedings at the Electrical Engineering and Information Technology Day with a review of the preceding year and the welcoming of new professors to the Faculty team.

Die Abbildung zeigt zwei Männer, die sich auf einer Bühne gegenüberstehen. Der Mann links im Bild hält eine gefüllte Tasse, wobei er frontal dargestellt ist. Der zweite Mann, der sich rechts im Bild befindet, hält ein Mikrophon, wobei er seitlich zu sehen ist.

From right: Professor Alber Moser with Professor Volkmar Schulz © Martin Braun

Professor Volkmar Schulz’s expertise in the field of image processing enriches the research in biomedical engineering. He previously led the “Physics of Molecular Imaging” group at the Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging and is now the head of the Institute of Imaging and Computer Vision at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, a role he assumed in September 2024.

Die Abbildung zeigt zwei Männer, die auf einer Bühne nebeneinander stehen und nach vorne, in die Richtung der Kamera blicken. Der Mann rechts im Bild präsentiert eine Tasse, während der zweite Mann, der sich links im Bild befindet, ein Mikrophon hält.

From right: Professor Simon Steentjes and Professor Albert Moser © Martin Braun

Professor Simon Steentjes had been pursuing the objective of returning to RWTH Aachen University for a considerable period of time, as part of his personal mission.

„Working with young minds fosters fresh ideas that keep me attuned to current developments. It’s wonderful being back in teaching“, says Professor Steentjes, who assumed the role of head of the Institute of Electrical Machines and Chair in Electromagnetic Energy Conversion in October.

Having previously held leading positions at Audi AG and the Hilti Group, Professor Steentjes has many years of experience in the industry.

Das Bild zeigt eine seitliche Portraitaufnahme eines Mannes, der auf mit der rechten Hand gestikuliert und in der linken Hand ein Mikrophon hält.

Professor Peter Jax © Martin Braun

Another item on the programme was the report presented by the Dean of Studies, Professor Peter Jax, who is also the Head of the Institute of Communication Systems. Based on the results of quantitative surveys, he conducted an analysis of the academic teaching provided within the degree programmes offered by the faculty, identifying potential areas for further development.

Subsequently, Professor Jax presented the Team Award, which was bestowed upon Cinar Algül, Maxim Klosa and Wenjie Zeng for their exemplary contributions. The three students had demonstrated outstanding performance in their work on the Electrical Engineering and Information Technology project, entitled MATLAB meets Lego Mindstorms.

Ein junger Mann steht lächelnd auf der Bühne und hält eine Auszeichnung in Form einer Urkunde.

Best Bachelor Award winner Fritz Stracke © Martin Braun

One of the key factors contributing to success is the constructive collaboration with other companies, which provides students with the opportunity to engage in and contribute to challenging projects and theses. At the TDEI event, Gold sponsor Intravis participated in an interview. Furthermore, the Rohde & Schwarz Best Bachelor Award was bestowed upon Fritz Stracke in the current academic year. The student, who is also distinguished by his dedication to the student council for electrical engineering and information technology, was recognized for his bachelor’s thesis, entitled “Investigation of the bare-metal support of Rst Unikernels in heterogeneous computing systems”.

Another noteworthy feature of the event was the keynote address delivered by Professor Andreas Hierlemann from ETH Zurich, entitled “Interfacing with brain cells at subcellular resolution”. The interview with Professor Sven Ingebrandt, Head of the Institute of Materials in Electrical Engineering 1 at RWTH Aachen University, and the presentation of the key visual and the institute’s projects also provided valuable insights.

The graduation ceremony marked the traditional conclusion of the event. After the graduates were introduced by name on stage, the Dean congratulated each of them on their academic success.

Professor Antonello Monti expressed his gratitude to the students in a unique manner. He once caused a great deal of excitement at the TDEI 2019 with a surprise performance. In the current year, he reappeared on the stage in the company of the ERC Band. Two musical compositions, “Knockin on E.ON’s Door” and “AC to Hell”, were presented as part of the performance.

We would like to express our gratitude to all faculty members and assistants, as well as the RWTH International Academy, for their contributions to the organisation and implementation of the Electrical Engineering and Information Technology Day.


Further details regarding TDEI 2024, along with photographic documentation of the event, can be accessed on the official website.

Professor Jens-Rainer Ohm recieves SMPTE “Digital Processing Medal”

November 26th, 2024 | by

In recognition of his leading role in the development of several highly successful MPEG and ITU video compression standards, Professor Jens-Rainer Ohm receives a ‘Digital Processing Medal’.
This is awarded by the SOCIETY OF MOTION PICTURE AND TELEVISION ENGINEERS, SMPTE for short.

Professor Ohm has been an active member of MPEG since 1998 and has chaired the MPEG Video Subgroup for the past 16 years. He co-chaired the Joint Video Team (JVT) that developed the H.264/MPEG AVC standard. As co-chair of the Joint Collaborative Team (JCT), he oversaw the development of the H.265/HEVC standard. He also co-chaired and eventually chaired the Joint Video Experts Team (JVET), which developed and further improved the H.266/VVC standard.

The AVC and HEVC standards co-developed by Professor Ohm have received three Emmy Awards for their broad application in the delivery of video content.

We congratulate Professor Ohm on this well-deserved honour.