Kategorie: ‘Innovation’
New building for computer science with an integrated AI center planned
180 million euros are being invested in the new Computer Science building at RWTH. Science Minister Ina Brandes delivered this good news to (from left) Vice Rector Matthias Wessling, Professor Holger Hoos, and Leif Kobbelt, Dean of the Faculty of Computer Science.
Photographer: Andreas Schmitter
The Department of Computer Science at RWTH Aachen University is set to undergo a significant expansion of its infrastructure. Up to 180 million euros from the “North Rhine-Westphalia Plan for Good Infrastructure” will be invested in a new building featuring an integrated “AI Center.” This will create new spatial and structural conditions for research and teaching in the field of artificial intelligence and related disciplines.
The new building on Ahornstraße is expected to accommodate approximately 400 academic, technical, and administrative staff members, as well as nearly 5,000 students. In addition to traditional workspaces, the plan includes real-world laboratories and co-working spaces designed to facilitate new forms of collaboration. The goal is to expand the existing structures of computer science while simultaneously creating modern working conditions that meet the demands of current research.
“Excellent research and teaching require excellent infrastructure,” emphasized Science Minister Ina Brandes during the presentation of the funding commitment. The new “AI Center” is intended to further enhance the appeal of North Rhine-Westphalia as a location and create an environment that is internationally competitive. The investment is part of a strategic focus on future-oriented topics, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence.
Within RWTH as well, the new building is viewed as an important step forward. “The AI Center is coming home,” said Professor Leif Kobbelt, Dean of the Faculty of Computer Science, referring to the planned relocation of the center—currently located on Theaterstraße—to Ahornstraße. Professor Ulrich Rüdiger emphasized that modern infrastructure is a key prerequisite for transferring research results to society and further expanding RWTH’s role as a high-performing research hub.
The “AI Center” is led by Professor Holger Hoos together with Professor Sebastian Trimpe. “The new building for the RWTH Aachen AI Center is another essential step on the path from coal to AI,” explained Hoos. The focus is on developing secure, reliable, and sustainable AI systems.
The new buildings are also intended to strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration. RWTH Chancellor Thomas Trännapp noted that computer science involves a high degree of interdisciplinary networking and that the planned structures meet this need. The goal is to create optimal conditions for researchers and staff and to support the long-term development of computer science.
A smart box for all space-related situations
Today, satellites perform critical tasks, such as locating hotspots, providing GPS signals, or collecting weather data. To ensure they can reliably fulfill these functions, they must be regularly adapted or expanded. This is precisely where the EU-funded “smartCASE” (Configurable Adaptive Spacecraft & Spacecraft Extensions) project, in which researchers from RWTH Aachen University are participating, comes into play.
The project’s goal is to develop modular components that allow satellites and space systems to be expanded, modified, or reconfigured even while in operation. The concept of modularization has been pursued at RWTH for several years and is gaining additional significance through current European funding programs.
The focus is on developing an intelligent “box,” which is being realized with a funding volume of 2.5 million euros. This box can dock with existing satellites and integrate new functions. The principle can be compared to an app on a smartphone: The satellite recognizes the new application and independently expands its range of functions.
The project is being coordinated at the Institute for Human-Machine Interaction (MMI) under the direction of Professor Jürgen Roßmann. Dr. Ulrich Dahmen initiated the project and assembled a team from various disciplines. In addition to the MMI, the Institute for Structural Mechanics and Lightweight Construction (SLA), led by Professor Kai Uwe Schröder, is also involved. The consortium is complemented by five international industry partners.
The tasks within the project are clearly divided. The Institute for Human-Machine Interaction (MMI) is responsible for software development, while the Institute for Structural Mechanics and Lightweight Construction (SLA) is developing the box’s mechanical structure. The goal is to create a stable, lightweight, and space-ready solution.
“smartCASE” is part of the major “ISOS” (In Space Operations and Services) mission, which aims to no longer view satellites as rigid, single-use systems, but rather as maintainable and expandable platforms. In this context, so-called satAPPs—modular applications for satellites—are being developed. These are intended to be connectable via a unified interface to expand, repair, or modernize satellites in space.
Image: Institute for Human-Computer Interaction (MMI) at RWTH
The foundation for this development was already laid in the “Twins4Space” project, which was completed at the end of 2025. The approaches to modular software infrastructure developed there are now being continued within the framework of “smartCASE.”
The participants have two and a half years to implement the project. The goal is to launch the developed technology into orbit as early as 2030.
The strategic importance of the project is also highlighted by the European Union. “smartCASE” bears the seal of quality from the “Strategic Technologies for Europe” (STEP) platform. This distinction is awarded to projects in the fields of clean, resource-efficient, and digital technologies. The EU considers the project a “high-quality project proposal” that contributes to strengthening Europe’s technological sovereignty.
