1.8 million for ESI research centre

Free State of Bavaria funds application-oriented pilot projects in the field of embedded electronic systems

The Embedded Systems Initiative (ESI), a co-operation between Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits (IIS) will receive 1.8 m euros in funding from the Bavarian State Ministry for Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Transport and Technology. The funding will be used for the further extension of the ESI application centre. The centre co-ordinates collaboration projects between academia and industry in the field of embedded electronic systems.

Embedded systems are an integral part of many products we use in our daily lives such as cars, household appliances, phones and MP3 players; they are responsible for various control, regulation and information processing functions. The systems are adapted to very specific tasks and have to meet clearly defined requirements with regard to size, costs and energy consumption. ‘Developing these systems is extremely resource intensive,’ says Dr. Torsten Klie, Managing Director of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Embedded Systems at FAU. ‘For a successful outcome, it is essential that basic research and product development work together closely.’

For this reason, one of the main goals of the Embedded Systems Initiative is the efficient transfer of knowledge between research units and industry. The Centre aims to establish long-term connections to industry partners for joint research projects with the University and the Fraunhofer Institute. ‘In the past three years, we have been highly successful and we are pleased that funding for our projects has been extended,’ states Torsten Klie.

The ESI Application Centre covers all aspects of embedded systems development – from basic research to production-ready systems. ESI’s innovations include a miniature camera with integrated radio transmitter developed at the Fraunhofer IIS. These cameras may be used for observation in all environments and situations that are too dangerous for human beings to enter, i.e. toxic areas, environmental disaster sites and volcano eruptions. ‘A miniature camera which transmits data via radio in high quality is not yet available on the market,’ says Torsten Klie. ‘The ESI Application Centre has recently developed a radio interface and the technology is now ready for production, which is a great success for us.’

ESI and ESI Application Centre

Founded at FAU in September 2007, the Interdisciplinary Centre for Embedded Systems (ESI) has been co-ordinating and managing interdisciplinary research, teaching and further education in the field of embedded systems. 19 researchers from 15 Institutes at the FAU departments of Electric Engineering, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, the Faculty of Medicine and the School of Economics contribute to the project by sharing their expertise. In 2009, the ESI Application Centre at the Fraunhofer IIS in Nordostpark was opened. It aims to develop new, innovative products for industrial applications. In the last three years, the Interdisciplinary Centre ESI received ten commissions from industry. In addition to that, there are currently twelve pilot projects at the Interdisciplinary Centre and the Application Centre which receive funding of 4.8 million euros.

Further information for the press:

uni | media service | research No. 36/2012 on 24.8.2012