Projects
In the following figure the current projects in which our employees are involved are cited. Each research project will be listed by title only; detailed descriptions of the projects can be found by clicking on the project names.
Diploma and Master’s theses are not cited here, although most of them also constitute projects. We distinguish three kinds of research activities:
- The first type of research activity mostly concerns projects in cooperation with companies and / or other research teams. Here, the main interest is to achieve the common goals set by the project partners. Dissertations may be completed in connection with these projects, especially during final project stages, and will generally not be listed separately in this report. Within this category, there are projects that are «normal» in size, with financing from one to four person-years, and «large» projects, with financing from six to eight person-years.
- A second type of research activity concerns projects conducted in connection with doctoral work. Here, the main interest is in the achievement of the individual goals of a research collaborator, which may be a scientific degree or a publication. These projects are labeled «(diss.)» for dissertation.
- A third type of research activity concerns mostly smaller projects that, as a rule, are conducted within a short time frame. Here, the main interests are to give young researchers the opportunity to gain experience and knowledge in a company setting in order to enable them to conduct better research or to establish mutual trust between our group and companies. This can pave the way for future, larger joint research projects. These projects are indicated by «(small)».
In many projects, our research team is supported by either the EU, IMS or external page CTI.
- external page IST is the thematic priority «Information Society Technologies» under the European Commission’s Fifth, Sixth or Seventh Framework Program (FP5 / FP6 / FP7) for EU research.
- external page IMS, «Intelligent Manufacturing Systems», is an industry-led, international research and development (R&D) program, a worldwide network of research cooperation between companies and research institutions, each financed by its own zone but working within a project consortium.
- external page CTI is the Innovation Promotion Agency of the Swiss Federal Office for Professional Education and Technology. This government promotion agency provides funding for many of our projects. In shared research activities with companies, the company invests a certain amount, mostly financing their own staff. Generally the CTI then gives the same amount of funding to us in order to finance our own research staff.