Where spaghetti and chips used to be eaten, robots now cruise, lasers scan the surroundings and students immerse themselves in virtual worlds. Fachhochschule Dortmund is using the "BitLab" as a new experimental area for virtual and augmented reality, intelligent mobility and robotics.
A former canteen area on the Sonnenstraße campus has been refurbished for the Faculty of Information Technology(Opens in a new tab) . 170 square meters of space, completely modular, covered with a black surface that is normally used in factory halls. "We were looking for something robust that resembled classic asphalt on the road in terms of appearance and surface structure," explains Steffen Baumann. He and his colleague Tobias Uhlich are research assistants at the Faculty of Information Technology and helped design the "BitLab". A wide variety of robots are now driving on the asphalt-like surface and sensors for autonomous driving are being tested.
An interface between the specializations in the study program
An omnidirectional treadmill and a virtual reality-supported trainer for rehabilitation measures have also found their place in the new BitLab. "Previously, our experimental setups were scattered across several floors of the faculty," reports Tobias Uhlich. "We have bundled everything together in the BitLab and can therefore work on an interdisciplinary basis." Here, people can work collaboratively with robots and vehicles using state-of-the-art human-computer interfaces. The space also offers the greatest possible flexibility. Everything is movable and workstations can be quickly set up anywhere in the room.
"The BitLab at Fachhochschule Dortmund is an innovation and experimentation space that focuses on information technology and its application," explains Prof. Dr. Karsten Lehn. He is the course director of the Bachelor's degree course in Information Technology(Opens in a new tab) . The laboratory serves as an interface between the three focal points of the study program: digital technologies, intelligent mobility and robotics. "Students and researchers alike will use the BitLab as a platform to develop new ideas, test prototypes and experience their applications," says Prof. Lehn.
The focus is on practical use cases: for example, how the sensor technology of autonomous vehicles can be combined to better protect vulnerable road users. Or how sensors at road junctions make it possible to look "around the corner" and prevent accidents. Or how robots can support people in emergency situations and work as first responders. Or how extended reality can be used as an innovative human-computer interface for various applications in research, industry, hospitals and other organizations and how this affects people's everyday lives. "The results from the UAS research projects are directly integrated into teaching," emphasizes Tobias Uhlich. "Students come into contact with the latest areas of application in information technology in the BitLab and are often involved in research projects."
"In the BitLab, we also link the teaching content and application examples with the content of the Biomedical Engineering study program and prepare our students for a rapidly changing world of work," says Prof. Lehn. There are currently more than 700 students in the Faculty of Information Technology, including 300 female students. The faculty is the youngest at Fachhochschule Dortmund.