DATA AND KNOWLEDGE

ENGINEERING GROUP

We are involved in many projects of the EU, the BMBF (Germany's Federal Ministry of Education and Research), the BMWK (Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action) and the DFG (German Research Foundation). Our main projects are listed below.

Current Projects

• Digitalization of pedagogical work processes: Securing skilled workers through digital competence and participation (DiPA-KOM)
  

  Funding:	Programm „Sachsen-Anhalt WISSENSCHAFT Forschung und Innovation (EFRE)“
  Duration:	March 2024 - February 2027

  With the project “Digitalization of pedagogical work processes: Securing skilled workers through digital competence and participation” (DiPA-KOM) aims to exploit the potential for digitalization in the elementary education system, particularly at the transition from daycare to school, and transfer it into sustainable structures. Digital tools are digital tools are being developed for this purpose, tested and transferred into training and further education concepts. More ...

• Intelligent Mobility Space in the District (IMIQ)
  

  Funding:	Programm „Sachsen-Anhalt WISSENSCHAFT Forschung und Innovation (EFRE)“
  Duration:	January 2024 - December 2027

  The development of sustainable, user-oriented, and efficient future mobility still faces many challenges. The goal to reduce emissions clashes with increasing traffic, especially motorised private transport. Flexibility and user orientation appear hardly compatible with sustainability. Therefore, society needs to address the task of designing mobility services to be more cost-effective, flexible, and universally available under higher ecological requirements. More ...

• Fake Scientific Publications and their Methods (FASCIFFT)
  

  Funding:	Ministerium für Wissenschaft, Energie, Klimaschutz und Umwelt des Landes Sachsen-Anhalt
  Duration:	April 2023 - March 2025

  The FASCIFFT project aims to address the growing problem of fake scientific publications (FSPs), which undermine the integrity of research and erode public trust in science. By quantifying the prevalence of FSPs, developing automated detection methods, cleansing the scientific record, building a global network, and educating the scientific community, FASCIFFT will contribute to preserving scientific integrity and promoting responsible research practices. More ...

• Smart Chemical Literature Exploration: Data Structuring and Search for the Identification of Sustainable Chemical Reaction Pathways (SmartProSys)
  

  Funding:	Ministerium für Wissenschaft, Energie, Klimaschutz und Umwelt des Landes Sachsen-Anhalt
  Duration:	August 2022 - September 2025

  The transition to sustainable and circular production processes requires research into novel chemical reaction pathways that lead from renewable raw materials via energy-efficient and low-CO2 synthesis processes to green products. The task of identifying such pathways requires the collective chemical knowledge of the world to be searched and structured in a methodical, systematic and goal-oriented manner. This knowledge is growing rapidly: the ChemRxiv platform created in 2017 already contains more than 20,000 scientific articles on chemistry. In addition, there are journals such as the International Journal of Molecular Sciences with more than 16,400 published scientific articles in 2022 alone, of which around 30-35% are in the field of biochemistry. The focus of this project is on the design and development of tools that are able to extract relevant information about reaction pathways and the chemicals involved from research articles and patents and visualise them in a suitable form.

• Digital tools and platforms for innovation ecosystems

  Funding:	MWU (FKZ I 189)
  Duration:	August 2022 - December 2024

  Digital platforms and business models, new technologies and intelligently linked data are changing the way of business and work: rigid and firmly defined value chains are being replaced and transformed into flexible, highly dynamic and globally interconnected value networks with new types of collaboration. Through the collaborative approach within an innovation ecosystem, innovations can emerge across the board. The network connects organizations and companies, but also private users and other relevant groups of people with each other. It extends all phases of the value chain in order to push innovations through a targeted flow of information, ideas information, ideas, data and knowledge for the benefit of all stakeholders. The project investigates which specific infrastructure aspects, technological tools, standards and data are needed, as well as whether and how changes to the regulatory framework would be helpful in order to achieve a sufficient interoperability between the actors.

• Mittelstand-Digital Zentrum Magdeburg/ Subproject: IT-Strategie und -Sicherheit
  

  Förderung:	BMWiK/AIF (01MF17006C)
  Laufzeit:	August 2022 - July 2025

  The Mittelstand-Digital Zentrum Magdeburg supports small and medium-sized enterprises with the proven transfer approach of informing, qualifying, implementing and networking on the topic of digitization. Our goal is to accompany these companies, even across organizational boundaries, on their path of digital transformation toward competitive products and services, innovative business models and efficient value creation networks.
  
  As part of the sub-project "IT Strategies and Security" in the Mittelstand-Digital Zentrum Magdeburg, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (OvGU) as a research institution is addressing the issue of how SMEs can be enabled to make reliable decisions regarding the introduction of digital systems. This includes increasing the SMEs' understanding of concrete technologies in order to strengthen decision-making competencies, strategic procedures for starting digitization projects, and the aspect of the resilience of these systems in order to be prepared for IT security incidents. The topic is flanked by the focus on "AI & Machine Learning", in which the technologies and the potential of learning systems are explained in concrete terms.

Closed Projects

• KiJuAssistenz - Digitale Unterstützung partizipativer pädagogischer Arbeitsprozesse in Einrichtungen der Bildung, Erziehung und Betreuung von Kindern und Jugendlichen - Teilprojekt: Qualitätsentwicklung der pädagogischen Arbeit und Entwicklung digitaler Unterstützungswerkzeuge
  

  Funding:	BMBF (FKZ 02L18B541)
  Duration:	March 2020 - February 2023

  Educational work with children and young people is complex. Specialists in the field of working with children and young people are rare and exposed to a high workload. Especially the duty of documentation takes a lot of time in the work of the specialists. Existing IT solutions only support administrative processes, but do not take into account the complexity of the work on and with children and their individuality as well as possibilities for participation in educational decisions. Digital tools for the analysis of documentation as well as apps or online portals that allow children and parents to participate offer great potential for the optimisation of work and interaction processes between professionals, children and parents.

  Based on the experience of the digital "pedagogical diary" introduced at the Kinder- und Jugendhilfezentrum (KJHZ), the research project KiJuAssistenz develops digital support tools for pedagogical work. The novel software is intended to support professionals in the targeted selection of individual pedagogical methods by analysing and evaluating the documentation on children's development kept in the facilities. The pedagogical work will become more transparent and effective, as the work processes of the professionals will be more clearly structured and better coordinated. Teaching concepts are developed for the training and further education of skilled workers during the project. In order to provide contextual and action-related information, methods of artificial intelligence are used to analyse the documentation. Teaching concepts and materials are developed together with the experts during the evaluation.

  Project partners: Kinder- und Jugendhilfezentrum Größ Börnecke GmbH, Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg (FIN und FHW), Mensch-Technik-Organisation-Planung GmbH (METOP), Hoffbauer Kinder gGmbH

• FWLeck - Detection and localisation of leakages in district heating networks applying model-based and data-driven approaches
  

  Funding:	BMWi (FKZ 03ET1624D)
  Duration:	November 2018 - June 2022

  The project partners develop different approaches for a method to detect and subsequently localise leakages within district heating networks. All partial methods are based on pressure and flow measurement devices already available in the district heating network. The development of the following partial methods is planned: a stationary district heating network model which estimates all pressure and flow values of the network and performs the leakage detection and localisation based on the estimation results; a data-mining model which recognises leakages based on sample data sets of both the damagefree and the damaged case; and a method for the recognition and evaluation of pressure waves resulting from leakages which propagate through the district heating network. The single methods are to be examined with respect to possible synergy effects and shall be combined into a total method. The purpose is to localise the leakage in operation to at least an exclusion area so that the network provider is able to take countervailing measures to maintain the operation of the network.

  Project partners: Stadtwerke München; Institut für Information Engineering, Ostfalia-Hochschule Wolfenbüttel; Institut für Automatisierungstechnik, Universität Bremen; Entwicklungsbüro für physikalische Technik Christian Lukas.

• MEMoRIAL-M1.10 | Deep learning for interventional C-arm CT
  

  Funding:	EU - ESF Sachsen-Anhalt
  Duration:	November 2018 - April 2022

  The CT reconstruction task, addressing the determination of an underlying 3D volume from a series of projections, corresponds to the solution of a huge system of linear equations. Modern deep-learning methods provide an effective tool to perform such tasks. To date, CT scans always acquire a complete set of x-ray projections of the examination object disregarding the fact, that it might be about one and the same patient being multiply and/or repeatedly screened. Moreover, complete CT scans result in identically high doses of ionising radiation as well as long scan durations.
  Prior knowledge e.g. including generalisable information on human anatomy or even the availability of individual data based on previous, patient-specific scans is presently not taken into account. This holds particularly true for image-guided interventions such as inserting a needle into a tumour for the purpose of ablation. The associated exposures only differ with respect to the needle's position - an information being derivable also from a single projection within the scope of a suitable setting. The aim of this sub-project is to study, whether CT reconstruction by means of deep learning methods allows for the imaging and detection of very small changes of the scene based on a number of relevant projections as minimal as possible. If applicable, significantly reduced radiation doses linked to shorter scan times may result, enabling the real-time imaging during interventions.

• Characterization and Modelling of Information Seeking Dialogues (as part of IAIS)
  

  Funding:	EU - EFRE Sachsen-Anhalt
  Duration:	January 2018 - December 2020

  Intention-based, anticipatory, interactive systems (IAIS) utilize from signal data derived action- and system intentions as well as the user’s affective condition. Via anticipation of the user’s further actions and intentions, solutions are interactively negotiated. A sequence of successive interaction steps can be considered as a dialogue between the user and the system. The goal is to design the dialogue in a way that a positive user experience can be achieved. Dialogues that have to leave the premeditated progression due to a missing gap of information, that has to be closed, are particularly challenging but for problem solving, such information-seeking dialogues are a fundamental process and hence a crucial aspect of IAIS.
  Within the sub project "Characterization and Modelling of Information Seeking Dialogues" information-seeking dialogues are investigated with an emphasis on exploratory search. Here the user has initially no distinct objective and can formulate his (complex) information needs only vague. During the dialogue with the system the objectives can be specified. This requires the system to methodically adapt the interface to the user’s individual requirements and hence to provide an appropriate user support. For such an assistance currently a generalized, pattern-based approach is missing. Reasons for that are on the one hand that the information-seeking behavior is still not completely investigated and understood. On the other hand, it is not obvious how to model the user’s seeking behavior considering various contexts and interaction modalities to anticipate the user’s current information need. Therefore, within the sub project the information-seeking behavior is investigated in more detail and models that characterize the information-seeking dialogues are developed to consider user’s information access tactics, global- and local structures of the dialogue as well as information about the context.
• InnoX - Technologies for supporting the explorative rating of the innovation level
  

  Funding:	ZIM BMWi
  Duration:	July 2015 - June 2017

  The project "InnoX" deals with the development of concepts for the rating of the innovation level as well as the assessment of technological trends. The central component is a support of the user during the estimation of the innovativeness of scientific and technical documents. The estimation will be bound to the context of the company and will be embedded in different application scenarios. An assessment of various trend and innovation factors will be possible. With the help of user feedback, an individualisation of the system takes place, which enhances the explorative rating process.  This project is a cooperation project with the EFB and METOP.

• Computational Intelligence for Complex Structured Data
  

  Funding:	Australian Research Council
  Duration:	2014 - 2017

  This project is to investigate adaptive natural human pointing and gestures to control an interface on a pseudo-3D display. Highly complex data with interconnections between elements is hard to visualize on screens, such data could be networks of academic citations, or named entities in an investigation. Most current tools are operated using point/click/drag metaphors on 2D screens. The physical technology to capture appropriate human behaviours exists already, but not the adaptive learning of the syntax & semantics of individual gestures and actions, nor the multi-gesture information fusion required for 'understanding'. All of this is done naturally by most human beings, using biological neural networks.

• partiMAN the participation manager for collaborative decision making
  
  

  Funding:	BMBF
  Duration:	November 2014 - October 2017

  Further information about the project can be found here.

• EU COST Action KEYSTONE: Semantic keyword-based search on structured data sources
  
  

  Funding:	EU
  Duration:	June 2013 - May 2017

  The research group participates in the EU COST Action IC1302: Semantic keyword-based search on structured data sources (KEYSTONE). The Action proposes to join synergies from several disciplines, such as semantic data management, the semantic web, information retrieval, artificial intelligence, machine learning, user interaction, service science, service design, and natural language processing. Andreas Nürnberger is Management Committee member for Germany.

• Characterization and Modelling of Information Seeking Dialogues (as part of SFB transregio 62)
  
  

  Funding:	Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)
  Duration:	January 2013 - December 2017

  This project studies information seeking dialogues with a special focus on exploratory search. In exploratory search, the user is usually not able to clearly specify the information need and iteratively refines it in an information seeking dialogue while using the search system. This project will develop information behaviour models in order to characterize these dialogues. The obtained models consider interaction logs and also the user's emotions and disposition on different time scales and granularities. Further information about the  SFB Transregio 62: http://www.sfb-trr-62.de/

• EU COST Action MUMIA: Multilingual and multifaceted interactive information access
  
  

  Funding:	EU
  Duration:	December 2010 - November 2014

  The research group participates in the EU COST Action IC1002: Multilingual and multifaceted interactive information access (MUMIA). This action coordinates collaboration between the research disciplines Machine Translation, Information Retrieval and Multifaceted Interactive Information Access, fostering research and technology transfer in these areas. The core focus is on research within the specific context of patent search and other next generation Web applications. Andreas Nürnberger is, together with Norbert Fuhr Management Committee member for Germany. The action will be active until November 2014.

• ViERforES - Virtual and Augmented Reality for maximum Safety and Reliability of Embedded Systems

  Funding:	BMBF
  Duration:	September 2008 - September 2013

  ViERforES is the acronym for “Virtual and Extended Reality for the highest Security and Reliability in Embedded Systems.” The researcher team is using virtual and extended-reality techniques to look specifically at embedded systems such as control software and the microprocessors that form the core of many of today’s products. Researchers of the Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, engineers from the Fraunhofer IFF Institute, experts from the Fraunhofer IESE Institute and the Technical University of Kaiserlautern are involved. Regional companies provide assistance by testing results in real situations. Further information can be found here (in german).

• SENSE - Management solution for intelligent usage of multimedia document sets
  
  

  Funding:	BMBF (FKZ 01IS11025E)
  Duration:	January 2012 - December 2013

  Project partners: Fink & Partner Media Services GmbH, Dresden; Point Software & Systems GmbH, Siegen; planConnect, Dresden; Heinz-Nixdorf-Seniorprofessur für Multimediatechnik, TU Dresden; Data & Knowledge Engineering, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg. Further information can be found here (in german).

• Bisociation Networks for Creative Information Discovery (BISON)

  Funding:	EU (FP7 FET Open Project)
  Duration:	June 2008 - May 2012

  BISON is a research project funded by the European Commission under the Seventh Framework Programme. The goal of BISON is to explore the concept of bisociative discovery on the basis of graph-based data mining. While current ICT approaches provide methodologies and tools for association-based search and processing of information, there is currently no comprehensive ICT methodology or tool which facilitates the bisociative exploration for discovery and design tasks. The overall aim of the BISON project is to develop and validate a computational methodology, which facilitates bisociative information discovery in large-scale heterogeneous information environments. Detailed Information about this project can be found at  http://www.bisonet.eu.

• Adaptive and User Centered Methods for Organisation und Exploration of Digital Music Archives (AUCOMA)

  Funding:	Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)
  Duration:	January 2008 - March 2012

  Automatic structuring is one means to ease access to large music collections - be it for organisation or exploration. The AUCOMA project (Adaptive User-Centered Organization of Music Archives) aims to find ways to make such a structuring intuitively understandable to a user through automatic adaptation. Further information can be found here: http://www.findke.ovgu.de/findke/en/Research/Topics/Music+Retrieval.html

• Computer generated expressive Music Sonification for Musicology

  Funding:	Land Sachsen-Anhalt
  Duration:	September 2008 - March 2011

  A joined research project between the research groups Visual Computing and Data & Knowledge Engineering of the Faculty and the Zentrum für Telemannpflege und -Forschung Magdeburg.

• Adaptive user interfaces for search and navigation in document collections

  Funding:	Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) as part of the Emmy Noether Programme.
  Duration:	May 2003 - August 2009

  During the last years several approaches have been developed that tackle specific problems of the retrieval process, e.g. feature extraction methods for multimedia data, problem specific similarity measures and interactive user interfaces. These methods enable the design of efficient retrieval tools if the user is able to provide an appropriate query. However, in most cases the user needs several steps in order to find the searched objects. The main reasons for this are on the one hand, the problem of users to specify their interests in the form of a well defined query (which is partially caused by inappropriate user interfaces), on the other hand, the problem of extracting relevant features from the (multimedia) objects. Furthermore, user specific interests and search context are usually neglected when objects are retrieved.

  To improve today's retrieval tools and thus the overall satisfaction of a user, it is necessary to develop methods that are able to support the user in the search process, e.g. by providing additional information about the search results as well as the data collection itself and also by adapting the retrieval tool to the user's needs and interests.

• Nature-inspired Smart Information Systems (NiSIS)

  Funding:	EU (Coordination Action)
  Duration:	February 2005 - January 2008

  Detailed Information about this project can be found at www.nisis.de.

• Building Personalised off-line Self-Service Repositories

  Funding:	British Telecommunications
  Duration:	October 2005 - October 2007

• User Adaptive Search Interfaces

  Funding:	European Network on Intelligent Technologies for Smart Adaptive Systems (EUNITE)
  Duration:	December 2002 - June 2004

  This task force has been formed as part for the European Network of Excellence on Intelligent Technologies for Smart Adaptive Systems (EUNITE) to review the state of the art in user adaptive search interfaces and to initiate and intensify research collaboration between different research communities and the industry.

  For further details see the project page.