Research Database: Projects

Aims: The objective of the research project described here was to develop a bicycle simulator prototype to be used in road traffic education and road safety training, based on the Fivis bicycle simulator developed at Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences. The prototype had to be universally applicable for different age groups as well as for various applications. Activities/Methods: The following sub-tasks have been addressed: Design and implementation of potentially hazardous road traffic scenarios Conceptual design and construction of a mobile, yet immersive bicycle simulator Development and evaluation of a system for hand signal and shoulder check detection Development of an automatic scoring and user administration system Preparation of a first didactical concept to be used in school Results: The bicycle simulator Fivis developed at the Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences is based on flat LCD monitors and a modular frame system. It requires little space and can be built up quickly. This extends the bicycle simulator’s applicability, since the system can be mounted on a mobile platform (e. g. trailer). This allows the system to be deployed at various alternating locations. The simulation software has been extended during the project period. A sample detection system for typical mistakes, such as missing hand signals or disregarding the right of way, has been integrated into the simulator. Typical hazardous situations have been identified and implemented as scenarios within the simulator. In addition, a didactical concept for the use of the simulator at secondary school level has been developed. First evaluation studies with sixth graders indicate that the simulator is accepted as a reasonable means for traffic education. The question of whether the use of the mobile bicycle simulator will have the desired effect of reducing the bicycle accident rates can only be answered by conducting a long-term study. Results of first studies involving children of different age groups indicate that simulator training contributes to the handling of real hazardous situations in road traffic, as well as to increase of the overall attentiveness and alertness.

The project objective is to develop a generic visual simulator of devices, systems and industrial plants, independent of a particular Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) vendor. This simulator platform will be part of an innovative learning concept for PLC programmers. The platform consists of a conventional PLC, a special I/O adapter, and a PC. The visual system simulator contains a PC software part that offers a number of training tasks with 3D visualisation. The system will have multi-lingual support for task descriptions and the user interface. Major focus areas in this project are realistic simulation of devices and their physical characteristics, realistic behaviour and reaction of the simulator on real control signals, as well as correct visual representation of real-time events and modulated signals with low latency. Special features, such as inducing simultaneous multiple failures and other malfunctions, have been recently integrated into the simulator. The simulation addresses the correct representation of high frequency input signals and how to adequately react to them. Funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) under the Central Innovation Programme for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (ZIM) grant No. KF2992401.

Aims: In the field of electro-technical vocational training, in particular in the safety-related area of digital machine controls, appropriate training materials that help to convey a correct and safe planning of the installation and use of safety controls in prevailing industrial practice are absent. The SafetySim research project aims to bridge these open issues with machinery simulation for more realistic training experience in the area of Safety-PLCs applications (PLC: Programmable Logic Controller). This cooperative research project of the Institute of Visual Computing of the Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences (HBRS) and the Federal Institute for Professional Training (BIBB) with the support of industrial partners in teaching resources for vocational training, aims at development of machinery simulations and training applications to learn safety-relevant aspects in the operation of machines equipped with programmable logic controllers (PLCs) in the field of electrical engineering.

Project goals The goal of EPICSAVE is to research, develop and evaluate a novel approach for paramedics to practice rare medical emergencies. The approach alleviates current constraints by utilizing virtual experiences and digital games that will be strongly tied to theoretical curricular content. The resulting prototype will be integrated into the on-sight vocational training of two project partners from the public and the private sector, respectively. Vocational training Vocational training of emergency medical technicians (EMT) in social welfare organizations in private organizations Vocational training in other medical professions Technology Virtual Reality Serious Games Eye-tracking Virtual Agents 3D Interaction Education Analysis of educational objectives, curricular content Strategies for transfer of learning Constraints of educational practice Tutorial and in-game supervision Diversity of target group, acceptance Project manager Prof. Dr. Jonas Schild

The construction of high quality polymer products, bondings and composite materials requires: wide knowlegde about the materials used reliable quality control for incoming and outgoing products high process safety reliable suppliers Already for construction planing, proper materials have to be chosen. Not only the final price, but also the material properties such as the possible strain or influences by surrounding media have to be taken into account. In case the material fails during the fabrication, a lot of problems and costs may arrise. Material faliure may disturbe the whole construction process and even may influence subsequent orders, especially when productions runs 24/7 and "just in time". And this is where not only the source of failure, but also responsibilities has to be clarified. At this point, failure analysis can help to find which parameters led to the final material collapse. But which of the high variety of methods is the right one? How can I minimize the number of analyses and costs and get the fastest results? Aim of this Project is to teach strengths and weaknesses of the most important polymer analysis methods. The most common applications in terms of polymers, composite materials and adhesions are demonstrated with special respect for failure analysis and quality assurance.  This includes the following analysis methods: Microscopic methods (light, digital and SEM) thermic analysis methods (DSC, DMA and DEA) mechanical analysis (static and dynamic) special polymer analysis methods (pyrolysis GC-MS, SPME-GC-MS, RFA, FT-IR, XRD, etc.)

Industrial robots could be used with higher efficiency than before due to today's technical improvements. But for the sake of accident prevention they still work almost exclusively "under themselves". People have to be kept out of their working area by means of fences or the working speed of the robots has to be reduced considerably, if people are in danger, for example during robot maintenance.

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The use of FEM structural analysis for the development of extrusion blow mouldered parts is state of the art. Product properties like stackability can be predicted with high accuracy. Though, it is involving to determine material parameter necessary to give a significant simulation. Due to material stretching during the blow moulding process combined with high cooling rates, the properties of thermoplast materials is influenced significantly. Therefore it is not possible to refer to data from literature; instead, for each material all parameters have to be determined experimentally. Transferring these parameters to other materials or process conditions hardly possible. The reason for this is the lacking basic knowledge on a molecular scale. The coupling of already existing macroscopic models with those in micro scale offers new possibilites: Influences of the manufacturing process on the polymers, resulting in changes of the material properties, become clearer when the molecular details are studied. With the help of computer simulation, basic microscopic knowledge can be transferred into macrosopic information. The main goal is to create a completely process based material model with the help of simulation models on micro scale as well as extensice studies.

The aim of this project is to improve the efficiency for materials and resources of blow mouldering parts and packaging products below 3 liters. This shall be realised via optimisation of theoretical valuations like the FEM structure analysis. Integral properties can so be foreseen in the stage of development. Nevertheless, it is also necessary to improve the facturing hardware, so that the theoretically calculated thicknesses can be realised. Not only the development of new simulation methods, for example to simulate filling processes or the pinch-off weld, but also the material properties are in the main focus. The influnce of process parameters such as wall thickness degree of torsion and degree of orientation cooling rate are investigated and implemented into the simulation models

After the change of government in NRW in 2011 the extension of wind energy became a vital political topic. Untill 2020, 15 percent of the electric consumption in NRW shall be based on wind power; currently it is only about four percent. With the latest law from July 2011 ("Windenergieerlass") and further counselling offers (EnergieAgentur.NRW, Netzwerk Windkraft) the government tries to support the expansion of wind power stations as well as planing projects with local communes.  Even though the energy revolution, renewable energy or wind power are supported in public, the construction of new power stations or "repowering" (replacing old stations by new and more efficient ones) also encounters resistance. Lacking acceptance may cause delays which will lead to higher costs. At the very beginning conversations have been hold with the EnergieAgentur.NRW and experts for wind power (Netzwerk Windkraft). They affirmed that research about the acceptance of wind power will be important for policy, the communes, but also for the citizens. EnergieAgentur.NRW offered their support for the pilot study by conveying this project to the deputy major of the selected commune. According to literature, acceptance is influenced by many factor. Its strength depends on the object and subject of accepteance as well as on the context. The goal of this pilot project is to establish a groundwork for acceptance research and to analyse communication as a measure for public acceptance. The reporting of the public media, which has found only little attention to this date, will now stand in focus. The way how media reported about the construction of new wind parks and the resulting influence on the acceptance of energy projects is the main goal.