Current Projects

unicase - Sysiphus goes Eclipse

The goal of unicase is to support modeling and collaboration in global software projects. unicase is a reimplementation of the core ideas of the Sysiphus project based on Eclipse. In the Sysiphus project many technologies had to be developed and now have to be maintained, that are not part of the core concepts and features but are rather infrastructure. With Eclipse emerging as a platform and offering almost all of these infrastructural technologies it is an evident next step to build Sysiphus based on the Eclipse platform.

DOLLI

Pinocchio

The goal of Pinocchio is to enable children to experience and develop an understanding for classical music in a playful manner by conducting a virtual orchestra. We are developing Pinocchio as a game to be usable in a living room environment as well as in a museum setting. The user can configure the orchestra, which is modeled as a set of individually controllable musicians. Each musician is represented by audio and video streams and can be freely located in 3D space. The orchestra adjusts its tempo and volume to the conductor's gestures. Pinocchio works with several types of batons, differing in tracking method and in gesture recognition algorithms. The long-term goal is the creation of a multi-modal, device independent framework for gesture-based applications which require motoric skills or the control and operation of a complex set of sensors in intelligent house or car driver assistance systems.

TEAM

The TEAM project addresses the need for a knowledge sharing environment with advanced capabilities suitable for the distributed engineering and management of software systems. The TEAM project aims to develop an open-source software system, seamlessly integrated in a software development environment for enabling decentralised, personalised and context-aware knowledge sharing.

Sysiphus

The goal of Sysiphus is to support modeling and collaboration in global software projects. While global projects are becoming more common in software development, collaboration among sites remains difficult. Primary causes include differences in culture, lack of informal communication, and lack of awareness among sites. Sysiphus addresses these challenges by providing a uniform framework for representing system models, collaboration artifacts, and the overall project organization. By making this information explicit, participants can become aware of upcoming issues, contact more easily the relevant stakeholders, and resolve issues more quickly. By providing mechanisms to selectively notify potential recipients, participants save time and effort while avoiding an information overload.

TABLET

The TABLET project aims to improve introductory computer science classes by using the concept of Cognitive Apprenticeship, which has been shown to improve learning. We are developing and evaluating a set of tools and concepts, forming a software infrastructure that supports this vision for large lectures involving hundreds of students. The curriculum of the courses has been altered to include problem solving sessions.

Arena

ARENA is a distributed, multi-user system for organizing and conducting tournaments.

ARENA is game independent in the sense that organizers can adapt a new game to the ARENA game interface, upload it to the ARENA server, announce and conduct tournaments with players and spectators located anywhere on the Internet. Organizers can also define new tournament styles, describing how players are mapped to a set of matches and how to compute an overall ranking of players by adding up their victories and losses (and hence, figuring out who won the tournament).

JASS 2006: Course "Advanced Topics in Software Engineering"

The goal of the JASS project is the development of an agile meeting management tool for distributed software projects. It is based on a rhetorical model of issues, proposals, resolutions and action items, enabling users to annotate UML modeling elements such as use cases, class diagrams or sequence diagrams with rhetorical elements. Developers create system models and communication elements within a single repository, where the system models represent the system under development and the communication elements represent problems, status and tasks. Meeting agendas are not explicitly written by a project manager, but are generated automatically from the open issues and action items in the repository.

Virtuelles Symphonieorchester, VSO 2005

(Watch Demo Movie) The goal of the "Virtual Symphony Orchestra" project is to increase the interest of children in classical music by giving them an understanding of the variety and beauty of music in a timely and playful manner. For this purpose the children slip into the role of an orchestra conductor. They can share in the exciting process of an orchestra performance to find out, that classical music can be a lot of fun.

Software Cinema - Video-based Requirements Engineering

Software Cinema is research in useful applications of digital video in software development. However, digital video alone is an inert medium which does not facilitate changing the message of finished movies. To alleviate this shortcoming, we propose a tool kit to create, edit, and modify digital media consisting of film enriched with software models. We call this Requirements Analysis Video (RAV).
Our focus in the development life cycle is on requirements elicitation and analysis, since we expect the greatest benefits there, especially in the application domain of mobile interactive users. The rhetoric gap between end-users and developers is especially severe in those applications, and we are confident that RAV can serve to reduce misconceptions and misunderstandings. We think RAV is a viable alternative for capturing and transporting fuzzy information. Moreover, the tool kit could prove beneficial for creators of other kinds of interactive media.

Decision Support Tool for IT-Security and Risk Management

Today’s system administrators have to react to security alerts based on intuition, previous experience, regulations, and sometimes on inflexible policies ; moreover, currently there is no link to available defense reactions and related defense costs. The goal of this project is to support the role of the system administrator by automating his task through introducing the proposition of automation versus human intervention. This proposition allows a better use of capacity, and redeployment of skilled resources. Customers can refocus on core business since the infrastructure is self-sustaining, this way increasing business efficiency.

IT Network Management Tool for IT Services

This project was initiated in coordination with the project "Decision Support Tool for IT-Security and Risk Management". One of the major assumptions of the "Decision Support Tool for IT-Security and Risk Management" is the existence of a white-box IT infrastructure which maps the IT-resources to one another. This allows, in an attack incident, the ability to trace the complete transitive closure of the IT-resources affected and thus build the potential attack tree.

Tube - Graph Based Programming

A protoypical implementation of a graph-based programming language based on python with a prototypical IDE for Mac OS X
The project started in 2004.

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Past Projects

Medusa

Medusa is a framework for the secure sharing of digital information in a natural and flexible way, following well established work processes. Topic maps are used as a generic data model to organize and exchange domain knowledge. The framework packages information in a way so that it can be delivered securely, for communication and data exchange it implements a peer- to-peer approach.

Scenarios in the area of public health care were analyzed to evaluate the benefit of the framework. A prototype application based on the proposed framework was developed that handles semantically enriched and restricted medical information of patients and manages fine grained access for physicians.

Ferienakademie 2004: Kurs "Context Awareness"

This Ferienakademie course is not based on the usual seminar style, but requires active participation in the development of a prototype during the academy. As a preparation for the course, you will not have to prepare a talk. Instead we will have to become knowledgeable in of the tools we will use to build the prototype (Image understanding, image manipulation, blue screening, augmented reality tracking, film editing, audio processing, DVD creation).

CAR

The goal of CAR is to create a collaboration platform for computer scientists (UI programmers) and non-technicans (human factors, psychologists etc.). The platform allows collaborative design of visualizations and interaction metaphors to be used in the next-generation cars with Head-Up Displays. We focus on two scenarios: parking assistance and a tourist guide.
For instructions on how to set up the demonstartion in the AR Lab please referr to CarDemoInstallation (requires password)

Break Out

Break Out. An Augmented Reality computer game.

AiRcraft

Entwicklung eines optischen Kopftrackingsystems zur Visualisierung eines Highway in the Sky mitels Augmented Reality in Privatflugzeugen.

HEART

"Heart surgery Enhanced by Augmented Reality]Techniques"; in Cooperation with Deutsches Herzzentrum, Munich.

Minimally invasive or totally endoscopic cardiac surgery is an operation technique in which physicians operate through small incision points at the operating region, either using endoscopic tools or master-slave robot systems. In either case, the field of view of the physician is quite limited to a small area around the operating region. To get more general overview, preoprative imaging and planning data can be used through Augmented Reality techniques.

ITO

Das Verbundprojekt Information Technology Online (ITO) verfolgt das Ziel, die Inhalte der von den Projektpartnern angebotenen Lehrmodule aufeinander abzustimmen und multimedial aufzubereiten, so dass diese in klassischen Präsenzveranstaltungen oder auch völlig ortsunabhängig im Rahmen rein Web-basierter Lernszenarien eingesetzt werden können. Dabei orientiert sich ITO an den beiden Master-Studiengängen "Information Technology" an der Universität Stuttgart sowie "Computational Science and Engineering" an der TU München. Als weiteres Projektziel wird der Aufbau eines Angebots für die Web-basierte Weiterbildung auf dem Gebiet Information Technology verfolgt. Hierzu werden ausgehend von den speziellen Anforderungen des Weiterbildungssektors Lernapplikationen entwickelt, die wiederum auf den multimedialen Lehrmodulen der Projektpartner basieren.

NBU

Im fakultätsübergreifenden Notebook University-Projekt im Rahmen von „Neue Medien in der Bildung“ soll mobile und dezentrale Arbeitsweise in der Lehre erprobt werden.
The project started in June 2001.

SHEEP

In this demo, we use a multiplayer shepherding game to explore the possibilities of mutimodal, multiuser interaction with wearable computing in an intelligent environment. The game is centered around a table with a beamerprojected pastoral landscape. Players can use different intuitive interaction technologies (beamer, screen, HMD, touchscreen, speech, gestures) offered by the mobile and stationary computers. Building on our DWARF framework, the system uses peer-to-peer, dynamically cooperating services to integrate different mobile devices (including spectators laptops) into the game.

Ski

Zur Unterstützung der Fahrtechnikanalyse der Ski Alpin Nationalmannschaft werden die Bodenreaktionskräfte bei der Abfahrt gemessen und mit dem Fahrstil verglichen. Ziel des Projekts ist es, ein Konzept für eine neue, leichte, genaue und flexibel einsetzbare Messeinrichtung und eine Augmented Reality-basierte Datenvisualisierung zu entwickeln.

SOFTNET

SOFTNET is part of the research cooperation FORSOFT at the TUM. SOFTNET develops and tests methods of software engineering for new forms of communication and computer networks. Its focus is on processes for service development and the connection of distributed and mobile systems and components in heterogenous environments. For more information see the SOFTNET hompage.
The project started in November 2000.

Tangible User Interfaces

Interaction techniques for Augmented Reality user interfaces (UIs) differ considerably from well explored 2D UIs, because these include new input and output devices and new interaction metaphors such as tangible interaction. For experimenting with new devices and metaphors we propose a flexible and lightweight UI framework that supports rapid prototyping of multimodal and collaborative UIs. We use the DWARF framework as foundation. It allows us to build highly dynamic systems enabling the exchange of components at runtime.

Our framework is a UI architecture described by a graph of multiple input and output and control components (User Interface Controller UIC).

Ubiquitous Tracking

Augmented Reality applications are highly dependent from accurate and precise tracking data. Since current tracking technologies do not always provide such information everywhere in real-time application developer must combine certain trackers together to minimize the disadvantage of one tracker by another. These sensor networks can then be used to deliver positional relation information of objects to the application which then can be evaluated. By introducing the Ubitrack framework it is possible to form ubiquitous tracking environments which may consist of several sensor networks.

UMTS

Beteiligt ist die Inmedius Europa GmbH^? und der Lehrstuhl für Angewandte Softwaretechnik (Prof. Bernd Brügge, Ph.D.) des Instituts für Informatik der Technischen Universität München. In einem Zeitraum von insgesamt drei Jahren sollen insgesamt drei Prototypen des unten erläuterten Szenarios implementiert werden. Das Projekt wird im Rahmen der High-Tech-Offensive Zukunft Bayern von der Bayerischen Staatskanzlei gefördert.
The project started in October 2001.

Cargo&Logistic

In this lab course a distributed, interactive logistic tool was developed, the focus lies upon the visualization of freight flow and stocking information where visionary and modern visualization and user-interaction concepts are implemented experimentally (see teaching announcement as well).
The project started in Oct 2003 and ended Mar 2004.

NAVI

"Navigation Aid for Visually Impaired"; A talking streetmap for blind people. The system will be used by people who can't see or read the ouput given on a screen. Therefore we must provide feedback and ouput in acustic and tactile mode. The input must be designed in a way that the user knows also without seing something where in the menus he is and how he can get where he wants. During the navigation process a lot of events occur where the system has some informational output for the user. Through data filtering we want to guess which information the user wants to know and which information isn't of interest.

Arvika

ARVIKA means Augmented Reality (AR) in Development, Production, and Service. It is a German consortium funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) that researches Augmented Reality technologies for the support of work processes in development, production, and service for complex technical products and plants. The project is very application driven and consists of five sub-projects: the horicontal projects "AR in Development", "AR in Production", and "AR in Service" as vertical projects are complemented by "User driven System Design" and "Base Technologies for AR".
The project started in July 1999.

ARENA

With the arrival of the global broadband network infrastructure, new game concepts are possible and resulted in the creation of a wealth of Multiplayer Online Games (MOGs), for example, Quake, CounterStrike, Ultima Online, EverQuest, or WarCraft. But after the broadcasting infrastructure of radio and television was supplemented by two-way network connections, another use of the technology was enabled: peer-to-peer (P2P) networks. Thus far they are mainly used for one-on-one messaging or simple file exchange. The newly available FRAG framework manages peer-to-peer communication, distributed object synchronization and message transport for object-based 2D or 3D game worlds.
The project started in October 2002.

ARCHIE

For producing buildings in a collaborative way with all involved persons, ARCHIE (Augmented Reality Collaborative Home Improvement) shall be responsible for giving the system user the most familiar way to handle the information during the development process.

PAARTI

"Practical Application of Augmented Reality in Technical Integration"; in Cooperation with BMW AG, Munich.
(Fall 2001 - Fall 2002)

TRAMP

The TRAMP system (Traveling Repair and Maintenance Platform) was developed in a Praktikum with 50 student participants. The realized scenario was to guide a mechanic who is equipped with a wearable computer to a customer who has a car breakdown. The mechanic is also instructed by the system on the actual repair process to fix the car.

FixIt

This student praktikum focused on scenarios to support the inspection or repair of machines (Fischer Technik models).
Spring semester 2002

FataMorgana

This student praktikum focused on design and evaluation of car models. In cooperation with BMW AG, Munich.
Spring and fall semester 2001

Pathfinder

This was the first demonstration system for the DWARF framework. It shows Yet-Another-Campus-Navigaiton scenario but stays here for sentimental historic reasons (since it shows the old location of the computer science department in the heart of munich).

STARS

Sticky Technologies for Augmented Reality Systems.
Student Praktikum Winter 2000.

DWARF - Augmented Reality Framework

DWARF is a CORBA based framework that allows the rapid prototyping of distributed Augmented Reality applications. Augmented Reality is a new way for humans and computers to interact: real-world scenes are augmented with virtual objects. The augmented scene can, for example, be presented to the user through a see-through head-monted display. DWARF is a Framework for the development of such systems: a collection of intelligent modules that can be combined flexibly depending on the needs of the desired application.
The project started in July 2000.

Awareness Builder (ABX)

Awareness Builder (ABX) is a system that will enable the participants of distributed software development projects to monitor the activities of others over a wide range of artifacts (e.g., system artifacts, organizational charts, or rationale models). Participants can subscribe to be notified when specific system artifacts are modified, when specific participants trigger an activity, or when participants trigger activities related to specific issues. Relationships among the system, organizational, and rationale models are then used to provide observers a context to interpret the activities of others. By providing context in terms of issues (as opposed to only system or communication artifacts), we hope to disseminate richer and more targeted awareness information, hence creating more opportunities for informal information exchanges and for distributed collaboration.
The project started in February 2002.

Medina

The goal of the MEDINA project was to develop and field test a prototype for so called "Webbased Multicenter Studies" in cooperation with the German Association for Accidental Surgery (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Unfallchirurgie). It provides the solution to the problem of gathering raw data for medical studies by using standard web-technology for the data recording, instead of evaluating paper-made questionaires. The prototype was developed using WebObjects^? and deployed in March 2000. For more information, contact Dipl.-Inform. R. Kobylinski.
The project ended in July 2002

AiRguide

Location Based Service Access
The project ended in October 2001.

Daidalos

The Daidalos project defined and implemented an intranet for the German National Merit Foundation (Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes). The project created new ways and enhanced existing of communication between scholars (former and current) and the foundation itself. Project management for this project was quite a challenge since almost all members of the project were spread over Germany and worked voluntarily.
The project ended in June 2001.

PAID

The goal of this project was to develop a software solution for deploying frequently updated technical specifications and information about vehicle maintenance to car dealers. Traditional methods, such as delivering paper-based or CD-based documents, are slow and costly. The project is based on a selective, adaptive multicast protocol and builds on advanced technologies such as data mining, statistical modeling, and mobile computing.
The project ended in January 2000.

OWL

Link is currently not available

The goal of this project was to develop the infrastructure for intelligent buildings. All objects in a house, from the elevators and locks down to single light bulbs, are equipped with sensors and actuators that allow to detect failures and malfunctions.
The project ended in January 2000.

JAMES

The goal of this project is to develop services and applications related to smart cards and cars. Examples are the automatic reservation of parking lots via mobile phones, the remote diagnosis of car failures, and the realization of frequent driver incentive schemes. Some of these applications also benefit from satellite navigation systems, for example, to guide the driver to its reserved parking lot.
The project ended in June 1998.

Jewel

Link is currently not available

The goal of this project was to measure and simulate the spread of air pollutants with respect to a model of the environment.