We support people in interacting with complex information systems

The Interoperability and Assistance Systems Department researches and develops solutions that support people in their interaction with complex information systems. In a “system of systems” approach, interoperability is of crucial importance. 

Our F&E projects in the field of software architectures for computer-aided assistance systems focus on dialogue design and semantic interoperability. In this way, we contribute to the technical interconnection of systems and their content. Using multimodal and multimedia interaction technologies, we tailor dialogues to specific users and tasks, which facilitates collaboration. Our ontology-based information systems, web services, and intelligent software agents distribute information in a timely manner and at the appropriate level of granularity to users’ personalized end devices. Modern, technology-based learning environments, including the use of serious games, empower users with the decision-making capabilities they need. Our capabilities include the design, implementation, and evaluation of system solutions for interactive sensor data analysis; the creation of knowledge and its integration into expert systems to support networked data analysis; and the modeling of users, workflows, and application domains. We also specialize in competence management in distributed systems..

We develop components for interactive image analysis, ontology-based domain-specific databases, network-supported information management systems, and training and education systems. Compliance with and monitoring of national and international software quality standards is an integral part of our development activities. Many of our partners and customers are in the defense and civil security sectors. The products we have developed include:

• CSD (Coalition Shared Data) PLUS servers, clients, and services for needs-based data and information distribution in joint multinational military operations
• i2exrep – Interactive ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) Exploitation Report, a tool for software-supported interactive report generation, and DBED (Data Tree Editor), a tool for creating and maintaining standards-compliant target category data trees
• AMFIS, a modular, generic control station for the unified control and coordination of heterogeneous air, land, and water vehicles (sensor platforms) as well as the integration of stationary ad-hoc sensor networks
• AIUSIT, a multi-layered AI framework that enables the deployment of unmanned systems in intelligent, self-coordinating teams to achieve specified mission objectives, particularly in the context of multi-domain operations  
• Lost Earth, an adaptive serious game for aerial imagery analysis training