Industry 4.0

In Industry 4.0, often referred to as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), production is interlinked with state-of-the-art information and communication technology. The driving force behind this development is the rapidly increasing digitalisation of the economy and society. This is permanently changing the way we will produce and work in Germany in the future: After the steam engine, assembly line, electronics and IT, intelligent factories (so-called "smart factories") are now defining the fourth industrial revolution. The technical basis for this are intelligent, digitally networked systems that enable largely self-organised production: People, machines, systems, logistics and products communicate and cooperate directly with each other in Industry 4.0 [1].

Risks through networking

As networking increases, new attack scenarios are emerging in automation technology. Manufacturers, system integrators and operators are often unaware of the potential risks. Existing production systems are being retrofitted with networked components. Components not previously intended for networked use become vulnerable. In addition, there is often a great deal of trust in their own technology, even though some basic security features such as the ability to update are missing. The effects of manipulation can lead to industrial espionage, data theft and operational disruptions or even total loss. This can have dramatic consequences for Germany as an industrial centre. Scientific research in the form of Course outlines and legal frameworks are available. Education and a change in awareness on the subject of cyber security is needed.

Didactic concept

The steps described form the basis of a concept to be developed, which presents the dangers of Industry 4.0 and possible solutions in a didactic way. People without in-depth IT knowledge should be able to visualise the topic for themselves. The demonstrator can be used at trade fairs or for visitors to our faculty in our rooms and can be operated permanently without human intervention.

Playful realisation in the IoT

Fischertechnik kits and Raspberry Pi's are available as hardware. The aim is to create an intuitive realisation of the didactic concept. An integration of Raspberry and a hardware model based on Fischertechnik using the latest wireless technology (Bluetooth Low Energy BLE) provides the basis. The sub-processes are each represented by a Raspberry Pi as a control unit.

What you best bring with you

For the hardware-related part:
Knowledge of hardware-related programming, Linux and ideally BLE in Linux and programming in Python and C,practical skills, knowledge of robotics, automation technology and IoT basics

For the didactic realisation:
Knowledge of Angular or other techniques for GUI realisations on Raspberry, knowledge of user experience in a didactically prepared form

For everyone:
Interest in new technologies and eagerness to learn, knowledge of web-based protocols, agile approach and wanting to shape the project outcome yourself. The best ideas come from working together. :-)

Together with

We are carrying out the project together with Comlet Verteilte Systeme GmbH. Their Darmstadt branch represents the area of security engineering and contributes its experience in the field of cyber security consulting for industrial automation.

The dates

The project will take place as a block event during the lecture-free period from 5 to 23 March. The kick-off starts on 5 March at 10:15 am. A second part of the project is planned for September, again as a block event.

For further information please contact

Prof Dr Jens-Peter Akelbein - Head of the EST laboratory
Mario Hoss - research assistant
Bettina Kurz-Kalweit - research associate and laboratory engineer EST

[1] Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, Plattform Industrie 4. 0 - What is Industry 4.0?
http://www.plattform-i40.de/I40/Navigation/DE/Industrie40/WasIndustrie40/was-ist-industrie-40.html

[2] fischer Holding GmbH & Co. KG
https://www.fischertechnik.de/de-de/simulieren/industrie-40

Who hasn't been there? You're throwing a departmental party with your fellow students. But how do you manage the payment?

Do you have to quickly add up the total price in your head while serving three beers and two sausages and then collect the money? Ah, there was something else, the guest also gets his change, so you have to do the maths again... And can you treat yourself to a beer without losing track?

Or do you employ a cashier who then hands out the corresponding drinks and food vouchers so that you only have to validate the vouchers again at the counter?

And what do the party guests think if they have to queue at the cash desk first and then a second time at the bar/counter? :-(

Anyone who has ever experienced this scenario as an organiser or as a guest has certainly found that none of the conventional payment strategies are really satisfactory.

Therefore, in this project we want to try to find a better concept with the help of current technology.

In this project, we want to develop a prototype payment system that is ideally cashless. The requirements from the user perspective (organiser as well as guest) play the biggest role here.

Rudi Scheitler and Bettina Kurz