Data – Information – Knowledge are the core domains of the Institute for Application-Oriented Knowledge Processing in teaching, research and development at the Institute of Application-oriented Knowledge Processing (FAW). In particular Knowledge-centered Systems, Quality Aspects, Semantic Technologies, Web Retrieval, Data Mining, Workflows and Business Processes and, Security Aspects are current topics. Together with the LIT Secure and Correct Systems Lab we focus on security aspects in information systems, currently especially on authorization and access control for graph-structured data and analyzing log files to detect security-relevant events autonomously.  Further information, opens an external URL in a new window.

Our mission at the Institute of Business Informatics – Software Engineering is research and education in both Business Informatics and Software Engineering. Both fields are seen as interdisciplinary areas that must integrate technical, business management and social science contents. We conduct both application-oriented and basic research. Our research methods pursue an engineering-scientific approach, i.e., development from the exemplary, design-oriented and descriptive on to the fundamental, abstract and explanatory – in other words, from practice to theory. We conduct the major share of our research and development projects in cooperation with other university and non-university research facilities and with partner companies.   Further information., opens an external URL in a new window

The Institute for Complex Systems (ICS) targets the ever-increasing complexity of hardware/software systems. Here, the institute considers suitable abstraction levels, i.e. Virtual Prototypes (VPs) in SystemC for HW/SW systems at the Electronic System Level (ESL), HW designs in Verilog/VHDL at the Register Transfer Level (RTL), down to the gate-level. Primary research areas are verification, debugging, and synthesis, all major problems in Electronic Design Automation (EDA). We heavily use the RISC-V ISA in our research work (see e.g. our open-source RISC-V VP). Further information., opens an external URL in a new window

The Institute of Computational Perception investigates and develops computational models and algorithms that permit computers to perceive and 'understand' aspects of the external world. Thus, our research and teaching focuses on problems like pattern recognition, knowledge extraction, and data and text mining, with methods from fields like signal processing, statistical pattern recognition and classification, machine learning, and generally Artificial and Computational Intelligence. Our current research has a particular focus on intelligent audio and music processing, computer vision, biometric identification and cryptography.   Further information.

The Institute for Formal Models and Verification contributes to the research and development of tools for automated reasoning. This topic stretches from logic, over artificial intelligence to applications and particularly includes support for the development of software and hardware. Our SAT, SMT and QBF solvers are world-renowned and rank at the top of international competitions. Our goal in teaching is to provide the basic and advanced knowledge to apply logic in all fields of computer science and beyond.   Further information.

The Institute for Integrated Circuits provides expertise for all main steps in the design and realization of integrated circuits, embedded systems, as well as cyber-physical systems. This includes modeling of corresponding HW/SW systems in early stages of the design flow and their realization through all major abstraction levels such as the Electronic System Level (ESL), the Register Transfer Level (RTL), the gate level, and the technology mapping down to the physical level. Besides that, we are heavily involved in the development of design methods for alternative and post-CMOS computing technologies such as microfluidic systems or quantum computing.  Further information., opens an external URL in a new window

The Institute of Networks and Security provides expertise on the analysis and design of security and privacy properties including the operating system and network layers. Particular focus areas are digital identities, embedded and mobile systems security, and network protocol security and privacy.   Further information.

The Secure Systems Group works on applied cryptography and security economics. We focus on aneconomic understanding of security as an attempt to make attacking a system as hard as possible. To this end, we apply techniques of optimization, game and decision theory to the orchestration of security mechanisms, in particular cryptography, and resource allocation for security risk management. Furthermore, we study the security of critical infrastructures with help of artificial intelligence and simulation. In addition of applying AI in security, studying the security and robustness of AI itself is also a major research interest.  Further information.

The Institute of Semiconductor and Solid State Physics provides expertise on the growth, nanofabrication, characterization, modification and applications of semiconducting nanostructures and novel materials. Relevant to the activities of the LIT Secure and Correct Systems Lab are the activities on high-performance sources of quantum light (single and polarization-entangled photons) to be used for quantum communication purposes.   Further information.

The Institute for Software Systems Engineering develops theories, methods and tools for specification, design, implementation, testing, monitoring, and evolution of large and complex software systems. Characteristics of such systems include decentralized control, support for multiple platforms, inherently conflicting requirements, continuous evolution and deployment, as well as heterogeneous, inconsistent and changing elements. Besides that, we are also actively pursuing research on model-driven engineering, requirements engineering, software evolution, software monitoring, variability and product lines, verification and validation, and software processes and tools.  Further information.

The Institute for System Software works on programming languages, compilers, virtual machines, and performance analysis. In compilers, we focus on dynamic compilation (JIT compilation), speculative and feedback-directed compiler optimizations, and self-optimizing language interpreters. In this context we are also looking at techniques for safely executing programs written in inherently unsafe languages such as C/C++ or Fortran. This work can therefore be classified as research on Secure Code. Most of our research happens in collaboration with Oracle Labs. Our research results are now part of Oracle's Java HotSpot VM and Oracle's multi-language GraalVM with their JIT compilers.   Further information., opens an external URL in a new window

The Institute for Symbolic Artificial Intelligence stands out as one of its oldest and most intriguing sub-fields. Here knowledge is artfully represented through symbols, with rules applied to derive new insights. In a recent project, we dived into Symbolic AI, figuring out why seemingly simple problems are challenging. From debugging software and ensuring data consistency to solving planning problems, its applications are diverse. It sparked our curiosity about research questions in this practical world where Symbolic AI plays a crucial role. Further information