(2024 - 2027)
This project aims to develop an optical telescope system capable of spectroscopic analysis of space debris. In order to achieve the high-precision telescope pointing and tracking required for this application, a self-learning pointing model and an improvement of orbit prediction based on obtained data will be developed. Ultimately, spectroscopic analysis can give information on the material, pose and rotation of space debris.

Versatile technology platform for MEMS scan system for automotive safety applications (2021 - 2024)

Advancements of sensors, communication and artificial intelligence are about to bring a revolutionary changes in mobility and transportation by autonomous driving. Scanning mirrors based on Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technologies are one of the promising solutions for various automotive applications, e.g. photonic sensing such as lidars and human machine interfaces such as augmented reality head -up display (AR HUD) and smart headlights. The AUTOScan project aims for automotive grade MEMS scanning systems for robust sensing and imaging in harsh automotive environmental conditions, enabling reliable MEMS lidars and AR HUDs.

High precision in-line measurements on free form surfaces are considered a key factor for the industrial production of the future. Robot-based measurement systems provide the required flexibility but are typically lacking the required precision. The scope of this project is the development of a measurement platform designed as end effector for industrial robots, which carries a measurement or inspection tool and compensates for environmental disturbances, enabling precision 3D measurements on both arbitrarily oriented and moving samples.

Next-generation high-quality motion systems require high-precision actuators with higher energy efficiency and larger force to improve the system throughput. Particularly, actuators with a motor constant higher than comparable voice coil actuators are highly desired. This project investigates hybrid reluctance actuators (HRAs) with guiding flexures as a promising candidate of the next-generation systems.

High resolution long range Lidar for autonomous driving (2017 - 2020)

Lidar is an acronym for light detection and ranging, in analogy to radar. Lidar has received much attention in the automotive industry as a key component for high level automated driving systems. Compared to other sensing techniques such as stereo cameras and radar, lidar can provide high resolution and highly accurate 3D measurements of the surroundings and robust detection in various weather conditions.

The precise tracking of high velocity satellites with ground based optical telescopes is a prerequisite for a number of future applications such as optical satellite communication, observation of space debris or satellite laser ranging. To achieve this goal, good mechatronic design as well as high performance control are necessary. Together with our industrial partner, ASA Astrosysteme GmbH, this project aims on increasing the achievable precision and tracking velocity of existing ASA ground stations.

Fundamentals of opto-mechatronic systems

Currently innovation is taking place at the border of disciplines rather than in one individual field of engineering. This particularly holds for application domains that span more than one field of engineering, since a high level of system integration from different disciplines provides solutions that a single domain alone cannot provide. As an example, the combination of optics and mechatronics form the interdisciplinary field of opto-mechatronics.

Characterization of highly divergent optics

Opto-mechatronic devices such as triangulation sensors or chromatic confocal sensors project focused light beams onto the surface of the measuring object. Assessing the properties of the focused beam is essential as they are directly related to the achievable measurement resolution and precision of the opto-mechatronic device.

Atomic Force Microscopy capable of vibration isolation

An atomic force microscope (AFM) can image and inspect a sample surface with high resolution by scanning a probe with a sharp tip over the sample. During scanning, the vertical position of the probe with respect to the sample typically needs to be regulated with nanometer resolution. For the required high resolution, AFMs are sensitive to vibrations transmitted from the floor dependent on their design.

Automated in-line metrology for nanopositioning systems

Robot based in-process metrology is a key enabling technology for upcoming production systems and is considered as one of the most important preconditions for future production. Measuring properties at the nanometer scale such as topography, morphology and roughness within a production line becomes increasingly important for quality control and process monitoring tasks to make high tech production more efficient.