uni.news

» Published on 21. Dezember 2016

Speeding Up Comprehension with Grasping Actions

Researchers at the CITEC Cluster of Excellence discover a catalyzer for cognition 

Hearing or seeing a word doesn’t mean that it is immediately understood. The brain must first recognize the letters as such, put them together, and “look up” what the word means in its mental lexicon. In an experiment, cognitive psychologists at Bielefeld University’s Cluster of Excellence Cognitive Interaction Technology (CITEC) have shown how word comprehension can be sped up – namely by having study participants grasp objects while reading at the same time. Privatdozent Dr. Dirk Koester and his colleagues reported the findings of their discovery in the research journal “PLOS One.” According to the researchers, the method could offer an approach for new therapies, such as treating stroke patients.    

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» Published on 2. Oktober 2015

The ethics of copying

Conference at the Center for Interdisciplinary Research (ZiF) marks the start of a new research group

Human life would be impossible to imagine without the copying of things or behaviours. Copying is essential for individual and social learning processes, cultural development, and economic success. Copying enables processes of democratization by providing access to cultural goods and relevant information. However, until well into the twentieth century, copying was the business or specialists. Nowadays, through the development and dissemination of digital data and communication media along with computerized production techniques, the copying of texts, images, video recordings, and audio recordings has become an everyday mass practice that is even performed automatically. Nonetheless, this has been an increase in conflicts over who may copy what. These are the topics of the new research group ‘The Ethics of Copying’ at Bielefeld University’s Center for Interdisciplinary Research (ZiF) that will start work with an opening conference from the 6th to the 9th of October.

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» Published on 9. September 2015

Opening a window into the universe from Norderstedt

Researchers from Bielefeld and Hamburg inaugurate part of the largest radio telescope in the world

People have always been fascinated by the universe. The largest digital radio telescope, LOFAR, is now opening up a window. Stars, planets, and galaxies emit radio waves that can be many millions of years old. The signals received by each individual station are processed by a computer and assembled into an image of the heavens. Researchers at Bielefeld University and Universität Hamburg have set up the station together with the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy ASTRON. Today (09.09.2015) the 47th station of the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) is being officially inaugurated in Norderstedt.

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» Published on 10. Juli 2015

ToBI Competes for the Title of World Champion in China

Bielefeld University participates in the RoboCup World Championship for the seventh time

From 19–22 July 2015, robots will compete against each other at RoboCup, the largest robotic exhibition in the world, held this year in the Chinese city of Hefei. The team from the Cluster of Excellence Cognitive Interaction Technology (CITEC) will again participate in the event. For the seventh time in a row, the Bielefeld University team will battle it out together with the service robot ToBI in the household service league “RoboCup@Home” for the title of world champion. Previously, ToBI made it into the top eight, and at the 2012 competition in Mexico City, it even took third place. The robot “ToBI” is named after its team: Team of Bielefeld.

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» Published on 2. Juli 2015

Seeing the World through Assistive Glasses

Researchers at the Cluster of Excellence are developing a new mobile assistance system

A new research project at the Cluster of Excellence Cognitive Interactive Technology (CITEC) in Bielefeld University focuses on the development of a mobile adaptive assistance system  in the form of intelligent glasses that provide unobtrusive  and intuitive support  in everyday situations. The technology platform is being provided by eye tracking specialist SensoMotoric Instruments (SMI) (www.smivision.com). The system will be able to identify problems in actual action processes, to react when mistakes are made, as well as to display situation and context dependent assistance in textual, visual or avatar based formats superimposed on a transparent virtual plane in the users’ field of view. The project is called ADAMAAS, which stands for “Adaptive and Mobile Action Assistance in Daily Living Activities.” The German Federal Ministry for Education and Research is funding the project with 1.2 million Euro.

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» Published on 29. Juni 2015

New Visiting University Chair attracts major academics to Bielefeld from all over the world

Named after Harald Weinrich, the father of German as a second language (DaF)

Bielefeld University is setting up a new Visiting University Chair for top-ranking international academics. The chair is being named after Harald Weinrich, the founder of German as a second language (DaF) who worked in Bielefeld for many years. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is funding the initiative by the Faculty of Linguistics and Literary Studies for a maximum of four years as part of its visiting fellows programme. As the first Harald Weinrich Visiting Fellow, Professor Dr. Claire Kramsch from the University of California, Berkeley, USA will be coming to Bielefeld in the summer semester of 2016. Professors from Belarus, Italy, Cameroon, Turkey, and the United States should follow.

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» Published on 29. April 2015

PIKSL Lab Bielefeld Celebrates Grand Opening

PIKSL Lab Bielefeld provides computer and Internet training programmes for individuals both with and without disabilities   

The PIKSL Lab Bielefeld celebrated its grand opening on April 24th 2015 at its facilities on the Gadderbaumer Strasse 29. It is part of the KogniHome research project coordinated by the Cluster of Excellence Cognitive Interaction Technology (CITEC). The German acronym PIKSL stands for “person-centred interaction and communication for an independent life”. The lab serves an open meeting place for people both with and without disabilities. As part of its inclusive services, it provides access to the latest information and communication technologies. Through this, PIKSL encourages active participation in society and fosters independent living.

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» Published on 14. April 2015

Saving Space with a New Intelligent Loading System

Bielefeld University presents transfer research projects at the Hannover Trade Fair

LogiPro is a new interactive logistics system that gives suggestions and “thinks” in order to save space while loading goods into transportation vehicles. It is one of the joint research projects presented by Bielefeld University at the Hannover Trade Fair. Scientists from the research focus for “Interactive Intelligent Systems at Bielefeld University” will demonstrate their research findings from 13–17 April 2015. Both CITEC (Center of Excellence Cognitive Interaction Technology) and the CoR-Lab (Research Institute for Cognition and Robotics) will also present their work as part of the OstWestfalenLippe joint trade fair exhibition in Hall 16, Booth A04. This joint exhibition apearance is part of the leading-edge cluster “it’s OWL” (Intelligent Technical Systems OstWestfalenLippe).

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» Published on 5. März 2015

When dad wants to do more than just go to work

Conference at Bielefeld University’s Center for Interdisciplinary Research    

‘Many companies still view paternity leave as a lack of commitment to the job, and this leads to career disadvantages,’ says Professor Dr. Mechtild Oechsle from Bielefeld University’s Faculty of Sociology. How do companies react to ‘working dads’ who ask their employer to enable them to engage in active fatherhood? How are working dads exposed to discrimination, and how are they supported? The role of companies in promoting active fatherhood is the topic of a conference to be held at Bielefeld University’s Center for Interdisciplinary Research (ZiF) from March 12-14. Mechtild Oechsle is one of the organizers.

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» Published on 2. März 2015

22 million Euro for bioinformatics centres

Starting in March, Bielefeld University will be coordinating the new German Network for Bioinformatics Infrastructure   

In March, Bielefeld University’s Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec) will be heading a new bioinformatics programme. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is providing a total of 22 million Euro of funding until 2020 for the German Network for Bioinformatics Infrastructure (de.NBI). The network is bringing together eight German centres that specialize in processing bioinformatics data from the life sciences. As a joint institution, they will offer bioinformatics services for research projects in biotechnology and biomedicine. In addition, the network will train researchers in how to use bioinformatics software.

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