Jahresbericht 2009 - Biba - Universität Bremen

The LogDynamics Lab at BIBA at theUniversity of Bremen is a competenceand service centre, which investigatesthe possible applications of mobilekey technologies in production and logisticscenarios. The lab’s aim is to ensurethe transition between researchand practice as well as the exchangewith industry. At the LogDynamics Lab,new products and applications canbe tested in a practical setting withoutdisturbing the internal processes of thepotential users. Miss-investments canbe prevented and processes can beadjusted and optimized by using thenew technology. Mobile technologies,especially, are used for identification,localization, communication, sensor,handling (robotics) and processcontrol. Due to the integration into theBremen Research Cluster for Dynamicsin Logistics (LogDynamics), directaccess to new research results in thefield of logistics is ensured.One of the current projects is devotedto the development of anapplicator for automatic labeling ofwooden pallets, which was successfullyaccomplished in cooperation withMasur Energiesysteme GmbH. Theapplicator enables wooden palletsto be equipped with transponders atminimal costs. This new developmentwas first presented to the public atLIGNA 2009 – the world fair for forestryand wood industries in May 2009 inHannover. Other successfully accomplished,resp. ongoing projects are(among others):• Prototypic development of an RFIDtunnel reader with integratedmaterials-handling technologyfor identification of packed goodsin bunches• Integration of RFID technology ina Segway (see p. 41) for inventoryat large-scale industrial sites• Programming and advancementof an autarkic inventoryrobot, developed by the ChineseAcademy of Sciences’ Institute ofAutomation (CASIA)To ensure state of the art, the followingnew acquisitions were madeto the Lab´s infrastructure:• automatic package sortingsystem,• robotic palletizing cell,• automatic high-bay racking withan integrated pick-by-light commissionsystem as well as alreadyexisting materials-handling technology,• warehouse management systemfor materials-handling technologyand stock managementDue to investments in technologicalinnovations, the possibilities to simulatereal logistic scenarios among laboratoryconditions, like for instancethe prototypic implementation ofsystem control concepts via RFID,have been additionally extended.The LogDynamics Lab is very wellconnected, locally as well as internationally.In its role as link betweenresearch and industry, the Lab isintegrated in a local corporate network,the RFID service center bremen(www.rfid-service-center.de), whichprovides an extensive service spectrumaround RFID. On an internationallevel, the lab is a founding memberof the Global RF Lab Alliance (www.grfla.org) and of the InternationalJournal of RF Technologies: Researchand Applications. Furthermore, it isa member of the European networkRACE networkRFID (www.race-networkrfid.eu)and involved in the EUresearch project EURIDICE.The Global RF Lab Alliance includes eight labs at American,European and Asian Universities in cooperation.This Alliance supports thecommunication between researchersand students in joint research projects.For instance, an all-automaticRFID gate was im-plemented in theLogDynamics Lab for testing purposein cooperation with the Hong KongUniversity of Science and Technology(HKUST). This innovative gate is ableto realize different antenna positionsand evaluate those autonomouslyusing actuators.The RACE network RFID was founded in March 2009 and aimsto bundle and expand the RFIDexpertise of European actors. It isfocused on supporting the developmentand practice implementationof technological innovations. Thesustainable intention of the networkis to position RFID technology asstandard in information and communicationtechnologies. The roleof BIBA/the Lab in this network isthe work package “Dissemination”,which contributes to the strengtheningof the European cooperationwith Asia and the USA.Dieter Uckelmann, Harry Halfar, DirkWerthmann and Aleksandra Slaby57