Research and Network

The vision of a digital and green European Union requires joint efforts from businesses, public organizations, research institutions, arts and culture as well as proactive engagement of citizens. To foster the development and implementation of innovation, there is a need for digital skills, training programs, testing and experimentation facilities, financial support and networked ecosystems.

The European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH) Thuringia embodies this vision and these services as part of the European hub network with a focus on the mobility, logistics and energy sectors. It acts as a regional one-stop store in Central Germany for the digital transformation of private companies and the public sector. With its interdisciplinary expertise in the application of artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, cybersecurity and digital skills development, EDIH Thuringia addresses the most important challenges for a digital European Union.

By expanding the active innovation ecosystem that has been created through numerous preliminary projects, it offers potential customers unique opportunities to implement forward-looking digital solutions.  EDIH Thuringia will promote regional digitalization, create new digital products and services, stimulate significant private and public investment and thus become an important player in shaping the digital future.

Vision, goals, content, structure and organization
EDIH Thuringia is driven by the firm conviction that Europe can only become the first climate-neutral continent, increase economic prosperity, promote social justice and strengthen democracy if it plays a pioneering role worldwide in the digital transformation of business, administration, science and society. Shaping Europe's digital decade and driving forward the green transformation at the same time is the twin challenge for today's generation to shape a sustainable future.

With the Digital Europe program, the European Commission has paved the way for the Digital Decade and, with the joint Digital Compass cardinal points, has defined a target system that is comprehensively addressed and supported by EDIH Thuringia:
- Skills: Training programs will increase the number of ICT specialists and improve the digital skills of skilled workers
- Infrastructure facilities: Test and trial facilities for digital technologies will be made available to public organizations as well as private companies and serve as best practice examples of efficient and sustainable digital infrastructures
- Company: EDIH Thuringia addresses SMEs at all skill levels, from pioneers to late adopters, thus promoting the digital intensity of companies, EDIH Thuringia specifically supports start-ups and cooperates with established incubators
- Government: EDIH Thuringia explicitly supports the digitalization of the public sector as a key player in the transformation process and promotes the high potential of eGovernment solutions

All EDIH Thuringia developments and activities will incorporate and strengthen the rights and principles declared within the framework of digital citizenship for Europeans. In particular, the needs of people will be placed at the center of the digital transformation.

EDIH Thuringia aims to become the German EDIH for mobility, logistics and energy. It will support public and private clients from the innovation region of Thuringia and neighboring regions in Central Germany as a one-stop store for their digital, green transformation. It will promote innovation through experimental practices and interdisciplinary collaborations and actively participate in building a thriving EDIH network.

The geographical reach and sectoral focus of EDIH Thuringia build on each other and lead to the particularly high impact potential of this project. Mobility, logistics and energy are among the economic sectors with the highest turnover and employment in Thuringia, as well as among the most important public infrastructure services. They are also among the sectors with the greatest demand and the greatest opportunities for the use of digital technologies.

As part of the EDIH project, highQ Computerlösungen GmbH is making its highQ MobilitySuite available to give interested cities, municipalities and SMEs the opportunity to extensively test a mobility platform including front ends and the associated background systems. Based on the knowledge gained, requirements can be determined more precisely and desired extensions can be specified. As part of this extensive testing, all innovations developed during the course of the project are available to all interested parties.

In addition, highQ offers all interested above-mentioned institutions the opportunity to further deepen their needs in workshops and provides advice. With many years of expertise in the areas of mobility platforms, incentives, e-ticketing and connecting mobility service providers to platforms, highQ is the ideal partner to provide support right from the conception and planning stages of a mobility solution.

Thanks to the European funding framework, all interested institutions can also book these workshops and consultations at a reduced rate.

Digital Europe program - European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH)

Duration: 01.07.2023 until 30.06.2026

Set-up phase in 2023, the operational phase of the EDIH begins in 2024, regular Hub Days will take place at the Weimar location from the 2nd quarter of 2024 - we look forward to your participation.

Contact at highQ: Stefanie Wetzel (s.wetzel(at)highq.de), Dominik Danda (d.danda(at)highq.de)

Further information:

EDIH at LinkedIn  EDIH Network

Project description

One of the biggest challenges currently facing society is ensuring reliable mobility services while prioritizing climate protection. However, innovations or new legal framework conditions can never completely solve problems.

What is missing so far is an accessible concept - especially for SMEs and smaller cities - for linking different mobility services that not only considers individual designs, but also offers solutions in an integrated form and a low entry barrier.

Project objective

The project aims to obtain cross-modal, data-sovereign information by networking mobility services. Data collection in the field of mobility is to be simplified so that clear conclusions can be drawn with regard to environmentally oriented and multimodal traffic management. Research results are provided by the networked integration zone using trustworthy AI-supported applications. The special feature here is the focus on easy market access for SMEs and a large number of cities.

Implementation

AIAMO provides an integration zone for environmental, mobility management and public transport data to implement the objectives. AI-based applications enable interaction between infrastructure, vehicles and road users. Two basic work packages (WP101, WP102) provide the foundation for a central integration zone, while WP302 describes the identification and development of usable data sources (IdEDa), WP303 the digital twin traffic and environment (DiZ V&M), WP304 AI-based mobility management public transport/IV (KIbaMo) and WP305 the environmentally sensitive traffic management of ground-based traffic (UVer).

Network Coordinator

ITS Germany - Federal Association of Industry and Science for Transport Technologies and Intelligent Mobility e.V., Berlin

Project duration

07/2023 - 06/2026

Projectpartner

• FKFS - Forschungsinstitut für Kraftfahrwesen und Fahrzeugmotoren Stuttgart

• Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung GmbH – UFZ, Leipzig

• highQ Computerlösungen GmbH, Freiburg i. B.

• DLR - Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V., Köln

• Robert Bosch GmbH, Gerlingen-Schillerhöhe

• Schlothauer & Wauer Ingenieurgesellschaft für Straßenverkehr mbH, Haar

• Swarco-Solution Center GmbH, Berlin

• Swarco-Traffic Systems GmbH, Unterensingen

• Theis Consult GmbH, Aachen

• T-Systems International GmbH, Frankfurt a. M.

• TEQYARD GmbH, Braunschweig

Funding provider:

Bundesministerium für Digitales und Verkehr

Referat DP20

E-Mail: ref-dp20(at)bmdv.bund.de

Further information: 

https://www.aiamo.de

Gaia-X is a platform that connects data providers and data users from different regions and domains. It provides a federated secure data infrastructure that allows users to access, manage and share data with different partners and applications. The main goal of Gaia-X is to improve the conditions for secure data exchange and to create new data-driven services in Europe. This includes the creation of data spaces that emulate the digital representation of existing physical, natural, industrial or social ecosystems.

The Gaia-X 4 ROMS sub-project implements the mobility domain, which is concerned with the development of an intelligent transportation system that will enable the comprehensive, GAIA-X-compliant use of data and networking across all transport sections and mobility carriers. The project is being led by a consortium of various companies and research institutions, including highQ Computerlösungen GmbH. The aim of Gaia-X 4 ROMS is to facilitate the integration of innovative vehicles into the overall system and to apply the design principles of Gaia-X. The project develops concrete technology modules for vehicle-based transportation concepts for people and goods and makes them visible. New data-based services can be developed and established using the digital infrastructure. highQ is developing a tool for offer planning and an application for a GAIA-X-compliant on-demand service. The implementation of the research project is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection and the European Union.

Funding provider:
Funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection based on a resolution of the German Bundestag
Funded by the European Union NextGenerationEU

Project duration:
07/2021 - 01/2026

Further information

Gaia-X eu  Gaia-X4futuremobility

Innovation through experimentation - highQ is part of the project that aims to bring a real-world laboratory of the future for sustainable and intelligent mobility, logistics and energy supply to life in Erfurt. The focus is on networking and using the latest mobility approaches through artificial intelligence to support Germany in the mobility and energy transition. The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy as part of the national strategy for artificial intelligence following a decision by the German Bundestag.

This is where highQ contributes its core competencies and develops them further in the form of barrier-free, multimodal mobility solutions for Erfurt. AI-supported mobility suggestions encourage citizens to get around in a way that promotes the common good. Behavioral change is made easier by the mobility assistant provided, which manages subscriptions, ticketing, planning and scheduling as well as direct controlling (banking and fare management). In addition, customer-friendly incentives are provided - the citizens of Erfurt can collect time miles (i.e. bonus points), which they can exchange for rewards, through mobility behavior that conforms to the common good. In this way, they can move around as needed, in an environmentally friendly and cost-effective manner, while Erfurt benefits from reduced emissions and congestion as well as happier citizens. Erfurt is becoming a pioneer for the necessary modal shift in the mobility sector thanks to the AI-supported mobility concept that is in line with the common good. In line with the motto "reward instead of punish", the citizens of Brühl, but also other stakeholders (e.g. commuting employees in the district), can be rewarded for adapting or personally optimizing their behaviour in accordance with a traffic management strategy of the city of Erfurt.

Similar to well-known retail bonus point programs, citizens collect "time miles" according to their mobility behavior and can in turn exchange these time miles for mobility-related rewards (e.g. public transport tickets, parking space reservations, e-vehicle rentals, etc.).

The algorithms and solutions developed by highQ for Zeitmeilen AG are particularly suited to the tasks of the Bauhaus.MobilityLab, as the system approach is specifically geared towards defined, particularly small spaces.

In addition, the algorithms can be adapted flexibly and at short notice to local needs and experiences in Brühl (particulate matter, nitrogen oxide, parking search traffic, etc.) in accordance with the LivingLab principle. This means that the final strategy can be developed by the city of Erfurt together with citizens and stakeholders step by step and in an open dialog.

In the BauhausMobilityLab, the route chains are mapped for the first time according to the ZEUS patent introduced by BPV in order to build on a clear and verifiably secure approach according to data protection standards for both the billing of mobility services and their incentivization.

The patented Generative Software technology (part of the highQ group of companies) can be used in particular to efficiently integrate additional service providers and to distribute the generated information and services across as many channels as possible.

The systems of a new service provider (in particular mobility service providers, but also other services such as weather forecasts) can be connected with little effort. In addition to an app developed as part of the project, a widget or library can also simply be generated to provide the required information or services in other required forms.

The automation for the creation of source code, configuration and documentation, build scripts, tests and execution environments also create ideal conditions for the "DevOps" process improvement approach. The data collected through the results of the use of automation tools makes it possible to make quick, well-founded decisions and take targeted measures.

Nowadays, several components usually work together in an application, which are more or less loosely coupled with each other via interfaces. If several such applications are connected via networks to form a software system, this is referred to as a distributed software system, which can be implemented using a microservices architecture, for example. These applications are also connected to each other via interfaces.

This situation is taken into account in automation by providing individual automation support for each component and each application, which also takes into account the interfaces between the components and between the applications. Interface models are used for this purpose. Overall, this results in a complete view of all applications. Interfaces are a particularly worthwhile goal for automation, as an interface can be defined exactly once and both the providing and consuming sides can be generated to match each other.

The project receives funding as part of the "Strategie Künstliche Intelligenz der Bundesregierung".

Further information:

bauhausmobilitylab.de

The research and development project "User-centered Mobility-as-a-Service Platform: Living, Automated, Demand & Sharing-oriented" (MaaS L.A.B.S. for short) aims to develop innovative, digitally supported mobility services in Potsdam, Cottbus and Hanover. MaaS L.A.B.S. is shaping the traffic turnaround through flexible and demand-oriented local public transport, which is expanding its efficient services with automated microbuses and combining them with new car, bike and ride sharing services. This ecological, economic, social and urban-friendly transformation of our mobility system provides solutions to the challenges of climate change, pollution and traffic congestion.

The interdisciplinary MaaS L.A.B.S. project team from the social sciences, engineering and economics places road users at the center of its research and aims to test technologies and business models step by step in order to avoid planning errors. Four services are interlinked:

• An app informs the citizens of a city about integrated mobility services (public transport and sharing services) and facilitates mobility planning and billing.
• Intelligent sharing services complement public transport to create an attractive overall offer that is competitive with private cars.
• Automated microbuses pick up citizens at their front door and thus improve access to large neighborhoods.
• Control systems ensure the smooth operation of this integrated transport system, which responds to current passenger requests in real time and in line with demand.
   

For the first time, the MaaS L.A.B.S. system is taking an in-depth look at the specific requirements of small and medium-sized cities in the context of research and development. To this end, "living labs" will be set up in the cities of Potsdam, Cottbus and Hanover from 2020, in which the services will be developed in active dialog with the population, urban development, transport planning and politics. Extensive demonstrations make technology "tangible" and shape technology and process development in step-by-step feedback processes.

As a manufacturer of IT solutions, highQ will be involved in the creation of the overall system architecture of the MaaS system. In addition, highQ is significantly involved in the development of the platform's own ticketing and clearing systems as well as the development of the MaaS app and the MaaS D2D planner. In addition, highQ will be involved in the iterative programming and testing of the interfaces between the MaaS platform and the existing decentralized platforms for fleet management and car sharing as well as the integration of smart contract-based sharing concepts.

The research and development project is funded by the BMBF for four years (15.5.2019 - 14.05.2023) in the funding line "Individual and adaptive technologies for networked mobility".

Network coordinator: Wildau University of Applied Sciences

Partners

• Fachhochschule Potsdam
• Universität Siegen
• Arbeitsgemeinschaft für sparsame Energie- und Wasserverwendung (ASEW), Lindenthal
• Cottbusverkehr GmbH, Cottbus
• GETAWAY GmbH, Berlin
• highQ Computerlösungen GmbH, Freiburg
• IVU Traffic Technologies AG, Aachen
• ViP Verkehrsbetrieb Potsdam GmbH

An app provides road users with individual recommendations on how to behave in certain situations. For example, they can choose not to travel by car, make a journey outside rush hour, switch to public transport at the nearest P+R station or choose a different route. An incentive system is being tested which rewards individual compliance with behavioral recommendations by road users (Zeitmeilen AG bonus system).

By shifting traffic flows through the app's recommendations, both in terms of time and choice of means of transport, traffic jams are avoided, road users arrive at their destination more relaxed, the environment is less polluted and conurbations are relieved. The bonus system creates additional incentives to change traffic behavior.

The project coordinator is the Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen (THM), Zeitmeilen (the startup from highQ) is one of the cooperation partners (alongside the Bauhaus University Weimar, the cities of Dortmund, Frankfurt am Main and Kassel, the Frankfurt Rhine-Main region as well as Trafficon - Traffic Consultants GmbH and pwp-systems GmbH.

The Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) is funding the project with around two million euros as part of the mFUND research initiative.

Funding body Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure

Modernity Fund (mFUND) funding program

Partner

• Bauhaus-Universität Weimar
• ivm GmbH, Frankfurt am Main
• Stadt Dortmund
• Stadt Frankfurt am Main
• Stadt Kassel
• pwp-systems GmbH, Bad Camberg
• Trafficon - Traffic Consultants GmbH
• ZEITMEILEN AG, Berlin

Further information:

Bundesministerium für Verkehr und digitale Infrastruktur

Long used in a private context, they are also gaining importance in a corporate context. Since the start of the project, highQ has been developing the mobility app SB:Digital (pilot application in the field of "Ecology and working time") as a practice partner:

SB:Digital is a social mobility app to inspire commuters for ecological and healthy mobility behavior by means of incentives and gamification.
Commuters are supported in taking on social responsibility and anchoring environmental protection sustainably in their culture. By networking mobility solutions, SB:Digital makes it possible to influence commuter behavior towards resource-conserving behavior while taking individual needs into account. The incentive component creates enthusiasm for using SB:Digital - commuters collect time miles for resource-saving behavior (e.g. commuting together, commuting at alternative times, using public transport/cycling/walking). The time miles can then be exchanged for rewards. The gamification approach is also motivating - commuters can playfully compare themselves: Who has collected the most Time Miles and receives additional rewards?

Employers benefit because their employees get to work faster and with less stress. In addition, infrastructure costs can be saved, e.g. by carpooling in the app or switching to public transport (less parking space required). In addition, the use of SB:Digital can improve the ecological balance of your company and generate reports to show the organization's progress towards ecological transport behavior.

At the end of the project, the app will be marketed as an extension of our mytraQ product line as mytraQ.biz.

Funding body

This research and development project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the European Social Fund (ESF) as part of the "Future of Work" program (FKZ 02L15A070, duration: 01.04.2017 to 31.03.2020) and supervised by the Project Management Agency Karlsruhe (PTKA). The author is responsible for the content of this publication.

Partners

• InfAI e.V.
• Fraunhofer-Institut für Arbeitswirtschaft und Organisation
• die B.I.G Social Media GmbH
• CADsys GmbH
• highQ Computerlösungen GmbH
• SNTL Publishing GmbH & Co KG.

Further information:

Institut für angewandte Informatik

Fraunhofer-Institut für Arbeitswirtschaft und Organisation IA

This project aimed to integrate mobility information across all modes of transport in a routing app for the Stuttgart region. Intelligent suggestions via the app enabled traffic flows (mainly car traffic) to be redirected, alternative mobility options to be suggested and simple transfer options to be shown. These routing suggestions made it possible to achieve the actual goal of reducing/avoiding traffic jams, protecting the environment and reducing travel times.

The project has now been successfully completed and remarkable results have been achieved. One of these is the app, which is primarily aimed at all road users with intermodal routing and also involves car commuters. A parking operator, Parkraumgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg, was also a project partner. The moveBW app includes booking options for mobility alternatives, in particular the purchase of public transport cell phone tickets and the booking or reservation of parking spaces (optionally including charging points) and shared vehicles.

Nahverkehrsgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg (NVBW), a subsidiary of the state of Baden-Württemberg, operates the mobility platform created as part of the project, which will be available for the Stuttgart region and, in future, for the whole of Baden-Württemberg from spring 2020. This will create a public interest-oriented and non-discriminatory portal for bundling various data providers and providing them with all relevant information from regional partners for traffic management via open interfaces.

Partners: The project consortium, which ran until April 2019, was led by Robert Bosch GmbH.

Other participants:

• highQ Professional Services GmbH
• Hochschule der Medien Stuttgart
• MRK Management Consultants GmbH
• Nahverkehrsgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg mbH
• Parkraumgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg mbH
• Prisma Solutions GmbH
• Trafficon – Traffic Consultants GmbH

Further information:

Summary of the project