With numerous user studies, surveys, workshops and technology developments, e. g. in the field of intelligent assistant systems, a focus is set on the human at SmartFactoryOWL rather than on technology. For the region Ostwestfalen-Lippe new vistas open up for the knowledge and technology transfer in an international framework, like e. g. EU-projects. Three researchers of the Institute Industrial IT (inIT) of OWL University worked out the application for the membership in the network.
With becoming member of “ENoLL” (European Nework of Living Labs) an important step for the international and interdisciplinary exchange with other innovation labs is made. This means in specific for the researchers from Lemgo: The future users are not just able to try out new technologies early and get to know the value of digitalization, but also may bring in their own ideas for technology architecture. The development of SmartFactoryOWL to a living lab offers a certain added value for employees: They can actively co-design their workspaces of the future.
“This step is not just joining another network and feeling valued for what we have achieved, but also a fundamental expansion of the innovation process. I am really curious about potential effects of this user-centered approach for Industry 4.0 solutions”, says Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Jasperneite, Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Automation in Lemgo.
About ENoLL:
The „European Network of Living Labs“ is a network of 170 innovative locations and organizations where users are actively integrated in the research and design of new technologies. Topics are e.g. energy, media, mobility, health care or agriculture.