Summary

In the research prospects 2000+ the Max Planck Society states: In the future, numerous objects of our daily life will contain embedded microsystems with interfaces to people and wireless connections to other objects. This requires reliable, highly meshed systems that will exceed the dimension of what we know today from the World Wide Web. Applications in medical diagnostics, instrumented homes, manufacturing environments, and vehicles among others demand a systematic development of methods for the design and the secure operation of such embedded microsystems as well as the education of highly qualified scientists in this area. This is accomplished by the PhD program Embedded Microsystems at the University of Freiburg.

The Faculty of Applied Sciences at the University of Freiburg offers an ideal setting: the unique combination of the Institute of Computer Science IIF and the Institute of Microsystem Technology IMTEK. This constellation leads to multiple synergies providing a fresh perspective on the intricate connection of software and hardware in miniaturized technical systems. The thirteen research fields of Embedded Microsystems investigate development and test methods for software and hardware under the demanding constraints imposed by microsystems and their environments.

The educational program crosses the traditional borderline between computer science and micro-system technology and offers a sound basis for the progression towards a PhD degree in embedded microsystems.