Research news

In industrial production, getting the sequence right is crucial. What sounds trivial at first poses a considerable challenge for sectors with complex planning processes. The automotive industry is just one of many examples. Parts from suppliers must arrive on time and a wide variety of model configurations need to be mass-produced. At the same time, innovation cycles are becoming ever shorter. An AI-supported planning platform that optimally controls the production process has yet to be introduc [...]

Artificial intelligence can free up more time for legal professionals to focus on their core legal work. At the EDV-Gerichtstag (EDVGT) conference on 23–25 September on the Saarbrücken campus, the Institute for Legal Informatics at Saarland University will be presenting AI tools for research, teaching and university studies. [...]

The European Union is providing a further €4.6 million in funding for the Master's programme Advanced Materials Science and Engineering (AMASE). This latest award brings the total funding since 2005 to more than €20 million, making it one of the most successful programmes supported under the prestigious Erasmus Mundus scheme. [...]

The Joint Federal Committee, which oversees the German healthcare system, recently approved a screening appointment programme for children ages 9 and 10, known as the U10. This marks a turning point for vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV). For the first time, there is a regular screening appointment for all children covered by statutory health insurance, precisely at the age at which the HPV vaccination is recommended. [...]

For many years, the Water Monitoring Research Group at Saarland University has been investigating pollution in Saarland's streams and rivers with the ultimate aim of implementing measures to protect these bodies of water. A new five-year collaborative project undertaken in partnership with the Saarland Ministry for the Environment, Climate, Mobility, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (MUKMAV) was launched in July. [...]

Large language models such as ChatGPT have become an integral part of everyday life for many people and businesses. They are being used, e.g., to gather information from multiple sources and to support complex planning processes. Yet these AI systems are not infallible and they continue to make mistakes – LLMs hallucinate and struggle to combine information in a logically rigorous manner. Computational linguist Michael Hahn has set out to strengthen the theoretical foundations of AI reasoning. [...]

Paper could play a key role in the search for materials that offer both high performance and sustainability. Not only is paper recyclable and fully biodegradable, it could in future also be used as a high-tech material in automotive engineering, sensor systems or even robot construction. [...]

Researchers at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Europe (KIST Europe) and Saarland University are working together to develop an environmentally friendly method of detecting and removing heavy metals from water. The interdisciplinary team, which brings together expertise in molecular biology and physics, is based on the university’s Saarbrücken campus. [...]

Intelligent people tend to perform better at school and at work, as numerous studies have shown. But what happens in domains where incentives such as good grades or financial rewards don’t apply, and where socio-economic status is not a significant factor? Wine knowledge is a case in point. Intelligence researcher Maximilian Krolo of Saarland University has investigated whether intelligence can predict the acquisition of deep knowledge in a specialized domain. [...]

What can local policymakers in Saarlouis, Münster and the Slovenian cities of Ljubljana and Koper learn from one another? How are they putting the European Union's sustainability goals into practice at municipal level? Are they equipped to deal with climate change and the associated environmental and social challenges? [...]