The terms "digitisation" describes a major process of change that is having an impact on very many areas of our society. A great deal of data is being converted into a machine-readable form, whereby many manual processes are being converted into digital variants or at least supplemented. Our Department supporrts this mega-trend with our research and teaching.

To ensure that data from large computing centers, for example, can be processed energy-efficiently, quickly and still robustly despite possible failures of subsystems, we are researching and teaching so-called resilient fiber optic networks. These can be used, for example, not only for wide-area connections, but also for short distances within a computing center or between computing centers that are close to each other. Of course, a smart energy supply is also necessary here - this is also being researched here at the Department.

But digitization is not only making itself felt in large technical systems. Digital systems can also complement previous (analog) approaches in many smaller areas. One example of such a small project, which is supported by students from Kiel, is digital support for speech and language therapy for Parkinson's patients.