Autonomy, adaptability and network integration are characteristic features of complex IT systems. Conventional control systems and architectures are no longer adequate to realize the potential of these technologies completely, nor are they sufficient to master the complexity of such systems. The solution is to design selected components as "autonomous systems" which can act mainly by themselves wi
thout external control most of the time. In this context, autonomous mobile and biomimetic robots constitute the forefront of development. The international program "Autonomous Systems" offers multifaceted training in the fields of artificial intelligence and robotics, spanning a whole range of issues involved in the field. Topics covered include, but are not restricted to, autonomous agents, robot control architectures, mobile manipulation, navigation and control of mobile robots, learning and adaptivity, computer vision, real-time systems, distributed systems, sensor networks, micro-controller programming, and design and implementation of embedded systems. The four-semester program aims to challenge talented, motivated and dedicated students, and involves coursework as well as project work. A large portion of the program, including the preparation of the Master's thesis, involves research and development projects. The project work portion takes the form of an R&D project and a final thesis project. The program's affiliation with the Fraunhofer Institute IAIS, one of the leading research institutes in Germany and the largest organisation for applied sciences in Europe, provides an unparalleled opportunity for students to pursue extensive practical training in projects at the cutting edge of the field. These projects may also be carried out at a number of other research institutes or within externally-funded research projects at the university (for example, EU-funded projects RoCKIn, BRICS, XPERO, and RoSta as well as nationally-funded projects such as EmoRobot and AICISS). This helps to ensure a high-quality education in the field, and also offers problem-oriented training in soft skills such as project management and presentation. Students have the opportunity to carry out research work associated with industrial entities such as Fraunhofer IAIS and IPA, KUKA, GPS, BGIA, Infineon, Philips, Siemens, General Electric and Bertrand. Presentations by leading international guest speakers are scheduled regularly and help to further expose students to the state of the art in a wide variety of robotics-related fields. The number of places per semester is limited to 25 candidates only, thus ensuring the admitted students a high-quality education. An extraordinary level of commitment, pro-activeness, self-discipline and the ability to work well under pressure are expected of candidates. For more information visit http://mas.inf.h-brs.de.
