Digitization

——Artificial intelligence (AI) has enormous potential to change society. Whether or not we perceive these changes as positive will strongly depend on how we regulate AI and its development. The EU has agreed on the world’s first comprehensive, governmental regulatory framework for AI. This will set the standards for the future.

——Chatbots are taking over more and more aspects of our digital lives. Thanks to AI technology, they offer quick and affordable approaches to customer service and online advice. But what if a chatbot starts spreading misinformation?

——In spring 2021, it was widely reported in the media that there had been an attempted cyberattack against a water treatment plant in Oldsmar, Florida. Apparently, malicious hackers had remotely taken over its systems and tried to poison the water. Evidence of any actual system breach could not be found—but many vulnerabilities in the plant’s systems were discovered.

——Down the drain and forgotten? No, because our wastewater can provide an astonishing amount of data, revealing much about our way of life. It can also help in identifying social problems at an early stage.

——Mid-air haptic technology lets you feel what actually exists only in virtual reality. There are plenty of potential applications—some of which could take some getting used to.

——Regional and ­renewable: the energy transformation doesn’t just mean saying ­f­arewell to fossil fuels, but is also leading to more decentralized energy supplies. To ensure that the grid remains stable, ­electricity ­infrastructure needs to get smart. We explain how these smart ­networks work.

——To look at, an MRI scanner isn’t much more than a large tube that makes loud ­clicking noises and somehow ends up ­producing images. But how does the device actually allow doctors to see inside the human body? A simplified explanation.

——A bit, or binary digit, has a single value: either 0 or 1. A qubit, or quantum bit, in contrast, can also assume the infinite number of states between 0 and 1 in a single moment—at least in theory. But how does a quantum computer actually work? Where and when will one be ready for use? And why did Einstein think quantum experiments were spooky?

——How ­digitization is changing the way we remember—and what it means for individuals as well as for companies.

——Sybille Lehmann-Hasemeyer, explains the serious consequences that speculative bubbles can have.

——When Notre-Dame Cathedral was struck by fire in 2019, the heart of France nearly went up in flames. The people with perhaps the most important role in its reconstruction are hard at work—and are tackling this mammoth project using modern technology.

——They say that every crisis contains opportunities. But does this also hold true for a crisis like the corona pandemic?

——Globalization provides an enormous variety of goods and connects producers around the entire world. This networking is efficient and inexpensive, but also extremely fragile. We examine what happens when the global flow of goods gets interrupted — and how this can be prevented.

——Udo Schneider, security expert at Trend Micro, explains the advantages of blockchain and points out possible alternatives.

——An insight into global data centre energy consumption and its costs.

——3D printing is becoming increasingly interesting for the production of medical products. Simon Schlagintweit from TÜV SÜD and his team are already on hand to help and advise companies.

——Since the 1970s, researchers have looked with fascination at the idea of a brain-computer interface. The idea is gradually becoming reality and meanwhile visionaries are dreaming of thought transmission – but how will society react to this kind of technology?

——The use of smart machines and robots in clinics and care facilities is no longer a dream of the future. But will they replace nursing staff entirely?

——The idea of intelligent life in space has been captivating people for decades. We set out on a search for the extraterrestrial with three leading researchers—and found some sobering answers.

——The European Space Agency observes weather caprices in space.

——HVDC stations testify to how the energy transition is being driven forward on the high seas.

——Equipped with a camera, riding a Segway and carrying artificial intelligence in his luggage - that's how we meet the robot Mic.

——From gaming gadget to promising future technology: virtual reality was supposed to transform entire industries. But it still hasn’t had its big breakthrough. In Wiesbaden, Minsk and Potsdam, however, the technology is helping disabled people live even fuller lives.

——There is hardly an object that we touch as often as our smartphone in everyday life - which is one of the reasons why they are among the biggest germ-spreaders of all.