Electronics and Signal Processing

After completing his studies in electrical engineering at the University of Paderborn, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dietmar Gerhardt earned his doctorate in the field of biomedical measurement technology. In his dissertation, he developed methods for computer-aided detection of sleep stages in infants.

In his professional career, he worked at E-Plus Mobilfunk GmbH & Co. KG from 1998 to 2010, where he was responsible for research management in the field of electromagnetic field compatibility with the environment. In this capacity, he represented the company in the Research Association for Radio Technology (FGF) and the Information Center for Mobile Communications (IZMF). During this time, he supervised several scientific, interdisciplinary studies and supported the German government’s Mobile Communications Research Program from 2002 to 2008.

In April 2010, Dietmar Gerhardt was appointed to the Velbert/Heiligenhaus campus, where he serves as a professor of electronics and signal processing.

Dr. Silvia Hacia graduated in electrical engineering and information technology from Ruhr University Bochum, where she obtained her doctorate in nanoelectronics in 2005.

From 2005 to 2009, she worked in applied research in the field of process and component development at PREMA Semiconductor GmbH in Mainz.

Since 2010, she has been a research associate at Bochum University of Applied Sciences on the Velbert/Heiligenhaus campus.

The Laboratory for Electronics and Signal Processing conducts research and development in the fields of sensor technology, measurement technology, image processing, digital signal processing, and applications in artificial intelligence, thereby representing a key component of mechatronics. This also includes circuit design in the field of electronics and artificial intelligence methods from the field of computer engineering.

Simulation software is available for circuit development, and the necessary laboratory equipment for electronics—ranging from measurement technology to PCB manufacturing—is at our disposal. A high-resolution 3D measurement system is available for the spatial measurement of sensor technology developments. In the field of digital signal processing, simulation programs are used to develop algorithms, and development environments for microcontrollers are utilized in the field of embedded systems.

Ongoing externally funded projects offer students the opportunity to expand their subject-specific knowledge in this field by participating in practice-oriented research and development tasks, as well as to complete their theses.

• Experimental study on the solar radiation absorption behavior of various asphalt pavements (EP GRIP), Possehl Spezialbau GmbH, 2024
• Innovative sensor technology for building services (external funding project), 2022
• Quality control methods for automatic punching machines (external funding project), Johann Vitz GmbH & Co. KG, 2021
• Investigation of physical effects for moisture determination and development of a suitable sensor system (external funding project), 2017
• Development of an optical sensor system for surface classification (external funding project), 2016
• Feasibility study on sensor technologies for automatic sliding doors (external funding project), 2016
• Investigations of various methods for surface classification (external funding project), 2015
• Simulation study on the design development of a locking system (external funding project), 2014
• Investigation of the geometric structures of inductors for wireless data and power transmission (external funding project), 2013
• Analysis and optimization of an existing data transmission protocol to increase the range and effective data rate for a locking system – measurement technology component (BKS GmbH), 2013
• Development of sensor technology for punching machines (external funding project), 2012
• Metrological evaluation of an electronic locking system (Schulte Schlagbaum AG), 2012
• Development of a measurement system for the quantitative evaluation of the energy consumption of individual components in electronic locking systems (with the kind support of Schulte Schlagbaum AG), 2011

• Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH, Hochschule Bochum, 2020, Vorsatzgerät für ein Reinigungsgerät, Saugwischer und Verfahren zum Nassreinigen einer Fläche, Erfinder: Gerhardt, Dietmar, Hacia, Silvia, Anmeldung: 24.11.2020, Offenlegungsschrift DE102020131028A1 2022.05.25
• Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH, Hochschule Bochum, 2018, Vorsatzgerät für ein Reinigungsgerät, System und Verfahren zum Nassreinigen einer Fläche, Erfinder: Gerhardt, Dietmar, Hacia, Silvia, Isenberg, Gerhard, Ortmann, Roman, Anmeldung: 15.11.2018, Patentschrift DE102018128687B4 2022.04.07
• Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH, Hochschule Bochum, 2017, Vorrichtung und Verfahren zum Unterscheiden von Bodenbelägen, Erfinder: Gerhardt, Dietmar, Hacia, Silvia, Hackert, Georg, Isenberg, Gerhard, Ortmann, Roman, Windorfer, Harald, Anmeldung: 06.04.2017, Patentschrift DE102017107434A1
• MARPOSS Monitoring Solutions GmbH, Hochschule Bochum, 2018, Stamping device with a  sensor and method for transmitting a sensor signal, Erfinder: SCHNEIDER, Hans Peter, GERHARDT, Dietmar, HAMANN, Kai, 30.05.2018, Anmeldung: 29.11.2013, WO, Patentschrift WO2014086328
• EMKA Beschlagteile GmbH & Co. KG, Hochschule Bochum, 2015, Schwenkhebelverschluss mit einer Sperreinrichtung für das Verriegelungsteil, Erfinder: Alan, Turgay, Jung, Roman, Grunert, Martin, Skopnik, Jörg, Gerhardt, Dietmar, 31.12.2015, Anmeldung: 13.01.2015, DE, Patentschrift DE102015100381
• Stanzvorrichung mit einem Sensor, Gebrauchsmusterinhaber: Brankamp GmbH, Hochschule Bochum, Deutschland, Anmeldung: 04.12.2012, Eintragung: 05.03.2014, Gebrauchsmuster Nr. 20 2012 011 658.4, IPC: B23Q 11/00

• Böhne, H.; Dirkes, K.; Hänschke, L.; Kayser, T. R.; Reitinger, L.; Versteegen, L.; Gerhardt, D.; Podjawerschek, S.: Entwicklung und Kombination neuartiger Sensorik zum Sehen und Fühlen für den ReBel Cobot, 21. AALE-Konferenz. Dresden, 12. März - 14. März 2025, In: Tagungsband AALE 2025 menschzentrierte Automation im digitalen Zeitalter, Hrsg. Hochschule für Technik, Wirtschaft und Kultur Leipzig, Leipzig, 2025, S. 367-376, ISBN: 978-3-910103-05-4, DOI: doi.org/10.33968/2025.39, nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:bsz:l189-qucosa2-958893
• Brächter, T., Gerhardt, D.: Camera Image Based Method of Real Time Gaze Detec-tion and Interaction, International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Vo-lume 10, Issue 11, November 2020 788, ISSN 2250-3153, DOI: 10.29322/IJSRP.10.11.2020.p10777, dx.doi.org/10.29322/IJSRP.10.11.2020.p10777
• Gerhardt, D., Hacia, S., Aubke, J., Jakob, L., Metze, M., Prengel, S.: Three-dimensional measurement system for testing the performance of sensors : Basic concept, implementation and application examples. 16th Int. Conf. on Resarch and Education in Mechatronics (REM2015), Bochum, Germany, November 18-20 (2015) 
• Gerhardt, D.: System für schnelle 3D Analysen bei sensorischen Entwicklungen. In: IEEE-Workshop, Industrielle Messtechnik & Kraftfahrzeugsensorik, 28. März, Mülheim an der Ruhr (2014) 
• Gerhardt, D.; Hacia, S.: Entwicklung eines Messsystems zur Untersuchung elektronischer Schließsysteme. In: Tagungsband zu innosecure - Kongress für Innovationen in den Sicherheitstechnologien, 25.-26.09.2013, VDE Verlag, ISBN978-3-8007-3532-7, 2013, S. 213-216
• Gerhardt, D.: Site acquisition process in Germany – Framework, Regulation, Practice, German Mobile Telecommunication Research Programme, Talk on the International Workshop on Final Results of Risk Communication Projects, 18.-19. October 2006, www.emf-forschungsprogramm.de
• Gerhardt, D.: Immissionsprognosen und Messungen elektromagnetischer Felder vom Mobilfunk Basisstationen. In: ITG-Fachbericht Nr. 194, Mobilfunk – Technologien und Anwendungen, 11. ITG-Fachtagung, 17. und 18. Mai 2006 in Osnabrück, VDE-Verlag, Berlin, Offenbach, ISSN 0932-6022, ISBN 3-8007-2942-3, 2006, S. 17-22
• Gerhardt, D., K. Menzel, U. Schlegel: Reale Verteilung der Sendeleistung von Mobilfunk­telefonen im GSM 1800-Netz. In: ITG-Fachbericht Nr. 187, Mobilfunk – Technologien und Anwendungen, ITG-Fachtagung, 1. und 12. Juni 2005 in Osnabrück, VDE-Verlag, Berlin, Offenbach, ISSN 0932-6022, ISBN 3-8007-2902-4, 2005, S. 31-34
• Gerhardt, D.: Definition of a Parameter for a Typical Specific Absorption Rate under Real Boundary Conditions of Cellular Phones in a GSM Network, Advances in Radio Science, Kleinheubacher Berichte 2002, U.R.S.I., ISSN 1684-9973 (online), ISSN 1684-9965 (paper), 2003
• Hesse, T., W. Schulz, D. Gerhardt: Properties of UMTS Baseband Signals in Time Domain and in Frequency Domain (UMTS Air Interface), COST281/EBEA 04.05.2002, Rome, 2002
• Bitz, A., Bökelmann, V., Gerhardt, D., Hansen, V., Hombach, V., Streckert, J., Ndoumbè Mbonjo Mbonjo, H.: A generic UMTS test signal for bio-experiments. 5th International Congress of the European BioElectromagnetics Association (EBEA), Helsinki, Finland, 173-174, 2001
• Gerhardt, D.: Charakterisierung der Luftschnittstelle für UMTS-Mobilfunksysteme. In: ITG-Fachbericht Nr. 166, Mobilfunk - Stand der Technik und Zukunftsperspektiven, ITG-Fachtagung, 16. und 17. Mai 2001 in Osnabrück, VDE-Verlag, Berlin, Offenbach, ISSN 0932-6022, ISBN 3-8007-2611-4, 2000, S. 119-126
• Gerhardt, D., K. Menzel: Sicherheit in elektromagnetischen Feldern im Nahbereich von GSM Antennen. In: ITG-Fachbericht Nr. 160, Mobilfunk - Stand der Technik und Zukunfts­perspektiven, ITG-Fachtagung, 10. und 11. Mai 2000 in Osnabrück, VDE-Verlag, Berlin, ISSN 0932-6022, ISBN 3-8007-2542-2, 2000, S. 163-177
• Bahr, A., D. Gerhardt, D. Manteuffel, K. Menzel: Occupational Safety in the Near Field of GSM Base Stations, Millenium Conference on Antennas & Propagation AP2000, Davos, Switzerland, 9. - 14. April 2000
• Patzak A., B. Schlüter, R. Mrowka, A. Unbehaun, D. Gerhardt, P. B. Persson, D. Barschdorff, E. Trowitzsch: Rhythms and complexity of respiration during sleep in preterm infants, Clin. Physiol. 19 (6), 1999, pp. 458-466
• Bahr, A., D. Gerhardt, K. Menzel: Arbeitsschutz im Nahbereich sendender Mobilfunk­antennen. In: Nichtionisierende Strahlung: mit ihr leben in Arbeit und Umwelt, 31. Jahres­tagung des Fachverbandes für Strahlenschutz e.V., Köln, 27.09.-01.10.1999, TÜV-Verlag, Köln, ISSN 1013-4506, ISBN 3-8249-0559-0, 1999, S. 893-906
• Gerhardt, D.: Verfahren zur Schlafstadienerkennung bei Säuglingen und Kleinkindern, Universität-GH Paderborn, Elektrische Meßtechnik, Dissertation 1998, Meßtechnische Berichte, Band 14, Hrsg. Prof. Dr.-Ing. D. Barschdorff, ISSN 0943-1918
• Gerhardt, D.: EMV von Mobilfunktelefonen in sensiblen Bereichen. In: ITG-Fachbericht Nr. 151, Mobilfunk - Stand der Technik und Zukunftsperspektiven, ITG-Fachtagung, 17. und 18. Juni 1998 in Osnabrück, VDE-Verlag, Berlin, ISSN 0932-6022, ISBN 3-8007-2362-X, 1998, S. 165-187
• Barschdorff, D., D. Gerhardt, E. Trowitzsch: Automatic Obstructive Apnea Detection Using Thoracic and Abdominal Respiratory Effort Sensors, Vth World Congress on Sleep Apnea, Marburg, Germany, September 17-20, 1997, In: Somnologie, Zeitschrift für Schlaf­forschung und Schlafmedizin, 1. Jahrgang, Supplement 2, Blackwell Wissenschafts-Verlag, Berlin, 1997, p. 31
• Barschdorff, D., D. Gerhardt, E. Trowitzsch: Polysomnographic System for Scoring Sleep Stages in Infants with Neural Networks, Proceedings of the XIV. IMEKO World Congress, New Measurements - Challenges and Visions, Tampere, Finland, Vol. VII, June 1-6, 1997, pp. 216-221
• Barschdorff, D., D. Gerhardt, M. Kronmüller: Vergleich verschiedener Klassifikations­verfahren für den Bereich der technischen Fehlerdiagnose und der Biomedizin, Proceedings in Artificial Intelligence, A. Grauel, W. Becker, F. Belli (Hrgs.), Fuzzy-Neuro-Systeme ´97, Computational Intelligence, 4. Internationaler Workshop, Soest, 12.-14. März 1997, S. 510‑517
• Patzak, A., B. Schlüter, W. Orlow, R. Mrowka, D. Gerhardt, E. Schubert, P. B. Persson, D. Barschdorff, E. Trowitzsch: Linear and nonlinear properties of heart rate control in infants at risk, The American Journal of Physiology, 1997, 273(2 Pt 2): R540‑R547
• Barschdorff, D., D. Gerhardt, E. Trowitzsch: Rapid Eye Movement Detection in Infants using a Neural Network, 18th Annual International Conference of IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 31. October-3. November 1996
• Mrowka, R., B. Schlüter, D. Gerhardt, A. Patzak: Heart Rate Control in Infants at High Risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), Computers in Cardiology, IEEE 1996, pp. 173-176
• Patzak, A., B. Schlüter, W. Orlow, E. Trowitzsch, R. Mrowka, D. Gerhardt, D. Barschdorff, E. Schubert: Periodic and low-dimensional chaotic components of heart rate variability in infants at risk, 23nd International Congress on Electrocardiology, Cleveland, In: Journal of Electrocardiology 1996, From the Cell to the Body Surface, Liebmann, J. (Ed.), World Scientific Publiching Co. Pte. Ltd., Singapore 1996, pp. 345-348
• Patzak, A., W. Orlow, R. Mrowka, B. Schlüter, E. Trowitzsch, D. Gerhardt, D. Barschdorff, E. Schubert: Heart Rate Control in Infants at Risk, Proceedings of the 21st Annual ISCE Conference, Research and Technology Transfer in Computerized Electro­cardiology, April 20-25, 1996, In: Journal of Electrocardiology, Vol. 29, Supplement, 1996, p. 214
• Trowitzsch, E., D. Barschdorff, D. Gerhardt, A. Jäger: Automatic Recognition of Sleep Stages with Neural Networks in Infants, (International Congress on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: The Role of Environmental Factors in Infant Morbidity and Mortality, Graz, Austria, May 24-27, 1995). In: European Journal of Pediatrics Supplement 1 to Vol. 154, No. 5, 1995
• Gerhardt, D., A. Jäger, E. Trowitzsch: Atemmuster- und Schlafstadienerkennung mit neuronalen Netzen bei Säuglingen, Technisches Messen tm 62, R. Oldenbourg Verlag, Heft 3, 1995, S. 113-116
• Barschdorff, D., A. Jäger, D. Gerhardt, E. Trowitzsch, D. Buschatz, B. Schlüter: Automatische Apnoebewertung zur Beurteilung von Atemregulationsstörungen bei Säuglingen, Zeitschrift für Elektroenzephalographie, Elektromyographie und verwandte Gebiete, Thieme Verlag, Nr. 25, Heft 3, 1994, S. 205-209
• Barschdorff, D., A. Engel, A. Jäger, D. Gerhardt, D. Buschatz, B. Schlüter, E. Trowitzsch: Einsatz eines rechnergestützten Analysesystems in der Polysomnographie, (Kongress für Schlafforschung und Schlafmedizin, Münster 10.3.-12.3.1994). In: Abstracts, S. 74
• Barschdorff, D., A. Engel, A. Jäger, D. Gerhardt, D. Buschatz, B. Schlüter, E. Trowitzsch: System zur automatisierten Registrierung und Auswertung polysomno­graphischer Daten SIDS-gefährdeter Kinder, (1. Tagung Klinische Forschung, Witten/ Herdecke, 5.2.1994). In: Tagungsband Klinische Forschung, Poster 136, S. 54

Courses offered as part of the bachelor's degree program at CVH:

• Electrical Engineering Fundamentals 2 (Modul BA-CVH-ET2)
• Electrical Engineering Fundamentals for computer scientists (Modul CVH-BA-ETI)

• Electronic devices and circuits (Modul BA-CVH-EBS)

• Sensor technology and digital signal processing (Modul BA-CVH-SDSV)
• Digital Image Processing, (Modul BA-CVH-WM1)
• Scientific Writing Techniques and English for Engineers (Modul CVH-BA-WISE)
• Projects as part of the KIS program: KIS-project 1, 2, 3 (Modul CVH-BA-KIS1,2,3)
• Software Project IT (Modul CVH-BA-SWP)
• Advanced computer science topic (Modul CVH-BA-VTP)
• Internship phase (Modul BA-CVH-PP)
• Bachelorthesis (Modul BA-CVH-BA)

Courses offered as part of the master's program at CVH:

• Computer Vision (Modul CVH-MA-CV) 
• Signal processing and pattern recognition (Modul CVH-MA-SME)
• Development Project (Modul CVH-MA-ENT)
• Masterthesis (Modul CVH-MA-MA)

• Electrical Engineering Fundamentals 2 (Modul BA-CVH-ET2)

• Electronic devices and circuits (Modul BA-CVH-EBS)

• Sensor technology and digital signal processing (Modul BA-CVH-SDSV)
• Software or Experimental Laboratory (Modul CVH-BA-LSP)

Many sub-tasks were assigned from the following projects, which were successfully completed as part of lectures, project work, and theses. There are still more tasks to come in the future.

• Drobix – The Meadow Worker: Development of an autonomous flying drone and an autonomous wheelbarrow for collecting horse manure in a horse meadow.
• Construction of an Efficient Tiny House: Development of systems for energy and water supply, climate control (among other things)
• Development and integration of innovative sensing technologies for vision and touch for the ReBel Cobot