Meet the team
We are a multinational project with international collaboration between Canada and Germany
Our mission together began over lunch at a conference and has blossomed into all that you can find here today.
Uta-Marei Martz
Lead Developer/Designer
M. Sc. student at Aalen University
Data Management in Product Development and Production
Prof. Dr. Doris Aschenbrenner
Dean of the Course Data Management in Product Development and Production
Aalen University
Beethovenstraße 1, 73430 Aalen
Raum 270
doris.aschenbrenner@hs-aalen.de
+49 7361 576-2388
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rafiq Ahmad, P.Eng
Associate Professor, Faculty of Engineering – Mechanical Engineering Dept –
University of Alberta
Vice-President, International Association of Learning Factories
Associate Director Experiential Learning for Mechanical Engineering
10-326 Donadeo Innovation Centre For Engineering
9211 116 St, Edmonton AB
T6G 2H5
Email rafiq.ahmad@ualberta.ca
Phone (780) 492-7180
Supporting Contributors
Daniel Csernyi
Master Student,
Data Management in Product Development and Production
Aalen University
Tausif Hasnine Choudhury
Co-op Student
University of Alberta
The SMART Lab for Design and Manufacturing serves as a strategic bridge between fundamental research and advanced industrial applications within the evolving paradigms of Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0. The lab focuses on the design, development, and deployment of sustainable, intelligent, and human-centric systems that enable the digital transformation of industry and society. Through interdisciplinary research and strong industry partnerships, the lab’s core application domains include Manufacturing 4.0, Construction 4.0, and Agriculture 4.0, addressing critical challenges through data-driven automation, cyber-physical systems, Industrialized robotics, learning factories, and next-generation digital technologies.
170+ Members and Alumni
200+ Publications
100+ Events
30+ Academic and Industry Partners
The “Human in Command” research group at Aalen University of Applied Sciences is dedicated to researching and developing concepts for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the future world of work. The group’s overarching goal is to create innovative solutions that enable efficient and harmonious collaboration between humans and machines. A particular focus is placed on developing systems that are not only technically advanced but also user-friendly and ethically sound.