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Lithium-ion pouch cells with lithium titanate (Li4Ti5O12, LTO) anode and lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide (LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2, NCA) cathode were investigated experimentally with respect to their electrical (0.1C…4C), thermal (5 °C…50 °C) and long-time cycling behavior. The 16 Ah cell exhibits an asymmetric charge/discharge behavior which leads to a strong capacity-rate effect, as well as a significantly temperature-dependent capacity (0.37 Ah ∙ K−1) which expresses as additional high-temperature feature in the differential voltage plot. The cell was cycled for 10,000 cycles inbetween the nominal voltage limits (1.7–2.7 V) with a symmetric 4C constant-current charge/discharge protocol, corresponding to approx. 3400 equivalent full cycles. A small (0.192 mΩ/1000 cycles) but continuous increase of internal resistance was observed. Using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), this could be identified to be caused by the NCA cathode, while the LTO anode showed only minor changes during cycling. The temperature-corrected capacity during 4C cycling exhibited a decrease of 1.28%/1000 cycles. The 1C discharge capacity faded by only 4.0% for CC discharge and 2.3% for CCCV discharge after 10,000 cycles. The cell thus exhibits very good internal-resistance stability and excellent capacity retention even under harsh (4C continuous) cycling, demonstrating the excellent stability of LTO as anode material.
Markenbewertung
(2018)
Hintergrund: Richtung und Stärke des elektrischen Feldes (E-Feld) der biventrikulären (BV) Stimulation und elektrische interventrikuläre Desynchronisation sind bei Patienten mit Herzinsuffizienz und verbreitertem QRS Komplex von Bedeutung für den Erfolg der kardialen Resynchronisationstherapie (CRT). Das 3D Herzrhythmusmodell (HRM) ermöglicht die
Simulation von CRT und Hochfrequenz (HF) Ablation. Das Ziel der Studie besteht in der Integration von Schrittmacher- und Ablationselektroden in das HRM zur E-Feld Simulation der BV Stimulation und thermischen Feld (T-Feld) Simulation der HF Ablation von Vorhofflimmern (AF).
Methoden: Es wurden fünf multipolare linksventrikuläre (LV) Elektroden, eine epikardiale LV Elektrode, vier bipolare rechtsatriale (RA) Elektroden, zwei rechtsventrikuläre (RV) Elektroden und ein HF Ablationskatheter mit CST (Computer Simulation Technology, Darmstadt) modelliert und das HRM (Schalk et al: Clin Res Cardiol 106, Suppl 1, April 2017, P1812) um den Koronarvenensinus (CS) erweitert (HRM-CS). E-Feld Simulationen bei vorhofsynchroner BV Stimulation und bei RA Stimulation mit RV und LV Ableitung erfolgten mit den Elektroden Select Secure 3830, Capsure VDD-2 5038 und Attain OTW 4194 im HRM+CS (Fig.). F-Feld Simulationen der HF Ablation von AF bei CRT wurden mit integriertem Ablationskatheter AlCath G FullCircle (Biotronik) simuliert.
Ergebnisse: HRM-CS ermöglichte 3D E-Feld Simulationen bei vorhofsynchroner bipolarer BV Stimulation und bei bipolarer RA Stimulation mit bipolarer RV und LV Ableitung. RV und LV Stimulation erfolgten zeitgleich bei einer Amplitude von 3 V an der LV Elektrode und 1 V an der RV Elektrode mit einer Impulsbreite von jeweils 0,5 ms. Die von der BV Stimulationen erzeugten Fernpotentiale konnten von der RA Elektrode wahrgenommen werden. Das Fernpotential an der RA Elektrodenspitze betrug 32,86 mV und in 1 mm Abstand von der RA Elektrodenspitze ergab sich ein Fernpotential von 185,97 mV. HRM-CS ermöglichte 3D T-Feld Simulationen der HF Ablation von AF bei CRT. Das T-Feld bei HF Ablation des AV-Knotens wurde mit einer anliegenden Leistung von 5 W bei 420 kHz an der distalen 8 mm Ablationselektrode simuliert. Die Temperatur an der Katheterspitze betrug nach 5 s Ablationsdauer 88,66 °C, in 1 mm Abstand von der Katheterspitze im Myokard 42,17 °C und in 2 mm Abstand 37,49 °C.
Schlussfolgerungen: HRM-CS und Elektrodenmodelle ermöglichen die 3D Simulationen von E-Feldern bei vorhofsynchroner BV Stimulation, RA Stimulation mit RV und LV Wahrnehmung und von T-Feldern bei HF Ablation. E-Feld Simulationen von RA, RV und LV Stimulation und Sensing können möglicherweise zur Vorhersage von CRT Respondern genutzt werden.
Targeting complex fractionated atrial electrocardiograms by automated algorithms during ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation has produced conflicting outcomes in previous electrophysiological studies and catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia. The aim of the investigation was to evaluate atrial and ventricular high frequency fractionated electrical signals with signal averaging technique.
Methods: Signal averaging electrocardigraphy allows high resolution ECG technique to eliminate interference noise signals in the recorded ECG. The algorithm use automatic ECG trigger function for signal averaged transthoracic, transesophageal and intra-cardiac ECG signals with novel LabVIEW software.
Results: The analysis in the time domain evaluated fractionated atrial signals at the end of the signal averaged P-wave and fractionated ventricular signals at the end of the QRS complex. We evaluated atrial flutter in the time domain with two-to-one atrioventricular conduction, 212.0 ± 4.1 ms atrial cycle length, 426.0 ± 8.2 ms ventricular cycle length, 58.2 ± 1.8 ms P-wave duration, 119.6 ± 6.4 ms PQ duration, 103.0 ± 2.4 ms QRS duration and 296.4 ± 6.8 ms QT duration. The analysis in the frequency domain evaluated high frequency fractionated atrial signals during the P-wave and high frequency fractionated ventricular signals during QRS complex.
Conclusions: Spectral analysis of signal averaging electrocardiography with novel LabVIEW software can be utilized to evaluate atrial and ventricular conduction delays in patients with atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia. Complex fractionated atrial and ventricular electrocardiograms may be useful parameters to evaluate electrical cardiac bradycardia and tachycardia signals in atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia ablation.
Nachhaltiges Marketing
(2018)
Solar irradiance prediction is vital for the power management and the cost reduction when integrating solar energy. The study is towards a ground image based solar irradiance prediction which is highly dependent on the cloud coverage. The sky images are collected by using ground based sky imager (fisheye lens). In this work, different algorithms for cloud detection being a preparation step for their segmentation are compared.
The fisheye camera has been widely studied in the field of ground based sky imagery and robot vision since it can capture a wide view of the scene at one time. However, serious image distortion is a major drawback hindering its wider use. To remedy this, this paperproposes a lens calibration and distortion correction method for detecting clouds and forecasting solar radiation. Finally, the radial distortion of the fisheye image can be corrected by incorporating the estimated calibration parameters. Experimental results validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
This paper deals with the detection and segmentation of clouds on high-dynamic-range (HDR) images of the sky as well as the calculation of the position of the sun at any time of the year. In order to predict the movement of clouds and the radiation of the sun for a short period of time, the clouds thickness and position have to be known as precisely as possible. Consequently, the segmentation algorithm has to provide satisfactory results regardless of different weather, illumination and climatic conditions. The principle of the segmentation is based on the classification of each pixel as a cloud or as a sky. This classification is usually based on threshold methods, since these are relatively fast to implement and show a low computational burden. In order to predict if and when the sun will be covered by clouds, the position of the sun on the images has to be determined. For this purpose, the zenith and azimuth angles of the sun are determined and converted into XY coordinates.
Human-robot collaboration plays a strong role in industrial production processes. The ISO/TS 15066 defines four different methods of collaboration between humans and robots. So far, there was no robotic system available that incorporates all four collaboration methods at once. Especially for the speed and separation monitoring, there was no sensor system available that can easily be attached directly to an off-the-shelf industrial robot arm and that is capable of detecting obstacles in distances from a few millimeters up to five meters. This paper presented first results of using a 3D time-of-flight camera directly on an industrial robot arm for obstacle detection in human-robot collaboration. We attached a Visionary-T camera from SICK to the flange of a KUKA LBR iiwa 7 R800. With Matlab, we evaluated the pictures and found that it works very well for detecting obstacles in a distance range starting from 0.5 m and up to 5 m.
Die Untersuchungen der Hochschule Offenburg zeigen, dass es durch organische Korrosionsschutzschichten im Kraftfluss von Schraubenverbindungen nicht zu einem verfrühten Abschalten der streckgrenzengesteuerten Schraubmontage kommt. Die fünf untersuchten Lacksysteme zeigten ein sehr unterschiedliches Reibverhalten, der Anzugsvorgang wurde jedoch zuverlässig bei Erreichen der Schraubenstreckgrenze beendet. Durch den ermittelten Drehmoment/Drehwinkelverlauf lässt sich das streckgrenzengesteuerte Anzugsverfahren als Analystetool einsetzen, wodurch für den jeweiligen Schraubfall auch Rückschlüsse auf anderen Anzugsverfahren getroffen werden können. Des Weiteren zeigte sich, dass Pulverlacksysteme widerstandsfähiger gegen die bei der Montage wirkenden Belastungen sind und eine Montage direkt auf Lack ermöglichen können.
Vorrichtung (2) zur Analyse von Urin, umfassend: – eine Zuführ- und Abführeinrichtung (7), welche zur Zuführung einer bestimmten Urinmenge in eine wenigstens einen Analysebereich (8) aufweisende Analysekammer (9) eines Urinteststreifens (10) und zur Abführung einer bestimmten Urinmenge aus einer wenigstens einen Analysebereich (8) aufweisenden Analysekammer (9) eines Urinteststreifens (10) eingerichtet ist, wobei die Zuführ- und Abführeinrichtung (7) wenigstens ein bewegbar gelagertes Zuführ- und/oder Abführelement (28, 29) zum Zuführen einer bestimmten Urinmenge in einen Zuführbereich (33) der Analysekammer (9) des Urinteststreifens (10) und/oder zum Abführen einer bestimmten Urinmenge aus einem Abführbereich (34) der Analysekammer (9) des Urinteststreifens (10) aufweist, und – eine Erfassungseinrichtung (11), welche zur Erfassung einer zumindest abschnittsweisen Änderung wenigstens eines optisch erfassbaren Parameters, welcher sich in Abhängigkeit der Zusammensetzung einer diesen kontaktierenden Urinmenge optisch erfassbar verändert, des oder eines entsprechenden Analysebereichs (8) des oder eines entsprechenden Urinteststreifens (10) sowie zur Erzeugung einer Erfassungsinformation, welche wenigstens einen optisch erfassten Parameter des oder eines entsprechenden Analysebereichs (8) oder eine Änderung eines solchen beschreibt, eingerichtet ist.
Hot work tools are subjected to complex thermal and mechanical loads during hot forming processes. Locally, the stresses can exceed the material’s yield strength in highly loaded areas as e.g. in small radii in die cavities. To sustain the high loads, the hot forming tools are typically made of martensitic hot work steels. While temperatures for annealing of the tool steels usually lie in the range between 400 and 600 °C, the steels may experience even higher temperatures during hot forming, resulting in softening of the material due to coarsening of strengthening particles. In this paper, a temperature dependent cyclic plasticity model for the martensitic hot work tool steel 1.2367 (X38CrMoV5-3) is presented that includes softening due to particle coarsening and that can be applied in finite-element calculations to assess the effect of softening on the thermomechanical fatigue life of hot work tools. To this end, a kinetic model for the evolution of the mean size of secondary carbides based on Ostwald ripening is coupled with a cyclic plasticity model with kinematic hardening. Mechanism-based relations are developed to describe the dependency of the mechanical properties on carbide size and temperature. The material properties of the mechanical and kinetic model are determined on the basis of tempering hardness curves as well as monotonic and cyclic tests.
In this paper, the temperature dependent cyclic mechanical properties of the martensitic hot work tool steel 1.2367 after tempering are investigated. To this end, hardness measurements as well as monotonic and cyclic tests at temperatures in the range from room temperature to 650 °C are performed on material tempered for different tempering times and temperatures. To describe the observed time and temperature dependent softening during tempering a kinetic model for the evolution of the mean size of secondary carbides based on Ostwald ripening is developed. Furthermore, mechanism-based as well as phenomenological relations for the cyclic mechanical properties of the Ramberg-Osgood model depending on carbide size and temperature are introduced. A good overall agreement of the measured and the calculated stress-strain hysteresis loops for different temperatures and heat treatments is obtained using the determined material properties of the kinetic and mechanical model.
Implementation of interdisciplinary student teams in design education for additive manufacturing
(2018)
Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies are becoming increasingly popular in all areas of product development. Therefore, it is imperative that students be taught Design for AM. However, due to the rapid development of new methods and materials for AM, it does not make sense to only teach particular design guidelines, as these can quickly become obsolete. Rather, students should acquire the competence to develop guidelines themselves, that take into account the current state of the art. Thus, they will be able to react to changing processes and new materials
in the future. In order to convey the independent development of design guidelines for additive manufacturing by students, a new concept was developed, which is presented in this contribution. In this process, the learning goal is worked out by a group of students on the basis of a practical
task. The group consists of an interdisciplinary team in order to combine different competencies and to provide different perspectives on the task. A case study will show the design and manufacture of a miniature aircraft using Fused Layer Modelling. The aim of the development is above all the design for additive manufacturing. In addition, a low use of resources in combination with lightweight construction should be achieved. In the implementation of the task, the students are confronted with challenging aerodynamic design of wings as well as with the economic evaluation of the development process. An examination of the level of knowledge before and after the case study examines the learning success.
Various methods of Digital Manufacturing (DM) have been available for the manufacturing of physical architectural models for several years. This paper highlights the advantages of 3D printing for digital manufacturing of detailed architectural models. In particular, the representation of architectural details and textures is treated. Furthermore, two new methods are being developed in order to improve the conditions for the application of digital manufacturing of architectural models.
Besides of conventional CAD systems, new, cloudbased CAD systems have also been available for some years. These CAD systems designed according to the principle of software as a service (SaaS) differ in some important features from the conventional CAD systems. Thus, these CAD systems are operated via a browser and it is not necessary to install the software on a computer. The CAD-data is stored in the cloud and not on a local computer or central server. This new approach should also facilitate the sharing and management of data. Finally, many of these new CAD systems are available as freeware for education purposes, so the universities can save license costs. The chances and risks of cloud-based systems will first be analyzed in this paper. Then two leading cloud-based CAD systems will be researched. During the process, the technical performance range these new systems offer for the product development will be initially checked and reviewed. For this purpose, various criteria are worked out and the CAD software is evaluated using these criteria. In addition, the criteria are weighted by their importance for design education. This allows one to conclude which capabilities the different CAD system offers for use in education.
Nowadays, robotic systems are an integral part of many orthopedic interventions. Stationary robots improve the accuracy but also require adapted surgical workflows. Handheld robotic devices (HHRDs), however, are easily integrated into existing workflows and represent a more economical solution. Their limited range of motion is compensated by the dexterity of the surgeon. This work presents control algorithms for HHRDs with multiple degrees of freedom (DOF). These algorithms protect pre- or intraoperatively defined regions from being penetrated by the end effector (e.g., a burr) by controlling the joints as well as the device’s power. Accuracy tests on a stationary prototype with three DOF show that the presented control algorithms produce results similar to those of stationary robots and much better results than conventional techniques. This work presents novel and innovative algorithms, which work robustly, accurately, and open up new opportunities for orthopedic interventions.
Dieser Artikel gibt einen Überblick der Möglichkeiten kontextbewusster Systeme und erläutert, wie diese die Autonomie zugleich erweitern und begrenzen können. Anwendungsbeispiele wie autonomes Fahren, Rehabilitation, industrielle Arbeit und Robotik zeigen die technischen Möglichkeiten auf. Neben der Erkennung von räumlichen Details werden auch die Potenziale der Erkennung von Emotionen beschrieben. Dabei wird zugunsten der Allgemeinverständlichkeit auf eine tiefe technische Detaillierung verzichtet, zugleich aber auf die jeweils relevante Forschungsliteratur verweisen.
Social robots are robots interacting with humans not only in collaborative settings, but also in personal settings like domestic services and healthcare. Some social robots simulate feelings (companions) while others just help lifting (assistants). However, they often incite both fascination and fear: what abilities should social robots have and what should remain exclusive to humans? We provide a historical background on the development of robots and related machines (1), discuss examples of social robots (2) and present an expert study on their desired future abilities and applications (3) conducted within the Forum of the European Active and Assisted Living Programme (AAL). The findings indicate that most technologies required for the social robots' emotion sensing are considered ready. For care robots, the experts approve health-related tasks like drawing blood while they prefer humans to do nursing tasks like washing. On a larger societal scale, the acceptance of social robots increases highly significantly with familiarity, making health robots and even military drones more acceptable than sex robots or child companion robots for childless couples. Accordingly, the acceptance of social robots seems to decrease with the level of face-to-face emotions involved.
We present the design of a system combining augmented reality (AR) and gamification to support elderly persons’ rehabilitation activities. The system is attached to the waist; it collects detailed movement data and at the same time augments the user’s path by projections. The projected AR-elements can provide location-based information or incite movement games. The collected data can be observed by therapists. Based on this data, the challenge level can be more frequently adapted, keeping up the patient’s motivation. The exercises can involve cognitive elements (for mild cognitive impairments), physiological elements (rehabilitation), or both. The overall vision is an individualized and gamified therapy. Thus, the system also offers application scenarios beyond rehabilitation in sports. In accordance with the methodology of design thinking, we present a first specification and a design vision based on inputs from business experts, gerontologists, physiologists, psychologists, game designers, cognitive scientists and computer scientists.
Deafblindness is a condition that limits communication capabilities primarily to the haptic channel. In the EU-funded project SUITCEYES we design a system which allows haptic and thermal communication via soft interfaces and textiles. Based on user needs and informed by disability studies, we combine elements from smart textiles, sensors, semantic technologies, image processing, face and object recognition, machine learning, affective computing, and gamification. In this work, we present the underlying concepts and the overall design vision of the resulting assistive smart wearable.
Modelling detailed chemistry in lithium-ion batteries: Insight into performance, ageing and safety
(2018)
SAP S/4HANA, das neue ERP-System der SAP SE, wird einem Funktionscheck im Bereich des Produktionscontrollings unterzogen. Ermittelte Anforderungen an die IT-Unterstützung eines modernen Produktionscontrolling-Konzeptes werden auf ihre Umsetzbarkeit mit SAP S/4HANA evaluiert und anschließend in einem realitätsnahen End-to-End-Szenario implementiert. Im aktuellen Release-Stand treten an mehreren Stellen noch funktionale Lücken auf, die nur über den Rückgriff auf Technologien und Oberflächen des Vorgängers SAP ECC geschlossen werden können.
Wer sich mit der Fragestellung von Autonomie – verstanden im ursprünglichen Sinn von Selbständigkeit und Unabhängigkeit – im Zusammenhang mit Kreation und Gestaltung beschäftigt, merkt schnell, dass bei aller Modernität der heutigen Digitaltechniken ein uraltes Thema auftaucht: die grundsätzliche Abhängigkeit des schöpferischen Aktes von Technik und Material, von Handwerk und Produktionsbedingungen.
Wer sich mit Digitalisierungsbestrebungen an Schulen befasst, stellt fest, dass die Tragweite der intendierten Transformation von Bildungseinrichtungen zu automatisierten Lernfabriken durch Digitaltechnik nur von Wenigen realisiert wird. Viele Beteiligte (wollen) glauben, es ginge nur um eine bessere technische Ausstattung der Lehreinrichtungen zur Unterstützung der Lehrkräfte – und übersehen, dass mit Kybernetik und Behaviorismus zwei den Menschen determinierende Theorien eine Renaissance erleben. Vertreter dieser Disziplinen glauben daran, dass sowohl der einzelne Mensch wie ganze Gesellschaften oder Sozialgemeinschaften wie ein Maschinenpark programmiert und gesteuert werden könne. Dabei werden Lernprozesse zu Akten der systematischen Selbstentmündigung umdefiniert: die Zurichtung der Lernenden auf abfragbare Kompetenzen mit Hilfe von Algorithmen und Software.
Bildung statt Profilbildung
(2018)
Der Spion im Klassenzimmer
(2018)
CONTEXT
The paper addresses the needs of medium and small businesses regarding qualification of R&D specialists in the interdisciplinary cross-industry innovation, which promises a considerable reduction of investments and R&D expenditures. The cross-industry innovation is commonly understood as identification of analogies and transfer of technologies, processes, technical solutions, working principles or business models between industrial sectors. However, engineering graduates and specialists frequently lack the advanced skills and knowledge required to run interdisciplinary innovation across the industry boundaries.
PURPOSE
The study compares the efficiency of the cross-industry innovation methods in one semester project-oriented course. It identifies the individual challenges and preferred working techniques of the students with different prior knowledge, sets of experiences, and cultural contexts, which require attention by engineering educators.
APPROACH
Two parallel one-semester courses were offered to the mechanical and process engineering students enrolled in bachelor’s and master’s degree programs at the faculty of mechanical and process engineering. The students from different years of study were working in 12 teams of 3…6 persons each on different innovation projects, spending two hours a week in the classroom and additionally on average two hours weekly on their project research. Students' feedback and self-assessments concerning gained skills, efficiency of learned tools and intermediate findings were documented, analysed, and discussed regularly along the course.
RESULTS
Analysis of numerous student projects allows to compare and to select the tools most appropriate for finding cross-industry solutions, such as thinking in analogies, web monitoring, function-oriented search, databases of technological effects and processes, special creativity techniques and others. The utilization of learned skills in practical innovation work strengthens the motivation of students and enhances their entrepreneurial competences. Suggested learning course and given recommendations help facilitate sustainable education of ambitious specialists.
CONCLUSIONS
The structured cross-industry innovation can be successfully run as a systematic process and learned in one semester course. The choice of the preferred working teqniques made by the students is affected by their prior knowledge in science, practical experience, and cultural contexts. Major outcomes of the students’ innovation projects such as feasibility, novelty and customer value of the concepts are primarily influenced by students’ engineering design skills, prior knowledge of the technologies, and industrial or business experience.
The comprehensive assessment method includes 80 innovation performance parameters and 10 key indicators of innovation capability, such as innovation process performance, innovating system performance, market and customer orientation, technology orientation, creativity, leadership, communication and knowledge management, risk and cost management, innovative climate, and innovation competences. The cross-industry study identifies parameters critical for innovation success and reveals different innovation performance patterns in companies.
The modern TRIZ is today considered as the most organized and comprehensive methodology for knowledge-driven invention and innovation. When applying TRIZ for inventive problem solving, the quality of obtained solutions strongly depends on the level of completeness of the problem analysis and the abilities of designers to identify the main technical and physical contradictions in the inventive situation. These tasks are more complex and hence more time consuming in the case of interdisciplinary systems. Considering a mechatronic product as a system resulting from the integration of different technologies, the problem definition reveals two kinds of contradictions: 1) the mono-disciplinary contradictions within a homogenous sub-system, e.g., only mechanical or only electrical; 2) the interdisciplinary contradictions resulting from the interaction of the mechatronic sub-systems (mechanics, electrics, control and software). This paper presents a TRIZ-based approach for a fast and systematic problem definition and contradiction identification, which could be useful both for engineers and students facing mechatronic problems. It also proposes some useful problem formulation tech-niques such as the System Circle Diagram, the enhancement of System Operator with the Evolution Patterns, the extension of MATChEM-IB operator with Infor-mation field and Human Interactions, as well as the Cause-Effect-Matrix.