The Sensor Technology Application Centre (SappZ) at OTH Regensburg celebrated its 15th anniversary in July. Since its foundation in 2010 under the direction of Prof. Dr. Rudolf Bierl, the laboratory has developed into a flagship centre for applied sensor technology research and technology transfer in the region.
The young and interdisciplinary team of researchers and students works at the interface between science and industry. The aim is to help shape the future of sensor technology in close cooperation with small and medium-sized enterprises, which gain easy access to innovative technologies through SappZ. An early example of this was the use of high-resolution 3D printers, which were quickly adopted by regional companies. Less common sensor technologies such as capacitive ultrasonic transducers, photoacoustic gas sensors and surface plasmon resonance sensors are also being further developed here in a practical manner and made available for use by companies.
‘SappZ is an outstanding example of how excellent research, dedicated teaching and cooperative innovation can work together in the region,’ says Prof. Dr. Rudolf Bierl. ‘We are proud of our achievements in recent years and of what lies ahead.’
ne example of successful collaboration is the PreSEDA project, which prepared innovative sensor technologies from research for use in the chemical industry. Among other things, demonstrators based on photoacoustic spectroscopy were used, which were able to detect various gases precisely and robustly with the help of artificial intelligence. The microSPIN project developed a miniaturised sensor system for monitoring technical oils based on surface plasmon resonance. Here, too, AI-supported evaluation methods were used to enable reliable online measurement directly on site.
Successes, awards and spin-offs – a centre with charisma
In 15 years, SappZ has raised around 15 million euros in third-party funding and has been involved in 21 funded projects. It is considered a talent factory for sensor research, with eight completed and eight ongoing doctorates, over 150 practice-oriented theses and around 60 specialist publications to date.
Five start-ups have emerged from SappZ to date. The centre's innovation potential became apparent early on: in 2013, Prof. Bierl was honoured for outstanding achievements at the interface between science and industry. In 2014, SappZ received the ‘Landmark in the Land of Ideas’ award for its work with quadcopters.
In 2016, SappZ moved to TechBase, further strengthening the transfer into practice. In 2023, Prof. Dr. Matthias Ehrnsperger joined the team as the second professor with a focus on edge AI and cooperative systems as part of the Bavarian High-Tech Agenda.
‘SappZ is a place where new technologies are created and where they are directly transferred to the economy and society,’ says Prof. Dr. Bierl. ‘We are delighted to continue on this path together with our partners.’
