News 2021

Artificial intelligence and big data are major topics in business, society, and science. TATuP explores ways to strengthen society’s understanding of AI and to shape the technology’s use in a meaningful way.

From 20 to 23 March 2022, ITAS and its partners in the globalTA network invite you to the fifth European TA Conference “Digital Future(s): TA in and for a Changing World” in Karlsruhe. Participants can register now.

What role can artistic research play in technology assessment? The Chinese curator of media art Nikita Lin is pursuing this question for one year at ITAS as a Fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

The European Network of Parliamentary Technology Assessment Institutions (EPTA) will present a report at their annual conference on 9 November 2021.

Technological progress always requires societal responsibility as well. What are the ways to deal with this responsibility? Armin Grunwald and Rafaela Hillerbrand introduce the principles and applications of ethics of technology in a new handbook.

Urban and peri-urban forest areas contributed significantly to the well-being of city residents during the pandemic. This is the conclusion drawn by ITAS researchers in a recently published study.

What and how do researchers write when they provide policy advice? How do they remain scientific, neutral, and independent? A new project examines scientific policy advice from linguistic and epistemological perspectives.

Today, DNA sequencing is part of the standard repertoire of biological and medical research. However, the abundance and quality of the data obtained pose challenges for society and science. These are topics of the new TATuP issue.

What will the toilet of the future look like? What added value does the digitization of cultural assets offer? Compact answers to current questions and impulses for future research and innovation are provided by the five new thematic short profiles from TAB's Horizon-Scanning.

What characterizes a trustworthy technology? ITAS invites young researchers from all disciplines to exchange ideas on this question and practice their scientific skills. Abstracts can be submitted until 16 June 2021.

The German Bundestag has approved the further work programme of the Office of Technology Assessment at the German Bundestag.

Environmentally friendly, fair and safe. The power supply of the future must undergo fundamental change - in Germany and worldwide. We will be discussing how this can be achieved and what each individual can contribute on 20 May 2021, at "technik.kontrovers".

Fewer parking spaces, more quality of life! Residents of Karlsruhe’s Oststadt would agree with this if the conditions fit. This is the conclusion reached by ITAS researchers in a study for the “Profilregion Mobilitätssysteme Karlsruhe”.

The use of artificial intelligence in medical genomics has developed rapidly in recent years. A policy brief from the “Deepen Genomics” project highlights potentials, challenges, and policy recommendations.

Although often called for, urban transformation is a long time coming. The new TATuP issue explores how integrative approaches that combine smart technologies with social innovations could make European cities more sustainable.

Learning systems play an increasingly important role in the fields of work and education. Together with partners in the region, ITAS is involved in the establishment of a regional competence center on the topic, focusing on the human being.

Many people have long been aware of the importance of climate protection. With the “Karlsruhe Real-world Lab for Sustainable Climate Protection,” ITAS, the city of Karlsruhe, and many other partners will bring the topic even more into everyday life.

The TAB-Kurzstudie No. 1 provides an overview of current developments and future prospects for German space research and industry, taking particular account of new development and start-up dynamics.

The head of ITAS will henceforth advise the Federal Government and the German Bundestag as a member of the renowned council of experts. With his work, he wants to contribute to the responsible shaping of scientific and technological progress.

What if climate protection measures could be systematically implemented and global warming could be stopped? The FutureFiction competition is looking for stories that present a positive image of the future.

TAB-Brief No. 51 explores the questions of how forward-looking the analyses were, what constitutes the special value of the investigations and what perspectives new technologies open up for the work of parliamentary technology assessment.

The energy transition in Germany is already on its way. However, there are numerous possibilities to shape the way to carbon neutrality. ITAS wants to assess the sustainability of such future paths in the ENSURE project together with civil society.