Computer Engineering
Computer Engineering is based on an integral approach combining informatics, communications technology and microelectronics. The primary area of research is embedded systems, which are an essential part of many objects in our everyday life.

Contact
- Ulrich Schmid, Coordinator
Research Topics
- Digital Circuits and Hardware Architectures
- Parallel and Distributed, Dependable, Real-time Systems
- Hybrid Systems and Optimal Control
- Quantitative and Runtime Verification
- Computational Modeling and Simulation
- Autonomous Systems, Robotics and Automation Systems Integration
- Cyber-physical Social Systems & Internet of Things
About
Computer Engineering is based on an integral approach combining informatics, communications technology and microelectronics. The primary area of research is embedded systems, which are an essential part of many objects in our everyday life.
The research focus Computer Engineering deals with all aspects of the direct interaction of computer systems and their environment, from the lowest level of circuit and hardware architectures to safety-critical cyber-physical systems like industrial automation and smart grids, healthcare, spacecraft, and automotive.
Designing such systems is challenging, both from a scientific and technological perspective: Many functions are directly implemented in hardware for performance reasons, distributed and parallel processing is omnipresent, digital signal processing is often required, real-time and power/thermal constraints must be met, energy-efficiency is crucial, stopping operation in the case of failures is often not feasible, unique security issues and threats exist, “trial-and-error-style programming” is not an option in many applications, asserting system correctness by means of testing may be insufficient for the required reliability level, emergent behavior originating from autonomous operation must be understood and controlled, integration and complexity issues created by the upcoming Internet of Things must be managed, etc.
Key characteristics of the research focus Computer Engineering are hence (i) an integrative view of a multitude of system aspects, including hardware architectures, continuous/discrete systems, parallelism and communication, dependability, real-time processing, low-power design, energy and resource efficiency, decision and control theory, autonomy, etc., and (ii) interdisciplinarity: Core computer science knowledge and skills like programming, modeling, design and analysis, formal verification and synthesis of both software and hardware are complemented by specific knowledge and skills from other disciplines, in particular, continuous mathematics, system theory and electrical engineering.
Research Units
Four of the faculty’s twenty-three research units are primarily focused on topics related to Computer Engineering. Visit their pages to learn about current projects, publications, courses, and the people involved.
Below is a small selection of recent research activities related to Computer Engineering. To learn more, visit the pages of the research units listed above.
Recent Projects
-
COntext-free model checking for Recursive PrObabilistic pRogrAms
2023 – 2025 / European Commission -
Semantics-based Explanation of Cyber-physical Systems
2023 – 2025 / Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) -
EdgeAI: Technologies for Optimized Performance - Embedded Processing
2022 – 2025 / Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) -
Autonomous Race Car Model for Students Rescue Robot, Talente: Praktika für Schülerinnen und Schüler 2022
2022 / Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) -
Reconsidering digital deconstruction, reuse and recycle processes using BIM and Blockchain
2022 – 2024 / Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) / Publication: 149200 -
Open Building Automation Modeling - Open modeling of building automation over the entire building life cycle
2021 – 2024 / Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) / Publication: 148878 -
DigiWind - The digital twin of a wind turbine
2021 – 2022 / VGB PowerTech e.V. -
5D Digital Twin for industrial energy systems
2021 – 2024 / Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) / Publication: 85740 -
Fault Detection and Optimization
2021 – 2024 / Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) -
Autonomous-Driving Examiner
2020 – 2023 / Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) / Publication: 111338 -
Personalised Medicine: Multidisciplinary Research Towards IM
2020 – 2023 / Austrian Science Fund (FWF) -
Automated payment and contract management in construction using blockchain technology and BIM 5D
2019 – 2022 / Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) -
Automated Device Independent Honeypot Generation of IoT and Industrial IoT Devices
2019 – 2022 / Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) -
Power System Cognification
2019 – 2022 / Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) / Publications: 144211, 148255, 80249 -
Knowledge-based building management combining human
perception and building automation systems
2019 – 2021 / Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) / Publication: 85766 -
Annex XVIII - Digitalization, Artificial Intelligence and Related Technologies for Energy Efficiency and GHG Emissions Reduction in Industry - Task1
2019 – 2020 / Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) -
COCO: Control Equivalence for Cyber-Physical Models
2018 – 2020 / Austrian Science Fund (FWF) -
IEA EBC Annex 71: Building Energy Performance Assessment Based on In-situ Measurements
2017 – 2022 / Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) -
Fog Computing for Robotics and Industrial Automation
2017 – 2021 / European Commission / Publications: 140827, 144157, 144966, 144989, 145308, 145470, 153131, 176469, 184741, 23759, 33665, 59396, 61583, 61585, 61587, 61592, 61595, 61602, 61603, 61604, 61629, 61740, 61984, 61985, 61992, 61995, 62015, 62043, 62140, 62243, 62296, 62297, 62299, 62300, 62301, 62443, 81877, 81879 -
Adaptive Smoothed Production
2017 – 2020 / Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) / Publications: 150466, 151356, 151366, 59284, 59311, 61456, 61476, 62060
Recent Publications
Note: Due to the rollout of TU Wien’s new publication database, the list below may be slightly outdated. Once the migration is complete, everything will be up to date again.
- (Poly)Logarithmic Time Construction of Round-optimal n-Block Broadcast Schedules for Broadcast and irregular Allgather in MPI / Träff, J. L. (2022). (Poly)Logarithmic Time Construction of Round-optimal n-Block Broadcast Schedules for Broadcast and irregular Allgather in MPI. arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2205.10072
- Probabilistic Hyperproperties with Rewards / Wilke, L., Dobe, O., Abraham, E., Bartocci, E., & Bonakdarpour, B. (2022). Probabilistic Hyperproperties with Rewards. In Lecture Notes in Computer Science (pp. 656–673). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-06773-0_35
- One-Shot Learning of Ensembles of Temporal Logic Formulas for Anomaly Detection in Cyber-Physical Systems / Indri, P., Bartoli, A., Medvet, E., & Nenzi, L. (2022). One-Shot Learning of Ensembles of Temporal Logic Formulas for Anomaly Detection in Cyber-Physical Systems. In Lecture Notes in Computer Science (pp. 34–50). Springer-Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-02056-8_3
- MPI Performance Tools under the Microscope: A Thorough Overhead Analysis / Ajanohoun, J. I., Vardas, I., Träff, J. L., & Hunold, S. (2022). MPI Performance Tools under the Microscope: A Thorough Overhead Analysis. In E. Reiter (Ed.), Austrian-Slovenian HPC Meeting 2022 - ASHPC22 (p. 16). EuroCC Austria. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12708/55697
- Kernel Methods for Predicting Yields of Chemical Reactions / Haywood, A. L., Redshaw, J., Hanson-Heine, M. W. D., Taylor, A., Brown, A., Mason, A. M., Gärtner, T., & Hirst, J. D. (2022). Kernel Methods for Predicting Yields of Chemical Reactions. Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling, 62(9), 2077–2092. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jcim.1c00699
- Performance and programmability comparison of the thick control flow architecture and current multicore processors / Forsell, M., Nikula, S., Roivainen, J., Leppänen, V., & Träff, J. L. (2022). Performance and programmability comparison of the thick control flow architecture and current multicore processors. The Journal of Supercomputing, 78(3), 3152–3183. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11227-021-03985-0
- mpisee: MPI Profiling for Communication and Communicator Structure / Vardas, I., Hunold, S., Ajanohoun, J. I., & Träff, J. L. (2022). mpisee: MPI Profiling for Communication and Communicator Structure. In E. Reiter (Ed.), Austrian-Slovenian HPC Meeting 2022 - ASHPC22 (p. 15). EuroCC Austria. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12708/55696
- Flavors of Sequential Information Flow / Bartocci, E., Ferrère, T., Henzinger, T. A., Nickovic, D., & da Costa, A. O. (2022). Flavors of Sequential Information Flow. In Lecture Notes in Computer Science (pp. 1–19). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-94583-1_1
- Safety und Security / Kastner, W., & Sauter, T. (2021). Safety und Security. Elektrotechnik und Informationstechnik : e & i, 138(7), 447–448. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00502-021-00944-8
- A Doubly-pipelined, Dual-root Reduction-to-all Algorithm and Implementation / Träff, J. L. (2021). A Doubly-pipelined, Dual-root Reduction-to-all Algorithm and Implementation. arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2109.12626
- Towards Explaining the Fault Sensitivity of Different QDI Pipeline Styles / Behal, P., Huemer, F., Najvirt, R., Steininger, A., & Tabassam, Z. (2021). Towards Explaining the Fault Sensitivity of Different QDI Pipeline Styles. 2021 27th IEEE International Symposium on Asynchronous Circuits and Systems (ASYNC). https://doi.org/10.1109/async48570.2021.00012
- Simulation-Based Approaches for Comprehensive Schmitt-Trigger Analyses / Maier, J., Hartl-Nesic, C., & Steininger, A. (2021). Simulation-Based Approaches for Comprehensive Schmitt-Trigger Analyses. IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems I: Regular Papers, 69(3), 1013–1026. https://doi.org/10.1109/tcsi.2021.3130349
- GNNUnlock+: A Systematic Methodology for Designing Graph Neural Networks-based Oracle-less Unlocking Schemes for Provably Secure Logic Locking / Alrahis, L., Patnaik, S., Hanif, M. A., Saleh, H., Shafique, M., & Sinanoglu, O. (2021). GNNUnlock+: A Systematic Methodology for Designing Graph Neural Networks-based Oracle-less Unlocking Schemes for Provably Secure Logic Locking. IEEE Transactions on Emerging Topics in Computing, 10(3), 1575–1592. https://doi.org/10.1109/tetc.2021.3108487
- MPI collective communication through a single set of interfaces: A case for orthogonality / Träff, J. L., Hunold, S., Mercier, G., & Holmes, D. J. (2021). MPI collective communication through a single set of interfaces: A case for orthogonality. Parallel Computing: Systems & Applications, 107(102826), 102826. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.parco.2021.102826 / Project: Process Mapping
- A survey of hardware architectures for generative adversarial networks / Shrivastava, N., Hanif, M. A., Mittal, S., Sarangi, S. R., & Shafique, M. (2021). A survey of hardware architectures for generative adversarial networks. The Journal of Systems Architecture: Embedded Software Design, 118(102227), 102227. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sysarc.2021.102227
- Compiling for time-predictability with dual-issue single-path code / Maroun, E. J., Schoeberl, M., & Puschner, P. (2021). Compiling for time-predictability with dual-issue single-path code. The Journal of Systems Architecture: Embedded Software Design, 118(102230), 102230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sysarc.2021.102230
- Model-driven engineering city spaces via bidirectional model transformations / Visconti, E., Tsigkanos, C., Hu, Z., & Ghezzi, C. (2021). Model-driven engineering city spaces via bidirectional model transformations. Software and Systems Modeling, 20(6), 2003–2022. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10270-020-00851-0
- An Open-Source Wireless Sensor Node Platform with Active Node-Level Reliability for Monitoring Applications / Widhalm, D., Goeschka, K. M., & Kastner, W. (2021). An Open-Source Wireless Sensor Node Platform with Active Node-Level Reliability for Monitoring Applications. Sensors, 21(22), 7613. https://doi.org/10.3390/s21227613
- Risk-aware business process management using multi-view modeling: method and tool / Thabet, R., Bork, D., Boufaied, A., Lamine, E., Korbaa, O., & Pingaud, H. (2021). Risk-aware business process management using multi-view modeling: method and tool. Requirements Engineering, 26(3), 371–397. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00766-021-00348-2
- Generation of a fault-tolerant clock through redundant crystal oscillators / Dür, W., Függer, M., & Steininger, A. (2021). Generation of a fault-tolerant clock through redundant crystal oscillators. Microelectronics Reliability, 120(114088), 114088. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.microrel.2021.114088
Recent Theses
Note: Due to the rollout of TU Wien’s new publication database, the list below may be slightly outdated. Once the migration is complete, everything will be up to date again.
- Norm Compliance for Reinforcement Learning Agents / Neufeld, E. A. (2023). Norm Compliance for Reinforcement Learning Agents [Dissertation, Technische Universität Wien]. reposiTUm. https://doi.org/10.34726/hss.2023.112881
- Erkennung von Mustern in EVM-Bytecode durch XQuery-Abfragen auf Ausführungspfaden im Kontrollflussgraphen / Sack, C. (2023). Erkennung von Mustern in EVM-Bytecode durch XQuery-Abfragen auf Ausführungspfaden im Kontrollflussgraphen [Diploma Thesis, Technische Universität Wien]. reposiTUm. https://doi.org/10.34726/hss.2023.98507
- Distributed off-chain storage for inter-organizational Business Process Execution / Navratil, A. (2023). Distributed off-chain storage for inter-organizational Business Process Execution [Diploma Thesis, Technische Universität Wien]. reposiTUm. https://doi.org/10.34726/hss.2023.105744
- Online Algorithm Selection of MPI Collective Communication Operations / Steiner, S. (2023). Online Algorithm Selection of MPI Collective Communication Operations [Diploma Thesis, Technische Universität Wien]. reposiTUm. https://doi.org/10.34726/hss.2023.105821
- Design and Limitations of a Software-based TSN End Station / Lehr, C. (2023). Design and Limitations of a Software-based TSN End Station [Diploma Thesis, Technische Universität Wien]. reposiTUm. https://doi.org/10.34726/hss.2023.97382
- Predictable and Performant Computer Architectures for Time-Critical Systems / Platzer, M. (2023). Predictable and Performant Computer Architectures for Time-Critical Systems [Dissertation, Technische Universität Wien]. reposiTUm. https://doi.org/10.34726/hss.2023.110808
- Methoden zur Regelprüfung für OPC UA Modelle / Gansterer, P. R. (2023). Methoden zur Regelprüfung für OPC UA Modelle [Diploma Thesis, Technische Universität Wien]. reposiTUm. https://doi.org/10.34726/hss.2023.109460
- Beta-CIDM: A faithful and composable delay model with adversarial noise / Öhlinger, D. (2022). Beta-CIDM: A faithful and composable delay model with adversarial noise [Diploma Thesis, Technische Universität Wien]. reposiTUm. https://doi.org/10.34726/hss.2022.87144
- Improving energy community interoperability: a web of things approach / Esterbauer, L. (2022). Improving energy community interoperability: a web of things approach [Diploma Thesis, Technische Universität Wien]. reposiTUm. https://doi.org/10.34726/hss.2022.92304
- Towards dependable CPS/IoT ecosystem / Isakovic, H. (2022). Towards dependable CPS/IoT ecosystem [Dissertation, Technische Universität Wien]. reposiTUm. https://doi.org/10.34726/hss.2022.103104
- Clock synchronization in a distributed hardware-in-the-loop testbed / Reisinger, T. (2022). Clock synchronization in a distributed hardware-in-the-loop testbed [Diploma Thesis, Technische Universität Wien; Florida State University]. reposiTUm. https://doi.org/10.34726/hss.2022.86702
- Smart SoC testing and remote configuration facilitated by the use of IJTAG complemented with on-chip microprocessor access / Pircher, C. (2022). Smart SoC testing and remote configuration facilitated by the use of IJTAG complemented with on-chip microprocessor access [Diploma Thesis, Technische Universität Wien]. reposiTUm. https://doi.org/10.34726/hss.2022.98141
- Fault-tolerant GALS architecture based on pausable clocking / Dür, W. (2022). Fault-tolerant GALS architecture based on pausable clocking [Diploma Thesis, Technische Universität Wien]. reposiTUm. https://doi.org/10.34726/hss.2022.88760
- Development and analysis of mobile game mechanics / Diwald, A. (2022). Development and analysis of mobile game mechanics [Diploma Thesis, Technische Universität Wien]. reposiTUm. https://doi.org/10.34726/hss.2022.24150
- Evaluation of different tools for design and fault-injection of asynchronous circuits / Schwendinger, M. (2022). Evaluation of different tools for design and fault-injection of asynchronous circuits [Diploma Thesis, Technische Universität Wien]. reposiTUm. https://doi.org/10.34726/hss.2022.98624
- Evaluating the energy simulations of multicast routing protocols used in wireless sensor networks / Lukitsch, D. (2022). Evaluating the energy simulations of multicast routing protocols used in wireless sensor networks [Diploma Thesis, Technische Universität Wien]. reposiTUm. https://doi.org/10.34726/hss.2023.89001
- Remote configuration of (meshed) sensor nodes in home and building automation / Hodović, M. (2022). Remote configuration of (meshed) sensor nodes in home and building automation [Diploma Thesis, Technische Universität Wien]. reposiTUm. https://doi.org/10.34726/hss.2023.94140
- Knowledge base for reconfigurable safety systems / Reitgruber, D. (2022). Knowledge base for reconfigurable safety systems [Diploma Thesis, Technische Universität Wien]. reposiTUm. https://doi.org/10.34726/hss.2022.100840
- Time-travelling state machines for verifiable BPM / Kleebinder, D. (2022). Time-travelling state machines for verifiable BPM [Diploma Thesis, Technische Universität Wien]. reposiTUm. https://doi.org/10.34726/hss.2023.99122
- Configuration deployment for reconfigurable safety systems / Zainzinger, D. (2022). Configuration deployment for reconfigurable safety systems [Diploma Thesis, Technische Universität Wien]. reposiTUm. https://doi.org/10.34726/hss.2022.100841
Recent Awards
-
Sascha Hunold:
Best Short Paper / PMBS@Supercomputing
2022 / USA -
Ezio Bartocci:
Best Paper of QEST 2022 International Conference
2022 / 19th International Conference on Quantitative Evaluation of SysTems / Poland -
Ezio Bartocci:
Best Software Science Paper of the European Joint Conferences on Theory and Practice of Software (ETAPS) 2022
2022 / European Association of Software Science and Technology (EASST) / Germany / Website -
Sascha Hunold:
Best Paper Award IEEE CLUSTER 2020
2020 / Japan -
Jesper Larsson Träff:
Innovation Radar: Innovation Title: PGAS-based MPI with interoperability; Innovation Category: Exploration; FP 7 project EPiGRAM
2018 / Project -
Sascha Hunold:
Best Paper Award EuroMPI/Asia
2014 / Japan -
Jesper Larsson Träff:
Best Paper Award: "Reproducible MPI Micro-Benchmarking Isn't As Easy As You Think", S. Hunold, A. Carpen-Amarie, J. Träff, 21st European MPI Users' Group Meeting, EuroMPI/ASIA 2014, Kyoto, Japan, September 9-12, 2014
2014 / Program Chairs of EuroMPI/ASIA 2014 / Japan -
Wilfried Elmenreich:
E-Learning Award 2006/2007 für ausgezeichnete Leistungen in der Lehrentwicklung (Kategorie für Speziallösungen)
2007 / Austria -
Peter Puschner:
Gründungsmitglied der IFIP 10.2 WG on Embedded Systems
2006 / IFIP -
Hermann Kopetz:
Wilhelm Exner Medaillie
2005 / Austria -
Christopher Krügel:
Wirtschaftskammerpreis
2005 / Wirtschaftskammern / Austria -
Hermann Kopetz:
IEEE Technical Achievement Award
2004 -
Josef Widder:
FIT-IT Embedded Systems Dissertationsstipendium "Distributed Computing in the Presence of Bounded Asynchrony"
2004 / Austria -
Hermann Kopetz:
Vorsitzender d. Wiss. Beirat ACR
2004 / Austria -
Raimund Kirner:
Mobilitätsstipendium der Creditanstalt AG
(wird für aussergewöhnliche Dissertationen
an der Technischen Universität Wien verliehen)
2003 / Austria -
Hermann Kopetz:
IGM-Preis
2001 / Austria -
Christopher Krügel:
EIB Scientific Award for Excellent Diploma Thesis
2000 / Germany -
Hermann Kopetz:
Mitglied "Rat for Forschung und Technologieentwicklung"
2000 / Austria -
Peter Puschner:
Marie-Curie Fellowship
1999 / EC Europäische Komission - Marie Curie -
Hermann Kopetz:
Wirkliches Mitglied der Österr. Akademie der Wissenschaften
1998 / Mitgliedschaft / Austria