BIBA researchers co-organize several special sessions at the Advances in Production Management Systems (APMS) 2021 conference that will take place from 5th – 9th September 2021. We’d like to invite you to submit papers for the special sessions listed below via www.apms-conference.org/apms-2021/papersubmission-2. Submission deadline is on 21st March 2021. For further information about the APMS conference, please visit: www.apms-conference.org. All special sessions at the APMS you will find at www.apms-conference.org/apms-2021/program/special-sessions-tracks-proposal.

Human-centered Artificial Intelligence in Smart Manufacturing for the Operator 4.0

The scope of this session is on Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HCAI) systems. Such systems view AI as a critical component for augmenting human work and extending human capabilities, thus they can be considered the AI-enablers for the Operator 4.0 concept. The aim is that AI systems and humans solve problems together to achieve goals that were unreachable by either humans or machines alone. In this context, the special track welcomes research contributions on, but not limited to, topics like: design issues for multimodal human-AI interactions in the industrial environment, digital intelligent assistants, software robots (softbots) and chatbots for production management, Artificial Intelligence for the Operator 4.0, explainable and transparent AI in manufacturing, methods and tools to manage and monitor HCAI systems, applications of HCAI systems in manufacturing, and business models and processes based on HCAI systems.

Data-Based Services as Key Enablers for Smart Products, Manufacturing and Assembly

Smart products and intelligent solutions for manufacturing and assembly rely on the analysis of massive amounts of data. A decisive fraction of their value is provided by data-based services, which thus can be considered as key enablers. The functionality of these services is generated through different technologies, such as sensor networks, cloud platforms, or artificial intelligence and can be applied in various settings, such as product development, monitoring of energy flows, or assembly processes. The objective of this session is to discuss the potential of data-based services to enable smart products, manufacturing and assembly. The special session welcomes research contributions on, but not limited to, topics like: acquisition of requirements for Smart Products and Services along the life-cycle, services to enable assisted assembly operations based on Artificial Intelligence, services for sustainable production (energy monitoring, circular material flow), industrial use cases for the application of data-based services.

Serious Games Analytics: Improving Games and Learning Support

This special track calls for a combination of papers, short presentations, tutorials, and demos such as videos, short-game plays, or similar that based on “games analytics” and/or “learners analytics” can demonstrate the impact of serious games and gamification for learning, and training. As it has been in previous years, the special track is intended not only as a set of papers presentations but also as a workshop that aims to bring together researchers, developers, and users of serious games and co-creation models in the fields of business, industrial engineering and management, and multiple other disciplines to exchange ideas and best practices on how to improve serious games and learning support for the players, and the facilitator as well. The focus of this years’ workshop is on “serious games analytics”, including strategies for data collection, analysis, and visualization about the game and the players (the learners).

Ramp-Up & Ramp-Down Management

Challenges in Times of Volatility and Uncertainty Evolving customer demands and market dynamics under current global circumstances require more agile, and resilient manufacturing enterprises. COVID 19 crisis uncovered urgent challenges such as the need for quicker and more agile and transparent production ramp-ups to ensure the rapid and sustained availability of products and services (e.g. medical equipment, consumer goods, pharmaceuticals) and even ramp downs when operations continuity was no longer possible to safeguard production systems. This puts higher pressure on the manufacturing and service industries, already confronted with a tough and global competition; ramp-up and ramp-down management approaches come into play at this point as a driver for agility, flexibility, and resilience to adapt production systems to accommodate unexpected disruptions of various kind. This special session is concerned with concepts, methods, models, practices and challenges related to ramp-up and also the to date less developed ramp-down management approaches in times of the current crisis and beyond. State of the art papers, innovative case studies, and new or adapted methods are welcome.