With the exception of written letters and personal conversations, digital technology forms the basis of nearly every means of communication and information that we use today. It is also used to control the essential elements of economic, scientific, and public and private life: security, production, mobility, media, and healthcare. Without exaggerating it is possible to say that digital technology has become one of the foundations of our technologically oriented civilization.
The benefits of modern data technology are so impressive and the potential for future applications so enormous that we cannot fail to promote its development if we are to retain our leading role in the competitive international marketplace. In this process, security plays a vital role in each of the areas of application of digital technology -- the more technological sectors are entrusted to data systems technology, the more important their reliability becomes to us.
Developing digital systems further while simultaneously ensuring that they always act and respond in the best interests of people is a central goal of the technological research and development propagated and conducted by Fraunhofer.

The Editor
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Reimund Neugebauer is the tenth president of the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft. He took office on October 1, 2012 and is responsible for the board area of management policy and research.

Contains interesting solutions for the ongoing development of digital systems

Sheds light on the particular challenges of digitalization

Provides an insight into the current work of the largest applied research organization in Europe