Since March 2020, Dennis Pawlowski has been working as a research assistant at our chair, where he has also previously worked as a student assistant.

He studied Applied Computer Science at the Ruhr University Bochum, specializing in the fields of construction, machine and neuroinformatics. In his master thesis "Tracking of construction workers on construction sites to assist crane operators" he investigated how to improve work safety on construction sites by using visual tracking systems.
Currently he is researching at the chair in the project BIM2TWIN, which deals with the monitoring of various pieces of equipment such as: Construction machinery, on the construction site with the help of computer vision technologies. The determined locations of the equipment and their status will later appear in real time in the digital twin to provide decision makers with important information.

Questions for Dennis:
Can you tell us more about your master's thesis, for which you received an award?

Dennis: Sure. In everyday work, people are always exposed to various risks, especially on construction sites, the risk of accidents and especially the risk of serious injury is somewhat higher. This is due, for example, to the fact that heavy construction machinery is in use, many different jobs are performed by different people, and all this in a relatively small area. In my work, I have focused on crane accidents. Crane accidents can occur on the one hand due to the accidental loss of a crane load or the touching of a construction worker with the load.
Reducing the risk of accidents is possible if the crane operator has information about the whereabouts of every construction worker in the crane radius. Based on this information, an assistance system can preemptively issue a warning of a potential hazard and thus remind the crane operator to be mindful.
The method describes an implementation of a tracking system intended for stationary mounted cameras on a crane. Algorithms from the field of computer vision and machine learning are used for the system.

You were previously a student assistant at the department. How do you like it now as a research assistant?

Dennis: Quite well. As a research assistant, I have learned to work more independently. It also allows me to meet interesting people, which is not limited to the national level. It also allows me to get more involved with my favorite topic, computer vision. Linking this to the construction industry is very interesting.

What would you tell someone who is about to finish school?

Dennis: Pursue your goals and use your talents. It also helps to sit down once and write down your skills. This will help you see in which area you can best use them. If possible, take some time to do this, because it should largely correspond to your interests.

Is there anything that particularly excites you?

Dennis: I really enjoy going to the movies. It allows you to immerse yourself in other worlds and disconnect from the outside world for 2 to 3 hours. This is made possible by numerous films and the special set-up of a movie theater, because the environment is dark, but the picture is big and bright and the sound is clear. Somehow, this fascinates me.
When possible, I also like to take day trips. There are quite a few places that are worth visiting. For example, the Loreley on the Rhine or the Externsteine in Horn-Bad Meinberg. In the summer, I also like to make trips by bike.