INSO

The inter-university research group Industrial Software (INSO) deals with the planning, architecture, construction, operation, and maintenance & evolution of (software) systems in the large, real IT environment.

The methodological and empirical focus points are "conventional": it is all about appropriately required technologies and architectures, about the structure of relevantly effective projects, suitable or unsuitable processes, effective or unsuitable products, and the necessary and capable people and delivery resources (experts, suitable teams, engineering & research) for a successful implementation, i.e. enforcement of an excellent solution.

"If we don’t understand it, nobody does." is our intellectual motto. Obviously INSO thinkers deal with science & real experience = engineering & thinking at its world-wide best. Doing so INSO runs various research groups with robust scientific roots,e.g. BUSY (Building Systems = software engineering), DECO (Designing Comfort = Interactive Systems), ESSE (Establishing Security = globally robust Cyber-Security), COPA (Connecting Patients = Digital Health), TARO (Taming Robots = AI & ML, AI & ML bricks, AI & ML integration, plus its realistic use and implementation).

Research

INSO is science & research of building very complex, very large IT systems. These include: global platforms, whole-of-government systems, overarching mobility solutions, whole-of-government infrastructures, highly secure or high-performance systems.

As an "Engineering Science Group", the empiricism of concrete construction is the methodological primacy in INSO.

Research (II)

INSO deals with the confluence of advanced computer science, systems engineering, and empirical research methodologies, dedicated to the conceptualization, design, and implementation of extraordinarily complex and large-scale information technology ecosystems.

INSO transcends conventional IT frameworks in both scope and ambition, encompassing global digital platforms that facilitate cross-border interoperability, whole-of-government architectures that unify public-sector operations under cohesive digital strategies, pan-organizational mobility solutions that integrate smart city infrastructures with IoT (Internet of Things) networks, and enterprise-grade infrastructures engineered to support mission-critical functions across industries.

Notably, INSO also specializes in the development of ultra-secure systems fortified by cutting-edge cryptographic protocols and high-performance computing environments optimized for real-time data processing at petabyte scales.

Research (III)

As an Engineering Science Group, INSO adheres to a rigorous epistemological framework that prioritizes empiricism — the systematic validation of theoretical models through tangible, iterative construction.

This methodological primacy distinguishes INSO from purely theoretical disciplines, grounding its practices in the observable realities of system behavior, operational constraints, and user-centric outcomes. By emphasizing concrete constructionas a cornerstone of inquiry — whether through modular prototyping, simulation-based stress testing, or phased deployment — INSO ensures that its solutions are not merely speculative but empirically validated under real-world conditions.

This approach harmonizes the abstraction of systems theory with the pragmatism of applied engineering, fostering innovations that balance scalability, resilience, and adaptability.

Research (IV)

Furthermore, INSO’s ethos integrates collaborative research paradigms, engaging academia, industry, and policymakers to address emergent challenges such as deep quantum resistant cybersecurity, ethical AI integration, and sustainable computational architectures.

Its work thus serves as both a technical and philosophical blueprint for advancing the frontiers of sociotechnical systems, where human-centric design principles intersect with the relentless demands of technological progress.

Collaborations

• TU Vienna (several institutes)
• TU Graz (several institutes)
• Joanneum Research Society
• University Vienna (several faculties)
• University Zürich & ETH Zürich (several institutes)
• University of Magdeburg
• TU Kosice (Slovakia)
• Ferit Osijek (Croatia)
• USP – Universida de Sao Paolo (Campus Riberao Preto)
• Several Applied Universities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland
• SSE, SSB in SSS District Andhra Pradesh (the future RISE / INSO University)
• Maputo Mozambique

Open Source

Researchers and students are strongly encouraged to become involved in the open source eco system to facilitate a continuous reflux of knowledge and technological improvements to the open source community. INSO members currently contributing actively to core open source technologies with the Apache and Eclipse communities.