History

The Institute of Automatic Control looks back on a history that started in the middle of the last century. It is known worldwide that pioneering work for mechatronics was done here! And we keep working to make history . . .

1952	Teaching assignment for Dr. Oppelt „Control Problems in Electrical Engineering“ starting at summer term 1952
1954	First chair in the Federal Republic of Germany for „Open and Closed Loop Control“ is decided to be established
1957	Prof. Dr.-Ing. Winfried Oppelt appointed for professor (08.06.1957), chair for control systems is established in the faculty of electrical engineering and accomodated in the Institute for Electrical Machines and in an additional building near the university main building, first scientific coworkers: K. Barth, R. Bräu, M. Thoma Research Areas: Theoretical Fundamentals of Control Systems Control of Vehicles and Airplanes Human Acting as Controller
1959	Branch of Study „Control System and Technical Electronics“ is established and relocated to the building Landgraf-Georg Straße 4
1973	Establishment of two independent laboratories, „Control Systems” (Oppelt) und „Control Systems Theory“ (Tolle) Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Dipl.-Ing. Henning Tolle (01.07.1973) appointed for professor Research Areas: Artificial Intelligence Autonomous Systems Darmstadt Robotic Hand (Darmstädter Roboterhand)
1977	Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dr. E.h. W. Oppelt conferred emeritus Prof. Dr.-Ing. Rolf Isermann, (29.09.1977), appointed for professor, laboratory „Control Systems Technology”
1982	25th anniversary of the institute (18.06.1982), in conjunction with the Awarding of the Aachener und Münchner Prize of the Dr. Carl Arthur-Pastor foundation to Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dr. E.h. W. Oppelt (100 participants)
1988	DFG special research branch „IMES“ is established, room enlargement of the institute with rented rooms at the Bleichstraße 10 -12
1998	Prof. Dr. rer. nat Dipl.-Ing. H. Tolle conferred emeritus Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Adamy (01.10.1998) appointed for professor Institute renamed to „Institute for Automatic Control“ (02.07.1998) with laboratories „Control Systems and Process Automation“ (rtp) and „Control Theory and Robotics“ (rtr)
1999	40th anniversary of the IAT (16.10.1999)
2000	Additional rooms in the Petersenstraße 20 (680 m²) purchased, branch of study „Automation Systems“ is redesigned, new branch of study „Mechatronics“ is established
2005	Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ulrich Konigorski (01.12.2004) appointed for professor Laboratory„Control Systems and Mechatronics“ (rtm) is established (01.08.2005)
2006	Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dr. h.c. Rolf Isermann (Research Group Control Systems and Process Automation, rtp) conferred emeritus
2010	The engine test bench moves into the specially set up container at Landgraf-Georg-Straße 4
2011	Renaming of the Institute of Automatic Control to Institute of Automatic Control and Mechatronics (iat)
2014	Relocation of the engine test bench from the container at Landgraf-Georg-Straße 4 to Lichtwiese in the Mechanical Engineering Halls, Jovanka Bontschits-Straße 11, L1\|04 rooms 036/038 (opening celebration July 10, 2014)
2013-2015	Core renovation of building S3\|10 in Landgraf-Georg-Straße 4 – iat moved to interim accommodation at Holzhofallee 38 in Darmstadt
2021	Prof. Dr.-Ing. Rolf Findeisen (01.08.2021) appointed for professor Laboratory „Control and Cyber-Physical Systems“ (CCPS) is established (01.08.2021)
2022	Prof. Konigorski retires (31 March 2022)