News
29/10/2024
From quantum computers to eID wallets: future technologies at the Digital Summit 2024
The Digital Summit focussed on innovation, digital sovereignty and international cooperation. The BMWK funding programme "Development of Digital Technologies" was also represented. Quantum computing, digital identities and data sovereignty: exciting discussions and applications showed how Germany wants to shape the digital future.
Dr Johann Schmidt provided insights into the BMWK's funding activities in the field of software and applications for quantum computers.
© Digital-Gipfel
The digital transformation opens up new opportunities, but also brings with it complex challenges. At this year's Digital Summit, experts from science, politics and business exchanged views on key future technologies - with a clear focus on their potential applications, regulatory framework conditions and the role of public funding.
Quantum computing as a key technology of the future
Quantum computers are often seen as the computers of the future. At the Digital Summit, their potential was examined at various levels - from fields of application to political control. Prof. Nikolay Tcholtchev from the EniQmA project, together with Dr Johann Schmidt from the DLR Project Management Agency, led the discussion at one of the three stands in the "Quantum computing - fields of application and political control of a future technology of tomorrow" station discussion in the main programme of the Digital Summit. The dialogue with the interested audience was intense: How can the technology be applied? Where does Germany stand in the struggle for digital sovereignty? These and many other questions were at the centre of the discussion.
The market of digital possibilities also focussed on the question: "Quantum computing - future technology or already relevant today?" Dr Johann Schmidt also provided answers here in a short keynote speech: he presented the current situation in quantum computing and referred to the BMWK's funding activities in the area of software and applications for quantum computers. This was followed by a panel discussion with representatives from science and industry. Insights into current use cases gained as part of the scientific support for the technology programme "Quantum Computing - Applications for the Economy", which is based at the DLR Project Management Agency, were particularly informative. Despite all the optimism about the future, there was a consensus among the panellists that continuous support through public funding is still required.
Data utilisation in a networked and transparent economy
The German government's data strategy aims to make more data available, provide better data and establish a new culture of data use and data sharing. The strategy was represented at the Digital Summit with its own stand, where 15 projects working towards these goals in particular were presented. The major German-Austrian cooperation projects champI4.0ns and EuProGigant were also present and were pleased to see a great deal of interest in their topics. How can industrial data be utilised in a meaningful and practical way? The audience learnt this from the example of the wood-based materials industry in the context of the champI4.0ns project, represented by the German consortium partner Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT).
EuProGigant, represented by Software AG, showed how a cross-location, digitally networked production ecosystem can be established. EuProGigant, together with the partner project DIONE-X, attracted particular attention with an exciting demonstrator: a fully functional milling machine, presented by the German consortium partners Software AG and the Institute for Production Management, Technology and Machine Tools - PTW. The machine not only gave the audience a vivid but also clearly audible understanding of superior data exchange according to GAIA-X principles.
Digital identities: EUDI wallets as a European solution for the future
The eIDAS 2.0 regulation, which recently came into force, will revolutionise interaction between different parties in the digital world. The aim is to establish European Digital Identity Wallets (EUDI wallets). They will provide citizens, companies and organisations throughout the EU with a harmonised electronic means of identification. This is where the BMWK's "Secure Digital Identities" showcase programme comes in with its vision of application-oriented ID ecosystems that are characterised by openness, interoperability and simple, intuitive and barrierfree use. Two partners from the ID-Ideal project funded by the showcase programme successfully took part in the digital opportunities market at the Digital Summit and presented their latest developments on ID wallets and their application in a vivid way: for example, in the exhibition "Kunst geht digital" (Art goes digital) by Mittweida University of Applied Sciences. Visitors were able to experience AI-generated works of art and even create their own. The artwork was then securely saved using the smartphone app "Hidy". "Hidy" is a prototype of the EUDI wallets coming from 2026 and goes beyond conventional ID wallets. The app enables the secure storage of digital evidence and offers an integrated payment function. The aim was to inspire visitors and demonstrate the possibilities of digital proofs and innovative technologies to create new, secure and sovereign digital solutions. Visitors were able to securely add the artworks created using generative AI to their digital collection, print them and pay for them.
The Darmstadt-based company AUTHADA, which also had its own stand at the digital summit, is currently developing a prototype for the EUDI wallet. As a BSI-certified identification service provider, AUTHADA provided an insight into the development status of its EUDI wallet and current identification solutions based on the eID. Visitors to the stand were able to try out the prototype for themselves and, for example, transfer a digital identity to a smartphone.
Together into the digital future
The Digital Summit impressively demonstrated how Germany and Europe want to strengthen their digital sovereignty and innovative power. With clear strategies and targeted funding, the BMWK is working on making technological advances usable for the economy and society. Whether quantum computing, data strategies or digital identities - it became clear how important progress in these areas is for a sustainable, future-orientated digital transformation.
