Frank Volkmann works in an area of automation with an extremely bright future: the use of network and Web technologies. Today, Internet browsers are generally used to display control data. The problem is that displaying automated processes requires dynamic graphics to show things like blinking warning lights or operations data, whereas browsers are currently capable of displaying only text, numbers, and static graphics.
Previously, users had to install a plug-in to allow the dynamic display of graphics. However, most system administrators want to avoid installing such plug-ins for security reasons, Volkmann reports. “Also, this solution requires you to manually install the necessary software on every display unit, including devices such as laptops, and then uninstall it again later,” he adds.